the recent news is that there is now a 16% increase in toll roads being applied to those who use them. i think its absurd that the state continously charges tolls. havent these roads been paid for already many times over? will the state ever liberate these roads & make them free and find new alternative ways to collect taxes on other venues other than toll roads?

enough is enough!

Toll roads are privately owned. Has nothing to do with the state. They increased their rates due to low usage by the trucking industry. I don't mind paying the increase since they take really good care of their roads. Except that one icy day...I already forgave them for that. BUT...if I increase my tolls, they better make dang sure the path is clear this year! Use that money for the sand trucks.

I doubt they'll use the rate hike for "sand trucks" considering they are raising the rates due to a $21 million deficit.

". . . low usage by the trucking industry." Wish some of those guys on the Turner would find an alternate route!!

privately owned, huh? i learn something new everyday. maybe i should build my own toll road and retire in a year?

I hate to sound blunt, but as far as toll roads are concerned, get used to it because they're not going away. States like Texas are going on a toll road binge, and the ones down there are considerably more expensive to drive on. Roads don't pay for themselves, so your choices are tolls or a hike in the gas tax. At least with tolls you can always choose to take a alternate free route.

They are privately owned only if you consider the Turnpike Authority to be a private corporation. By that definition the U.S. Postal Service is also privately owned, but I doubt that anyone here considers that to be the case.

Toll roads are one of the best "road user fees" out there. You use it, you pay for exactly how much you use. The turnpikes of Oklahoma were built to fill voids in what the state deemed necessary for future transportation needs, contrary to what the feds had planned. Obviously some turnpikes are used more than others, but because of a voter approved referendum in the 50's, toll collections from busier routes can be used to fund and maintain less busy routes. I believe I've read, that if no new turnpikes are constructed, the bonds for all turnpikes will be "paid out" in 2028. Don't hold your breath.



Here this is straight from the source (http://www.pikepass.com/):

# On May 25, 1955, the Oklahoma Legislature amended HB 933 (the same Act passed in the 1953 Legislative Session and ratified in the statewide vote in 1954) to authorize construction of a turnpike from the Oklahoma/Texas line in a wide corridor bordered on the West by a line East of Wilson, East of Maysville, East of Norman, and East of Oklahoma City and line West of U.S. Highway 69 (a project later named the Indian Nation Turnpike). The Legislature also amended HB 933 to: 1) provide that two or more turnpike projects could be combined and financed as one project; 2) allow revenues from all turnpikes considered “paid-out” projects to be used to pay the obligations of all turnpikes; and 3) require that tolls continue to be collected on all Oklahoma turnpikes as long as any bonds remained outstanding on any individual turnpikes.

Yeah, what I meant by privately owned is that they do not receive any state or transportation funding for their roads. Just like Plansit says, what you use is what you pay for. All of their funding for repairs, additions, sand trucks, hazmat, etc. come from tolls collected for usage. So yeah Metro, they will use the increase to help pay for those sand trucks.

Besides, the toll only went up 5 cents at the booths, or 50 cents for a full trip to Tulsa. That's the first increase they've had in 8 years. Sounds pretty fair.

Roads don't pay for themselves

Hmm too bad we don't have taxes or something to pay for them...

There's no such thing as a "free road." Non-toll interstate highways (I-35, I-40, I-44, etc.) are taxpayer supported, meaning that even non-motorists pay for them. The turnpike tolls are strictly a user fee, meaning that you don't pay if you don't drive on them. What's better than that?

EVH: As for your question about the roads having been paid for "many times over," I don't think that you understand that today's tolls pay for capital improvements (resurfacing, widening, etc.) plus ongoing maintenance (cutting the grass, plowing the snow, watering the trees, paying the troopers, G&A expenses, etc.).

Yeah, they can raise the fees as much as they like. I'll bite the bullet and pay the extra buck the one time every two years or so that I go to Tulsa.

I have no problem whatsoever paying tolls on legitimate-need toll roads. But there are a few toll roads in this state that were built for political reasons and as political favor, that makes me angry. I would like to see one more toll road, however. From OKC to the Colorado state line. It takes far too long to get up there having to zig zag and go through 2 dozen speed traps.

