And while doing this, they were trying to seduce local politicians and contacting their cronies who make money off of this. The department has said that, for all intents and purposes, the turnpike expansion is a certainty at this point. TIFIA Credit Agreement to be signed in February 2020, United States Department of Transportation, Value for Money Analysis Requirements for Projects, Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. We are not subject to any open records laws.. A $315 million project that will widen Will Rogers Turnpike from Tulsa to Claremore and add a full interchange at the Adair exit at Highway 28; Spending $252 million to finish an 8-mile loop around the south side of Oklahoma City; A 60-mile, $1.1 billion widening of the Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Bristow; A 29-mile, $981 million new turnpike in east Norman near Lake Thunderbird State Park that will connect interstates 40 and 35; And adding several new interchanges along rural turnpikes, including the Indian Nation turnpike in southeast Oklahoma. The OTAs fourth quarter financial report for 2021 showed payments of interest expense on revenue bonds outstanding totaling nearly $70 million year-to-date. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. (accessoklahoma.com) Calling into question the stated motivations behind this multi-billion dollar turnpike expansion is a . While being opposed by many local residents, city and community leaders made the effort to work with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority resulting in an increased number of access ramps. At that point, the project had no publicized name or route. In eight years, we saw an increase in average daily traffic on I-35 by 20,000 cars per day, added ODOT spokesperson James Poling. Many communities have offered tremendous positive feedback on the future of the turnpike system following the completion of recent projects such as the Kickapoo Turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County and the John Kilpatrick extension in southwest Oklahoma City as well as the ongoing Gilcrease Expressway project. Brown, in a statement to The Oklahoman, said the $633.60 used to buy the domains was paid from the turnpike authoritys general fund. Governor Stitt announced the plans to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Board of Directors claiming the turnpikes would go through only farmlands and pasturelands causing minimal disruption to lives. Gatz said transportation officials looked at where the state has traffic problems developing primarily the Interstate 35 and Turner Turnpike corridors and are trying to stay ahead of it. A major difference between the states existing turnpikes and the newly constructed Kickapoo Turnpike was community involvement during the planning and building process. Sen. This is addressing what will become a problem if inaction is taken.. Oklahomas Open Meetings Act requires that all meetings of public bodies (state and local boards and commissions) must be open to the public and that the public must be given advance public notice of such meetings. Lawyer Stan Ward, familiar with the act from prior cases, added that this notice must be written in language [so] that an ordinary person of education and intelligence can understand the nature of business to be conducted at a public meeting.. Contact him at slackmeyer@oklahoman.com. As Americas cities continue their halting climb up and out of the last few years, data analytics firm Urban3 foresees a few crisesas well as opportunitieswaiting for them in 2023. Pike Off OTA, inc. is a 501 (c)(4) organization, we neither endorse nor support candidates through financial campaign contributions or in-kind gifts. Use exit markers and travel plaza markers to navigate to that exit's page. Theyve decided on their approach, and are simply looking to navigate the bureaucracy so that they can get their project built. We working to protect individual property rightsfrom the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and their use of Eminent Domain. While state officials are excited to improve safety, travel times and economic development with high-speed toll road improvements, vocal opposition remains to turnpike expansion and even the existence of the OTA. . The second approved route is called the East-West Connector. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is unveiling its plans for a new turnpike in Northeastern Oklahoma County. Im calling to invest $13 billion in transportation over the next 10 years.. Washington, DC 20590 That project funded eastern Oklahoma Countys Kickapoo Turnpike. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Chance of rain 80%.. More:Lawsuit says Oklahoma turnpike expansion plan does not comply with state statutes. Select a location to view maps, info, available gas and camera data, and weather conditions. (Click to enlarge.). A proposed turnpike will go on as planned. The Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved three routes Monday. I think, quite frankly, theyve fallen short on one big thing, and thats the Open Meeting Act, Ward said at the Capitol. Lets be bold, said Stitt. Est. In no form or fashion hasOTAever attempted to silence those opposed to turnpikes. To date, none of the turnpikes built since the OTA was established have paid off the agencys debts or transferred out of OTA control. If you do not comply with the Open Meeting Act, that makes any action taken, if its a willful violation, void. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Plans are to extend the toll road system entirely around the Oklahoma City metro area. Steve Lackmeyerstarted at The Oklahoman in 1990. Bristow, . Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Here is a picture selection from our library of travel pictures across the United States. Supporting Documents Im glad theyre doing it, and I hope the cost overruns dont get involved (by) the time they get down to it, he said. Really, the impetus for this was safety, Brown said. During the last four years, Gov. Long-time residents, such as lawyer Stan Ward, learned their house was directly in the path of the proposed turnpike not through any personal notification courtesy of the OTA or ODOT, but through a local newspaper that had published the proposed route the following day. Amy Cerato, a professor of geotechnical engineering at OU, whose house is also in the proposed turnpike path, is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed Monday. Being sold with an adjoining two-story building that opens up expansion options. Map of the John Kilpatrick Turnpike, including exits, toll locations and available plazas and rest areas. Become a MemberSign Up for EmailsPitch a StoryRSS Feed, About UsStaff || Advisory BoardEmploymentContact Us. It will complete a segment of the network between I-44, just north of the US-412 at Edison Street forming part of the western loop around the Tulsa metro area. OKLAHOMA CITY State leaders Tuesday unveiled a $5 billion, 15-year vision aimed at growing the states turnpike infrastructure, alleviating congestion in urban areas, and adding interchanges along some of Oklahomas most antiquated rural routes. Our goals go beyond stopping the new proposed turnpikes. On Monday, 24 plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging the Turnpike Authoritys plans in Cleveland County District Court. They also wont say that the corporations they sold the land to are owned by turnpike board members. February 23, 2022. The OTA proposal would add 21 miles of toll road, linking I-40 to I-44 in the. Revenue will not be diverted from other state priorities. The agenda published prior to this meeting did not so much as hint at the scope of what Gatz announced, as determined by Judge Olsens recent ruling. SOLD FEB 17, 2023. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority announced this week a $5 billion eventual bond project to finance a 15-year expansion of the toll roads in the state. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that speed, people not wearing seatbelts, and driving under the influence to be the most prevalent causes of highway fatalities. By promoting properly planned and financially responsible transportation, we can help protect Oklahomas agriculture, lands, waters, and wildlife, provide a better future for our children. It was on these grounds that over 150 plaintiffs took the OTA to court. Financial ratings giant Fitch Ratings gives the investment viability of OTA bonds a AA- mark. ACCESS Oklahoma has a projected $5 billion price tag and like other OTA projects will be funded by bonds instead of the states budget. Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide (ACCESS Oklahoma) follows right where the recent Driving Forward projects left off. Another justification is safety, to which Cerato says, Safety is most threatened along the interchanges, which ODOT was interested in fixing before scrapping the idea to prioritize the turnpike, adding that turnpike speed limits are significantly higher than those of I-35. So, the pretense of safety rings hollow given higher speeds are the number one cause of serious injury and death in crashes., Oklahoma residents gather to protest the OTA at a rally. In the resulting summary judgment, Olsen ruled that the OTA willfully violated the states Open Meetings Act, a decision supported by troubling evidence that emerged throughout the legal process. He is an award-winningreporter, columnist and author who covers downtown Oklahoma City,urban development and economics for The Oklahoman. He said throughout Oklahomas history, the state has made big investments in its infrastructure. Oftentimes, we dont get the latitude to project or think forward, and thats what this plan does. U.S. Department of TransportationBuild America Bureau He also said many communities were completely bypassed when the turnpike network was built decades ago. By contrast, in a piece for NPRs StateImpact Oklahoma, public relations expert and Oklahoma University professor, Jenson Moore, stated that, purchasing domain names where oppositional information can readily be shared is denying the public access to alternative viewpoints that would allow them to be informed. Were also adding more access points for communities all along our system. Labarthe called Browns explanation an embarrassment. She is also part of an effort focused on appealing to larger federal environmental protections. Est. Not to mention, she adds, nobody is safe, referring to other communities in the periphery of this plan and future highway expansion projects who reside on authorized land. Select an exit, travel plaza, toll plaza or other location from the map, or use the location list to get information and a close-up map of that location, plus any nearby gas stations. Six of the domain addresses include references