More than $33.5 million estimated for Indian Nation Turnpike projects in Pittsburg County

Mar. 9—More than $33.5 million is included in conceptual estimates for four planned new interchanges on the Indian Nation Turnpike in Pittsburg County — but it's expected to be years before some of the projects get underway.

All the projects slated for Pittsburg County are included in a $5 billion plan to improve the state's turnpikes over the next 15 years.

Projects in Pittsburg County that are included in the $5 billion plan and the dollar amounts allocated for them include:

—U.S. Highway 69/McAlester — $16,275,600.

—Scipio, full directional — $2,632,800.

—State Highway 63 at Blanco — $10,045,200.

—Tannehill Road — $4,634,574.

That's a total of $33,588,174 for the turnpike projects in Pittsburg County. Estimates are in today's dollars and include engineering, rights-of-way, utility relocation and construction.

District 17 State Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, held an interim study in September, with local and Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal leaders advocating for modernizing the turnpikes in rural areas.

He said the U.S. Highway 69/McAlester project calls for construction of an interchange south of McAlester. While there already is an interchange between McAlester and Savanna, Grego said there will be improvements with the new $16,275,600 project.

The OTA website shows a full cloverleaf will be built at the McAlester/U.S. Highway 69 interchange south of McAlester, where currently there in only a half-cloverleaf.

"Right now, you have to cross lanes of traffic if you're going south on 69 and want to go south on the turnpike," Grego said. "They don't like it because of the oncoming traffic." Since the project includes U.S. Highway 69 as well as the turnpike, Grego said the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will share part of the cost.

Grego also referred to the plans for the $10,045,200 project at Blanco.

"They're going to add an on and off ramp at Blanco, where it intersects with State Highway 63," Grego said. He's hopeful the project will prove helpful not only for convenience and safety, but also in another way.

"My whole intent is for economic development," Grego said. "If we put an off ramp in Blanco, maybe somebody will put in a convenience store."

He said the $2,632,800 project listed for Scipio in the OTA plan is the same one that's sometimes been mentioned as the one for Indianola. It will be a full directional interchange, where currently there's only a half-one.

Another project not mentioned in a previous report is a $4,634,574 project at Tannehill Road.

Grego noted that the city of McAlester and Mayor John Browne have sought access from the Indian Nation Turnpike to the city's Steven W. Taylor Industrial Park.

He said the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority looked it over and determined there would be issues at that particular site.

"They're going to move to Tannehill Road, between U.S. Highway 270 and Scipio," Greggo said. He said a transportation study indicated there was more traffic on Tannehill Road than on State Highway 31 West. Even with the traffic along State Highway 31 with people who are employed at one of the businesses at Steven Taylor Industrial Park?

"That's going to depend on where you measure," Grego said.

Grego remains hopeful more projects may be added. He said the city of McAlester's request for access to the industrial park is still under consideration.

"It's part of the conversation," he said. "It's not in the plan, but it's part of the conversation."

Indian Nation Turnpike covers 105.2 miles between Henryetta and Hugo. Improvements are planned along other parts of the project, included at Daisy, in Atoka County.

Major projects included in the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's $5 billion plan regarding turnpikes in other parts of the state include:

—$252 million to complete an eight-mile loop in Oklahoma City.

—$1.1 billion to widen the Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Bristow.

—$981 million for a new turnpike in east Norman.

—$315 million to widen the Will Rogers Turnpike from Tulsa to Claremore

—Addition of a full interchange at the Adair Exit at Highway 28.

Projects are to be phased in over the 15-year period as part of the initiative called Access Oklahoma.

State Transportation Department officials previously said the initial focus will be on east-west connections in the Oklahoma City area to alleviate traffic congestion, along with the project to widen the Turner Turnpike.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority plans to finance the projects through bonds. Plans call for higher prices at toll booths to be utilized to make the bond payments for the turnpike projects, although how much they will increase has yet to be determined.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.