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Wed March 16, 2016 - West Edition
HARRAH, Okla. (AP) Oklahoma Turnpike Authority officials and engineers have unveiled preliminary plans for 21 mi. (33.8 km) of a toll road in northeast Oklahoma County that would ease traffic in the Oklahoma City metro area.
The Oklahoman reports that plans announced in Harrah include demolishing more than 100 structures by the time construction is set to begin in late 2017.
It's unclear exactly how many homes the demolished buildings might include or how many people will be directly impacted by the $300 million project.
The project connecting Interstate 40 with the Turner Turnpike, or Interstate 44, in the Choctaw area was one of six turnpike proposals announced in October.
The project has received significant opposition from people who live in the surrounding quiet communities. Protest signs that line the roads in the area of the proposed turnpike urge motorists to “Stop the Turnpike.” A Web site by the same phrase has been created, and hundreds of people have attended public meetings organized by turnpike officials.
Resident Steve Kulhavy was among many residents concerned about what the toll road would mean for their land.
“What is it going to do to our property value? That's my question,” Kulhavy said. “We were going to sell our house in August and move. Now I can't put my house up for sale and get what I was going to get because there's a turnpike going in there now.”
Resident Diane Morgan said the toll road is constantly talked about among her fellow community members.
“What they're doing here is going to mess up the whole area,” she said.
For more information, visit http://www.newsok.com.