Oklahoma Supreme Court Rules Against Group Opposing OTA Plan

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled against a group opposing the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's plan to construct new turnpikes.

The group, Pike Off OTA, was against a plan under the ACESS Oklahoma project that would improve current turnpikes and infrastructure, according to court records.

In 2022, the OTA announced three proposed turnpikes:

1. The Tri-City Connector, which would run around the west side of the Will Rogers Airport to Interstate 44.
2. The East-West Connector, which would connect the H.E. Bailey Turnpike around to Newcastle eastbound on Indian Hills Road to the south of Draper Lake, then heading northeast connecting to the Kickapoo Turnpike and completing the Oklahoma City Outer Loop.
3. The South Extension, which would run from Interstate 35, west of Slaughterville and north of Purcell, across the South Canadian River and north through Norman, west of Lake Thunderbird, connecting with the East-West Connector.

On May 22, 2022, Pike Off OTA filed a petition, claiming that the OTA lacked statutory authorization to construct the South Extension and an additional bond issued to complete the Loop.

The group also claimed that even if the the plan was legally authorized, the attempt to build the turnpikes violates Oklahomans' legal and due process rights.

Court records said the OTA is authorized to file an application with the Oklahoma Supreme Court for the approval for any bonds to be issued.

A lawyer with Pike Off OTA, Robert Norman, said the following:

“Really all the Supreme Court is saying is that since it’s going to decide the fate of the new turnpikes anyway, it’s going to decide them in the bond validation case. Today’s decision does not allow the OTA to get to the bond market for the purpose of moving forward with the new turnpikes."

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