After more than a decade of promises, delays, funding drama, and more delays, pavement is finally coming to Luther Road at the Logan County line. According to the blinking sign where the asphalt meets the dirt, construction begins February 17, 2025.
This long-awaited project, overseen by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Logan County District Two, is moving at an uncharacteristically brisk pace—coincidentally, just a month after newly elected District Two Commissioner Floyd Coffman took office.
Lest we get too excited, the project will pave just two miles of Luther Road, from Waterloo Road to Charter Oak Road. And before those smooth new lanes appear, the road will be closed while two bridges are replaced. Commissioner Coffman says they might build a temporary bridge to help local traffic, but no promises.
Your Scenic Detour Awaits
The official detour: Peebly Road to Charter Oak and eventually Charter Oak to Harrah Road. And just to keep things interesting—Waterloo does not run west at Luther Road, so you’ll have to hop onto Peebly a mile south at Sorghum Mill Road. Got all that?
Meanwhile, county crews have been scrambling to make Peebly Road (also dirt) less of a suspension test course and to accommodate two lanes. More than 100 truckloads of trees and debris have been hauled out, work that was originally promised to begin… last May.
Residents: We’ll Believe It When We See It
For Ben Engrebretson, who runs a landscaping business and racks up miles daily, paved roads mean fewer repair bills and fewer dirty looks at the car wash.
“We wouldn’t trade country living for anything, but we’ve had problems with wheel bearings, broken leaf springs, undercarriage issues, you name it. One of our vehicles even got totaled after hitting a rock in the road, busting the coolant line and frying the engine,” he said.
His neighbor Ashley Fuqua is just as relieved. “Excited is an understatement. I will gladly take the detour for the payoff in the end. My husband Jacob will definitely appreciate not having to plug tires multiple times a month or replace hubs, shocks, tie rods, and air filters.”
So, How Much Is This Costing?
The $4.5 million project is funded through ODOT’s County Improvements for Roads and Bridges (CIRB) program, which—despite rumors—is not paid for by property taxes. Instead, the money comes from fuel taxes, federal funding, and a complicated state formula that only a few people truly understand. In 2023, the Oklahoma Legislature increased CIRB funding, giving long-overdue projects like this one a boost.
The bid went to Treas Construction, and if the weather cooperates, the work should take about nine months.
A Growing Area, Finally Getting Paved
This corner of Logan County District Two, which feeds into the Luther School District, has been rapidly growing with new homes and farms—but still operates on 100% dirt and gravel roads.
For now, the locals will endure the detour and cheer on the construction, with the dream of two miles worth of a smooth ride.
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