Whether you use a Pikepass or plate pay, starting January first the cost of using Oklahoma’s toll roads go up about 15%.
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What’s driving up the cost of driving on Oklahoma toll roads?
It’s to pay for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s “Access Oklahoma.” It is a 15-year plan to improve and repair turnpikes across the state.
“We needed to widen sections of the Will Rogers Turnpike up to Claremore,” said Joe Echelle, “where we’re starting to see heavier traffic. Also the metro area turnpikes, both the Kilpatrick in Oklahoma City and the Creek Turnpike in Tulsa need some additional work.”
KJRH OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle told 2 News when the plan was announced in late 2021, the cost of the projects was calculated at $ 5 billion dollars. It’s not shot up to $ 8 billion, necessitating an increase in toll prices to cover the cost.
WATCH: Full interview:
FULL INTERVIEW: OTA director
He added no one then could have anticipated Covid sparked inflation when the price of the projects was originally calculated.