Creek Turnpike In Tulsa, Kilpatrick In OKC Set To Expand

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority approved two major construction projects that will increase the number of lanes on two of the busiest turnpikes in the state.

Authority members approved expanding the Creek Turnpike in Tulsa and the Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City from four lanes to six.

Sherwood Construction received the lowest bid, about $59 million, for the Creek Turnpike. It should take about a year and three months to complete.

Duit Construction and TTK Construction combined for the lowest bid on the Kilpatrick Turnpike. Duit/TTK came in at around $55 million. That project should be completed in 13 months.

The project on the Creek Turnpike will expand the area from U.S. 75 to Memorial Road, while expansion on the Kilpatrick will be from Eastern Ave. to MacArthur.

"We are very excited to receive very competitive bids on these two projects," said Tim Stewart, OTA Deputy Director. "These bids are well under the engineer's estimate which will allow us to bring other projects to the table earlier.

"And the time frame to complete the projects will be an added benefit," Stewart said. "Instead of our customers being inconvenienced for two years, both of these projects will be completed in just over a year."

The two projects are also a part of Governor Mary Fallin's "Bridge Improvement and Turnpike Modernization Plan."

Fallin's plan targets all 706 of the Oklahoma state highway system's currently identified structurally deficient bridges and puts a plan in place to fix those by 2019. In addition, her plan also helps to reduce congestion on the Creek and Kilpatrick turnpikes. These improvements will be made without increasing taxes or tolls.

Fallin said the historic number of upcoming infrastructure improvements will benefit safety, commerce and travel in Oklahoma for decades to come.

Construction on both projects is expected to begin in April.