to the ACCESS Oklahoma brand, which wasnt released to the public until a roll-out of the proposal by Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz and Gov. Development brings services and opportunities to be enjoyed by residents, while generating needed sales tax revenue thats used to help local communities fund infrastructure repairs and improvements while expanding city services. In late March, the Oklahoma State Capitol rotunda filled with a dissonant symphony of protesters chanting, Go away, OTA!. Marland, In the face of mass migration, we can learn from Oklahomas young people, Valentine voting: For the love of democracy, Out of Character: Jenna Miller explores body positivity, queer identity, Education roundup: Catholic charter school, property tax mistake, OSDE changes and Epic, House moves education plan: $500 million of new funding, new parental choice tax credit, Norman elections: Bree Montoya ousts Kelly Lynn, school bond proposals pass, A crazy deal: After brawl, Sen. Tom Woods takes ticket fight to district court, Stitt sticks to tax cuts, school choice funding in 5th State of the State, You are not welcome: Without shelter, resources limited for Edmonds unhoused, Potency caps, seed-to-sale vendor reboot among Legislatures 2023 marijuana measures, Woke language removed from academic standards, Marla Hill still absent at State Board of Ed meeting, Design change for Edmond city center complex spurs transparency questions, Legislature has more money to allocate, but Senate sour on House education price tag. No new highways are needed and certainly not toll roads. Less than 1.5 miles from the New Mannford boat ramp and Keystone Harbor of Oklahoma Marinas on Keystone Lake, Tract H. Water and electric available. Three existing turnpikes are set to be widened as well. Future studies and future design work could result in some minor changes in the route, Poling said. Advertisement One of those roads, the south connector through Cleveland County, has been highly controversial. That appointment, and a major pay bump in 2021, placed Gatz among the highest-paid state government officials in Oklahoma. Cities include Dallas Fort Worth Plano Addison Frisco Grand Prairie Arlington Carrrollton Lake Dallas Select the region name or tap a road marker for this region. Numbers correspond to their number in the state statute 69-1705. OTAs goal is to provide the public with the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.. The future sketched out in the turnpike plan has sent tensions into overdrive in areas affected by the proposed construction, particularly surrounding expansions in the eastern and southern parts of Cleveland County. Rain likely. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has officially announced plans to expand the state's turnpike system as part of a 15-year project themed, Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide. She remarked that these numbers recall a similar project advancedand abandonedin the 1990s, which foretold that 2020 would experience twice the ridership, population, and congestion than what proved to be the case. By us being ahead of the curve, we can displace the fewest people because where theyre actually putting the corridor you dont have development yet, Gov. Several of the domains refer specifically to new turnpikes proposed in the greater Norman area. They would only be used by opponents.. Welcome to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Aspects of the project require expropriating businesses, homes, and farmland through eminent domain affecting five Oklahoma counties. This page provides information on some of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's major projects currently under construction and future projects scheduled in the Eight-Year Construction Work Plan. A 60-mile, $1.1 billion widening of the Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Bristow. In September, he had an interim study where local and tribal leaders pressured transportation officials to modernize rural turnpikes. Oklahomas turnpike expansions are not funded out of the states appropriated budget, but rather by bonds that are bought by investors and guaranteed by anticipated proceeds from turnpike tolls. How its going to impact the areas, I think, needs to be a study that we need to talk about. Governor Kevin Stitt recently referenced Harrah during his fourth State of the State address. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, which pledged to be transparent in its implementation of a proposed $5 billion expansion plan, quietly bought 23 internet domains two weeks before presenting the plan to the public. Oklahoma Department of Transportation Headquarters, Click here to view the Norman City Council Candidates for Ward 5 Run-off Election on April 4th, 2023, Norman, Oklahoma Strong Towns Community Action Lab Workshop 2, Norman, Oklahoma Strong Towns Community Action Lab Workshop 3. Until we have a credible plan for maintaining our existing transportation infrastructure, we must stop building more roads and bridges. Showers developing this afternoon with the possibility of a thunderstorm. 2009 - 2023 Turnpike Information Company: The Turnpike AuthorityRemember: Go Online Before You Go On The Road!, 2009 - 2023 TURNPIKE INFORMATION COMPANY. This will close the loops around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 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