Completeing the Gilcrease Hills expressway

[heironymouspasparagus]

Well, we are all up in arms out in Cimarron about the new trails the mule deer are taking as a by-pass from Philmont to Ted Turner's ranch.  They transit my land all the time and aren't even paying toll.

It's scandalous I tell you!

Sounds like a cook out event is imminent... some good eating there.


We have a herd of about 15 to 20 deer that run across our place out north.  And a couple of very good sized Hackberry trees perfect for a tree stand...er, uh,...playhouse for the grandkids...!  When I get the new freezer, it's gonna be put to good use.  And reduce the protein costs dramatically.

[Rattle Trap]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/million-bond-approved-for-gilcrease-expressway-turnpike-construction/article_2a4990fd-684c-55b3-ade7-fa50f538e3b5.html

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday approved the issuance of up to $125 million in revenue bonds to help fund construction of the Gilcrease Expressway turnpike in the Tulsa area.

No legal protests were filed with the court, justices noted.

The five-mile, four-lane road construction project will link Interstate 44 with U.S. 412 and complete the western loop around the Tulsa metro area.

[swake]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/million-bond-approved-for-gilcrease-expressway-turnpike-construction/article_2a4990fd-684c-55b3-ade7-fa50f538e3b5.html

God I hate the Tulsa World.

So I have to go to Newsok.com to finishing reading an article at the Tulsa World site about a new Turnpike IN TULSA, but I can't finish the article because I subscribe to the World and not to the Oklahoman.  So what is the point of the Tulsa World even existing, much less me paying for it?

[Rattle Trap]

God I hate the Tulsa World.

So I have to go to Newsok.com to finishing reading an article at the Tulsa World site about a new Turnpike IN TULSA, but I can't finish the article because I subscribe to the World and not to the Oklahoman.  So what is the point of the Tulsa World even existing, much less me paying for it?

My bad I should've just posted the full article lol. The quote I did post is really the only thing news worthy in that article anyways.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

So that makes the turnpike score Tulsa 7 - OKC 3 now?

[swake]

My bad I should've just posted the full article lol. The quote I did post is really the only thing news worthy in that article anyways.

Not your fault, it's just the local paper isn't even trying anymore.

[AngieB]

You can paste a TW link into outline.com and get the full article.

[Conan71]

What an utter waste of money and other resources.  Enjoy your new turnpike!

[Townsend]

What an utter waste of money and other resources.  Enjoy your new turnpike!

Thank you.  It will be the driving force to realizing our dreams

[Conan71]

Thank you.  It will be the driving force to realizing our dreams

So you can have more, you know, stuff?

[Townsend]

So you can have more, you know, stuff?

So we can destroy even more natural habitat and make things look, you know, Oklahomish

[dbacksfan 2.0]

What an utter waste of money and other resources.  Enjoy your new turnpike!

I was always waiting for them to turn Highway 75 between Tulsa and B'ville into a turnpike. Talk about a missed opportunity for a cash cow.

[shavethewhales]

While I hate the practice of turnpikes and agree that this is overall a waste, I am selfishly a little excited because it potentially opens up new real estate/development opportunities on this side of town closer to me. West Tulsa has struggled for a long time to attract any kind of decent development action. Most of the good real estate off of I244 is awkward or taken up by railroads and industry. I think the area where this will go over 41st could become a new retail corridor of some kind, which will in turn boost the area around it, and perhaps help out Red Fork a bit.

[SXSW]

So is this just this leg and doesn't include connecting it to the existing highway north of 412?

[brettakins]

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/gilcrease-expressway-toll-road-construction-on-track-for-june-completion/article_688c4ba5-c419-57de-97be-1930f9b7fbb3.html

Motorists could be driving along a five-mile extension of the Gilcrease Expressway tollway by June 2022 or sooner under a plan outlined Thursday by state transportation officials.


While the five-mile toll road still has a few financial hurdles to clear before construction can begin, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Executive Director Tim Gatz told a gathering of local and state officials Thursday in Tulsa that his agency has made "really, really good progress" in recent months.


"We're getting to the point where we're going to make this project a reality," Gatz said, during a meeting of the Gilcrease Expressway working group, a mix of local and state officials and companies working on the project.


Gatz said right-of-way acquisition is expected to be complete by early 2019, with about 58 parcels yet to be acquired.


"We're in pretty good shape there from a right-of-way acquisition standpoint and we do not see those activities presenting any issues on the critical path of the project," Gatz said.


Utility relocation continues and will be coordinated as construction progresses, Gatz said.


Gatz said a "major milestone" was reached Wednesday when the state Supreme Court greenlighted a request by the OTA to issue construction bonds for the project.


"We're pretty happy, we're pleased that the court has gone through and given us that validation," Gatz said.


About $100 million of the tollway construction costs will be borne initially by the contracting team, Gatz said.


The interim financing will be repaid with a low-interest loan taken out by the OTA from the U.S. Department of Transportation — available through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.


The so-called TIFIA loan will be repaid with toll revenues.


The total cost of the roadway is estimated to cost between $330 million and $340 million.


Gatz said the OTA has in recent months narrowed a list of 22 respondents for qualifications for the tollway project to three teams of contractors. The three-teams, each comprised of two contractors and a financier, will be narrowed to a final recommendation for OTA board consideration by Spring 2019, Gatz said.


The three teams vying for the project are:


• AECOM Energy and Construction/Duet Construction and Wells Fargo Securities


• Manhattan Road and Bridge Co. /Sherwood Construction and RBC Capital Markets


• Lane Construction Corporation/Allen Contracting with KeyBanc Capital Markets


Plans call for construction on the turnpike, which will run from near West Edison Street south to near the intersection of Interstates 244 and 44, to be complete in about three years.


The toll road will cost $1.85 to make the full trip. The tollway will feature no toll booths with drivers paying either via an electronic toll reader or via license plate camera readers.


Building the five-mile, four-lane extension would leave only the stretch from Edison Street to the Tisdale Expressway to be completed in northwest Tulsa.