Driving Forward OK - Oklahoma Turnpike Improvements and New Construction

[Plutonic Panda]

Got a question about the Kickapoo Turnpike, I know there is plans to expand it south of I 40 to highway 9 and eventually to I 35, are there plans to expand it north of I 44 to I 35 north of Edmond, I know if they do, it had to go around Luther.

I hope so.

[BoulderSooner]

Got a question about the Kickapoo Turnpike, I know there is plans to expand it south of I 40 to highway 9 and eventually to I 35, are there plans to expand it north of I 44 to I 35 north of Edmond, I know if they do, it had to go around Luther.

if you look at how they built the bridge across I44 (compared to how they built it across I40 in the south) it doesn't look like they have any future plan to expand north

[Plutonic Panda]

if you look at how they built the bridge across I44 (compared to how they built it across I40 in the south) it doesn't look like they have any future plan to expand north

At the very least they should work with cities and counties to preserve ROW for a future northward expansion.

[Jesseda]

Does anyone have any updates on when the whole kickapoo turnpike will open?

[Martin]

Does anyone have any updates on when the whole kickapoo turnpike will open?

from what i understand, it opened on tuesday.

[BoulderSooner]

from what i understand, it opened on tuesday.

yep tuesday at 11am

[ChrisHayes]

I think I might go drive the new turnpike on Saturday just to see what it's like.

[Plutonic Panda]

I drove the northern half after it opened. It was pretty nice. I might do the same thing.

[Jesseda]

from what i understand, it opened on tuesday.

oh wow thank you for letting me know.

[Plutonic Panda]

I drove it and it narrows to one lane for several miles but it is open. Still looks like 2-3 more months of construction until they finish up.

[Plutonic Panda]

As an aside, I know the overall plan is to widen the entire Turner Turnpike to six lanes but they really need to expedite widening it from Broadway Extension to the Kickapoo Turnpike. I was pretty surprised how much traffic there was on that section.

[BoulderSooner]

As an aside, I know the overall plan is to widen the entire Turner Turnpike to six lanes but they really need to expedite widening it from Broadway Extension to the Kickapoo Turnpike. I was pretty surprised how much traffic there was on that section.

i think the plan for the next turner expansion is from I35 to around Wellston

[Plutonic Panda]

i think the plan for the next turner expansion is from I35 to around Wellston

That will be extremely welcome! Any word about I-35 to Broadway extension? I’m surprised they left that area at four lanes. Could also use some new interchanges while they’re at it which I’m wondering if that was one of the reasons they left it alone.

[bombermwc]

Anyone know how many toll booths there are? I see it's exact change only, which always infuriates me since half the time on those they dont have working coin machines or a coin machine at all. Then what are you supposed to do?

And seriously, after all this time you could only open a single lane from 23rd to I40? I mean the hard part with the junction at I40 has been done for like 6 months+.

[HangryHippo]

I can't stand that the brand new portions aren't plate pay only.

[Plutonic Panda]

It is pretty annoying. They should be AET. Seems that would be a no brainer.

[BoulderSooner]

I can't stand that the brand new portions aren't plate pay only.

the entire system will be plate pay in a few years

[_Cramer_]

the entire system will be plate pay in a few years

Thank goodness! I have been advocating for almost a decade. When the technology came out it should have been a no-brainer. The state finally had to update/upgrade license plate technology with the new Real ID act. No more Dos System for us!

[HangryHippo]

the entire system will be plate pay in a few years

If it’s the plan moving forward, why didn’t they implement it on the brand new turnpikes?

