[December 04, 2010] Cable barriers OK'd forturnpikes in Tulsa, OKC Tweet Dec 03, 2010 (Tulsa World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority approved contracts Thursday to install cable barriers along portions of the Creek and Kilpatrick turnpikes. Traffic has increased on portions of the Tulsa and Oklahoma City turnpikes, and the barriers are needed to prevent crossover accidents, Turnpike Authority spokesman Jack Damrill said. The barriers will be installed in mid-January, he said. The Turnpike Authority awarded a $370,768 contract to Midstate Traffic to install the Creek Turnpike cable barriers from U.S. 75 to Memorial Drive. That stretch of highway has seen traffic counts rise to 55,980 vehicles a day now from 49,044 in 2007, according to the Turnpike Authority. Midstate Traffic also was awarded a contract for $456,648 to install cable barriers on the Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City from MacArthur Boulevard to Eastern Avenue. That stretch of highway has seen traffic counts rise to 55,633 vehicles a day now from 51,634 in 2007, the Turnpike Authority reported. Within the next three years, the authority plans to widen those stretches of highway to six lanes from four, Damrill said. In the next few weeks, the agency will have the results of a study on the costs and other factors associated with adding lanes to the Creek and Kilpatrick turnpikes, said state Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley, the Turnpike Authority's director. "My belief is we have a good possibility that we can expand without a toll increase," said Ridley, who also is director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Ridley said the cables can be moved to other areas after the expansions are completed. In other action: The Turnpike Authority approved the purchase of 40 vehicles for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The vehicles will cost about $1.1 million, Damrill said. Barbara Hoberock (405) 528-2465 [email protected] To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]