ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz Announces Retirement After 37 Years of State Service

Tim Gatz, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, announced his upcoming retirement during the Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s Oct. 5 meeting, capping a 37-year career in state government.

Gatz, who has led ODOT as executive director since 2019, will officially step down at the end of October.

Under his leadership, Oklahoma made historic progress in modernizing its highway infrastructure, moving up to fourth in the nation for good bridge conditions. Out of nearly 6,800 state-maintained bridges across Oklahoma, only a tiny fraction now rank as structurally deficient—a dramatic reduction achieved during his tenure.