[BoulderSooner]

If it’s the plan moving forward, why didn’t they implement it on the brand new turnpikes?

that is a great question ...

i posted this on the turnpike thread https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...65#post1149865

AET/ETC project on the 5 year capital plan (AET = All Electric tolling ETC = Electronic toll collection)
2021
Chickasaw AET Conversion Chickasaw Tpk 2021 $40,000 $10,000 $50,000
H. E. Bailey AET Conversion H. E. Bailey Tpk 2021 $5,400,000 $240,000 $240,000 $5,880,000
Kickapoo AET Conversion Kickapoo Tpk 2021 $200,000 $0 $40,000 $240,000
Toll Toll equipment upgrade to prepare for AET Various Locations 2021 $6,716,773 $0 $0 $6,716,773
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC Various Locations 2021 $2,049,923 $0 $0 $2,049,923
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC & Cash Various Locations 2021 $1,932,946 $0 $0 $1,932,946
2022
Cimarron AET Conversion (C-MC-29) SH-99 / US-177 / Spur 2022 $9,500,000 $340,000 $300,000 $10,140,000
Creek AET Conversion Creek Tpk 2022 $900,000 $0 $240,000 $1,140,000
Indian Nation AET Conversion North SH-9 2022 $800,000 $0 $30,000 $830,000
Muskogee AET Conversion Muskogee Tpk 2022 $4,700,000 $288,000 $160,000 $5,148,000
Toll Toll equipment upgrade to prepare for AET Various Locations 2022 $10,691,097 $0 $0 $10,691,097
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC Various Locations 2022 $962,210 $0 $0 $962,210
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC & Cash Various Locations 2022 $1,441,181 $0 $0 $1,441,181
Marketing Marketing AET/Driving Forward Various Locations 2022 $500,000 $0 $0 $500,000
2023
Cherokee AET Conversion Cherokee Tpk 2023 $160,000 $3,000 $163,000
Indian Nation AET Conversion South McAlester, Antlers 2023 $7,000,000 $288,000 $300,000 $7,588,000
Toll Toll equipment upgrade to prepare for AET Various Locations 2023 $10,338,583 $0 $0 $10,338,583
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC Various Locations 2023 $11,074,035 $0 $0 $11,074,035
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC & Cash Various Locations 2023 $1,392,865 $0 $0 $1,392,865
Marketing Marketing AET/Driving Forward Various Locations 2023 $500,000 $0 $0 $500,000
2024
Turner AET Conversion Turner Tpk 2024 $1,300,000 $0 $50,000 $1,350,000
Will Rogers AET Conversion Will Rogers Tpk 2024 $1,300,000 $0 $50,000 $1,350,000
Toll Toll equipment upgrade to prepare for AET Various Locations 2024 $4,367,039 $0 $0 $4,367,039
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC Various Locations 2024 $500,000 $0 $0 $500,000
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC & Cash Various Locations 2024 $1,415,633 $0 $0 $1,415,633
Marketing Marketing AET/Driving Forward Various Locations 2024 $500,000 $0 $0 $500,000
2025
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC Various Locations 2025 $1,250,000 $0 $0 $1,250,000
Toll Upgrades and eqjuipment related to ETC & Cash Various Locations 2025 $502,040 $0 $0 $502,040
Marketing Marketing AET/Driving Forward Various Locations 2025 $500,000 $0 $0 $500,000

[Scott5114]

Anyone know how many toll booths there are? I see it's exact change only, which always infuriates me since half the time on those they dont have working coin machines or a coin machine at all. Then what are you supposed to do?

There is one mainline toll plaza, just south of I-44 (between I-44 and the Britton Road exit):


I was going through on the Pikepass lanes, but it appears there are two cash lanes that have both a change basket and a manual collection booth. There are LED signs that can change between "exact change only" and "pay attendant". It appeared one northbound lane was staffed when I went through Friday afternoon.

Each exit ramp also has a toll-collection point. Don't know whether those are staffed or not since I just stayed on the mainline straight through, but I wouldn't bet on there being a human toll collector at the exits.

[mugofbeer]

I can't wait to see if they built some more of those bouncy-bridges like on the west segment.

[catch22]

I can't wait to see if they built some more of those bouncy-bridges like on the west segment.

I wonder if that was the same engineering firm that did NB I-225 over Illiff and I-225 over 2nd in Aurora.

[mugofbeer]

Definitely the worst part of that widening project.

[Scott5114]

I didn't notice the bridges being particularly bad, but I was completely fixated on the absolutely godawful signage job they did, so I may have just not noticed.