Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Provide Latest Update On Gilcrease Expressway Extension

Crews are making progress on the Gilcrease Expressway Extension in Tulsa.

This new turnpike will connect Highway 412 to I-44 on the west side of Tulsa.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said right now, the project is about 73% of the way done and they're hoping people will be driving on this new turnpike by next summer.

"Paving is about 30 percent complete on the project, so you see lots of concrete paving going on currently,” said Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Director of Construction, TJ Dill. “Of the 28 bridges we are in the process of completing many of those and getting ready to connect those with the paving between each bridge.”

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Dill said this new roadway will provide a lot of opportunities for the west side of Tulsa.

"Lots of industrial access is the hope here, and actually another crossing of the Arkansas River now, so you don’t see those very often so we are proud to make that happen on this job,” said Dill. 

Dill said the pandemic has led to some material shortages, but they're still on track to complete the project on time.

"We've had a few little setbacks here and there as far as folks with quarantine or actually contracting COVID but our contractors and our partners in the contracting industry have been great in overcoming those obstacles,” said Dill.

In total, OTA says the project will cost around $364-million dollars.

The project involves a funding partnership between OTA, The City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, INCOG, O-DOT, the federal government and private investors. Dill said partnerships like this are crucial in completing a project of this magnitude.

"It's a little mind-blowing for me honestly, being in the industry for awhile I've gotten to build a lot of really cool things but this has been something really special for me to be apart of,” said Dill.

This turnpike will be cashless, like several other Oklahoma Turnpikes, and will cost you around $2 to drive on.

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