Diamond grind projects make Oklahoma turnpikes more comfortable

Southwest Ledger 

By Mike W. Ray November 11, 2025

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s “heavy reinvestment” in diamond grinding dowel bar retrofit projects on state toll roads has produced positive, measurable results, the agency’s governing board was told recently.

Approximately 57 miles of H.E. Bailey Turnpike pavement were rehabilitated in dowel bar retrofit projects during the past six years in three contracts totaling about $32 million.

Those contracts smoothed three segments of pavement between mile marker 45, the Medicine Park exit north of Lawton and Fort Sill, and mile post 101.6 approximately a mile north of the SH-9 spur leading to Norman.

Meanwhile, a dowel bar retrofit project on the southern leg of the Bailey – between mile marker 5 at the US-70/ Randlett junction and mm 20 at Walters – is expected to start early next year.

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