Tonkawa Massacre

Add links

In Oklahoma, U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) runs diagonally across the state, from the Texas state line in far southwestern Oklahoma to the Arkansas state line near Fayetteville. US-62 spends a total of 402.48 miles (647.73 km)[1] in the Sooner State. The highway passes through fifteen of Oklahoma's counties. Along the way the route serves two of Oklahoma's largest cities, Lawton and Oklahoma City, as well as many regionally important cities, like Altus, Chickasha, Muskogee, and Tahlequah. Despite this, US-62 has no lettered spur routes like many other U.S. routes in Oklahoma do.

Since 1930, US-62 has been a part of Oklahoma's highway system. The section of the Interstate system's route that passes through Oklahoma City was altered several times after it was established in order to accommodate the presence of the new freeways. The present-day route of US-62 includes concurrencies with I-44, I-240, I-35, and I-40.

Route description

Southwestern Oklahoma

US-62 enters Oklahoma in Harmon County, 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Hollis.[2] It then passes through that town, the county seat, where it serves as the southern terminus of State Highway 30. US-62 meets the northern terminus of SH-5 in Gould. The highway passes through unincorporated McQueen 4 miles (6.4 km)[2] and then enters Jackson County. Just east of Duke, the route crosses SH-34. Nine miles (14 km) later, US-62 becomes a multilane highway and begins a concurrency with SH-6. The two highways travel together into Altus, where they intersect US-283. SH-6 follows US-283 northward out of town, while US-62 heads east towards Headrick. US-62 runs just north of that town before crossing the North Fork of the Red River onto the KiowaTillman County line.[2]

US-62 continues eastward, sending US-62 BUS north to Snyder, which was the original US-62 alignment in the area. The county line then turns south of US-62, and the route has an interchange with US-183. US-62 heads farther east, meeting the other end of US-62 BUS 3 miles (4.8 km)[3] later. US-62 serves as the southern terminus of the northern State Highway 54 3 miles (4.8 km) east of this.[3] The road then enters Comanche County, where it serves as the southern border of Fort Sill. It serves as the southern terminus of another Oklahoma state highway, SH-115, near Cache. A few miles of the highway east of SH-115 is freeway-grade. Continuing east, US-62 becomes an expressway, Rogers Lane, that serves the north side of Lawton (along with several Ft. Sill gates). In eastern Lawton, the highway has an interchange with Interstate 44 and begins a concurrency with it (joining at Exit 40B), along with US-277 and US-281.[2]

I-44/US-62/277/281 head northward through Fort Sill. At Exit 45, the freeway serves as the eastern terminus of State Highway 49. The three U.S. routes split off at Exit 46, with I-44 continuing onto the northern section of the H. E. Bailey Turnpike. US-277 splits off to the east 5 miles (8.0 km) later.[3] US-62/281 then meet SH-19 in Apache. SH-9 begins overlapping the two U.S. routes 10 miles (16 km) north of Apache. The three routes continue into Anadarko, where State Highway 8 briefly joins the concurrency. US-283 and SH-8 split off to the north, while US-62/SH-9 head out of town to the east.[2]

Central Oklahoma

US-62 signage in Harrah

US-62/SH-9 cross into Grady County just west of Verden. At the western limits of Chickasha, US-81 joins the concurrency. In downtown Chickasha, US-81 splits off to the south, and US-277 once again joins with US-62. In far eastern Chickasha, the routes have an interchange with I-44 (the H.E. Bailey Turnpike). US-62/277/SH-9 serve as the southern terminus of SH-92 and the western terminus of SH-39. The three highways then angle northeast towards Blanchard, where they are briefly joined by State Highway 76. Northeast of Blanchard, they are carried by an expressway. SH-9 splits off at a diamond interchange that also serves as the eastern terminus of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike Spur. The two U.S. routes continue north into Newcastle, running through town on a five-lane (two lanes in each direction plus center turn lane) alignment. On the northern rim of Newcastle, the two routes encounter I-44 once again, at the northern terminus of the Bailey Turnpike. US-62 joins eastbound I-44 toward Oklahoma City, while US-277 terminates at the interchange.[2]

