By Stratton Taylor, Former state senator, now practicing attorney
April 26, 2009 — Gov. Brad Henry’s appointment of Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley to the upgraded position of Secretary of Transportation is great news for the State of Oklahoma and Rogers County.
Ridley, who served with distinction as the Director of the Highway Department, will now have the additional assignment of Secretary of Transportation which includes oversight of the State’s entire transportation system, including the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
Ridley is one of Oklahoma’s most accomplished public servants.
He was an especially great ally during the years when we were working on four-laning Highway 20 (between Claremore and Pryor), Highway 169 (between Talala and Collinsville), and the beginning of Highway 88 (between Claremore and Inola).
Ridley is the kind of public servant who will be creative to try and solve a problem and if he can’t do so, will tell you why he can’t without any of the normal bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.
He’s a friend to Northeastern Oklahoma because without his assistance, our efforts to four-lane the aforementioned roads might still be lost in the bureaucratic shuffle.
He will be an invaluable ally to the current legislative delegation in their efforts to finally bring an overpass to Claremore.
It’s a great appointment and one that has special meaning to me because of the opportunities I had to work with Gary Ridley on various projects affecting Northeastern Oklahoma.
