With the soon to-be-started construction of the new South Turnpike and the interchange at I-35 just north of Purcell, there was intense interest at last Thursday’s chamber of commerce luncheon featuring Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Executive Director Joe Echelle.

Echelle said one of the key parts of the OTA’s long term plan is the South Extension.

It’s a $1.9 billion project covering 19 miles from near Indian Hills Road/the OKC-Norman line, running south between 48th Street and 60th Avenue through Norman, crosses SH-9 and US-77 near Noble, crosses the Canadian River, and ties into I-35 just a few hundred yards north of the current water tower on I-35.

That water tower will have to be moved with the expense burden on the State of Oklahoma.

“What a deal,” Echelle said. “You get a new water tower and we have to pay for it.”

Interchanges along the route include one at the Toby Keith Expressway, SH-9, US-77 and the one near Purcell.

Echelle told the gathering of Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce members that OTA is a tool in the transportation tool box.

“Now I don’t like being called a tool,” Echelle joked to the crowd of around 40 at the First Baptist Church Multi-Purpose Room. “But I do like to help with the roads in Oklahoma.”

Echelle said during the 2020 COVID Pandemic a lot of people started working from home and part of that continues today.

“But working from home causes more driving like delivery trips for such things as lunch or groceries,” he said, stating it isn’t really cutting down on cars on the roadways.

Since ODOT gets 87 percent of its revenue from state motor fuel taxes, the fact that there are less motorists on the roads these days is not a great thing.

“There are several factors including the fact that cars are more fuel efficient and there are fewer vehicles on the road due to the cost of fuel. A lot of people are putting  travel off,” he said.