I-44/US-62 pick up State Highway 37 at Exit 107, and the three highways cross the Canadian River into Cleveland County and Oklahoma City. SH-37 then splits off at Exit 110. Just north of the Oklahoma County line, I-44 has an interchange at the western terminus of Interstate 240 at Exit 115, and US-62 follows it east to Exit 4B, where it begins to concur with I-35/US-77. I-35/US-62/77 head northward to the Fort Smith Junction. US-77 splits off to join with Interstate 235, while I-35/US-77 join with eastbound I-40/US-270. I-35/US-62 split off to the north after just over a mile. US-62 leaves I-35 at Exit 130, turning east onto N.E. 23rd St., an at-grade street[2]

US-62 serves some of Oklahoma City's eastern suburbs, including far northern Midwest City, far southern Spencer, Nicoma Park, and Choctaw. In eastern Harrah, the route meets the west terminus of State Highway 270. The highway then crosses into far southern Lincoln County, where it crosses SH-120 at Midway. US-62 runs through two more unincorporated communities, Fowler and Jacktown; the latter is the site of the US-62/US-177 junction. US-62 enters Meeker 6 miles (9.7 km)[2] later, where it meets up with SH-18. 12 miles (19 km)[2] further east, in Prague, it encounters US-377/SH-99.[2]

Green Country

U.S. Highway 62 just east of Okmulgee

US-62 enters eastern Oklahoma's Green Country as it crosses into Okfuskee County west of Paden. It begins to turn southeast, intersecting State Highway 48 west of Castle, before joining once again with I-40 near Okemah, at Exit 221. US-75 also joins the interstate, 10 miles (16 km) farther east at Exit 231. The two U.S. routes split off at Exit 240B, where they continue the mainline of the Indian Nation Turnpike, which terminates at I-40. The two U.S. routes serve eastern Henryetta, and west of Dewar, they are the western terminus of U.S. Highway 266. In Okmulgee, US-62 turns east while US-75 continues north toward the Tulsa area. US-62 heads through Morris, where it intersects SH-52. The highway then has a 9-mile (14 km)[2] overlap with SH-72, after which it begins a concurrency with US-64.

US-62 and US-69 in Muskogee

US-62/64 split up in Muskogee, where US-62 briefly overlaps with US-69. On the east side of town, it has an interchange with the Muskogee Turnpike/SH-165 freeway. Near Ft. Gibson, US-62 begins to concur with State Highway 10, and the two routes stay joined through Tahlequah. US-62 starts to overlap State Highway 51 in Tahlequah as well; the two highways split up near Eldon. The route enters Adair County near Proctor. It intersects with US-59 in Westville before US-62 crosses the state line into Arkansas.[2]

History

When US-62 first appeared on the state highway map in 1930, it had the same basic routing as it did today.[4][5] In 1930, most of the highway was of gravel or earthen construction. The only portions of the highway that were paved were from Chickasha to Tabler, from Newcastle to Oklahoma City and Meeker, from Okemah to Morris, and from just south of the US-64 junction to Fort Gibson.[5] By 1948, the entire stretch of US-62 through Oklahoma had been paved.[6]

Oklahoma City routing

On 1950-03-06, US-62 was rerouted through Oklahoma City.[7] US-62 followed Newcastle Boulevard into the city and turned eastbound onto S.E. 29th Street, which it followed to Robinson Avenue. It then turned north onto Robinson, which was also US-77, towards downtown. Through downtown, US-62 followed Robinson, while US-77 paralleled it one block to the east on Broadway. At N.E. 23rd Street, US-62 turned east, concurring with US-270, US-66 CITY, and the second State Highway 1. US-77 also ran along 23rd Street from Broadway to Lincoln Boulevard, where it split off to the north, along with US-66 CITY. US-62/270/SH-1 then continued along 23rd Street to Spencer.[8]

US-62 was realigned once again on April 6, 1955.[7]

