Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Freeway Fighters

Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Stops Work on $15 Billion Turnpike Expansion

Oklahoma’s freeway fighters are resting a little easier this week, having learned that the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) is halting all work related to the $15 billion turnpike expansion, ACCESS Oklahoma.

Back in January, Strong Towns reported that Oklahoma residents took the OTA to court, arguing that its plans for a $15 billion turnpike expansion not only lacked transparency, but were illegal. The judge presiding agreed, ruling that the OTA “wilfully violated” Oklahoma’s Open Meetings Act. As a result, over 200 plaintiffs celebrated their first major legal victory in the fight against the project, known as ACCESS Oklahoma. On March 15, 2023, Oklahoma’s attorney general stepped in and seemingly sided with the plaintiffs, requesting an audit of the OTA.

Almost exactly a month later, OTA notified its board and consultants that all work on ACCESS will cease as of Friday, April 14, 2023. While the press release concludes with a pledge to resume the project once “roadblocks are resolved and a path to the bond market is clear,” opponents to the project are still encouraged by the news. At the very least, the devastation of hundreds of homes, businesses, and natural areas necessary for the project’s scope is being put on hold.

“The community has come together and has fought off the biggest bully in the state, and I think this is the first time in 70 years that the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has ever lost or had to stop a proposed turnpike after they have already paid to have it designed,” Pike Off OTA President Dr. Amy Cerato said in a comment for NonDoc.

Nevertheless, for Cerato and many Oklahomans, the fight isn’t over until the OTA is held accountable for its surreptitious practices. In a press release dated April 12, Pike Off OTA, a group that mobilized against ACCESS since the project “surprised” Oklahomans in February 2022, wrote:

This $5 billion, all-or-nothing approach has been an exercise in questionable judgment and lack of transparency from the beginning. If the OTA is truly putting the safety of its patrons first, why has the OTA  prioritized the pursuit of questionable, contested new alignments over much needed maintenance and improvement obligations on existing toll roads?

While the project is currently on hold, the findings of the audit issued by the Attorney General are still pending. “I am certain that the investigative audit I have ordered is needed now more than ever,” Attorney General Drummond said in a statement. Pike Off OTA is likewise eager to see what the investigative audit may reveal about the OTA. “It is time for all Oklahomans to insist on transparency, accountability, and lawful conduct from our government agencies,” the group concluded in their press release.

This article originally appeared on Strong Towns and is republished with permission. 

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Are We All Living in a ‘Carspiracy’?

How does "car-brain" shape the way we think about the world — even in relatively bike-friendly countries like the U.K.?

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

Bikeshares, and e-bikes and scooters generally, are becoming more popular. That's led to more injuries, highlighting the need for better infrastructure.

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on With the California E-Bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague.

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 25, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts