Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

[SEMIweather]

The last time I looked most of I-40 is below grade through the core ?

I mean…technically I guess, but not far enough below grade to make a difference with regards to noise. I believe the original plans were to build the new section 20 feet below grade but eventually it only ended up 5 feet below grade and it’s still plenty noisy if you’re in Scissortail Park on a day when there isn’t a strong northerly wind.

[shawnw]

I thought it was originally supposed to be 16 feet deep but ended up 12 feet because they hit bedrock sooner than expected...

[bombermwc]

Its way more than 5. I think that depends on where you are in the path. Some of it is quite deep and it does fluctuate.

And yes, i think it's fair to say (like i did before). We're going to hear everyone throw a fit, but in the end they will get a pass to start and no amount of complaints will change it. OTA gets a free pass like the utilities to do whatever they want.

[dford2]

I've made the trip from OKC to Purcell and back 3 times in the last 2 weeks, every time I make this trip, I'm more convinced how badly this turnpike is needed!

SAFETY FIRST

[Plutonic Panda]

Most of the Cimarron Turnpike should be converted to cashless tolling by the end of this week:

https://okcfox.com/news/local/cimarr...d-construction

[brianinok]

Most of the Cimarron Turnpike should be converted to cashless tolling by the end of this week:

https://okcfox.com/news/local/cimarr...d-construction

Maybe they should work on ACTUALLY converting what they've converted before they proceed to the next. Just putting up barriers and making everyone go through the one lane of Pikepass while zero progress is made to remove the old toll booth for months on end is rather ridiculous. Reference: HE Bailey Turnpike.

[bombermwc]

I've used the eastern side turnpike several times in the last few months. MAN does that thing save time if you have to go north of I-40 any distance, say to 23rd street. It's MUCH faster than the stop and go roads. I'm a pikepass user, but this was a non-manned toll area and those things only seem to work 1/2 the time. So going tagless was great. Although it does seem dumb that they spent money on all the toll crap only to pull it out 6 months later. Surely they knew this was coming and could have saved a bunch on even building these things in the first place.

[Plutonic Panda]

Maybe they should work on ACTUALLY converting what they've converted before they proceed to the next. Just putting up barriers and making everyone go through the one lane of Pikepass while zero progress is made to remove the old toll booth for months on end is rather ridiculous. Reference: HE Bailey Turnpike.

I asked about the old plazas and I was told aside from few exceptions most will remain for the foreseeable future until all turnpikes are converted to cashless. I too would like to see them removed since they aren’t in use. It’s just plain ugly.

[brianinok]

I asked about the old plazas and I was told aside from few exceptions most will remain for the foreseeable future until all turnpikes are converted to cashless. I too would like to see them removed since they aren’t in use. It’s just plain ugly.

That's really unfortunate. Much of the time traffic slows way down because it's down to one lane. It's essentially a construction zone that they're dragging out the timeline for. They're inherently more dangerous. It's just bad management to drag it out. If someone gets injured or dies because they get rear-ended by a semi not paying attention to the 30 mph traffic it's on their hands for poor management.

[therhett17]

I've used the eastern side turnpike several times in the last few months. MAN does that thing save time if you have to go north of I-40 any distance, say to 23rd street. It's MUCH faster than the stop and go roads. I'm a pikepass user, but this was a non-manned toll area and those things only seem to work 1/2 the time. So going tagless was great. Although it does seem dumb that they spent money on all the toll crap only to pull it out 6 months later. Surely they knew this was coming and could have saved a bunch on even building these things in the first place.

I've thought the same thing about the toll plaza on that road. That was a big waste of money, knowing it was only going to be used for a short time and now it's just sitting there empty.

[shawnw]

thought I was going to come here to find info on the protest at the gov's fundraiser

[Plutonic Panda]

That's really unfortunate. Much of the time traffic slows way down because it's down to one lane. It's essentially a construction zone that they're dragging out the timeline for. They're inherently more dangerous. It's just bad management to drag it out. If someone gets injured or dies because they get rear-ended by a semi not paying attention to the 30 mph traffic it's on their hands for poor management.

I don’t think it’ll stay at one lane but they are supposed to rebuild the Walters plaza.

