Oklahoma Turnpike Authority proposed two interchange locations for the South Extension Turnpike during Norman City Council’s conference Tuesday night.
Norman City Council discusses proposed turnpike interchanges
The news: According to OTA, the potential interchange locations would be at Alameda Street and Tecumseh Road, running between 48th Avenue Northeast and 60th Avenue Northeast.
Screenshot of two proposed interchange locations for the South Extension Turnpike
These interchanges would be separate from the interchange planned for Interstate 35 as part of the Toby Keith Expressway.
The South Extension Turnpike is part of OTA’s ACCESS Oklahoma plan, a 15-year $8 billion plan to develop new turnpikes and renovate existing highways statewide.
The proposed South Extension interchanges would cost the OTA an estimated $70 million and would be funded through ACCESS Oklahoma’s existing bond program.
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The council majority favored — in discussion, not a formal vote — city staff draft a resolution that could potentially be added to council’s Aug. 18 meeting agenda, according to Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman.
What they’re saying: OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle said neither the Toby Keith Expressway and South Extension Turnpike would not alleviate traffic issues on Interstate 35, but instead provide alternate routes for travelers and cargo haulers.
“Lots of people are building houses, and more people are moving through the area, so we're just trying to provide an alternative for the people that are not destined to Oklahoma City, or are trying to get northeast, or trying to get from the northeast to the east to the south,” Echelle said.
According to Trenton January, ACCESS Oklahoma chief engineer, the South Extension Turnpike alignment will impact an estimated 75 homes.
Echelle said the preferred distance between interchanges would be at least one mile, calling Tecumseh and Alameda the most desirable locations for the interchanges. They are more than three miles apart.
“We’re not pushing for (specific interchanges), our desire is to connect the northeast to the southeast, interstate to interstate,” Echelle said.
Ward 5 Councilmember Trey Kirby said the issue was personal.
“I'm a little emotional because my family owned the town and dairy farm right here, and when we built Lake Thunderbird, the 6,600-acre annexation put that dairy farm out of business,” Kirby said, referring to the lake’s construction, which occurred between 1962-65. “My family sacrificed and continues to sacrifice for what y'all are saying is a road, but this road is running through a very protected area, and now you all had it closer to the river, and they made you move it, but you didn't move it out of the protection area. You kept it right there in it.”
During council’s regular meeting, Pike-Off OTA President Amy Cerato urged council against a resolution for additional interchanges.
“You cannot allow them to put additional interchanges on the southern extension, please don’t let them scare you with safety. It is not about safety …,” Cerato said. “It’s going to cause complete light pollution, additional pollution, additional vibration and additional disruption to the citizens and our east Norman will never be the same.”
This story was edited by Reagan Rozzi.
