Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

[MagzOK]

ODOT and OTA need to team up and create toll express lanes that take you from OKC to Norman with minimal exits. This has been done in Dallas along the I635 LBJ Freeway and it's incredible. It's a whole other highway right below 635 that is toll while the upper stack (untouched from construction) has all the original exits. We made it from 35 to Central Expressway in mere minutes the other day while traffic was jammed up top. It was awesome. Imagine commuting from downtown OKC to Moore in just minutes and onto Norman for another couple. Check it out:

http://www.lbjtexpress.com/

[jdross1982]

Not sure they would go to that extent but I could see them adding an HOV lane once the work on the interchanges have been completed.

[Plutonic Panda]

ODOT and OTA need to team up and create toll express lanes that take you from OKC to Norman with minimal exits. This has been done in Dallas along the I635 LBJ Freeway and it's incredible. It's a whole other highway right below 635 that is toll while the upper stack (untouched from construction) has all the original exits. We made it from 35 to Central Expressway in mere minutes the other day while traffic was jammed up top. It was awesome. Imagine commuting from downtown OKC to Moore in just minutes and onto Norman for another couple. Check it out:

http://www.lbjtexpress.com/

I agree and you forgot to mention the 75MPH speed limit. TxDOT seems to be even surpassing Caltrans in freeway building/innovation which unfortunately seems to be focusing on mass transit over freeways at the moment.

I don't see Oklahoma being this progressive on that end. As said, I'd be happy with an HOV lane at the moment.

[rte66man]

ODOT and OTA need to team up and create toll express lanes that take you from OKC to Norman with minimal exits. This has been done in Dallas along the I635 LBJ Freeway and it's incredible. It's a whole other highway right below 635 that is toll while the upper stack (untouched from construction) has all the original exits. We made it from 35 to Central Expressway in mere minutes the other day while traffic was jammed up top. It was awesome. Imagine commuting from downtown OKC to Moore in just minutes and onto Norman for another couple. Check it out:

http://www.lbjtexpress.com/

And where would the traffic come from to justify the multi-BILLION dollar investment? According to ODOT's 2015 AADT counts, there aren't even 100k cars on I-35 except for immediately south of downtown OKC.

[brianinok]

Anyone have any idea when they are going to fully open HEB near Newcastle? They have been at the "punch list" stage for weeks on end, but still down to one lane in each direction. I tweeted the question at them yesterday but they didn't respond despite the fact they tweeted.

I can appreciate construction takes time, but at this point they ought to be able to finish painting the lanes and open them. Good grief.

[ChrisHayes]

Looks like they're starting some preliminary construction of the Kilpatrick Turnpike extension as it looks like they're building an off ramp or something off 40 towards the Kilpatrick Turnpike southbound.

[Plutonic Panda]

OTA budget increasing next year for guardrails, maintenance, and salary increases.

https://journalrecord.com/2019/10/23...cted-for-2020/

[rte66man]

OTA budget increasing next year for guardrails, maintenance, and salary increases.

https://journalrecord.com/2019/10/23...cted-for-2020/

They don't get appropriated funds so I'm assuming they will reduce the capital budget accordingly.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ I’m not a subscriber to JR so I can’t see the content. This is all that I saw:

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has approved preliminary budgets for operations and maintenance and capital investments in 2020 that will be 8% higher than budgets for

[baralheia]

I missed this tidbit of info back in May, but the OTA has finally enabled full interoperability with the rest of Texas' various tolling agencies. According to https://spark.adobe.com/page/UiJ4aU6naiUyn/ (linked from the PikePass.com front page), PikePass now works with all toll roads operated by the following agencies:

• PikePass - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (of course)
• K-Tag - Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA)
• TollTag - North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA)
• TxTag - Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
• EZTAG - Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA)
• Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA)
• Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority (FBCTRA)
• North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA)