US-62 was realigned for a third time on September 4, 1961. This routing was only meant to be temporary, following Agnew, Exchange, and Reno Avenues to downtown.[7] This change was followed up by the September 4, 1963[7] rerouting, which put US-62 onto its present-day routing (though I-240 did not exist yet, and I-44 still ended at I-35).[9]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[10][11][12][13]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Oklahoma–Texas line0.000.00
US 62 west continues into Texas
HarmonHollis5.08.0 SH-30Southern terminus of SH-30
Gould13.321.4 SH-5Northern terminus of SH-5
JacksonDuke25.440.9 SH-34
33.954.6 SH-6Western end of SH-6 concurrency
Altus38.962.6 US 283 / SH-6Eastern end of SH-6 concurrency
Kiowa56.390.6
US 62 Bus.
Snyder59.996.4 US 183Diamond interchange
63.2101.7
US 62 Bus.
65.8105.9 SH-54Southern terminus of SH-54
ComancheCache78.8126.8 SH-115West end of freeway, southern terminus of SH-115
83.9135.0Deyo
Lawton86.1138.6Quanah Parker TrailwayEast end of freeway; eastbound left exit and westbound left entrance
91.4147.1Sheridan RoadParclo interchange
92.4148.7Fort Sill BoulevardParclo interchange
93.4150.3

I-44 west / US 277 / US 281 south (H.E. Bailey Turnpike west)
I-44 exit 40B; western end of I-44/US-277/US-281 concurrency
40CNE Rogers LaneExit numbers follow I-44; no exit number eastbound
95.0152.941Fort Sill Key GateDepartment of Defense ID required
98.7158.845 SH-49 – Carnegie, Medicine Park
99.5160.1
I-44 / H.E. Bailey Turnpike east – Chickasha, Oklahoma City
I-44 exit 46; eastern end of I-44 concurrency; eastbound left exit and westbound left entrance
Richards Spur103.8167.0
US 277 north – Chickasha, Elgin
Northern end of US-277 concurrency
CaddoApache112.6181.2 SH-19Western end of SH-19 concurrency
113.2182.2 SH-19Eastern end of SH-19 concurrency
123.2198.3 SH-9Western end of SH-9 concurrency
Anadarko131.6211.8 US 281 / SH-8Northern end of US-281 concurrency, western end of SH-8 concurrency
132.2212.8 SH-8Eastern end of SH-8 concurrency
GradyChickasha148.0238.2 US 81Western end of US-81 concurrency
149.7240.9 US 81 / US 277Eastern end of US-81 concurrency, western end of US-277 concurrency
149.8241.12nd Street / 1st StreetInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
151.3243.5 I-44 / H.E. Bailey TurnpikeI-44 exit 83
153.0246.2 SH-92Southern terminus of SH-92
Tabler156.5251.9 SH-39Western terminus of SH-39
McClainBlanchard167.3269.2 SH-76Western end of SH-76 concurrency
168.3270.9 SH-76Eastern end of SH-76 concurrency
Newcastle173.0278.4

SH-9 east to I-35 / H.E. Bailey Turnpike Norman spur west – Norman, Mustang, Chickasha
Diamond interchange; eastern end of SH-9 concurrency
177.4285.5 SH-130Eastern terminus of SH-130
179.7289.2

I-44 / H.E. Bailey Turnpike west / US 277 ends – Chickasha, Lawton
Northern terminus of US-277; eastern terminus of H.E. Bailey Tpk.; eastern end of US-277 concurrency; western end of I-44 concurrency
180.6290.6108
SH-37 west – Minco, Tuttle
Exit numbers follow I-44; western end of SH-37 concurrency
181.1291.5108AFrontage RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
ClevelandOklahoma City182.4293.5109SW 149th Street
183.4295.2110
SH-37 east (SW 134th Street) – Moore
Eastern end of SH-37 concurrency
184.5296.9111SW 119th Street
185.6298.7112SW 104th Street
Oklahoma186.6300.3113SW 89th Street
187.5301.8114SW 74th Street
187.7302.1


