It’s Time To Sunset Turnpike Location Authorizations in Oklahoma
Do you know that Oklahoma statute authorizes 35 locations throughout the state for turnpikes? Some of these turnpikes are already built (such as the Turner Turnpike which celebrates 70 years of tolls this year.) However, there are many statutorily approved turnpikes that could be built over people and legislators who remain unaware of this situation.
Senate Bill 1079 (Jett, District 17 – R) and House Bill 2262 (Sterling, District 27- R) are both bills to sunset existing turnpike location authorizations in Statute 69, Section 1705e unless construction has occurred within five years of the authorization. The newest location authorizations in the statute are 36 years old (1987), with many predating those. The Oklahoma landscape has changed drastically since those authorizations were voted into law. It makes sense for the legislature to force the OTA to reevaluate, with input from municipalities and the public, if new turnpikes are wanted or needed.
An overlay of the current turnpike authorizations in statute (the boxed numbers in parentheses) and the Senate and House District maps show just how many Oklahomans are in peril of having unnecessary and unwanted turnpikes planned, designed and constructed through their property without any advance warning or opportunity for public comment.
These two bills seek common sense reform in removing decades-old location authorizations from statute. The bills require the OTA to show the legislature sound justification studies and municipality approval prior to any future location authorizations. Any future authorization would have a 5-year limit and automatically sunset if substantial construction does not occur within a 5-year window.
Please contact your legislators in support of these bills and share with your friends and family throughout Oklahoma!
List of unbuilt turnpikes within the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Enabling Statutes, 69 O.S. § 1705 and their Legislative Districts:
(7) All or any part of an extension of the Muskogee Turnpike, beginning at a point on Interstate Highway 40 near the present south terminus of the Muskogee Turnpike, and extending in a southeasterly direction on an alignment near Stigler, Poteau and Heavener to the vicinity of the Arkansas State Line to furnish access to Hot Springs, Texarkana, Shreveport and New Orleans.
Senate: (4) Tom Woods, (5) George Burns, (7) Warren Hamilton, (8) Roger Thompson
House: (3) Rick West, (Randy Randleman
(10) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the vicinity of Duncan extending east to the vicinity of the City of Davis, and extending in a northeasterly direction, by way of the vicinity of the City of Ada, to a connection in the vicinity of Henryetta or in the vicinity of the intersection of State Highway 48 and Interstate 40; and a turnpike or any part or parts thereof from the vicinity of Snyder extending north to the vicinity of Woodward.
Senate: (8) Roger Thompson, (13) Greg McCortney (14), Jerry Alvord, (26) Darcy Jech, (27) Casey Murdock, (28) Grant Green, (38) Brent Howard
House: (16) Scott Fetgatter, (18) David Smith, (22) Charles McCall, (25) Ronny Johns, (28) Danny Williams, (48) Tammy Townley, (50) Marcus McEntire, (51) Brad Boles, (52) Mark McBride, (55) Nick Archer, (57) Anthony Moore, (61) Kenton Patzkowsky
(11) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning at a point in the vicinity of Ponca City, or at a point on the Kansas-Oklahoma state boundary line east of the Arkansas River and west of the point where Oklahoma State Highway No. 18 intersects said state boundary line, and extending in a southeasterly direction to a connection with the Tulsa Urban Expressway System in the general area of the Port of Catoosa.
Senate: (10) Bill Coleman, (11) Kevin Matthews
House: (10) Judd Strom, (37) Ken Luttrell, (38) John Pfeiffer, (66) Clay Staires
(13) A turnpike (The Industrial Parkway) or any part or parts thereof beginning at a point on the Oklahoma-Kansas state boundary line between the point where U.S. Highway 66 intersects the boundary line and the northeast corner of Oklahoma and ending by means of a connection or connections with Shreveport, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, in southeastern Oklahoma and at no point to exceed thirty (30) miles west of the Missouri or Arkansas border.
Senate: (1) Michael Bergstrom, (3) Blake Stephens, (4) Tom Woods, (5) George Burns, (7) Warren Hamilton, (9) Dewayne Pemberton
House: (1) Eddy Dempsey, (2) Jim Olsen, (3) Rick West, (4) Bob Ed Culver, (5) Josh West, (7) Steve Bashore
(14) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the vicinity of Velma or County Line to a point intersecting with Interstate 35 in the area south of Davis.
Senate: (14) Jerry Alvord, (31) Chris Kidd
House: (22) Charles McCall, (48) Tammy Townley, (50) Marcus McEntire
(15) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the vicinity of Watonga and extending
south and/or east to the vicinity of north and/or west Oklahoma City.
Senate: (20) Chuck Hall, (23) Lonnie Paxton, (26) Darcy Jech
House: (23) Terry O’Donnell, (31) Collin Duel, (38) John Pfeiffer, (55) Ty Burns, (59) Josh Cantrell
(24) A four-lane extension of the Muskogee Turnpike from Interstate Highway 40 west of Webbers
Falls to the Poteau vicinity.
Senate: (5) George Burns, (7) Warren Hamilton, (8) Roger Thompson
House: (3) Rick West, (15) Randy Randleman, (17) Jim Grego
(25) A new turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning at a point in the vicinity of northwest Tulsa, and extending in a northwesterly direction, by means of a connection or connections with the cities of Pawhuska and Newkirk, to a point intersecting in the vicinity of US Highway No. 77 and the Kansas State Line.
Senate: (10) Bill Coleman, (11) Kevin Matthews
House: (37) Ken Luttrell, (38) John Pfeiffer, (66) Clay Staires
(27) A new turnpike beginning at a point directly west of the Arkansas line and four-laning Highway 70 from that point to the farthest western reach of Highway 70 creating a southern route through Oklahoma.
Senate: (5) George Burns, (6) David Bullard, (14) Jerry Alvord, (31) Chris Kidd, (38) Brent Howard
House: (1) Eddy Dempsey, (19) Dustin JJ Humphrey, (21) Cody Maynard, (49) Josh Cantrell, (50) Marcus McEntire, (63) Trey Caldwell
(28) A new turnpike and bridge or any parts thereof from a point in the vicinity of the city of Mustang southerly across the South Canadian River to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in the vicinity of the city of Tuttle; and then easterly across the South Canadian River to a point in the vicinity of the city of Norman.
Senate: (23) Lonnie Paxton, (43) Jessica Garvin
House: (20) Sherrie Conley, (47) Brian Hill, (51) Brad Boles, (56) Dick Lowe
(29) A new turnpike or any parts thereof beginning at a point in the vicinity of the city of Altus and extending in a northwesterly direction to a point in the vicinity of the city of Sayre.
Senate: (38) Brent Howard
House: (52) Gerrid Kendrix, (55) Nick Archer, (57) Anthony Moore
(30) A new turnpike or any parts thereof beginning at a point in the vicinity of the city of Enid and extending in a westerly direction to a point in the vicinity of the city of Woodward.
Senate: (19) Ronald Pederson, (27) Casey Murdock
House: (52) Gerrid Kendrix, (55) Nick Archer, (57) Anthony Moore, (59) Mike Dobrinski, (61) Daniel Pae, (63) Trey Caldwell
