Accidents on the turnpike are not an uncommon occurrence. However, with construction underway to replace a bridge near the Wellston exit, the risk has increased for drivers.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), there have been 20 crashes in that area since August 2024. There were no fatalities, though two had serious injuries and 13 were suspected injuries.
On Jan. 14, the Wellston Fire Department responded to two accidents within roughly two hours of each other, according to Wellston Fire Chief Todd Beesley, both located in this construction zone. The fire department responded to the first at around 8:35 p.m. and a second at 10:12 p.m. at mile marker 157 in the eastbound lane. The second accident involved a semitractor trailer engulfed in flames.
All eastbound lanes of the turnpike were closed, and Wellston requested assistance from Jacktown, Luther and Fallis.
Beesley said the combined departments extinguished the fire within about 30 minutes.
The fire chief said from Aug. 1, 2024, to Jan. 16, 2025, the Wellston Fire Department has responded to six crashes in the construction zone, which is higher than accidents from Jan. 1, 2024, to Aug. 1, 2024.
“The official causes of these accidents remain under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP). However, the construction zone’s narrow lanes, due to the absence of shoulders, combined with potential factors such as speed and driver inattention, may contribute to these incidents,” Beesley said.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) broke ground on the bridge reconstruction project in mid-April. However, the lane shift for eastbound and westbound traffic didn’t go into effect until mid-October 2024. The $48-million project is a precursor to the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan, which will widen the entire 90 miles of Turner Turnpike to six lanes.
Construction on the bridge is expected to finish in Summer 2025, according to the OTA.
Lisa Shearer-Salim, communications and marketing manager with OTA, said from an overall construction perspective, the project is moving ahead on schedule. However, any crash in a work zone is considered a significant concern.
“Each crash puts motorists, workers and emergent responders in harm’s way,” she said. “Unfortunately, Oklahoma is in the top 10 for highest number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in work zones and we want to advise motorists to give commercial motor vehicles plenty of space when traveling through work zones as semi-tractor trailers need longer reaction times to slow down or stop.”
She added that OTA and its contractor have added glare screens on the barrier wall to prevent sight issues from the glare of headlights in head-to-head traffic. They’ve also added reflective tabs on the barrier wall to help make it more visible at night. OTA is additionally looking at more measures to help remind drivers to slow down when in the work zone.
“We strongly encourage motorists to obey the posted speed limit in all work zones and to respect the traffic control and signage, which is designed to keep them safe. Our crews are reporting seeing motorists traveling in this work zone at very high speeds, which we believe is a direct contributing factor to the number of crashes occurring,” she said.
Chief Beesley urged drivers to slow down and drive at a safe speed that’s appropriate for the construction zone, as well as allow plenty of space between vehicles to account for sudden stops or changes in traffic patterns. He also suggested that drivers stay focused and avoid distractions such as cell phones or other activities that take attention off the road.
“The safety of everyone traveling through this area depends on collective effort and responsible driving. Please drive safely,” he said.