The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) will spend $260,914,456.00 for five miles of new road on the Gilcrease Turnpike project in West Tulsa.

Why?

That is an incredible amount of money. Who is paying for this? The answer is people who pay taxes and anyone who drives on a state toll road.

That includes a new bridge over the Arkansas River.

OTA awarded a contract for $260,914,456.

This is for five miles of road and a bridge.

That seems a little steep.

The project has financial support from the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Indian Nation Council of Governments (INCOG).

Where do they get their money?

From taxpayers.

It would be nice to finish “the loop” around Tulsa with completion of the Gilcrease Turnpike project but the traffic count doesn’t justify the expense.  A few years ago, the OTA did a study and concluded that future traffic on the Gilcrease Turnpike would never cover the payments on a note for the cost of construction.

It won’t ever pay out.

But the OTA is an entity with no governing authority above it. It can borrow money and spend money at will. And it can raise toll rates – which it recently did – whenever it pleases.

Tulsa officials will praise this project. Landowners around the five-mile stretch should be really happy because their property values could soar.

And a handful of motorists will be happy for this short turnpike addition.

Especially since everyone else is paying for it.