I travel back and forth to Oklahoma all the time because I have family that lives there. Often, I travel on its turnpikes. Recently, I received a letter from PikePass, a division of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, telling me that I had traveled through a PikePass Only lane and failed to remit the required toll. It had a photo of my car’s license plate, along with the date, time and name of the turnpike. It was a very courteous letter addressed to “Valued Customer” saying “You may not be aware that these lanes are intended only for customers with a PikePass mounted in their vehicles.” It asked me to call PikePass customer service. I have not called them yet but should. I thought there was an agreement between Texas and Oklahoma that if I paid for an electronic pass in Texas, it would also be good in Oklahoma. In fact, I have traveled many times on the Oklahoma turnpike in the PikePass lane, and this is the first time I have received a letter. At any rate, turnpikes are an efficient way to travel. Let’s learn more about them.
According to Wikipedia, 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 unmanned exact-change bays or manned booths, depending on the plaza — or through the PikePass transponder system. In place of cash collection booths, PlatePay, a cashless pay-by-mail system, operates on the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
According to M.J. Alexander’s Oct. 2, 2017 article “Oklahoma Turnpike Truths” in 405 Magazine, based on mileage, Oklahoma’s turnpike network is the nation’s second-largest system. It boasts the seventh-most turnpikes of any state, following Florida, New Jersey (30), New York (27), Pennsylvania (22), California (15) and Texas (14).
The state’s love affair with toll roads began in the wake of World War II, with the dream of a superhighway linking Tulsa with Oklahoma City. The 86-mile Turner Turnpike, named for the state’s 13th governor, was authorized in 1947 and opened to traffic on May 16, 1953.
It was the first toll road west of the Mississippi.
Within a month, the faster option began affecting local filling stations and restaurants on Route 66. Petitions to block additional toll roads began to circulate. Then-Gov. Johnston Murray suggested few drivers really would opt for the old Mother Road if the turnpike were free: “I am convinced the people want straight, safe highways.”
Opposition faded, and the Turner became the first of Oklahoma’s 10 turnpikes, which also include the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Cimarron, Creek, H.E. Bailey, Indian Nation, Kilpatrick, Muskogee and Will Rogers.
Of Oklahoma’s 4,342 miles on the National Highway System, 14 percent are now toll roads. Only New Hampshire has a higher percentage, with 16.2 percent.
Cherokee Turnpike
According to Wikipedia, the Cherokee Turnpike is a toll road in eastern Oklahoma. Opened in 1991, the route is a four-lane tollway carrying US-412 from east of Kansas, Oklahoma to east of Chouteau and has a total length of 32.8 miles and a speed limit of 80 mph. An alternate route, US-412 Alternate, provides a free but not controlled-access route through the towns bypassed by the turnpike with only a 55 mph speed limit.
The Cherokee Turnpike resulted from the same 1987 compromise between urban and rural legislators that resulted in the Kilpatrick, Creek and Chickasaw Turnpikes. The turnpike opened to traffic in 1991.
A two-axle vehicle currently pays $3.25 — PikePass holders pay less — to drive the full length of the Turnpike. This is equivalent of a toll of 8¢ per mile.
Chickasaw Turnpike
The Chickasaw Turnpike, also designated State Highway 301, is a short toll road in the rural south central region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A two-lane freeway, it stretches for 13.3 miles (21.4 km) from north of Sulphur to just south of Ada. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority owns, maintains and collects tolls on the turnpike. The first section of the Chickasaw Turnpike opened on September 1, 1991.
The Chickasaw Turnpike resulted from a compromise between urban and rural legislators. Originally, it was part of a now-canceled plan to connect southern and eastern Oklahoma with a longer turnpike. It was also intended to link Ada to the Interstate system. A four-mile segment of the turnpike was transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, making it a toll-free road, in 2011.
Governor Henry Bellmon opposed the Chickasaw Turnpike, arguing it would be a money loser. He had the turnpike built with only two lanes and shortened it to its current termini. Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr., an OTA board member and future mayor of Tulsa, was later quoted as saying "I think it stinks. We never wanted to build it. It was not anything we thought was appropriate. But in order to build the three turnpikes that were necessary, that is the only way they would build it."
The Chickasaw cost nearly $44 million to build, equivalent to $61 million in 2019. As of 2020, passengers of two-axle vehicles (such as cars and motorcycles) pay tolls of 85¢ in cash or 65¢ if PikePass is used.
