Phase 1 Of Kickapoo Turnpike Opens

Phase 1 of the Kickapoo Turnpike will open at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

This section stretches from the Turner Turnpike to US 62 or 23rd Street in Harrah .

Phase 2 which connects the rest of the Turnpike to Interstate 40, will open at the start of 2021, linking I-40 directly to Interstate 44 on the eastern side of the Oklahoma City metro.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said the more than $450 million project will relieve traffic congestion in OKC, make travel easier between OKC and Tulsa, and improve traffic for towns and cities in the area.

Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz said this project is more than just a road, it's an investment into Oklahoma's future.

"That is really what we have got to stay focused on. How we deliver the transportation system that will sustain the economic growth and population growth for the long term," says Gatz.

Early projections show that the Kickapoo Turnpike will see eight to 10 thousand cars a day when it fully opens.