An optimal control problem is studied, in which the state is required to remain in a compact set S. A control feedback law is constructed which, for given ε > 0, produces ε-optimal trajectories that satisfy the state constraint universally with respect to all initial conditions in S. The construction relies upon a constraint removal technique which utilizes geometric properties of inner approximations of S and a related tra jectory tracking result. The control feedback is shown to possess a robustness property with respect to state measurement error.