Driving Forward on the Turner Turnpike

Commuters on the Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City have seen road construction aggressively taking place.

The construction is part of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s (OTA) Driving Forward program. The Turner Turnpike is being widened to six lanes —  three lanes each direction. The result will be less congestion, improved safety and better traffic flow.

Several contractors on this project are working to finish the project expeditiously.  Freese and Nichols’ role in the project is construction management services for the work being done between Bristow and Sapulpa.

Buddy Wosika, pictured to the far right, is Freese and Nichols’ Lead On-Site Representative with 28 years of experience in transportation. Jacob Gibson, pictured to the left of Buddy, has 20 years of transportation experience and is also an On-Site Representative.

“It has been a challenge working together with the contractors and materials suppliers to assure the projects are being constructed properly with approved materials on such fast-paced projects,” Buddy said. “It is rewarding to see the progress that has been achieved in the short time period for these projects.”

Paul Green, pictured second from the left, is Freese and Nichols’ Senior Project Engineer with more than 35 years of state transportation experience.

“Improving Oklahoma’s transportation system has been a daily goal for my entire career,” Paul said. “The Turner Turnpike widening will relieve congestion and greatly improve safety on this facility. To participate in the OTA Driving Forward program that positively impacts so many areas of Oklahoma, is truly satisfying.  There are very few people in this state that are not impacted by these improvements.”

Eric Waggoner, pictured to the far left, is the youngest member of the construction management team. “Paul and Buddy have numerous years of experience and knowledge. Getting to work with them has been a very rewarding experience,” he said.

The Turner Turnpike is only one of several OTA projects underway. Freese and Nichols will perform construction management services on the John Kilpatrick Turnpike near the Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City beginning in April and the Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike (EOC) from I-40 to I-44 East of Oklahoma City this summer.