BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Oklahoma toll roads give you the option to go straight through the toll gates with a PikePass. But if you don’t have a PikePass, you must stop and either throw change or pay an attendant.
“Drivers are gonna be able to traverse the entire length of the Creek Turnpike, from the Turner to the Will Rogers or the opposite way without having to stop and pay a toll,” said Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokesperson TJ Gerlach.
It’s called PlatePay and it’s already in use at several of the Oklahoma turnpike systems. Gerlach said PlatePay is meant to make the turnpike safer.
“The number one point of collisions on the turnpike network is the tolling areas. People merging off, merging back on and stopping at the tolling location itself. There’s just a lot of potential for collision in those areas,” he said.
Those that take the Creek Turnpike like Travis Hobbs said it’s so much easier to just pass on through with his PikePass.
“There’s a lot of benefits of not having to stop. I don’t have to dig around for change, I don’t have to dig around for my wallet, that sort of thing so it makes it really convenient,” Hobbs said.
As a dad, Hobbs said he’ll feel safer on the turnpike after today.
“It makes me feel a lot better knowing I don’t have to stop. And I know that’s when a lot of collisions can occur when you have to stop and pay so it’s nice to know I’m going right on through and the traffic just keeps on going,” he said.
Because the Creek Turnpike is going cashless, ODOT is offering an incentive to drivers who use a PikePass. The toll fees will be cut in half with the PikePass versus the Plate Pay.
“I feel like that’s gonna make it a difference especially if you use it as much as someone like I do. I’m always going to work and doing charity work around the area so I’m always using that so that’s definitely going to benefit me in the long run,” Hobbs said.
ODOT said starting at 10 Tuesday night, once the Plate Pay goes into effect, cones will be moved to block all the toll booths and in the coming days new signage will be put up and the old rates will be taken down.
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