Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

[Snowman]

Given how much space the main toll booth areas take up and many the pavement is in excellent condition, I wonder if they could be converted to small rest areas

[Plutonic Panda]

Given how much space the main toll booth areas take up and many the pavement is in excellent condition, I wonder if they could be converted to small rest areas

I mean that would be better than just having it with vacant but I doubt they do that. Need security and OTA probably doesn’t want that. I wish they’d reopen the rest areas between Guthrie and Edmond. Rest areas are very important.

[Swake]

Built those extra cash lanes just to close them off a few months later.............


Kickapoo should have been the first cashless turnpike. Its not like the technology didn't exist yet when they started construction on it.

The Jenks exit of the Creek Turnpike was converted to plate pay in 2017. Five years ago.

[BoulderSooner]

The Jenks exit of the Creek Turnpike was converted to plate pay in 2017. Five years ago.

that was the test exit for the OTA "platepay" system

[Swake]

that was the test exit for the OTA "platepay" system

Construction on the Kickapoo didn't even begin until 2018. So before the turnpike even went to bid OTA knew that plate pay was likely going to happen. They had years before the toll plazas were started to decide to not build them. Change orders happen all the time, and this change order would have simplified construction and saved money. It shouldn't have been hard.

[BoulderSooner]

Construction on the Kickapoo didn't even begin until 2018. So before the turnpike even went to bid OTA knew that plate pay was likely going to happen. They had years before the toll plazas were started to decide to not build them. Change orders happen all the time, and this change order would have simplified construction and saved money. It shouldn't have been hard.

o i agree with you ... but they didn't decide to roll out Plate pay system wide until after the Kickapoo was planned ..

[Plutonic Panda]

It’s officially transitioned to cashless: https://okcfox.com/news/local/kickap...cashless-tolls

[etsuco05]

A new website has launched, with more details about OTA's 15-year plan announced back in December. Lots to take in here. There are pages about plans to widen the Turner Turnpike, new interchanges throughout the system, a Kickapoo Turnpike extension and more.

http://www.accessoklahoma.com

[DowntownMan]

A new website has launched, with more details about OTA's 15-year plan announced back in December. Lots to take in here. There are pages about plans to widen the Turner Turnpike, new interchanges throughout the system, a Kickapoo Turnpike extension and more.

http://www.accessoklahoma.com

Noticed county line, council and hey 74 interchanges on the list. That’s good to hear and very much needed

[BoulderSooner]

the new east west turn pike will have a huge south side impact

[Pete]

Press release:

*************

Officials unveil first look at ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike plan Projects connect corridors, communities
Gov. Kevin Stitt and Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz presented ACCESS Oklahoma, a $5 billion, 15-year long-range plan, to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Board of Directors during its February meeting Tuesday.

ACCESS Oklahoma, which stands for Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide, is a comprehensive, long-range planning process that looks at ongoing highway infrastructure needs for the next 15 years. It is designed to improve access to communities and help meet the state’s future infrastructure needs. This is the first plan of its type by OTA, and it will complement the agency’s five-year Capital Improvement Program.

Stitt, an ex-officio member of the board, and Gatz highlighted for the board the benefits ACCESS Oklahoma will bring to the state and previewed the proposed new turnpike alignments.

“The future of our economy will depend on having a modern highway system that manages congestion and reliable travel times,” Stitt said. “ACCESS Oklahoma is a bold investment in our future that provides needed corridor connections and expansions while making travel easier and leading to more economic development across the state.”

Features of ACCESS Oklahoma include:

• Widening the Turner Turnpike to six lanes between Oklahoma City and Bristow, which will create a six-lane highway for the entirety of the turnpike between the state’s two largest metros.
• The construction of reliever routes around Oklahoma’s two largest metropolitan areas.
• Off- and on-ramps constructed on the existing turnpike system, improving traffic safety for additional rural Oklahoma communities.

Many communities have offered tremendous positive feedback on the future of the turnpike system following the completion of recent projects such as the Kickapoo Turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County and the John Kilpatrick extension in southwest Oklahoma City as well as the ongoing Gilcrease Expressway project. These communities are seeking opportunities to coordinate infrastructure planning with their ongoing economic development efforts.

“ACCESS Oklahoma is a strategic corridor plan that focuses on travel time reliability, easing congestion in our metro areas, moving freight across the state and adding access to communities that previously were not connected to turnpikes,” Gatz said. “Addressing these needs will directly impact citizens’ quality of life while enhancing the state’s infrastructure for future growth. But most importantly, each of these projects will improve highway safety for motorists.”

The board hired Poe & Associates, an Oklahoma City-based engineering consultant, during the January 2022 board meeting to provide program management services for ACCESS Oklahoma’s long-range plan projects.

ACCESS Oklahoma will be fully paid for with bonds and will not affect any part of the state budgeting process. Revenue will not be diverted from other state priorities. Revenues from tolls, investments and concession leases pay all operating and maintenance costs for the turnpikes and pay off the bonds issued to finance their construction.

To learn more about the plan, go to www.AccessOklahoma.com.

[BoulderSooner]

pete can you screen grab and post the GIS map of the OKC metro projects?

[Pete]

[therhett17]

Excited for all of the projects, but it’s a shame the Chickasaw Turnpike isn’t getting any upgrades. It was designed to be a 4 lane connecting Ada to I-35, but it was only built as 2 lanes with a speed limit of 65. Shameful excuse for a turnpike if you ask me.

[Jersey Boss]

Excited for all of the projects, but it’s a shame the Chickasaw Turnpike isn’t getting any upgrades. It was designed to be a 4 lane connecting Ada to I-35, but it was only built as 2 lanes with a speed limit of 65. Shameful excuse for a turnpike if you ask me.

The traffic count doesn't justify it. The CT was a patronage deal.

[BoulderSooner]

thanks pete

[David]

Looking at the satellite view of the route on Google Maps, Indian Hills is more empty than I would have expected. Shouldn't be too big of an impact other than a few areas with residential landowners and one or two commercial areas. There's a long stretch of it west of I-35 that is entirely undeveloped on the north side.

[Zuplar]

After seeing this map my concerns are alleviated. This is probably going to drastically increase my land's value that's out south of thunderbird that was "out in the middle of nowhere." All of a sudden it's going to be 10 miles closer to a highway.

[SEMIweather]

Going to be an absolute war over both the Kickapoo extension and (especially) the new Moore/Norman turnpike. Given that OTA ultimately got both the first segment of the Kickapoo as well as the SW Kilpatrick extension through with few changes to their original plans, I’d probably bet on them getting both of these through as well, but man. Going to be a wild time in local politics in those areas.

[Plutonic Panda]

This is great. I can’t wait to see it start!

[gopokes88]

Just the perception of this goes a longggggg ways, even if we're a decade off from being built.

[Plutonic Panda]

I just hope they keep the new website updated better than the old one.

[jn1780]

No mention of Kilpatrick on and off ramps being redone along Memorial.

[Plutonic Panda]

No mention of Kilpatrick on and off ramps being redone along Memorial.

I’m hoping that comes with the reconstruction and widening of the JKT but you’re right. Hopefully that gets done.

Another note, it looks like our first full stack interchange will come to I-35 with the Moore-Norman turnpike. This is an awesome plan. Given the fact the preliminary plans call for service roads through the interchange it looks like it will be a five stack. Finally!!!

[macfoucin]

OTA meeting today https://video.ibm.com/recorded/131389798. Turnpike discussion starts at about 1:54:00 mark.