Cimarron Turnpike
The Cimarron Turnpike is a toll road in north-central Oklahoma. The route travels 67 miles from an interchange with Interstate 35 north of Perry to Westport, just west of Tulsa. The route also consists of a 7.2-mile spur which runs from the mainline southwest to an interchange with U.S. Route 177 north of Stillwater.
The entirety of the Cimarron Turnpike is concurrent with US-412 except for the Stillwater spur. At either end of the turnpike, US-412 begins — or ends, depending on direction — a concurrency with US-64.
The Cimarron Turnpike opened to traffic on May 16, 1975, and cost $74 million to construct. On February 1, 1988, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission unanimously approved an extension of US-412 from its original western terminus at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas to Woodward, overlapping the Cimarron Turnpike.
As of 2013, passengers of two-axle vehicles — such as cars and motorcycles — pay a total of $3.00 to travel the entire length of the Cimarron Turnpike. The PikePass rate for the full length of the Cimarron is $2.85.
John Kilpatrick Turnpike
The John Kilpatrick Turnpike is a toll road in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The turnpike forms a partial loop that runs from State Highway 152 in the west to an interchange with Interstate 35 and I-44 in the east. At the eastern terminus, traffic continuing east merges with I-44 traffic, forming the Turner Turnpike. The Kilpatrick Turnpike is 29.4 miles long.
In 1987, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized construction of the first phase of the turnpike, between I-35 and Lake Hefner Parkway. It was completed in 1991. In 2001, an extension of the turnpike to I-40 was completed.
On October 29, 2015, Governor Mary Fallin announced that the Kilpatrick Turnpike would be extended south to end at SH-152 near Will Rogers World Airport as part of Driving Forward, a $892 million turnpike package. The project began on January 20, 2018. The extension was opened January 9, 2020.
In February 2021, the OTA announced that all of the turnpikes will be going all-electronic tolling within the next five years, starting with the Kilpatrick Turnpike. This change (known as PlatePay) began on the Kilpatrick on July 25, 2021.
As of July 25, 2021, it costs $6.65 with PlatePay ($3.20 with PikePass) to drive the entire length of the turnpike. The entire route is in Oklahoma City. All exits are unnumbered.
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. 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.
A two-axle vehicle currently pays $4.75 ($3.90 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the turnpike.
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 the 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.
Will Rogers Turnpike
The Will Rogers Turnpike is a freeway-standard toll road in the northeast portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The highway begins as a continuation of the Creek Turnpike in Tulsa, continuing northward from the I-44/US-412 interchange there to the Missouri state line west of Joplin, Missouri. The turnpike carries the I-44 designation for its entire length. The turnpike is 88.5 miles long and costs $4.75 for a two-axle vehicle to drive one way. The Will Rogers Turnpike opened to traffic on June 28, 1957. It was designated as I-44 in 1958. It is named for actor and humorist Will Rogers, "Oklahoma's Favorite Son."
The Will Rogers Turnpike's most prominent service plaza lies between the toll plaza and the Vinita exit. The main feature of this toll plaza is a 29,135-square-foot McDonald's bridge restaurant spanning the turnpike. Customers can view the traffic passing beneath the restaurant from the dining area through windows overlooking the highway. At the front of the west anchor stands a statue of Will Rogers. A separate Phillips 66 gas station is also available for both directions of travel at the plaza.
The architecture of the McDonald's building is dominated by golden arches on both sides of the building that appear from a distance to be not only the corporate symbol of the chain, but the primary supports for a steel arch bridge structure over the turnpike. Visitors to the eatery exit from either side of the interstate, and then enter through one of the sides and then proceed to the restaurant level via stairs or an elevator.
The building hosting the McDonald's restaurant was originally built when the turnpike opened in 1957 as one of the Glass House restaurants, owned by the now-defunct Interstate Hosts company. Because of this heritage, it is also known as the "Glass House McDonald's" and the "McDonald's Glass House Restaurant." The building originally operated as a Howard Johnson's restaurant.
The McDonald's is purported to be the "world's largest." However, the biggest temporary McDonald's in the world was opened during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which had 32,000 square feet, but it was demolished after the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The building and service plaza closed on June 4, 2013, for a complete renovation. It reopened on December 22, 2014 with a McDonald's, Subway and Kum & Go gas stations. It reopened as the Will Rogers Archway.
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