The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is scheduled to unveil revised plans for a south extension toll road to be built in Cleveland and McClain counties.
The Sept. 23 announcement will begin at 2 p.m. and will be followed by three open house presentations over the over the next week. The turnpike is the only new toll road proposed as part of the 15-year, $8.2 billion ACCESS Oklahoma expansion plan that has yet to advance into design work.
The south extension was put on hold when original plans to cross through tributaries of Lake Thunderbird were opposed in 2023 by the Federal Bureau of Land Reclamation.
Residents leave comments on maps during a South Extension Turnpike public input meeting in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, May, 27, 2025.
As turnpike authority engineers looked at new routes, they hosted two meetings with residents in Lexington and Norman.
While the crowd in Norman angrily told the engineers they don’t want the new road, the crowd in Lexington was more subdued but also filled with attendees worried about the project. The turnpike authority has not indicated how many homes and businesses will be acquired through purchase or eminent domain to make way for the toll road.
More: Turnpike opponents urge residents to not trust purchase offers, fight condemnation efforts
“OTA’s priority is to these homeowners and property owners that we’re getting ready to affect,” said OTA Chief Engineer Trent January. “We have scheduled three homeowner open house events in the following few days after the official announcement, including a Saturday, to make it easy for them to talk with us about their particular needs and hear any details we have available.”
Residents protest before a South Extension Turnpike public input meeting in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, May, 27, 2025.
How to watch the unveiling of the new OTA route
The first unveiling of the new route will be livestreamed at 2 p.m., Sept. 23 with links to be provided at www.accessoklahoma.com.
The homeowner open house meetings will be held 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sept. 24, at the Nancy O’Brian Center for the Performing Arts, 1801 Stubbeman Ave., Norman; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at the NCED Conference Center and Hotel, 2801 E. State Highway 9, Norman; and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Noble High School, commons area, 4601 E. Etowah Rd., Noble.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OTA to unveil new route for controversial Norman OK toll road