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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority on Tuesday voted to raise tolls to pay for a turnpike improvement and expansion project.

The increase is contingent on the resolution of a lawsuit before the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which has also been asked to validate the bond projects.

Oklahoma City attorney Jerry Fent filed suit challenging the funding proposal for the improvements and expansion, saying there must be a separate financing mechanism for each project to avoid the constitutional prohibition against logrolling, or including more than one item in legislation.

The toll increase would pay for the proposed sale of bonds to fund the $935 million Driving Forward initiative.

The increase includes a 12 percent increase effective as soon as practicable after the validation. Another 2.5 percent increase would follow effective Jan. 1, 2018, followed by another 2.5 percent increase effective July 1, 2019.

Tolls were last increased 16 percent in August 2009 to raise revenue during a national economic downturn.

G. Carl Gibson, an authority member, said the national average is 18 cents a mile. It costs about 6 cents per mile to travel the Turner Turnpike, Gibson said.