Turner Turnpike

Turner Turnpike
Turner Turnpike
	Turner Turnpike highlighted in red
Route information
	Maintained by Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Length	86.5 mi (139.2 km)
Existed	May 16, 1953–present
Component; highways	I-44 entire length
Major junctions
West end	I-35 / I-44 / SH-66 / I-344 / Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City
	I-335 / Kickapoo Turnpike in Luther ; SH-18 in Chandler ; US 377 / SH-99 in Stroud ; SH-48 in Bristow ; SH-66 / Creek Turnpike in Sapulpa ;
East end	I-44 / SH-66 near Tulsa
Location
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Counties	Oklahoma, Lincoln, Creek
Highway system
	Oklahoma State Highway System; Interstate ; US ; State ; Turnpikes ;

Last updated December 15, 2024

The Turner Turnpike is a controlled-access 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 twelve turnpikes.^[1] 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.

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 (138 km) later, southwest of Tulsa, at a junction with SH-66. The posted speed limit is as high as 80 mph (130 km/h), making it possible to drive legally 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. A new interchange 11 miles (18 km) east of the western terminus was added at Hogback Road in Luther, and was opened in May 2011.^[3]^[4]

Future

On August 2, 2021, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation of the portion of the Turner Turnpike from its western terminus to the Kickapoo Turnpike as part of an extension of Interstate 240, forming a beltway around Oklahoma City. ODOT Director Tim Gatz 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.^[5]

Tolls

At its inception Turner Turnpike was the first toll road west of the Mississippi River.^[6] The first toll amount was $1.40 for a one-way trip.^[7]

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $8.75 with Platepay ($4.50 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. When adjusted for inflation, tolls have fallen over 50% to 4.65 cents per mile (2.89 ¢/km), among the cheapest in the nation. (In 2005 dollars, the toll was $9 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) used a somewhat unusual tolling system. The Turnpike has only one barrier toll plaza, located northeast of Stroud, at which drivers pay the full toll and are issued a receipt. If one exits before reaching this plaza or enters at an interchange past the plaza, the toll for the portion traveled is collected at the interchange. If one's desired exit is located after the plaza, the motorist pays the full toll at the barrier plaza, then presents their receipt at the ramp for a refund of the untraveled portion. If one enters at an interchange before the main plazas, a ticket is issued at the ramp and presented at the barrier plaza; the fare for the untraveled portion is deducted from the full toll. Travelers exiting the turnpike westbound at Wellston or Luther, eastbound at Kellyville, as well as at the two termini do not receive any refund. This system was implemented in 1992 and lasted until 2024.^[8]

OTA is in the process of converting all tolling to a cashless system, which was switched over on May 1, 2024.^[9]

Services

Full service areas featuring McDonald's restaurants and Love's gas stations are located eastbound just east of Chandler and westbound near Stroud. The Stroud facility is located in the median and previously served both eastbound and westbound traffic until June 2020 when the new Chandler service area opened.^[10] Future plans call for reconstruction of the Stroud service area 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.

Full service areas featuring similar amenities as the Stroud Service Area were previously located eastbound at Bristow and westbound at Wellston. The fuel stations at these locations closed in 2007,^[11] and the McDonald's restaurants were closed and demolished ca. 2011. A westbound gas station near Heyburn was closed in June 2017 in anticipation of a major turnpike reconstruction project and an eastbound gas station at Chandler was closed following the opening of the new eastbound Chandler service area. 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.^[12]

Law enforcement along the Turner Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop YB, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.^[13]

Exit list

Exit numbers follow I-44.

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Oklahoma	Oklahoma City	0.00	0.00		I-344 west (Kilpatrick Turnpike)	Continuation west
				—	I-35 / I-44 west (SH-66) / Sooner Road – Wichita, Oklahoma City, Downtown	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western end of I-44 concurrency; exit 138A on I-35
				139	Post Road	Proposed interchange on the existing turnpike
		11.4	18.3	146	Luther, Jones
	Luther			149	I-335 south (Kickapoo Turnpike)	Northern terminus and exits 149A-B on I-335; opened October 14, 2020^[14]
Lincoln				155	SH-102 – Wellston	Proposed interchange on the existing turnpike
	Wellston	22.3	35.9	158	SH-66 – Wellston	Former US 66
		31.8	51.2	166	SH-18 – Chandler, Cushing
				173	Davenport	Proposed interchange on the existing turnpike
	Stroud	44.5	71.6	179	US 377 south / SH-99 – Stroud, Drumright	Northern terminus of US 377
Creek		47.3	76.1	Toll plaza
				188	Depew	Proposed interchange on the existing turnpike
		61.3	98.7	196	SH-48 (SH-66) – Bristow, Lake Keystone	Former US 66
		68.2	109.8	203	SH-66 – Kellyville	Proposed interchange on the existing turnpike
		75.8	122.0	211	SH-33 to SH-66 – Kellyville, Sapulpa, Drumright
	Sapulpa	80.7	129.9	215	SH-97 – Sapulpa, Sand Springs
		82.2	132.3	218A	SH-66 – Sapulpa	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		82.3	132.4	218B	Creek Turnpike east – Joplin, Jenks, Broken Arrow	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; western terminus of Creek Turnpike
Tulsa		86.5	139.2		I-44 east / SH-66 east – Joplin	Continuation east; eastern end of I-44 concurrency
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Tolled Unopened

Related Research Articles

The Kansas Turnpike is a 236-mile (380 km) controlled-access toll road that lies entirely within the US state of Kansas. It runs in a general southwest–northeast direction from the Oklahoma border to Kansas City. It passes through several major Kansas cities, including Wichita, Topeka, and Lawrence. The turnpike is owned and maintained by the Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA), which is headquartered in Wichita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 376</span> Highway in Pennsylvania

Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville, after having crossed the Pennsylvania Turnpike at an interchange in Big Beaver. The route serves Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas and is the main access road to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). Portions of the route are known as the Beaver Valley Expressway, Southern Expressway, and Airport Parkway. Within Allegheny County, the route runs along the majority of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway, known locally as Parkway West and Parkway East. It is currently the ninth-longest auxiliary Interstate route in the system and second only to I-476 within Pennsylvania.

The John Kilpatrick Turnpike partially signed Interstate 344 (I-344) as of November of 2024, is a controlled-access toll road in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The turnpike forms a partial beltway that runs from State Highway 152 (SH-152) and Interstate 240 (I-240) to an interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) and Interstate 44 (I-44). At the eastern terminus, traffic continuing east merges with I-44 traffic, forming the Turner Turnpike. The Kilpatrick Turnpike is 31.0 miles (49.9 km) long.

The Will Rogers Turnpike is a controlled-access 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 (142.4 km) long and costs $4.75 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 Will Rogers, "Oklahoma's Favorite Son".

The Cimarron Turnpike is a controlled-access toll road in north-central Oklahoma. The route travels 67 miles (108 km), from an interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) north of Perry, to Westport, just west of Tulsa. The route also consists of a 7.2-mile (11.6 km) spur which runs from the mainline southwest to an interchange with U.S. Route 177 north of Stillwater.

State Highway 66 is a 192.7-mile (310.1 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, beginning at U.S. Highway 81 in El Reno and ending at U.S. Highway 60 near White Oak. The highway was designated in 1985 as a replacement for the decommissioned U.S. Highway 66. Although most of the highway follows Historic Route 66, the highway follows US 66's final alignment, joining Interstate 44 through Tulsa and Oklahoma City, while older versions of the route follow various city streets through both cities.

The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a 98.5-mile-long (158.5 km) freeway running from Elizabethtown to near Nortonville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 (I-65) at its eastern terminus, and I-69 at its western terminus. It is one of seven highways that are part of the Kentucky parkway system. The road was renamed for Wendell H. Ford, a former Kentucky governor and United States senator, in 1998. Previously, it was simply the Western Kentucky Parkway, and often called the "WK Parkway" or "the WK" because of the initials that were once used on its signs prior to the 1998 renaming. The parkway carries the unsigned designation Kentucky Route 9001 for its entire length.

Interstate 240 (I-240) is an Interstate Highway in southern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, that runs 26.8 miles (43.1 km) from I-40 to I-344 /SH-152. The Interstate overlaps State Highway 3 (SH-3) the longest Oklahoma state highway, for most of its length and functions as a southern bypass around the Downtown area.

The Cherokee Turnpike is a controlled-access toll road in eastern Oklahoma. Opened in 1991, the route is a four-lane freeway carrying US-412 from east of Kansas, Oklahoma, to east of Chouteau, and has a total length of 32.8 miles (52.8 km) and a speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h).

Interstate 78 (I-78) is an east–west route stretching from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, to New York City. In New Jersey, I-78 is called the Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway and the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike. The highway runs for 67.8 miles (109.1 km) in the northern part of the state of New Jersey from the I-78 Toll Bridge over the Delaware River at the Pennsylvania state line in Phillipsburg, Warren County, east to the Holland Tunnel under the Hudson River at the New York state line in Jersey City, Hudson County. The Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway portion of I-78, formally called the Lightning Division Memorial Highway, runs from the Phillipsburg area east across rural areas of Western New Jersey before entering suburban areas in Somerset County. The road crosses the Watchung Mountains, widening into a local–express lane configuration at Route 24 as it continues through urban areas to Newark. Here, I-78 intersects the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) and becomes the Newark Bay Extension, crossing the Newark Bay Bridge and continuing to Jersey City. The route, along with Route 139, follows a one-way pair of surface streets to the Holland Tunnel.

The Muskogee Turnpike, also designated State Highway 351 (SH-351), is a controlled-access toll road in eastern Oklahoma.

The Indian Nation Turnpike, also designated State Highway 375 (SH-375), is a controlled-access toll road in southeastern Oklahoma, United States, running between Hugo and Henryetta, a distance of 105.2 miles (169.3 km). It is the longest tollway in the state.

The H. E. Bailey Turnpike is an 86.4-mile (139.0 km) controlled-access toll road in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The route, opened on April 23, 1964, is a four-lane freeway that connects Oklahoma City to Lawton in its northern section and Lawton to Wichita Falls, Texas along its southern section, roughly paralleling U.S. Route 277. The turnpike also includes an 8.2-mile (13.2 km) spur route that leads toward Norman, Oklahoma. Since 1982, it has been signed as a part of Interstate 44, and as such uses its mileposts. Travel along the full length of the toll road costs $5.50 for a two-axle vehicle.

The Chickasaw Turnpike, also designated State Highway 301 (SH-301), is a controlled-access 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 (OTA) owns, maintains, and collects tolls on the turnpike. The first section of the Chickasaw Turnpike opened on September 1, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania</span> Section of Interstate highway in Pennsylvania, United States

Interstate 70 (I-70) is an Interstate Highway that is located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States. It runs east to west across the southwest part of Pennsylvania and serves the southern fringe of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

The Creek Turnpike, also designated State Highway 364 (SH-364), is a 33.2-mile (53.4 km) controlled-access toll road that lies entirely in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The turnpike forms a partial beltway around the south and east sides of Tulsa, Oklahoma's second largest city. The Creek Turnpike's western terminus is at the Turner Turnpike in Sapulpa, while its northeastern terminus is at the Will Rogers Turnpike in Fair Oaks; both ends of the Creek Turnpike connect with Interstate 44 (I-44). Along the way, the highway passes through the cities of Sapulpa, Jenks, Tulsa, and Broken Arrow, and the counties of Creek, Tulsa, Wagoner and Rogers. The road is maintained by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), except for a brief free section shared with U.S. Route 64 (US-64) and US-169, which is maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Interstate 44 (I-44) is an Interstate Highway that runs diagonally through the U.S. state of Oklahoma, spanning from the Texas state line near Wichita Falls, Texas, to the Missouri border near Joplin, Missouri. It connects three of Oklahoma's largest cities: Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Lawton. Most of I-44 in Oklahoma is a toll road. In southwestern Oklahoma, I-44 is the H. E. Bailey Turnpike and follows a diagonally northwest–southeast direction. From Oklahoma City to Tulsa, I-44 follows the Turner Turnpike. As I-44 leaves Tulsa, it becomes the Will Rogers Turnpike to the Missouri border. In the Lawton, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa metropolitan areas, I-44 is toll-free. In Oklahoma City, I-44 is also known as the Will Rogers Expressway.

