Along with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the Authority is the primary infrastructure construction and maintenance agency of the State.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is similar to a public utility, providing a needed, basic service at a fee that yields a return to its investors.

The Authority consists of the Governor (ex-officio) and six members serving without pay for eight-year terms from districts established in the State Statute.

Oklahoma was the first state west of Pennsylvania to complete a toll road financed exclusively from revenue bonds.

An excerpt from Section 1705 of the Enabling Act delegates responsibility to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority as follows: "To construct, maintain, repair, and operate Turnpike projects and highways, with their access and connecting roads at such locations and on such routes as it shall determine to be feasible and economically sound."

In addition to providing this responsibility to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, limitations were placed on the selection of toll road locations.