Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Breaks Ground on Gilcrease
CHEERS FOR ACTION: Area dignitaries, including Governor Kevin Stitt, Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith, Tulsa Regional Chamber CEO Mike Neal, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and others applauded the long overdue extention of the Golcrease Expessway in west Tulsa.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority recently officially broke ground on a new portion of the Gilcrease Expressway in Tulsa. The extension will connect the Tisdale Expressway with I-44 on the west side of town. The five mile project is expected to alleviate congestion during peak drive times.
Governor Kevin Stitt was joined at the groundbreaking by Secretary of Transportation and ODOT/OTA Executive Director Tim Gatz, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith. The project is expected to be completed by November of 2022.
In other OTA news, the OTA has approved preliminary budgets for operations and maintenance and capital investments in 2020 that will be 8 percent higher than budgets for 2019.
Authority members also approved toll rates for the Southwest John Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City. OTA officials said the rate for Pikepass holders in two-axle vehicles to travel the length of highway between Interstate 40 and State Highway 152/Airport Road will be 65 cents. The cash rate will be 75 cents. OTA members gave preliminary approval to a $109,522,785 budget for operations and maintenance of the state’s turnpike system in 2020. They also signed off on a proposed $118,396,578 capital budget. They scheduled a final vote on the budgets for Dec. 4.
