Access Oklahoma Turnpike Projects

[OKCTalker]

I don't think that the people of Oklahoma thought that the enabling act would mean that the Turner Turnpike would still not be paid for 60 years later. They had no idea that the OTA would keep rolling over the debt in perpetuity.
The OTA needs to satisfy it's existing bonds before getting itself even deeper in debt.
I'd be alright with Turner continuing to be a toll road if they tolls were not crazy. Maintenance isn't cheap, even more so when the OTA is paying for it. Make the toll cover maintenance and admin costs and that's alright with me. Don't make me pay for all the rest of your bad decisions.

Bonds & tolls serve as different sources of funds for different needs: Bonds pay for capital construction & expansion (new roads, lanes & bridges), and tolls pay for operating & admin costs (cut the grass, plow the snow, pay the troopers, G&A). That's no different than how most people & organizations operate, whether owning a house, buying a car, operating a business. And I think ODOT is about the same, having to wait until large funds are allocated (fed & state) before starting on a new highway, interchange or expansion project. A street project near me has been held up because it borders two municipalities, and when one had the money the other did not.

[Plutonic Panda]

70 years ago .. not 40 ..


and the state needs to lower taxes not raise them ..

The state needs to lower taxes in some areas, but raise them and others. Overall, Oklahoma should be collecting more taxes than it does. It is so depressing at least for me driving either from the west coming from California to Oklahoma or even driving up from Dallas and seeing just how crappy the state looks.

[bombermwc]

Well good luck with that. Oklahomans don't understand this concept that it cost money to do things. They just want taxes lowered and that's it. Short-sighted vision on the near term with no concept of what the long-term means. They'd rather have $1 today than $5 tomorrow.

I get that people don't like taxes and when you live on a tight income, it's hard to want to see more taken. But if you're able to absorb the inflation we've seen in the last 5 years, you would have easily been able to absorb a 5c/gallon gas tax that would have paid for millions upon millions in road projects. Gas has gone up multiple dollars, so you can't tell me that the 5c was going to break the bank. That's exactly how that widen the base lower the rate works too. More people pay, the less each person has to pay. But we can't seem to get people to think that way in the state.

Speaking of those tax cuts. Did anyone also notice that you still have taxes on groceries? Even that token that gov. crapface pushed through for his own appearance, didn't cover all groceries. It only covers certain items. And that $200M the state lost from those taxes. Well guess what, you are either going to find that tax coming from somewhere else so you still have to pay it, or you're going to lose $200M in services from the state. There's that short-term gain, long-term loss.

[BoulderSooner]

Well good luck with that. Oklahomans don't understand this concept that it cost money to do things. They just want taxes lowered and that's it. Short-sighted vision on the near term with no concept of what the long-term means. They'd rather have $1 today than $5 tomorrow.

I get that people don't like taxes and when you live on a tight income, it's hard to want to see more taken. But if you're able to absorb the inflation we've seen in the last 5 years, you would have easily been able to absorb a 5c/gallon gas tax that would have paid for millions upon millions in road projects. Gas has gone up multiple dollars, so you can't tell me that the 5c was going to break the bank. That's exactly how that widen the base lower the rate works too. More people pay, the less each person has to pay. But we can't seem to get people to think that way in the state.

Speaking of those tax cuts. Did anyone also notice that you still have taxes on groceries? Even that token that gov. crapface pushed through for his own appearance, didn't cover all groceries. It only covers certain items. And that $200M the state lost from those taxes. Well guess what, you are either going to find that tax coming from somewhere else so you still have to pay it, or you're going to lose $200M in services from the state. There's that short-term gain, long-term loss.

what "groceries" did it not cover?

[Swake]

what "groceries" did it not cover?

The county and local taxes on those groceries.

[TheTravellers]

The county and local taxes on those groceries.

Also, prepared foods (for varying definitions of "prepared"), and a few other things. I think some dept of govt put out a list of what it doesn't cover.

[onthestrip]

Well good luck with that. Oklahomans don't understand this concept that it cost money to do things. They just want taxes lowered and that's it. Short-sighted vision on the near term with no concept of what the long-term means. They'd rather have $1 today than $5 tomorrow.

