Turner Turnpike

Infobox road
marker_

highway_name=Turner Turnpike


length_mi=86.0
length_round=
length_ref=Fact|date=October 2007
length_notes=
established=May 16, 1953Fact|date=October 2007
decommissioned=
direction_a=West
starting_terminus= in Oklahoma City
junction= in Chandler in Stroud
direction_b=East
ending_terminus= in Sapulpa
counties=Oklahoma, Lincoln, Creek
cities=Oklahoma City, Tulsa
system=

The Governor Roy J. Turner TurnpikeFact|date=March 2008 is a toll road in central Oklahoma, connecting its two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It was authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1947 and opened in May, 1953, it is the oldest of the state's ten turnpikes. The route is signed as Interstate 44 for its entire length, but was constructed prior to its designation as the Interstate. I-44 is also the H.E. Bailey and Will Rogers Turnpikes in Oklahoma. 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 86 miles later, southwest of Tulsa, at a junction with SH-66. The posted speed limit is 75 MPH, making it possible to drive 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.

Tolls

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $3.50 ($3.35 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. When adjusted for inflation, tolls have fallen over 60% to 4 cents per mile, among the cheapest in the nation. (In 2005 dollars, the toll was $9.00 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 northwest of Stroud. If one exits before reaching this plaza, the toll is collected at the exit. If one's desired exit is located after the plaza, they pay the full toll at the barrier plaza and receive a refund for the untraveled portion of the turnpike upon exit. Travelers exiting westbound at Wellston as well as at the two termini do not receive any refund.

ervices

One of the Turnpike's features is a full-service McDonald's restaurant and EZ-GO gas station in the center of the roadway near Stroud. This and other concession areas along the Turner Turnpike 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.

Law enforcement along the Turner Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop YB, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.cite web|url=http://www.dps.state.ok.us/ohp/tngrct/OHPtroops.htm|title=Oklahoma Highway Patrol|accessdate=2008-04-05]

Exit list

See also

* Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
* Pikepass

References

External links

* [http://pikepass.com/maps/charts/turner.htm Turner Turnpike Toll/Fares Chart - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority]