Turner Turnpike | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Oklahoma Turnpike Authority | |
| Length | 86.0 mi[citation needed] (138.4 km) |
| Existed | May 16, 1953[1]–present |
| Major junctions | |
| West end | .svg){kind=small} Interstate 35 in Oklahoma City |
 State Highway 18 in Chandler State Highway 99 in Stroud | |
| East end |  State Highway 66 in Sapulpa |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Counties | Oklahoma, Lincoln, Creek |
| Highway system | |
| Oklahoma turnpike system | |
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History edit
- Proposals as early as 1940[1]
- Privately-funded "airline highway" floated to Gov Roy J Turner on Feb 21 '47[1]
- "I don't believe it is right to build a king's highway in a free country." —Streeter Speakman, the chairman of the Oklahoma House roads committee, 1947[1]
- "Oklahomans will be shackled with tolls for the rest of their lives." —Sen Boyd Cowden, Chandler[1]
- Opposed by small towns fearing it would divert US 66 traffic and harm them[1]
- Also opposed as benefiting the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World, operating delivery trucks[1]
- "a speedway for E.K. Gaylord's express" — Sen. Everett Collins of [1]
- Legis authorized as a toll road in 1947[1]
- Turner signs act April 30 '47
- Legis names after Turner, to commemorate and assign blame
- Construction cost: $38 million[2]
- Opened May 16, 1953[1]
- Legislators promised 75% of work to be done by Oklahomans[1]
- Financed by bonds
- Unpopular at time on loan market
- New Jersey Tpk bonds sparked interest[1]
- "The turnpike issued $31 million in bonds in November 1950, and $7 million were sold in June 1952. "[1]
- Lawmakers did not understand bond system
- Sen Joe Bailey Cobb, Tishomingo: 170 years to pay off?[1]
- Promises made that as soon as bonds were paid off the road would become free[1]
- Cross-pledging made legal in 1953, passed vote of the people the following year[1] (Jan. 26 1954, SQ 359 and 360
- SH-33 interchange not original, added to 5 year plan in 1989
Route description edit
Tolls edit
Services edit
- Full-service McDonald's restaurant and EZ-GO gas station in the center of the roadway near Stroud.
- 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.[citation needed]
- Law enforcement along the Will Rogers Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop YB, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.[3]
Exit list edit
| County | Location | Mile | # | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Start/end of Turner Turnpike | ||||
| Lincoln | 158 | SH-66 – Wellston
|
Westbound 157, westbound entrance ramp contains a service area | ||
| Chandler | 166 | SH-18 – Chandler, Cushing
|
|||
| Stroud | 179 | SH-99 – Stroud, Drumright
|
|||
| Creek | Toll plaza | ||||
| 196 |  SH-48 – Bristow, Lake Keystone
|
||||
| 211 |  SH-33 – Kellyville, Sapulpa
|
Signed Kellyville, Drumright westbound | |||
| Sapulpa | 215 |  SH-97 – Sapulpa, Sand Springs
|
|||
| 218A | SH-66 – Sapulpa
|
||||
| 218B | Creek Turnpike east | ||||
| Start/end of Turner Turnpike | |||||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Krehbiel, Randy (2003-05-05). "Turner Turnpike paved with early suspicion". Tulsa World.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Howell, Joseph (1989-11-16). "Two turnpikes to discontinue tickets". Tulsa World. p. 3A. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Oklahoma Highway Patrol". Retrieved 2008-04-05.
External links edit