Kickapoo Turnpike

Kickapoo Turnpike
Route information
Maintained by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Length	21 mi[1] (34 km)
Status	Open
Existed	2020–present
Major junctions
South end	SE 89th Street in Oklahoma City
Major intersections	I-40 / US 270 / SH-3 in Oklahoma City US 62 in Harrah
North end	I-44 / Turner Turnpike in Luther
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highway System Interstate US State Turnpikes
← Indian Nation Turnpike → Kilpatrick Turnpike

The Kickapoo Turnpike is a 21-mile (34 km) toll road in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The northern section from US-62 to Interstate 44 (Turner Turnpike) opened to traffic on October 14, 2020. The southern segment from Interstate 40 to US-62 opened to traffic on January 5, 2021. ^[2]

Route description[]

The turnpike begins just east of Luther Road, at an at-grade intersection with SE 89th Street, on the Oklahoma–Cleveland county line. It heads north and features a southbound-only interchange with I-40 a half-mile (800 m) later.^[3] There are four other interchanges between its termini: SE 29th Street, Reno Avenue, NE 23rd Street (US-62), and Britton Road.^[1] A toll plaza is on the turnpike in the vicinity of Hefner Road and NE 122nd Street.^[4] The Kickapoo Turnpike ends at a trumpet interchange with I-44 (Turner Turnpike) in Luther, just east of I-44 exit 146 (the Luther/Jones interchange).^[3]

History[]

The turnpike project originally was given the name "Northeast Oklahoma County Loop." The road itself was proposed on October 29, 2015, by Gov. Mary Fallin, as part of the state's Driving Forward initiative.^[5] On June 6, 2016, the tollway was approved by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, under the working title Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike.^[6] In September 2019, "Kickapoo Turnpike" was announced as the tollway's official name.^[7]

Construction[]

The first piece of the turnpike to be constructed is the interchange with I-44, at the northern end of the route. Construction on this interchange began in January 2018, and the entire turnpike is expected to be complete by 2021.^[8] Phase 1 of the Kickapoo opened on October 13, 2020. Phase 1 stretches from the Turner Turnpike to US 62 or 23rd Street in Harrah. Phase 2 will connect the rest of the Turnpike to Interstate 40, projected to open at the start of 2021, and linking I-40 directly to Interstate 44 on the eastern side of the Oklahoma City metro. The cost of constructing the Kickapoo Turnpike has been estimated to be more than $440 million (2018 dollars).^[4]

Opposition[]

In January 2016, a group calling itself Citizens Opposed to the Eastern Oklahoma County Loop-Turnpike-Interstate was reported to have created a Facebook page in opposition to the proposed turnpike.^[9] Following months of meetings and protests, Neal McCaleb, interim director for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), released a statement saying that, because of public input and the work of engineering professionals, the estimated number of homes that would eventually be lost to construction had been reduced by 22 percent, from 103 houses to 80.

In August 2016, a lawsuit was filed against the OTA, claiming that the agency, in issuing $900 million in bonds to be used for multiple toll road projects, was in violation of the Oklahoma Constitution, which stipulates that laws passed may address only one subject.^[10] On December 13, 2016, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in favor of the OTA, stating that the agency had properly authorized the bond issue and given "valid notice of this application."^[11]

Future[]

On August 2, 2021, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation of the Kickapoo Turnpike as part of an extension of Interstate 240, forming a beltway around Oklahoma City. ODOT Director 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.^[12]

Tolls[]

On March 1, 2016, toll rates on all turnpikes in Oklahoma increased for the first time since June 2009. The rate hike was implemented to help fund the Driving Forward initiative, which includes improvements and/or extensions to five other Oklahoma toll roads, as well as the construction of the Kickapoo Turnpike from scratch.^[13]

As of 25 January 2022, it costs $3.95 with PlatePay ($1.90 with Pikepass) to drive the entire length of the turnpike.^[14]

Exit list[]

Exit numbers branch off of I-44's mileage markers. The entire route is in Oklahoma County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Oklahoma City	0.00	0.00		SE 89th Street	Southern terminus; at-grade intersection; road continues into Cleveland County as McDonald Road
	0.5	0.80	130B	I-40 / US 270 / SH-3 east – Fort Smith	Exit 170 on I-40; southbound exit, northbound entrance.
	1.3	2.1	130A	I-40 / US 270 / SH-3 west – Oklahoma City	Exit 170 on I-40; southbound exit; northbound entrance.
Harrah	3.9	6.3	134	SE 29th Street – McLoud
	6.0	9.7	136	E. Reno Avenue
	8.2	13.2	138	US 62 (N.E. 23rd Street) – Choctaw, Harrah
	13.2	21.2	144	E. Britton Road – Jones
​			Toll plaza
Luther	19.0	30.6	149B	I-44 east (Turner Turnpike) – Tulsa	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
	19.6	31.5	149A	I-44 west (Turner Turnpike) – Oklahoma City	Northern terminus; northbound left exit, southbound entrance
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Electronic toll collection       Incomplete access

References[]

External links[]

• Oklahoma Turnpike Authority