OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A trip to Tulsa on the Turnpike will soon cost you more.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Board established the new PlatePay toll rates for four turnpikes in Eastern Oklahoma ahead of their upcoming cashless conversion, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.
The new PlatePay toll rates will replace the cash rates once installed on the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike, the I-44/Turner Turnpike, the US-351/Muskogee Turnpike and the US-375/Indian Nation Turnpike. The board action Tuesday setting the rates allows the cashless system upgrades to proceed with items such as ordering signage and the cashless technology for these turnpikes.
Secretary of Transportation and OTA Executive Director Tim Gatz said PlatePay offers a safe and convenient way to keep traffic flowing while allowing motorists to handle tolls at their convenience online. PlatePay helps create a safer turnpike system by eliminating sudden speed changes needed to pay cash tolls.
The OTA plans to have all Oklahoma toll roads converted to PlatePay by the end of 2024.
“We are committed to exploring every opportunity to provide options to motorists, and we are working hard to consider and implement other web-based options that allows motorists to pay their tolls as conveniently as possible,” Gatz said.
The new PlatePay rates for the Turner, Will Rogers, Muskogee and Indian Nation turnpikes may be found online in the June 6 Authority Board meeting agenda packet. These rates are higher than the current cash rates due to administrative costs of the program.
KFOR looked up the new rates on their agenda; here’s what a trip from OKC to Tulsa is going to cost:
The board, a six-member panel appointed by the governor to an eight-year term to oversee turnpike development, awards project contracts for road and bridge construction on a monthly basis.
Current rates for vehicles:
The next Oklahoma Turnpike Authority board meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 11th. The July meeting will be available to view live online.
OTA officials say, while the PlatePay rates going into effect by late 2024 are higher than current cash rates on these four turnpikes, the rates for PIKEPASS account holders are not changing.