I would not be surprised to soon see an announcement from the OTA of full support for BancPass, a prepaid toll sticker that can be reloaded with cash. BancPass was originally developed for use with the HCTRA, but it now works with all Texas toll roads, according to their FAQ. Interestingly, they put out a press release about 2 months ago announcing a new partnership with the KTA, and their front page happens to mention that it works in Oklahoma too. On top of that, their Terms of Service includes this interesting nugget of info: All States where the BancPass Toll Sticker works, including but not limited to Texas, Kansas Oklahoma, Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Florida. See BancPass.com for a complete list of States. This suggests the OTA may soon expand interoperability to these other states too. Currently, BancPass is only being sold at HEB and Costco stores in the Austin and Houston metro areas (and thus can only be topped up with cash at those stores right now), but with their expanding partnerships I wouldn't be surprised to see them for sale at stores in Kansas and Oklahoma soon.

[LakeEffect]

When I first saw the banners that noted interoperability with EZTag, I got it confused with EZPass, which works in over a dozen states. Hopefully all states eventually standardize on one technology... makes family road trips a tiny bit easier.

[Scott5114]

When I first saw the banners that noted interoperability with EZTag, I got it confused with EZPass, which works in over a dozen states. Hopefully all states eventually standardize on one technology... makes family road trips a tiny bit easier.

I think nobody will disagree with you on that. The problem is that the EZPass states standardized early on an older, more expensive active RFID technology. If you remember the old OTA transponders in the plastic cases that beeped when you passed through a toll booth—that's the sort of tag EZPass uses. Meanwhile, the plains states took a while to standardize, but did so with passive RFID tags: the stickers.

There's no incentive for the plains states to change to active tags because it would be more expensive than the passive RFID tags they already use. And since the EZPass states are in the Northeast, they have way more tollbooths and cars with tags, so changing over to the cheaper system would also be a considerable expense. So you have this standoff. About the only way I see it getting broken is if Congress mandates a unified transponder and provides funding for the changeover.

[catch22]

Just do toll-by-plate everywhere, and eliminate this ridiculous system of pre-paying tolls for a discount. Everyone pays the same rate, and everyone is billed by license plate. No accounts to maintain or remembering to "load up" your account. End of story.

The technology is there.

[BoulderSooner]

Just do toll-by-plate everywhere, and eliminate this ridiculous system of pre-paying tolls for a discount. Everyone pays the same rate, and everyone is billed by license plate. No accounts to maintain or remembering to "load up" your account. End of story.

The technology is there.

there is no reason not to do both like texas does ... if you have an account and they dont need to send you a bill you should get a discount ..

but i am very suprised that "plate pay" has not been expanded after the creek exit test

[OKCisOK4me]

Each account (with Pikepass) has an option of reloading automatically when a certain minimum has been reached.

[Plutonic Panda]

Some good news and bad news.

Good news is they have been updating their website regarding capital projects on their current and planned projects as well as their five year plan.

Bad new and I’m really bummed about this one is they had planned to build out the entire interchange at SH-74 and Kilpatrick but now those plans have been removed. My guess is it was much more expensive then previously planned.

The OTA has also planned a partial flyover interchange at I-40 with the Kilpatrick extension but that project was scaled back as well. I only hope once they finish the current projects we will see more interchange modernizations for the Oklahoma Turnpikes.

[OKC Guy]

Some good news and bad news.

Good news is they have been updating their website regarding capital projects on their current and planned projects as well as their five year plan.

Bad new and I’m really bummed about this one is they had planned to build out the entire interchange at SH-74 and Kilpatrick but now those plans have been removed. My guess is it was much more expensive then previously planned.

The OTA has also planned a partial flyover interchange at I-40 with the Kilpatrick extension but that project was scaled back as well. I only hope once they finish the current projects we will see more interchange modernizations for the Oklahoma Turnpikes.

