Former Speaker of the House and former Secretary of State Chris Benge was given the Guardian of Transportation Award by the Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation (TRUST) advocacy group. TRUST President Neal McCaleb said the award is given to an individual who exemplified excellence in all areas of the transportation industry.
“There are many deserving individuals of this award who have contributed to the tremendous progress made to improve Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure, and Speaker Benge is certainly one of them,” McCaleb said. “During his time in the legislature and as Speaker, he was a champion in advocating for transportation to be returned as a core priority of state government, and he played a key role in the advancement of Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure on many levels. His dedication to that cause makes him a natural selection for this award, and it is an honor for TRUST to present our Guardian of Transportation award to him.”
“It is an honor to receive the Guardian of Transportation award from TRUST. Over the past 12 years, Oklahoma has made tremendous progress in addressing its structurally deficient bridges and highways with capital projects evident across Oklahoma on both the state and county highway systems. I am proud to have played a role in the advancement of this core state government mission. It has been an incredible story to see our state move away from a transportation system held together by duct tape and baling wire, to one that brings a modern delivery of infrastructure that will allow our citizens to thrive in a 21st century economy. I am very appreciative of TRUST for this honor,” said Benge.
