OTA Says Turnpike Expansion Plans Likely Won't Change

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is now saying that the plan for the turnpike expansion, while subject to change slightly, is not likely to change from the route study they currently have. 

The OTA had more than a dozen engineers at Thursday night's meeting in Noble, to try and answer questions from people who would be affected by the expansion.

However, some residents came only to voice their opposition to the project and criticize the agency’s lack of flexibility.

“They’re not responsible to anybody because they’re self-funding. I don’t understand how this is America. Every government is supposed to be responsive to the citizens,” said Virginia Sanders, a Noble resident.

A project that's been controversial since it was unveiled, ACCESS Oklahoma is a proposed multi-billion-dollar plan that would have two turnpikes running south of Oklahoma City.

Many residents in Cleveland County believe the construction will affect or even demolish many homes.

Many residents in Noble Thursday night hoped the OTA would find alternatives to move the route farther away.

However, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority says at this point the routes will most likely stay inside their initial plan.

“Unless there’s something profound that we don’t know about, it’s probably going to be very close to the alignment that we’re currently projecting,” said OTA Deputy Director Joe Echelle.

The OTA is planning three additional town halls on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday next week.

At the State Capitol, lawmakers have now moved a bill forward that would delay construction until the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority completes additional studies on how the proposed route could impact homeowners.