Turner Turnpike

The Turner Turnpike is a toll road in central Oklahoma, connecting its two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1947 and opened in May 1953, it is the oldest of the state's eleven turnpikes.Everett, Dianna
Turnpikes and Toll Bridges
,"
Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
'' (accessed June 17, 2010). The route is signed as Interstate 44 for its entire length, but was constructed prior to its designation as such. The Turner Turnpike was named after Governor Roy J. Turner, who pushed for efforts to build this toll road to connect the state's two largest cities.

Route description

The route begins north of Oklahoma City, as Interstates 35 and 44 and SH-66 approach it from the south. I-35/SH-66 split to the north, and I-44 begins its journey eastward as the Turnpike. (Traffic may also travel west at this point, along the John Kilpatrick Turnpike.) It ends later, southwest of Tulsa, at a junction with SH-66. The posted speed limit is as high as , making it possible to drive legally from Tulsa to downtown Oklahoma City in under 90 minutes.

In addition to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa entrance points on the turnpike, other interchanges are located in Wellston, Chandler, Stroud, Bristow, near Kellyville and Sapulpa. Toll plazas are located at each of those interchanges. The toll plaza at Bristow was the first of the new plazas reconstructed incorporating "state-of-the-industry" electronic toll collection (ETC) and other operational features for the convenience and safety of motorists utilizing the turnpike system. Additional toll plazas, similar in design, were subsequently reconstructed at Chandler, Stroud, Kellyville, and Sapulpa. A new interchange east of the western terminus was added at Hogback Road in Luther, and was opened in May 2011.

Future

On August 2, 2021, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation of the portion of the Turner Turnpike from its western terminus to the Kickapoo Turnpike as part of an extension of Interstate 240, forming a beltway around Oklahoma City. ODOT Director Tim Gatz stated in the Transportation Commission meeting that the numbering change was primarily to aid in navigation using digital mapping and routing applications. Gatz also said, "If you look at the Interstate 240 designation on the loop around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, we are finally to the point where we have a truly contiguous route there that can shoulder the burden of some of that transportation need in a loop format. That's common practice across the country, and you'll see that in many of the metropolitan areas, and that update will really be beneficial as far as everything from signage to how do you describe that route on a green-and-white sign." The designation must be approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to take effect.

Tolls

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $5 ($3.90 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. When adjusted for inflation, tolls have fallen over 50% to , among the cheapest in the nation. (In 2005 dollars, the toll was $9 in 1953.) However, despite being paid off, the Turner Turnpike will remain tolled, as Oklahoma does not toll its roads on a "per road" basis, instead pooling all toll revenue to apply toward paying off all such projects. This is called ''cross-pledging'', which has allowed OTA to build many turnpikes that would not be economically feasible alone.

The Turner Turnpike (as well as the Will Rogers Turnpike on the other side of Tulsa) uses a somewhat unusual tolling system. The Turnpike has only one barrier toll plaza, located northeast of Stroud, at which drivers pay the full toll and are issued a receipt. If one exits before reaching this plaza, the toll for the portion traveled is collected at the exit. If one's desired exit is located after the plaza, the motorist presents their receipt to the attendant, and the fare for the untraveled portion of the turnpike is refunded to the driver. Travelers exiting the turnpike westbound at Wellston or Luther, eastbound at Kellyville or East Sapulpa (SH 66/Creek Turnpike), as well as at the two termini do not receive any refund. A similar situation exists for motorists entering the turnpike at an interchange. If one is entering in the direction away from the main toll plaza, the toll for the portion between the interchange and the terminus is collected at the ramp plaza; a refund receipt is still issued should the motorist exit at another interchange. Motorists entering in the direction toward the toll plaza are issued a ticket at the interchange which shows proof of entry. This ticket is then presented to the toll collector at the main toll plaza (or the desired exit, if before the main plaza), and the fare for the untraveled portion of the turnpike is deducted from their toll. This system was implemented in 1992.

OTA is in the process of converting all tolling to a cashless system.

Services

A full service area, featuring a McDonald's restaurant and EZ-GO gas station is located in the median near Stroud. In addition, an eastbound gas station is located near Chandler. Full service areas featuring similar amenities as the Stroud Service Area were previously located eastbound at Bristow and westbound at Wellston, and a westbound gas station was located near Heyburn. The fuel stations at Bristow and Wellston closed in 2007, and the McDonald's restaurants at the same locations were closed and demolished ca. 2011. The Heyburn gas station was closed in June 2017 in anticipation of a major turnpike reconstruction project. These five service areas were originally Howard Johnson's restaurants and full-service Phillips 66 stations, but changed to their current configurations in the 1980s as was the case with concession areas along other Oklahoma turnpikes.

In April 2019, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority announced reconstruction plans for Stroud service plaza. There will be two separate facilities, one for each direction of travel. The eastbound service plaza opened in 2020 at a new location east of Chandler. The westbound plaza will be built in 2020 in the same general location as the existing facility. The turnpike will also be reconstructed to make the new westbound service area a right-hand exit off the turnpike. As part of the project, the eastbound gas station at Chandler will also be closed.

Law enforcement along the Turner Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop YB, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.

Exit list

Exit numbers follow I-44.

See also

* Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
* Pikepass

References

External links

Turner Turnpike Toll/Fares Chart - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

{{Oklahoma Turnpikes

Toll roads in Oklahoma
Tolled sections of Interstate Highways
Interstate 44
U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma
Transport infrastructure completed in 1953
Transportation in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Transportation in Lincoln County, Oklahoma
Transportation in Creek County, Oklahoma
1953 establishments in Oklahoma