I-240 begins / I-44 east / SH-3 to I-40 – Tulsa, Wichita
Eastern end of I-44 concurrency; western end of I-240/SH-3 concurrency; I-44 exit 115, I-240 exit 1A
188.3303.01BS. May AvenueExit numbers follow I-240
189.3304.61CS. Penn AvenueFull name is "Pennsylvania"
190.3306.32AS. Western Avenue
191.3307.92BS. Walker Avenue
191.6308.43S. Santa Fe Avenue
192.2309.33BShields Boulevard, Santa Fe AvenueWestbound exit only
192.9310.44A


I-35 / US 77 south / I-240 / SH-3 east to I-40 – Dallas, Ft. Smith
Eastern end of I-240/SH-3 concurrency, western end of I-35/US-77 concurrency; exit number is for I-35/US-77 south; no exit number westbound; I-35 exit 121B, I-240 exit 4B
193.6311.6122ASE 66th StreetExit numbers follow I-35; no eastbound entrance
194.1312.4122BSE 59th Street
194.7313.3123ASE 51st StreetNo eastbound entrance
195.2314.1123BSE 44th StreetNo westbound entrance
195.7314.9124AGrand Boulevard
196.3315.9124BSE 29th Street, SE 25th StreetSigned as exit 125A westbound
197.2317.4125BSE 15th StreetSigned as exit 125D westbound
197.9318.5
I-235 north (US-77 north) – Oklahoma Health Center, State Capitol, Edmond
Eastern end of US-77 concurrency; eastbound left exit and westbound entrance

I-40 west (US-270 west) – Amarillo
Western end of I-40/US-270 concurrency; westbound exit and eastbound left entrance
198.9320.1127Reno Avenue – west / Eastern Avenue / M.L. King AvenueWestbound exit is part of I-40/US-270 east exit; Reno Ave. not signed eastbound
199.2320.6
I-40 / US 270 east – Ft. Smith
Eastern end of I-40/US-270 concurrency
200.4322.5129NE 10th Street
201.2323.8
I-35 north / NE 23rd Street west
I-35 exit 130; eastern end of I-35 concurrency
Harrah Kickapoo TurnpikeKickapoo Turnpike exit 138[14][15]
218.4351.5 SH-270Western terminus of SH-270
LincolnMidway223.0358.9 SH-102
Jacktown228.4367.6 US 177
Meeker234.4377.2 SH-18
Prague246.5396.7 US 377 / SH-99
Okfuskee264.4425.5 SH-48
Okemah270.2434.8

SH-27 begins / SH-56 north
Northern terminus of SH-27; western end of SH-27/SH-56 concurrency
270.5435.3
SH-56 south
Eastern end of SH-56 concurrency
271.1436.3

I-40 west / SH-27 south – Oklahoma City, Wetumka
Eastern end of SH-27 concurrency; western end of I-40 concurrency; I-40 exit 221
277.2446.1227Clearview RoadExit numbers follow I-40
281.7453.4231
US 75 south – Wetumka, Weleetka
Western end of US-75 concurrency
OkmulgeeHenryetta237



I-40 BL / US 62 Bus. east / US 75 Bus. north – Henryetta
240A


Indian Nation Turnpike south / I-40 east – McAlester, Dallas, Ft. Smith

I-40 BL begins
Exit number is for Indian Nation Tpk.; no exit number southbound; eastern end of I-40 concurrency; southern end of I-40 Bus. concurrency; I-40 exit 240B
287.7463.0



I-40 BL / US 62 Bus. west / US 75 Bus. south (Main Street)
Northern end of I-40 Bus. concurrency
290.3467.2
US 266 east (6th Street) – Dewar, Grayson
Western terminus of US-266
Okmulgee303.2488.0
US 75 north (Wood Drive)
Northern end of US-75 concurrency
304.9490.7
SH-56 Loop
Eastern terminus of SH-56 Loop
Morris308.9497.1 SH-52 (Hughes Avenue)
Muskogee320.2515.3 SH-72Western end of SH-72 concurrency
329.5530.3

US 64 west / SH-72 north

SH-16 west
Eastern end of SH-72 concurrency, western end of US-64 concurrency, western end of SH-16 concurrency
334.5538.3
SH-162 north (124th Street West) – Taft
Southern terminus of SH-162
Muskogee343.3552.5