Anything about 235/KTP enhancement? Once 235/44 is done in one year there will be long jams going northbound 235 to westbound KTP. With no logjam at 44/235 means all that traffic rushes north faster. But then have to compete with a merge lane plus the ramp itself is only 1 lane and is for both KTP east and west. Then east branches off and west is one lane flyover. They need to do a far left lane flyover (N235 to WKTP). As is traffic will likely back up to Hefner or more south of KTP once current 44/235 work is done

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^^ I don’t think we’ll see major traffic problems at the JKT/235 interchange for awhile but I do agree this interchange needs a major upgrade. It would be nice to see the frontage roads built through it as well but that would require a complete rework of the existing flyovers.

Unfortunately very little work is planned for the JKT but the OTA has surprise projects that pop up so maybe we’ll a get a present soon. BoulderSooner seems to be more in the know about the OTAs plans.

[HangryHippo]

Anything about 235/KTP enhancement? Once 235/44 is done in one year there will be long jams going northbound 235 to westbound KTP. With no logjam at 44/235 means all that traffic rushes north faster. But then have to compete with a merge lane plus the ramp itself is only 1 lane and is for both KTP east and west. Then east branches off and west is one lane flyover. They need to do a far left lane flyover (N235 to WKTP). As is traffic will likely back up to Hefner or more south of KTP once current 44/235 work is done

One thing that would make a huge difference is closing the on-ramp to 235 from 122 St. That on-ramp that close the major interchange is just stupid and leads to tremendous slowdowns. And this isn't the only area where there are on-ramps too close to interchanges (I-40/44 and Agnew Ave is another prominent one).

[Plutonic Panda]

One thing that would make a huge difference is closing the on-ramp to 235 from 122 St. That on-ramp that close the major interchange is just stupid and leads to tremendous slowdowns. And this isn't the only area where there are on-ramps too close to interchanges (I-40/44 and Agnew Ave is another prominent one).

Or they could braid it which most major cities do now but that isn’t cheap.

[HangryHippo]

Or they could braid it which most major cities do now but that isn’t cheap.

Isn't this what San Antonio did with Loop 410 by the airport?

[OKC Guy]

Or they could braid it which most major cities do now but that isn’t cheap.

What is braid? Like a flyover lane?

[OKC Guy]

One thing that would make a huge difference is closing the on-ramp to 235 from 122 St. That on-ramp that close the major interchange is just stupid and leads to tremendous slowdowns. And this isn't the only area where there are on-ramps too close to interchanges (I-40/44 and Agnew Ave is another prominent one).

Agree. Ramp traffic is not up to speed due to bend in the ramp, and you have 60+ wanting to exit with 40 trying to merge on and get over to avoid TP exit.

[rezman]

One thing that would make a huge difference is closing the on-ramp to 235 from 122 St. That on-ramp that close the major interchange is just stupid and leads to tremendous slowdowns. And this isn't the only area where there are on-ramps too close to interchanges (I-40/44 and Agnew Ave is another prominent one).

I’m still trying to figure out why folks refer to the intersection of the Kilpatrick Turnpike and 77/Broadway Extension, as JKT& 235. This is not the first place I’ve heard that. The northern terminus of 235 is at I-44..... 5 miles south of the JKT.

Our shop is located west of the Broadway Extension in the area of the JKT and 122nd. We’ve had people come through looking for the Kilpatrick & I-235. I have to ask them where they got their Information because those roads do not intersect.

Are there any plans to officially designate the full run from JKT as I-235?.

[Plutonic Panda]

I’m still trying to figure out why folks refer to the intersection of the Kilpatrick Turnpike and 77/Broadway Extension, as JKT& 235. This is not the first place I’ve heard that. The northern terminus of 235 is at I-44..... 5 miles south of the JKT.

Our shop is located west of the Broadway Extension in the area of the JKT and 122nd. We’ve had people come through looking for the Kilpatrick & I-235. I have to ask them where they got their Information because those roads do not intersect.

Are there any plans to officially designate the full run from JKT as I-235?.

It’s the same road and might as well be called that. It just is not signed.

IMO, we should remove tolls on the portion of the Kilpatrick from SH-74 to I-35 and sign that as I-44 and route I-44 down SH-74/Hefner Parkway will it will eventually reconnect with itself. I-235 should be signed up to Kilpatrick.