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25-649: Oklahoma has an extensive turnpike system , maintained by the state government through the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority . All of Oklahoma's turnpikes are controlled-access highways . The majority have at least four lanes, though the Chickasaw Turnpike is two lanes . Tolls on Oklahoma's turnpikes are collected through several methods, particular to each turnpike, involving mainline and sidegate toll plazas. Tolls can be paid through cash (at either unstaffed exact-change bays or staffed booths, depending on

50-451: A Republican, only to be defeated by Bill Price in the primary runoff. State Senator Brad Henry advanced to the runoff with 28% against Orza's 44%, but opposition to the former Republican from New York coalesced behind Henry. Orza found himself once again losing the runoff after winning the initial primary. Steve Largent easily won the GOP nomination against token opposition. This election

75-457: A fee that yields a return to its investors. The Authority must generate sufficient revenues to operate and maintain its roads at a high quality while covering the interest and principal payments owed to bondholders (investors) who have purchased its revenue bonds. The Authority consists of the Governor (ex-officio) and six members serving without pay for eight-year terms from districts established in

100-683: Is the sole discretion of the Oklahoma Legislature to authorize projects considered for construction by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Originally, fourteen toll road projects were approved. Today, there are 32 toll road projects authorized by Title 69, Section 1705. The Board of Directors of the Turnpike Authority is responsible for governing the Authority. The Board is composed of the seven members, six of which are appointed by

125-745: Is under the supervision of the Secretary of Transportation . Under Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt , Tim Gatz a Professional Landscape Architect with Bachelor's Degree in Landscape Architecture is serving as the Cabinet Secretary. Secretary Gatz also serves as the Director of the Authority and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) is an instrumentality of

150-570: The Governor of Oklahoma , with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate , with the Governor serving ex officio as the seventh member. The Board is responsible for appointing the Director of the Authority, who serves as the Board's pleasure. The Turnpike Authority, as of February 2019, has 632 full-time employees. The budget of the Turnpike Authority is derived almost exclusively from the tolls collected from

175-710: The Kansas border near Braman to tie in with the southern terminus of the Kansas Turnpike at the state line. That routing was included as part of the Federal Highway Act of 1956 which created the Interstate Highway System. As a result, the OTA could not obtain financing to build that proposed turnpike and turned the initial plans including surveys and blueprints over to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in 1956 for

200-515: The Kilpatrick Turnpike were closed and replaced with the new cashless pay-by-mail system known as PlatePay. Customers using PlatePay travel in the same lanes as customers when passing through a toll plaza. Instead of the toll being deducted from an account, drivers are mailed an invoice for their toll which is paid through an online portal or by check. Due to added costs with the new system, PlatePay toll rates are 75 percent higher on average than

225-411: The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority as follows: "To construct, maintain, repair, and operate Turnpike projects and highways, with their access and connecting roads at such locations and on such routes as it shall determine to be feasible and economically sound." In addition to providing this responsibility to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, limitations were placed on the selection of toll road locations. It

250-476: The State Statute. The Governor may remove any member of the Authority, at any time, with or without cause. The members are appointed to represent defined geographical districts. Authority members have full control over all turnpike operations; however, the OTA must operate in strict compliance with trust agreements that define operating procedures to be followed. The Authority employs an Executive Director to manage

275-670: The State of Oklahoma (the State) and a body corporate and politic created by statute in 1947. The Authority is authorized to construct, maintain, repair and operate turnpike projects at locations authorized by the Legislature of the State of Oklahoma and approved by the State Department of Transportation. The Authority receives revenues from turnpike tolls and a percentage of the turnpike concession sales. The Authority may issue Turnpike Revenue Bonds for

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300-681: The Turner Turnpike near Stroud, Oklahoma . Also proposed in the 1990s, but never built was an extension of the Muskogee Turnpike from its current southeastern terminus at I-40 southeastward toward Poteau . Pikepass is the electronic toll collection system used by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority . Created in 1990 and launched on January 1, 1991, Pikepass provides an alternative to paying cash tolls. Most customers pay an initial $ 40 in prepaid tolls, which they can refill at their own convenience or have funds automatically withdrawn to replenish

325-455: The Turnpike Authority. Critics have noted the lack of revenue from turnpikes that actually goes to the state of Oklahoma. The OTA counters that it receives no tax money to maintain, operate, and pay off the turnpike system; and, if the state had to pay routine maintenance and capital rehabilitation on the turnpikes, the cost to the government would be an additional $ 105 million annually. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority The Turnpike Authority

