Western Oklahoma is one step closer to an economic development project linking Altus and Elk City by a modern, four-lane highway. The most recent milestone was celebrated Friday by civic and business leaders from Altus, Elk City and Greer County, along with legislators and officials from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The ribbon cutting, held adjacent to SH-6, five miles north of Granite, marked the completion of yet another four-lane segment of the SH-6 corridor, dubbed the “Western Oklahoma Development Freeway,” in western Oklahoma.

The newly completed project includes two bridges and new alignment from the north edge of Granite to the North Fork of the Red River.

“With the completion of this project we move even closer to our goal of completing the corridor between Altus and Elk City,” ODOT Director Gary Ridley said.

The project near Granite consisted of three phases. The first phase of the project was awarded to Plains Bridge, Inc., of Yukon at a cost of $3.8 million and included construction of two bridges. Work began in July 2005 and was completed in November 2006.

The second phase of the project, ground work for the new alignment, was awarded to Sewell Bros., Inc., of Oklahoma City at a cost of $2.6 million and ran from January 2007 until April 2008.

Cornell Construction of Clinton was awarded the contract for surfacing the roadway at a cost of $8.1 million. That project began in August 2008 and was finished in September 2009.

Current plans call for final work to begin on the Altus-to-Elk City corridor in 2016, but are dependent upon funding for future projects.

Invited guests to the ribbon cutting that was hosted by the Altus Chamber of Commerce included Altus Mayor T.L. Gramling, State Rep. Charles Ortega (R-Altus), State Sen. Mike Schulz (R-Altus), Granite Mayor Tony Scarborough, Mangum Mayor Maxine Thomason, Elk City Mayor Teresa Mullican, State Rep. Purcy Walker (D-Elk City), State Sen. Tom Ivester (D-Elk City), Transportation Secretary/ODOT Director Gary Ridley and District 5 Transportation Commissioner Loyd L. Benson. Also invited were members of Elk City and Mangum chambers of commerce and ODOT officials.