[Photograph 2012.201.OVZ001.3401]

Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Giant earth moving machines, pile drivers and paving apparatus are busily chewing out a four-lane road through the Cherokee country of Northeast Oklahoma. When finished the road will be Oklahoma's second turnpike, stretching 88,525 miles between Tulsa and Joplin. Officially it is known as the Will Rogers section of the Oklahoma turnpike system, but to those close to its planning and construction it will be the Northeast toll road...The road is a much more expensive one than Turner turnpike between Oklahoma City and Tulsa although thay are of about the same length...The river crossings are on the Verdigris at Catoosa, Neosho at Miami and Spring river northeast of Miami. There will be five interchanges on the Tulsa-Joplin route with toll gates at Claremore, Big Cabin, Miami, Vinita and Afton. Three concession areas will be erected and operated by the Continental Oil Co. and Phillips Petroleum Co.......Authority members will let contracts on toll booths in May. All that will remain to be let then will be directional signs for the road.