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.

U.S. Route 412 is a U.S. highway in the south-central portion of the United States, connecting Springer, New Mexico to Columbia, Tennessee. A 504.11-mile (811.29 km) section of the highway crosses the state of Oklahoma, traversing the state from west to east. Entering the state southwest of Boise City, US-412 runs the length of the Oklahoma Panhandle and serves the northern portion of the state's main body, before leaving the state at West Siloam Springs. Along the way, the route serves many notable cities and towns, including Boise City, Guymon, Woodward, Enid, and the state's second-largest city, Tulsa.

The Kickapoo Turnpike, signed Interstate 335 (I-335) since November of 2024, is a 19.6-mile (31.5 km) controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The northern section from U.S. Route 62 to I-44 opened to traffic on October 13, 2020. The southern segment from I-40 to US 62 opened to traffic on January 5, 2021. Despite the naming of I-335, a connection with I-35 will not be made until the southern extension of the turnpike to Purcell is built.

References

1 2 Everett, Dianna, Turnpikes and Toll Bridges Archived July 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (accessed June 17, 2010).
↑ PIKEPASS History Archived April 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , Pikepass.com (accessed June 17, 2010).
↑ Hoberock, Barbara (June 17, 2010). "5 Construction Projects Planned for Turnpike". Tulsa World. World Publishing Company. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
↑ "New turnpike interchange opens in Oklahoma County". Associated Press at KOTV-DT . May 21, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
↑ Oklahoma Transportation Commission (August 2, 2021). "ODOT Commission Meeting" . Retrieved August 2, 2021.
↑ "From the Archives: The Turner Turnpike Opens". KFOR.
↑ "Throwback Tulsa Turner Turnpike Opened 71 Years Ago". Tulsa World.
↑ Greiner, John (November 16, 1991). "Refund Plan OK'd for Turner, Will Rogers Turnpikes". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
↑ "Home". platepay.com.
↑ Ellis, Randy. "New Chandler Service Plaza to open on Turner Turnpike". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
↑ "2 turnpike stations end fuel service". Tulsa World. April 23, 2007. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
↑ Nelson, Mary Jo (September 23, 1986). "Howard Johnson's Restaurants On Turnpike to Be Torn Down". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
↑ "Oklahoma Highway Patrol" . Retrieved April 5, 2008.
↑ "Turnpike Construction Begins". Luther Register. January 18, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

External links

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Turner Turnpike

KML is from Wikidata

Turner Turnpike Toll/Fares Chart - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[turnpikepedia-1] 1 2 Everett, Dianna, Turnpikes and Toll Bridges Archived July 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (accessed June 17, 2010).

[pikepass-2] PIKEPASS History Archived April 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , Pikepass.com (accessed June 17, 2010).

[3] Hoberock, Barbara (June 17, 2010). "5 Construction Projects Planned for Turnpike". Tulsa World. World Publishing Company. Retrieved December 25, 2020.

[4] "New turnpike interchange opens in Oklahoma County". Associated Press at KOTV-DT . May 21, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}

[transportation-commission-2021-08-02-5] Oklahoma Transportation Commission (August 2, 2021). "ODOT Commission Meeting" . Retrieved August 2, 2021.

[6] "From the Archives: The Turner Turnpike Opens". KFOR.

[7] "Throwback Tulsa Turner Turnpike Opened 71 Years Ago". Tulsa World.

[8] Greiner, John (November 16, 1991). "Refund Plan OK'd for Turner, Will Rogers Turnpikes". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 25, 2020.

[9] "Home". platepay.com.

[10] Ellis, Randy. "New Chandler Service Plaza to open on Turner Turnpike". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 6, 2024.

[11] "2 turnpike stations end fuel service". Tulsa World. April 23, 2007. Retrieved December 25, 2020.

[12] Nelson, Mary Jo (September 23, 1986). "Howard Johnson's Restaurants On Turnpike to Be Torn Down". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 25, 2020.

[ohp-13] "Oklahoma Highway Patrol" . Retrieved April 5, 2008.

[14] "Turnpike Construction Begins". Luther Register. January 18, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]