I get that people don't like taxes and when you live on a tight income, it's hard to want to see more taken. But if you're able to absorb the inflation we've seen in the last 5 years, you would have easily been able to absorb a 5c/gallon gas tax that would have paid for millions upon millions in road projects. Gas has gone up multiple dollars, so you can't tell me that the 5c was going to break the bank. That's exactly how that widen the base lower the rate works too. More people pay, the less each person has to pay. But we can't seem to get people to think that way in the state.

Speaking of those tax cuts. Did anyone also notice that you still have taxes on groceries? Even that token that gov. crapface pushed through for his own appearance, didn't cover all groceries. It only covers certain items. And that $200M the state lost from those taxes. Well guess what, you are either going to find that tax coming from somewhere else so you still have to pay it, or you're going to lose $200M in services from the state. There's that short-term gain, long-term loss.

It eliminated the 4.5% sales tax, which is the state portion, of all groceries (excludes prepared foods). And it wasnt $200m, it was expected to reduce state revenues by $400m.

You'll likely see more income tax cuts attempted this year. Although Oklahoma is one of the least tax burdened states, Stitt has made it a point to cut income taxes further.

[Jersey Boss]

It eliminated the 4.5% sales tax, which is the state portion, of all groceries (excludes prepared foods). And it wasnt $200m, it was expected to reduce state revenues by $400m.

You'll likely see more income tax cuts attempted this year. Although Oklahoma is one of the least tax burdened states, Stitt has made it a point to cut income taxes further.

And to cut services that the state provides

[Jersey Boss]

It eliminated the 4.5% sales tax, which is the state portion, of all groceries (excludes prepared foods). And it wasnt $200m, it was expected to reduce state revenues by $400m.

You'll likely see more income tax cuts attempted this year. Although Oklahoma is one of the least tax burdened states, Stitt has made it a point to cut income taxes further.

And to cut services that the state provides

[shavethewhales]

https://www.newson6.com/story/6786d0...skogee-sapulpa

This may be the wrong place to ask, but why is OTA closing a bridge for almost a year for rehab when it was just constructed a few years ago as part of the Turner widening project? They are saying they are "emergency" repairs, which makes me wonder if they either get built wrong or if they were hit by something?

[BoulderSooner]

https://www.newson6.com/story/6786d0...skogee-sapulpa

This may be the wrong place to ask, but why is OTA closing a bridge for almost a year for rehab when it was just constructed a few years ago as part of the Turner widening project? They are saying they are "emergency" repairs, which makes me wonder if they either get built wrong or if they were hit by something?

found this from further down in your link

The $596,608 emergency repair was awarded in December to Built Right Construction LLC. Work includes replacing bridge beams and a portion of the bridge deck and concrete rails that were damaged in a previous semi-tractor-trailer fire underneath the bridge

[David]

How dare they spend money to fix that bridge that was damaged by a semi being on fire underneath it so soon after being built.

[mugofbeer]

Bonds & tolls serve as different sources of funds for different needs: Bonds pay for capital construction & expansion (new roads, lanes & bridges), and tolls pay for operating & admin costs (cut the grass, plow the snow, pay the troopers, G&A). That's no different than how most people & organizations operate, whether owning a house, buying a car, operating a business. And I think ODOT is about the same, having to wait until large funds are allocated (fed & state) before starting on a new highway, interchange or expansion project. A street project near me has been held up because it borders two municipalities, and when one had the money the other did not.

tolls absolutely also go to pay debt service on turnpike bonds. toll road bonds are revenue bonds, not general obligation bonds.

[shavethewhales]

found this from further down in your link

Ah, I missed that part. Pretty crazy that it damaged the bridge that badly. Also wild that it's only a ~$600,000 job but will take a year. I guess that's mostly due to traffic control. Of course it had to happen under a brand new bridge. Couldn't have been one of the ones that needed work anyway, lol.

[OKC B-Man]

Ah, I missed that part. Pretty crazy that it damaged the bridge that badly. Also wild that it's only a ~$600,000 job but will take a year. I guess that's mostly due to traffic control. Of course it had to happen under a brand new bridge. Couldn't have been one of the ones that needed work anyway, lol.

FYI - below is a snippet from the OTA website. Hopefully the late winter 2025 is referring to February and not December. “Late Winter 2025” is definitely a strange way to word it though.

-44/Turner Turnpike narrows near Sapulpa in Creek County
Westbound I-44/Turner Turnpike will have one lane closed at W. 111th St. (mm 214) on
the west side of Sapulpa starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday through late winter 2025 for
emergency bridge repairs to the county bridge that crosses above turnpike traffic. W.
111th St. will be closed between S. 152nd W. Ave. and S. Willow Lane for the duration
of the bridge repairs. A signed detour route will be in place for local county road traffic.
The $596,608 emergency repair was awarded in December to Built Right Construction
LLC. Work includes replacing bridge beams and a portion of the bridge deck and
concrete rails that were damaged in a previous semi-tractor-trailer fire underneath the
bridge

[Jersey Boss]

https://www.oudaily.com/news/oklahom...557444429.html

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Senate panel on Monday passed a bill that would put additional restrictions on the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority before it builds or modifies toll roads.

Senate Bill 80 would require the OTA to give notice to all affected property owners before a new construction or modification is made to an existing turnpike.

It would also require a 30-day comment period for all interested parties, followed by a public hearing, and mandate that OTA provide a map of the changes and consider the impact on businesses, governments and consumers.

If the agency fails to comply, a civil action can be brought with the prevailing party entitled to court costs and attorney fees.

[BoulderSooner]

https://www.oudaily.com/news/oklahom...557444429.html

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Senate panel on Monday passed a bill that would put additional restrictions on the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority before it builds or modifies toll roads.

Senate Bill 80 would require the OTA to give notice to all affected property owners before a new construction or modification is made to an existing turnpike.

It would also require a 30-day comment period for all interested parties, followed by a public hearing, and mandate that OTA provide a map of the changes and consider the impact on businesses, governments and consumers.

If the agency fails to comply, a civil action can be brought with the prevailing party entitled to court costs and attorney fees.

they already struck the title ..

this bill is dead in its current version

[bombermwc]

I bet the civil action thing is something that the OTA lobbied with it's buddies to for sure get removed. We wouldn't want them to be liable for not following the rules or anything......

[PistolChad]

Oklahoma turnpikes are CHEAP compared to nearly every other turnpike in the USA. I spent $35 in turnpike fees in just 2 hours of driving in Dallas last month.

Oklahoma gasoline taxes are among the CHEAPEST in the entire USA.

Alaska 9 cents
Mississippi 18.4 cents
Hawaii 18.5 cents
New Mexico 18.9 cents
Arizona 19 cents
Oklahoma 20 cents
Texas 20 cents

All other states have higher gasoline taxes.

People who bitch about Oklahoma turnpike costs frankly are just not in touch with reality. We have it VERY VERY good in Oklahoma. Most non-Socialists would PREFER that the people who BENEFIT from something be the ones who PAY for it. If you literally never drive on a turnpike you never pay a cent. In other states even if you never get on a freeway, you pay a LOT in gasoline taxes to fund those freeways.

The biggest benefit for me for Oklahoma turnpikes? They deter MANY people from ever getting on them at all - so they don't get as congested as our regular highways. Time is money.

[Mountaingoat]

Amen!

[scottk]

The biggest benefit for me for Oklahoma turnpikes? They deter MANY people from ever getting on them at all - so they don't get as congested as our regular highways. Time is money.

I think that is the case for metro turnpikes. If you are heading from NE OKC/Edmond west to El Reno and out to I-40, The Kilpatrick is a much easier path to travel than potentially dealing with I-44 or I-40 through the city depending on the time of day. Same can be said for the south loop of the Creek in Tulsa of bypassing I-44 and parts of 244 through the city.

However, in the case of the Turner Turnpike, I think OTA knows that's their cash cow linking to the two largest cities, with no reasonable alternative without adding extra time, or miles. They could charge almost anything and travelers will pay it.

[jn1780]

However, in the case of the Turner Turnpike, I think OTA knows that's their cash cow linking to the two largest cities, with no reasonable alternative without adding extra time, or miles. They could charge almost anything and travelers will pay it.

Its 8 dollars to cross the San Francisco bridge. So at least there isn't a large body of water to drive around. I mean its not unreasonable to take the scenic route along route 66 to get to Tulsa, it will just take a lot longer if you want really want to save 6 dollars.

[BoulderSooner]

south extension routing is back going full speed according to the OTA ..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime...d62b9cdb&ei=16

[Plutonic Panda]

Excellent news! This will be great for the Metro area.

[jedicurt]

i just hope the first part is the connection across the river from 44 to 35... i will use this daily