Tulsa World: Need seen to widen turnpike parts soon

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Need seen to widen turnpike parts soon
2012 is the target year for work on the Creek and Kilpatrick segments.

By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
Published: 10/29/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 10/29/2009 4:51 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY — Additional lanes on turnpikes in the state's two largest cities will need to be added soon, an Oklahoma Turnpike Authority official said Wednesday during a meeting of the roads task force.

"We've never had capacity issues with the Oklahoma turnpike system until recently because we historically have been a rural turnpike system," Turnpike Authority Director Phil Tomlinson said.

By 2012, the authority will have to start adding lanes on the original sections of the Creek and Kilpatrick turnpikes, he said.

Tim Stewart, the authority's deputy director, said the original section on Tulsa's Creek Turnpike is from Yale Avenue to Memorial Drive.

The original sections of Oklahoma's Kilpatrick Turnpike are from Lake Hefner Parkway to Western Avenue, he said.

Tomlinson said the expansion would be to six lanes from four.

In 2020, the Turner Turnpike will need to be widened to six lanes from four at its east end from Kellyville to Sapulpa, officials said.

Tomlinson said any expansions would need the authority board's approval.

If the economy improves, he said, the authority might not have to finance all of the Creek and Kilpatrick turnpike expansions with debt but could fund them with cash. That would not apply to a plan to expand the east end of the Turner Turnpike, he said.

Wendy Smith, the authority's director of finance and revenue, said the authority has about $1.1 billion in debt.

Tomlinson said the authority

bought enough right-of-way on the inside lanes of the urban turnpikes that it likely would not have trouble with right-of-way acquisition.

The authority's increase of tolls by an average 16 percent in August appears to be generating the anticipated revenue to offset $21 million to $22 million lost in declining revenue from commercial traffic, he said.

Barbara Hoberock (405) 528-2465
barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Additional turnpike lanes needed in Oklahoma, officials say," which was published on 10/28/2009.

	Report Comment AB in BA, Broken Arrow (10/29/2009 3:53:29 PM) I try my hardest not to use the turnpikes. The back roads have better scenery and they only cost you gas.
	Report Comment Daven, Tulsa (10/29/2009 8:41:11 AM) What more important? The river. Especially when you have an authority that already indicated that they may be able to pay for this with cash instead of incurring more debt.
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (10/28/2009 3:38:35 PM) I smell a RATE HIKE! :(
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (10/28/2009 3:38:46 PM) I smell a RATE HIKE! :(
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (10/29/2009 3:04:55 PM) If the Turner pike was free, untold millions would open up, and lord knows we need the cash.But to many legislators dont own the property yet.
	Report Comment Carlos, Tulsa (10/29/2009 10:57:46 AM) OTA, What an excellent idea! When you can no longer justify keeping the tolls by ripping up perfectly good highway and repaving it every year, justify it by adding another lane. There is no need for another lane. There is a fast lane and a slow lane and they are rarely both congested. They may be congested for an hour or so during rush hour but that's it. I'm so glad I stopped using the turnpikes after the last rate hike in August. Taking Rt66 instead of I44 for my daily OKC commute to work means that OTA will have $2000 less of my money in their pockets next year. :-)
	Report Comment ATCwannabe, Tulsa (10/29/2009 10:09:52 AM) This is completely unsubstantiated, but my understanding was that in order to be able to keep charging tolls there actually had to be construction occuring for a turnpike somewhere in the state. In other words, once the system is built there are no more charges because the system is in place. Loophole, keep building keep charging. Like I said, completely not substantiated in any way. However, I though someone here might have some knowledge of the subject? ?
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (10/28/2009 2:33:38 PM) Can't you take the $50,000,000 from the low-water dams that the Feds have given and use it? What's more important?
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (10/29/2009 9:54:51 AM) OTA, your not listening. Divert existing Federal Funds.
	Report Comment aint missbehavin, .. (10/29/2009 7:36:28 AM) Oh heck,its the tax payers thats gonna pay,we aint even got no tolet facilities cept for the side of the road.Course if we did,who do ya think would be usein these anyway?YIKES,Idea, just made a few jobs for some folks.
	Report Comment hardball, (10/29/2009 3:45:11 PM) how wide do they have to be before the morons learn to drive in one lane?
	Report Comment pdillo, Tulsa (10/28/2009 2:15:43 PM) just modivates me to ride my bike more =D
	Report Comment billw001, Tulsa (10/29/2009 4:45:00 PM) Just their way of of never being paid for.
	Report Comment DBJohn, Tulsa (10/29/2009 8:36:23 AM) Why weren't more lanes added in the construction?

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