I have no problem whatsoever paying tolls on legitimate-need toll roads. But there are a few toll roads in this state that were built for political reasons and as political favor, that makes me angry.

Case in point is the Chickasaw Turnpike - 17.7 miles long and two lanes as I recall - that was built in 1991 as a concession to the local state representative who held the Turnpike Authority hostage. The OTA was seeking legislative approval to add five turnpikes in the state, but the politician held a key position on, I believe, the state transportation committee. The deal: I'll vote yes if you build a turnpike (translation: pork) in my district. Because of the high speeds separated only by a yellow line, it was called the "Chickasaw Supercollider." This financial fiasco must be forever supported by higher tolls on other turnpikes, and the fault isn't with the OTA, it's with a sleazy member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I don't, but does anyone here know his name?

Exactly what I was referring to along with the one from Tulsa towards NE Ark. That may be more successful, though.

plansit, did oklahoma invent the toll road then? (winces eyes shut & holds forehead in both hands)

I have no problem whatsoever paying tolls on legitimate-need toll roads. But there are a few toll roads in this state that were built for political reasons and as political favor, that makes me angry. I would like to see one more toll road, however. From OKC to the Colorado state line. It takes far too long to get up there having to zig zag and go through 2 dozen speed traps.

the northwestern quadrant of oklahoma is its most rural. dont think it would be financially beneficial for such a toll road to exist.

besides, not that many people travel the route you speak of. so, the majority of its users would obviously be commerical truck drivers.

speaking of more heavily traveled routes, im honestly surprised that I-35 south of hwy 9 to the red river isnt a toll road. thats all chickasaw reservation..i should shut up before i give them an idea besides ripoff casinos.

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Exactly what I was referring to along with the one from Tulsa towards NE Ark. That may be more successful, though.

I'm not sure the construction of the Cherokee Turnpike was politically motivated, but it does provide a four-lane limited access connection between Tulsa and NW Arkansas, one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. The Cherokee Turnpike is the one I most frequent. I personally love the turnpikes - if you have a pikepass they are especially great. Unlike most of the "free" roads, the pavement is well maintained, the trash is picked up, the lanes swept, and the grass is mown. Plus they are relatively scenic (the Cherokee especially) since they have such limited access and there's very little development near them.

Honestly, I think toll roads are the future, as it becomes ever more expensive to build and maintain roads and the current financing system (the gas tax) is not keeping pace.

I'd take toll fees if they took away the gas tax. As it is, the more toll roads the state builds, the more we get screwed on both ends.

plansit, did oklahoma invent the toll road then? (winces eyes shut & holds forehead in both hands)

No, but it was one of the first states to have toll roads. I think toll roads have been around for a couple millennium.


the northwestern quadrant of oklahoma is its most rural. dont think it would be financially beneficial for such a toll road to exist.

besides, not that many people travel the route you speak of. so, the majority of its users would obviously be commerical truck drivers.

speaking of more heavily traveled routes, im honestly surprised that I-35 south of hwy 9 to the red river isnt a toll road. thats all chickasaw reservation..i should shut up before i give them an idea besides ripoff casinos.

While it would probably not pay for itself, that route wouldn't be out of the question, as 7 or 8 of the current toll roads in the state do not pay for themselves.

I'd take toll fees if they took away the gas tax. As it is, the more toll roads the state builds, the more we get screwed on both ends.

The ultimate solution is a "road user fee" via GPS, etc. However, most people are terrified of big brother, even though many people can be tracked to a general location from their cell phone. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, talked briefly about this, but too much political backlash followed. And don't for a minute think the gas tax would cease to exist with any fee based program - too many state run programs rely on those funds.

The ultimate solution is a "road user fee" via GPS, etc. However, most people are terrified of big brother, even though many people can be tracked to a general location from their cell phone. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, talked briefly about this, but too much political backlash followed.

It's one thing for the government to be doing it. However, I wouldn't have a problem with a company doing it as long as we both agreed to and signed a contract outlining terms and conditions by which there could be legal recourse.

More often than not, there is no recourse with the government.


And don't for a minute think the gas tax would cease to exist with any fee based program - too many state run programs rely on those funds.

Oh, I know. Once the government sinks their claws in, they only want more.