Turner Turnpike

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The Turner Turnpike is a toll road in central Oklahoma, connecting its two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. It was authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1947 and opened in May, 1953, it is the oldest of the state's ten turnpikes. The route is signed as Interstate 44 for its entire length, but was constructed prior to its designation as the Interstate. I-44 is also the H.E. Bailey and Will Rogers Turnpikes in Oklahoma.

The route begins north of Oklahoma City, as Interstates 35 and 44 and SH 66 approach it from the south. I-35/SH 66 split to the north, and I-44 begins its journey eastward as the Turnpike. (Traffic may also travel west at this point, along the John Kilpatrick Turnpike.) It ends 86 miles later, southwest of Tulsa, at a junction with SH 66. The posted speed limit is 75 MPH, making it possible to drive from Oklahoma City to Tulsa in under 90 minutes.

In addition to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa entrance points on the turnpike, other interchanges include SH 66, WELLSTON; SH 18, CHANDLER; SH 99, STROUD; SH 66, BRISTOW; SH 33, near KELLYVILLE AND SH 97, SAPULPA. Toll plazas are located at each of those interchanges.

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $3.50 ($3.35 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. When adjusted for inflation, tolls have fallen over 60% to 4 cents per mile, among the cheapest in the nation. (In 2005 dollars, the toll was $9.00 in 1953.) However, despite being paid off, the Turner Turnpike will remain tolled, as Oklahoma does not toll its roads on a "per road" basis, instead pooling all toll revenue to apply toward paying off all such projects.

One of the Turnpike's famed features is a full-service McDonald's restaurant and EZ-GO gas station in the center of the roadway near Stroud. This and other concession areas along the Turner Turnpike were originally Howard Johnson's restaurants and full-service Phillips 66 stations, but changed to their current configurations in the 1980s as was the case with concession areas along other Oklahoma turnpikes.

The Turner Turnpike was named after Governor Roy J. Turner, who pushed for efforts to build this toll road to connect the state's two largest cities.