350-660: The account if it falls below a threshold. Pikepass usage results in a 5% savings up front and customers with 20 or more uses of the Pikepass receive a credit of 5% of their toll charges for that month. As of June 2024, Pikepass can be used on all turnpikes in Kansas, Texas and most turnpikes in Florida and Colorado as well as Oklahoma. Oklahoma turnpikes also accept all transponders from Kansas ( K-TAG ) and Texas ( EZ TAG , TollTag , TxTag ), and SunPass from Florida, and ExpressToll from Colorado. On July 25, 2021, toll collection booths on

375-457: The construction of I-35 as a freeway on that same alignment, which was completed in several stages between 1958 and 1962. Also proposed but never built was a toll road roughly following what would later become I-35 between Oklahoma City and the Red River north of Gainesville, Texas that included a spur route veering from the main route north of Ardmore veering northeastward past Ada to tie in with

400-606: The day-to-day operations. The Executive Director is appointed by the Authority’s Board. Oklahoma was the first state west of Pennsylvania to complete a toll road financed exclusively from revenue bonds. The Oklahoma Turnpike Enabling Act, as amended to date, controls the designation, financing, construction, and operation of the Oklahoma Turnpikes. An excerpt from Section 1705 of the Enabling Act delegates responsibility to

425-517: The end of 2024. As of November 20, 2024, the conversion to cashless tolling is complete with the Will Rogers Turnpike from Tulsa to the Missouri state line being the last turnpike to do so. The turnpike system has received criticism from many, most notably from Gary Richardson , former U.S. Attorney and candidate for Governor of Oklahoma in 2002 and 2018 , who has called for the abolition of

450-482: The plaza) or through the Pikepass transponder system. In place of cash collection booths, PlatePay, a cashless pay-by-mail system, operates on many of the state's turnpikes, including the Kilpatrick Turnpike , Kickapoo Turnpike , and Creek Turnpike . Shortly after the Turner Turnpike was built in 1953, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority proposed other toll roads including one to be built from Oklahoma City north to

475-658: The previous cash rates. On January 25, 2022, the Kickapoo Turnpike closed its toll collection booths to begin PlatePay operations. On June 21, 2022, the H. E. Bailey Turnpike from Lawton to Oklahoma City and its spur to Norman went cashless. The remainder of the turnpike from Lawton to Texas was converted on July 27, 2022. On August 16, 2022, the Chicksaw Turnpike went cashless. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority plans to implement cashless tolling through PlatePay on all turnpikes by

500-408: The purpose of paying the costs of turnpike projects and Turnpike Revenue Refunding Bonds for the purpose of refunding any bonds of the Authority then outstanding. Turnpike Revenue Bonds are payable solely from the tolls and other revenues of the Authority and do not constitute indebtedness of the State. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is similar to a public utility, providing a needed, basic service at

525-586: The referendum from Southeastern Oklahoma, a traditional Democratic stronghold that strongly supported Henry, out to vote. As of 2024, this is the last time that a gubernatorial nominee and a lieutenant gubernatorial nominee of different political parties were simultaneously elected in Oklahoma to date. Though Democrats had dominated state politics for most of Oklahoma 's history, the Oklahoma Republican Party had made historic gains, including five of

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550-459: The state's six Congressional seats at the time of the election. This made it especially hard for Henry to win with a growing Republican dominance in the state. This was most notable in the urban areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, both of which voted for Largent. Three state legislators sought the Democratic Party nomination, trailing Vince Orza who had previously sought the Governor's office as

575-411: The users of the turnpike system. For Calendar Year 2019, revenues are anticipated to be $ 330.1 million. The Authority uses those funds as follows: This Government of Oklahoma -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election Frank Keating Republican Brad Henry Democratic The 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election

600-546: Was extremely close, with Henry prevailing by just 6,866 votes or 0.6%. Under Oklahoma law, if the margin of victory is less than one percent but greater than half a percent, the losing candidate can request a recount that their campaign has to pay for. However, Largent ultimately decided against it, considering that because Henry led by 6,866 votes, the possibility of him prevailing were extremely difficult. On November 23, Largent officially conceded defeat. Two days later on November 25, Oklahoma Secretary of State Kay Dudley certified

625-421: Was held on November 5, 2002, and was a race for Governor of Oklahoma . Democrat Brad Henry won the election with 43 percent of the vote, beating Republican Steve Largent and conservative independent Gary Richardson . Henry's narrow win has been attributed to Richardson and Largent's split of the conservative vote and the inclusion of a cockfighting ban on the ballot, an issue which brought opponents of

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