Thunderstorms, blizzards, flooding — Oklahoma saw them all last month, and the cost of responding to them is adding up for the department of transportation.
"Our storm-related activities has cost the agency $1.6 million during the month of December," said ODOT Director Mike Patterson. "The bulk of that, $1.4 million, has come in since Christmas Day."
ODOT sent crews out to treat slick roads and help motorists navigate highways with lanes closed because of ice and snow. They’re also assessing damage caused by ice storms and heavy rain.
Patterson expects the bill will get even bigger as floodwaters in eastern Oklahoma recede and reveal more damage.
The panhandle and western Oklahoma were hit with snow and ice, while the eastern part of the state saw heavy rainfall over the Christmas weekend. All 77 Oklahoma counties got a state of emergency declaration from Gov. Mary Fallin as a result.