[bombermwc]

It costs money to remove them. Think about the George Bush in north Dallas. They left the MASSIVE toll plazas in place and just used those areas for equipment parking.

[brianinok]

It costs money to remove them. Think about the George Bush in north Dallas. They left the MASSIVE toll plazas in place and just used those areas for equipment parking.

The difference is that what has been left open in many cases is a singular lane here. I couldn't care less if they leave, for instance the toll plazas on the Kilpatrick, because traffic can flow freely. But when the pike pass lane is a singular lane off to the side, or there isn't even a lane off to the side, it's just dangerous. And they need to get with the program and remove the obstacle when they go to plate pay in these areas.

[jn1780]

More dangerous than traffic stopping in the middle of the road to pay a toll? I aways thought pikepass was an afterthought on the HE Bailey and was added in later since pikepass was on the right hand side. I'm sure the plan is to remove the curbs and toll equipment and not have traffic shift anymore. They actually moved up HE Bailey PlatePay date because of an accident at the toll plaza.

[bombermwc]

I dont recall 100% because i didn't care too much at the time, but i think the newer west toll plaza on the HEB is with the PikePass on the middle and the toll to the side like the rest of them. If they are planning on redoing the east plaza then i bet this takes care of itself.

[Snowman]

I dont recall 100% because i didn't care too much at the time, but i think the newer west toll plaza on the HEB is with the PikePass on the middle and the toll to the side like the rest of them. If they are planning on redoing the east plaza then i bet this takes care of itself.

Looking at google maps, they seem to have updated both directions

[BG918]

What’s the timeline for the Kickapoo Extension? Took this for the first time last weekend, very nice highway but needs the extension to really see a lot of use. The Extension will be great for driving from Tulsa to Norman.

[bombermwc]

Wasn't there a meeting yesterday with the state supreme court about this? The way i read the article, if it decided with the plaintiffs, then OTA would have to drop the plan????

[BoulderSooner]

The way i read the article, if it decided with the plaintiffs, then OTA would have to drop the plan????

i don't believe this is/was the case at the worst for OTA it could extent the battle

[bombermwc]

Here's an article from today on it, but i guess they just presented their arguments. The supreme court has to now make their decision
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...n/69492699007/

[BoulderSooner]

Here's an article from today on it, but i guess they just presented their arguments. The supreme court has to now make their decision
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...n/69492699007/

right but if even if the rule against the OTA this turnpike is not dead

[bombermwc]

right but if even if the rule against the OTA this turnpike is not dead

My understanding is that it would bring to question about how they do this sort of thing so it would force a re-do. I'm not legally in the trenches on this by any means, but if it impacts the financials, i would think that it would impact the deployment at all. Meaning, if they can't fund it this way, how will they? So how would they do the project at all?

My money is betting that the SCOTOK votes in favor of OTA and this is a non-issue. The groups fighting against it have not been very truthful in public so I think it's hurt their case quite a bit in the public eye. It may not be the residents even, rather other groups working against OTA that embellish the story. But so far, I'm not seeing anything that does anything other than delay, not cancel. Thoughts?

[BoulderSooner]

My understanding is that it would bring to question about how they do this sort of thing so it would force a re-do. I'm not legally in the trenches on this by any means, but if it impacts the financials, i would think that it would impact the deployment at all. Meaning, if they can't fund it this way, how will they? So how would they do the project at all?

My money is betting that the SCOTOK votes in favor of OTA and this is a non-issue. The groups fighting against it have not been very truthful in public so I think it's hurt their case quite a bit in the public eye. It may not be the residents even, rather other groups working against OTA that embellish the story. But so far, I'm not seeing anything that does anything other than delay, not cancel. Thoughts?

my understanding is that the "worst" that would happen for OTA is that SCOTOK tells them that they can't move forward with the bond issue until after the Court cases regarding the new turnpikes are resolved.

so not really much different then what you said ..

[Plutonic Panda]

my understanding is that the "worst" that would happen for OTA is that SCOTOK tells them that they can't move forward with the bond issue until after the Court cases regarding the new turnpikes are resolved.

so not really much different then what you said ..

Do you know of any current timeline? I wish they’d start on the east to west connector and the Kickapoo south extension asap