It’s hard to believe, but it’s been over two years since the Norman Anti-Turnpike NIMBYs—better known as “Pike Off OTA”—embarked on their noble fight against the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and its plan to carve a fancy new toll road through the heart of their city's pristine fringes and backwoods.
Although the NIMBYs scored some early legal victories and successfully delayed the start of the project, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ultimately gave the green light last summer:
"An Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling Tuesday approved the state Department of Transportation’s $5 billion, 15-year turnpike expansion plan, allowing the ACCESS Oklahoma project to proceed."
ACCESS Oklahoma includes three new turnpike routes: the South Extension, the East-West Connector—both of which greatly affect Norman—and the Tri-City Connector.
Undeterred by that unfortunate turn of events, Pike Off OTA has refused to apply for a Pike Pass and call it a day.
Over the past year, they’ve wielded their political might to continue fighting the OTA, even when it could lead to self-destructive consequences.
For example, just last week, the Norman City Council—backed by hundreds of anti-Turnpike NIMBYs—unanimously voted to reject a proposal from the OTA that would have allowed the agency to “construct turnpike facilities through ‘critical areas’ of Norman, including the Lake Thunderbird watershed, the Canadian River Corridor, and the city’s flood hazard areas.”