Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike

Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike
Route information
Maintained by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Length 21 mi[1] (34 km)
Status Under construction
Major junctions
South end SE 89th Street in Oklahoma City
 
North end I-44 / Turner Turnpike in Luther
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highway System
← Creek TurnpikeH.E. Bailey Turnpike →

The Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike is a 21-mile (34 km) toll road currently under construction in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.

Route description

The turnpike is set to begin just east of Luther Road, at an at-grade intersection with SE 89th Street, on the Oklahoma–Cleveland county line. It will then head north and feature a southbound-only interchange with I-40 a half-mile (800 m) later.[2] There are four other interchanges set to be built between its termini: SE 29th Street, Reno Avenue, NE 23rd Street (US-62), and Britton Road.[1] A toll plaza is to be constructed on the turnpike in the vicinity of Hefner Road and NE 122nd Street.[3] The EOC Turnpike will end at a trumpet interchange with I-44 (Turner Turnpike) in Luther, just east of I-44 exit 146 (the Luther/Jones interchange).[2]

History

The turnpike project originally was given the working title "Northeast Oklahoma County Loop." The road itself was proposed on October 29, 2015, by Gov. Mary Fallin, as part of the state's Driving Forward initiative.[4] On June 6, 2016, the tollway was approved by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.[5]

Construction

The first piece of the turnpike to be constructed is the interchange with I-44, at the northern end of the route. Construction on this interchange began in January 2018, and the entire turnpike is expected to be complete by 2021.[6] The cost of constructing the EOC Turnpike is estimated to be more than $440 million (2018 dollars).[3]

Opposition

In January 2016, a group calling itself Citizens Opposed to the Eastern Oklahoma County Loop-Turnpike-Interstate was reported to have created a Facebook page in opposition to the proposed turnpike.[7] Following months of meetings and protests, Neal McCaleb, interim director for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), released a statement saying that, because of public input and the work of engineering professionals, the estimated number of homes that would eventually be lost to construction had been reduced by 22 percent, from 103 houses to 80.

In August 2016, a lawsuit was filed against the OTA, claiming that the agency, in issuing $900 million in bonds to be used for multiple toll road projects, was in violation of the Oklahoma Constitution, which stipulates that laws passed may address only one subject.[8] On December 13, 2016, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in favor of the OTA, stating that the agency had properly authorized the bond issue and given "valid notice of this application."[9]

Tolls

On March 1, 2016, toll rates on all turnpikes in Oklahoma increased for the first time since June 2009. The rate hike was implemented to help fund the Driving Forward initiative, which includes improvements and/or extensions to five other Oklahoma toll roads, as well as the construction of the EOC Turnpike from scratch.[10]

Exit list

The entire route is in Oklahoma County.

Locationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Oklahoma City0.000.00SE 89th StreetProposed southern terminus; to be at-grade intersection; road to continue into Cleveland County as McDonald Road
I-40 / US-270 / SH-3Proposed trumpet interchange; to be southbound exit and northbound entrance
HarrahSE 29th StreetProposed interchange
Reno AvenueProposed interchange
US-62 (NE 23rd Street)Proposed interchange
Britton AvenueProposed interchange
​Proposed toll plaza
Luther2134 I-44 / Turner TurnpikeProposed trumpet interchange; northern terminus; under construction since January 2018
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Unopened

References

  1. 1 2 3 Knittle, Andrew (April 14, 2016). "Eastern Oklahoma County residents find out final route for disputed turnpike". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma Publishing Company. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Gatz, Tim J. (September 25, 2017). "Re: Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) funding for Interstate 40 / Douglas Interchange and related interstate widening in Oklahoma County" (PDF) (Letter). Letter to The Hon. Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Eastern OK County Corridor" (PDF). Driving Forward OK. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. March 30, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  4. ↑ Greco, Jonathan (October 29, 2015). "Gov. Mary Fallin, OTA announce launch of 'Driving Forward' turnpike plan". KOCO. Hearst Television, Inc. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  5. ↑ "ODOT Greenlights EOC Turnpike". Luther Register. June 8, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Turnpike Construction Begins". Luther Register. January 18, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  7. ↑ Adger, Patrina. "Luther residents speaking out against proposed turnpike". KOCO. Hearst Television, Inc. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  8. ↑ Horton, Ryan (August 24, 2016). "Lawsuit filed over turnpike". Choctaw Times. p. 1.
  9. ↑ "The Turnpike Wins at the State Supreme Court". Luther Register. December 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  10. ↑ Staff Reports (February 22, 2017). "Turnpike toll increase takes effect March 1". Tulsa World. BH Media Group. Retrieved April 13, 2018.


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