Creek Turnpike In Broken Arrow Now Designated Highway 364

The Creek Turnpike is no longer just that. It now has its own state highway designation. Broken Arrow leaders say calling the turnpike Highway 364 will help promote their city.

Several people we talked to didn't know about the changes and hadn't noticed the Highway 364 signs that have already gone up.

Broken Arrow City officials say it's a big deal - because this change literally puts Broken Arrow on the map.

"State highway designation for in state travelers and out-of-state travelers. If you go on a Google map or a navigation you can find BA now," said State Representative David Brumbaugh.

But before designating the Creek Turnpike as State Highway 364, some GPS systems actually left out the Creek because it's a turnpike. Now drivers should be more likely to be routed that way when using GPS systems.

We asked the Chamber of Commerce director - now that it's a designated highway - can drivers roll by without a PikePass or paying a toll?

"Unfortunately, we are going to pay tolls," said Wes Smithwick of the Broken Arrow Chamber. "It is a turnpike, and it is a toll road."

They hope despite it still being a toll road, money will be spent when people exit the turnpike. The change is expected to boost the economy when drivers stop to gas up, eat a local restaurants and shop.

The Chamber of Commerce says the state highway designation will also likely attract new business.

"We are talking in the future. There is still a lot of empty land here," Smithwick said.

"We are talking of millions of dollars of potential investment in the future. We are starting to see this now on the South end of this project - with the Warren Theatre that will open next month."

But the immediate benefit comes just in time for winter - as Oklahoma gets ready to experience its first cold snap of the season.

City leaders say they had to negotiate over several years to get the highway designation.