Gilcrease Expressway
Gilcrease Expressway | |
|---|---|
 Gilcrease Expressway highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by ODOT | |
| Length | 16.7 mi[1] (26.9 km) |
| Component highways |  SH-344 from I-44 to US-64 SH-11 from US-75 to I-244 |
| Western segment | |
| Length | 6.2 mi[1] (10.0 km) |
| South end |   I-44 / SH-66 in Sapulpa |
| Major intersections |    US 64 / US 412 / SH-51 near Sand Springs |
| North end | West Edison Street in Tulsa |
| Eastern segment | |
| Length | 10.5 mi[1] (16.9 km) |
| West end | North 41st West Avenue in Tulsa |
| Major intersections | L.L. Tisdale Parkway in Tulsa US 75 / SH-11 in Tulsa |
| East end |  I-244 / US 412 in Tulsa |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Highway system | |
| |
The Gilcrease Expressway is a 16.7-mile-long (26.9 km) highway in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the county's long-term plan to complete an outer highway loop around Tulsa's central business district. The highway will connect Interstate 44 (I-44) in Sapulpa to I-244 near Tulsa International Airport.
Route description
[edit] |
The eastern segment of the highway runs from North 41st West Avenue east to Interstate 244. From US-75 to I-244/US-412, the Gilcrease carries the easternmost part of State Highway 11. The currently existing highway serves Tulsa International Airport and surrounding areas.
Additionally, the Gilcrease Expressway Extension has been constructed. On October 29, 2015, Governor Mary Fallin announced Driving Forward, a $892 million turnpike package. A five-mile (8.0 km) tolled extension of the Gilcrease Expressway was included in the package.[2] The project began in the third quarter of 2016.[3]
On June 4, 2018, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation Oklahoma State Highway 344 for the highway, to take effect upon completion of construction.[4] The extension opened on November 14, 2022.[5]
Future
[edit]In 2010, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to study the construction of a turnpike to complete the Gilcrease Expressway. The cost of the turnpike was estimated at $373 million for the final 6.7 miles (10.8 km) of the expressway.[6]
The next portion of the Gilcrease Expressway to be constructed is the segment between 41st West Avenue and Edison Street in West Tulsa. Although, the section between 41st West Avenue and Edison Street is named 31st Street North, 53rd West Avenue, Newton Street and 57th West Avenue.[7]
Many homes have been removed along South 57th West Avenue between West 26th Street and West 21st Street. Plans include construction of a bridge over the Arkansas River, connecting Sand Springs and Berryhill.
$88 million of a $918.7 million tax increase will be put forward to the expressway's extension.[8]
Junction list
[edit]The entire route is in Tulsa County.
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| Location | mi[1][9] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapulpa | 0.00 | 0.00 | I-44 / SH-66 – Joplin, Sapulpa, Oklahoma City SH-344 begins | Southern terminus; southern terminus of SH-344; [2] exits 223A-B on I-44 | |||
| Oakhurst | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1 | 51st Street | |||
| 1.5 | 2.4 | Toll Gantry | |||||
| 2.0 | 3.2 | 2 | 41st Street South | ||||
| | 2.7 | 4.3 | Toll Gantry | ||||
| | 4.0 | 6.4 | 4 | 21st Street South / Avery Drive | [2] | ||
| Tulsa | 4.9 | 7.9 | Toll Gantry | ||||
| | 5.6 | 9.0 | US 64 / US 412 / SH-51 SH-344 ends | Northern terminus of SH-344 | |||
| Tulsa | 6.2 | 10.0 | Northern end of limited-access section | ||||
| West Edison Street | Current northern terminus | ||||||
| Gap in route | |||||||
| Tulsa | 0.0 | 0.0 | North 41st West Avenue | Current western terminus | |||
| 2.2 | 3.5 | L.L. Tisdale Parkway – Downtown Tulsa, Gilcrease Museum | |||||
| Western end of freeway section | |||||||
| 3.5 | 5.6 | Peoria Avenue / Mohawk Boulevard | |||||
| 4.4 | 7.1 | Lewis Avenue | |||||
| 5.0 | 8.0 |  US 75 / SH-11 west – Okmulgee, Downtown Tulsa, Bartlesville | Western end of SH-11 concurrency | ||||
| 5.6 | 9.0 | Harvard Avenue | |||||
| 6.5 | 10.5 | Yale Avenue | |||||
| 7.5 | 12.1 | Apache Street / Sheridan Road – Tulsa Zoo | Apache Street not signed westbound | ||||
| 8.5 | 13.7 | Virgin Street – Airport Terminal | Virgin Street not signed eastbound | ||||
| 9.1 | 14.6 | Memorial Drive / Pine Street | Signed for Memorial Drive eastbound, Pine Street westbound | ||||
| 10.5 | 16.9 |   I-244 / US 412 to US 169 – Joplin, Downtown SH-11 ends | Eastern terminus; eastern terminus of SH-11; exit 12B on I-244 | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Gilcrease Expressway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Gilcrease Expressway, I-44 North to Edison Street" (PDF). Driving Forward OK. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. February 15, 2018. pp. 1–2. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ "Driving Forward OK". Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ Oklahoma Department of Transportation (June 2018). "AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING" (PDF). Retrieved October 11, 2019.
Add the State Highway 344 designation to the new portion of the Gilcrease Expressway that is being constructed West of Tulsa. The alignment of State Highway 344 will be between Interstate 244/State Highway 51, west of Tulsa, and extend approximately 5.25 miles to the existing interchange of Interstate 244 and Interstate 44 southeast of the City of Tulsa. The addition of State Highway 344 will become effective upon the completion of construction and approval by the State Transportation Commission.
- ^ "Gilcrease Expressway Turnpike Now Open To Drivers". News on 6. November 14, 2022. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ Gavin Off (May 20, 2010). "OTA to seek bids on Gilcrease extension". Tulsa World. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ Brian Barber (December 23, 2008). "No fanfare as Gilcrease Expressway opens 2.2 miles to traffic". Tulsa World.
- ^ "Largest Tax Hike in Tulsa History: $88,000,000.00 for Gilcrease Expressway". Tulsa Beacon. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "Overview of Gilcrease Expwy. (counterclockwise end)". Google Maps. Google, Inc. Retrieved April 14, 2018.