I'M KEVIN OVER AND I'M JOLEEN CHANEY. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A NEWS 4 EXCLUSIVE. WE ARE HEARING FROM THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY'S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JUST A DAY AFTER THE BOARD APPOINTED HIM TO REPLACE FORMER DIRECTOR TIM GAS. AND OF COURSE, THE BIG QUESTION MOVING FORWARD. HOW WILL THE NOW HANDLE TURNPIKE EXPANSION AND TURNPIKE TURMOIL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LANDOWNERS YEARS FOR SPENCER HUMPHREY. AS THE EXCLUSIVE SIT-DOWN SPENCER. YEAH, GUYS, THE NEW MAN IN CHARGE AT THE IS JOE KELLY WHO USED TO BE TEA'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR UNTIL YESTERDAY. >> HE TELLS ME HE PLANS TO CARRY FORWARD, RIGHT? WE'RE GETS LEFT OFF. >> THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY IS THE AS OUR CHAIRMAN OF OUR BOARD STATED THE OTHER.
THAT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL. AND JOEY KELLY SAYS IT'S STILL FULL STEAM AHEAD AFTER THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY'S BOARD APPOINTED HIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON TUESDAY. KELLY MAY BE THE NEW MAN IN CHARGE, BUT HE'S HARDLY A NEW FACE AROUND THE AND WORK AT AT THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY IN 2016 AS THE DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION IN BECAME THE CHIEF ENGINEER FOR THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY. AND THEN IN 2021 THAT SUMMER, I BECAME DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF ENGINEER AND HIS TIME AS DEPUTY DIRECTORY. KELLY TELLS ME HE ACTUALLY HANDLED MOST OF TEA'S DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS. >> SO REALLY IN THAT RESPECT, NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE SINCE THE RESIGNATION OF THE DIRECTOR GETS YOU, KELLY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ROLLING OUT THE OTH ACCESS OKLAHOMA PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES PLANS TO BUILD THE SEVERAL TURNPIKES AND REMOVE HUNDREDS OF HOMES IN CLEVELAND COUNTY.
>> PEOPLE IN THAT AREA HAVE MADE THEIR OPPOSITION TO THAT PLAN. VERY CLEAR. EVEN TAKING THE TO COURT SEVERAL TIMES KNOWING THOSE CHALLENGES. I ASKED HIM WHAT MAKES THE JOB APPEALING. >> THE THING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION'S AFFECTS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY IN OUR STATE. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY COOL TO BE A PART OF LIKE BEING ABLE TO MOVE VEHICLES THINK ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE WHERE THEY NEED TO SAFER, FASTER AND UNRELIABLE AND A RELIABLE TRIP WITH THE FIRST ACCESS OKLAHOMA PROJECT TO WIDEN THE TURNER TURNPIKE BREAKING GROUND LAST WEEK. HE SAYS HIS MAIN GOAL AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL BE TO MAKE SURE THE REST OF THAT 15 YEAR PLAN.
>> GETS CARRIED INTO REALITY. REALLY GOING TO WORK ON ON, COMMUNICATING THE PROGRESS WITH ACCESS OKLAHOMA. >> TRYING TO PROVIDE AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY IN PROGRAM AS I CAN. I THINK WE'RE HEADED A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION. >> KEVIN JOLIE, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TURMOIL WITH THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY RECENTLY, NOT ONLY WITH MANY HOMES, PROBABLY HAVING TO BE TORN DOWN HERE WITH ACCESS, OKLAHOMA COMING UP. BUT ALSO WE'VE SEEN PARTS OF EVEN FREE ROADS LIKE THE GILCREASE EXPRESSWAY TURNPIKE OUT NEAR TULSA BEING TURNED INTO TURNPIKE.
SO I ASKED KELLY ABOUT WHAT PROMISES HE IN THE CAN MAKE THE PEOPLE ON WHETHER .