US 64 east / US 69 (32nd Street) / US 62 Bus. (Okmulgee Avenue)
Eastern end of US-64 concurrency, western end of US-69 concurrency
344.3554.1 US 69 (32nd Street)Eastern end of US-69 concurrency
347.8559.7
SH-16 east (Okay Road)
Eastern end of SH-16 concurrency
349.5562.5 SH-165 / Muskogee Turnpike – Ft. Smith, Port of Muskogee, TulsaCloverleaf interchange
352.0566.5 SH-10Western end of SH-10 concurrency
Ft. Gibson355.3571.8 SH-80Southern terminus of SH-80
CherokeePark Hill372.3599.2 SH-82Southern end of SH-82 concurrency
Tahlequah372.3599.2
SH-51 / US 62 Bus.
Western end of SH-51 concurrency; south end of US Bus. 62
374.6602.9
SH-82 / US 62 Bus.
Northern end of SH-82 concurrency; east end of US Bus 62.
376.5605.9 SH-10Northern end of SH-10 concurrency
Eldon382.4615.4 SH-51Eastern end of SH-51 concurrency
AdairWestville395.4636.3 US 59
Oklahoma–Arkansas line398.3641.0
US 62 east continues into Arkansas
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Special routes

Snyder business loop

Business U.S. Highway 62 (Bus. US 62) is a business route of US 62 in Snyder, Oklahoma that is 7.6 miles (12.2 km) long.[16] It starts at US 62 west of Snyder, intersects U.S. Route 183 in Snyder, and ends at US 62 east of Snyder.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Kiowa County.

Locationmi[16]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 US 62 – Lawton, AltusWestern terminus
Snyder4.77.6 US 183 (H Street) – Lawton, Hobart, Frederick
7.712.4 US 62 – Lawton, AltusEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Henryetta business loop

U.S. Route 62 Business in Henryetta, Oklahoma, in Okmulgee County is another business route of US 62. The route is 2.94 miles (4.73 km) in length.[17] It begins at I-40 exit 237 west of town. It then continues east through the town to end at US-62/75 east of downtown. The entirety of the route is concurrent with Business Loop I-40 and U.S. 75 Business.

Muskogee business loop

U.S. Route 62 Business in Muskogee, Oklahoma, in Muskogee County is a third business route of US 62 in Oklahoma. The route runs in an overlap with U.S. Route 64 Business along-Okmulgee Avenue and then turns north away from that route along North Main Street.

Tahlequah business loop

U.S. Route 62 Business in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in Cherokee County, Oklahoma is a fourth business route of US 62 in Oklahoma. The route runs along former sections of the main route along Muskogee Avenue beginning at the western terminus of US 62/OK 82's overlap with OK 51, then runs north into downtown Tahlequah, where it turns right running east along East Downing Street until reaching its terminus at the east end of the US 62/OK 82 overlap.

References

  1. ^ a b Oklahoma Department of Transportation. "State Highway System: Log of U.S. Highway 62" (PDF). Retrieved November 25, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 2007 Centennial State Map (Map). Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
  3. ^ a b c Official State Map (Map) (2008 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
  4. ^ Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System (PDF) (Map) (March 1, 1930 ed.). Oklahoma State Highway Department. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System (PDF) (Map) (1931 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Highways. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  6. ^ Map of Oklahoma's State Highway System (PDF) (Map) (1948 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Highways. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c d Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Planning & Research Division. "Memorial Dedication & Revision History - US-62". Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  8. ^ Highways of Oklahoma (back side, Oklahoma City inset) (PDF) (Map) (1954 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Highways. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  9. ^ Highway Map of Oklahoma (Map) (1966 ed.). Cartography by Diversified Map Co. Skelly Oil Company. § 11C.
  10. ^ Google (October 5, 2012). "U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  11. ^ Google (October 6, 2012). "U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  12. ^ Google (October 7, 2012). "U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  13. ^ Google (October 8, 2012). "U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  14. ^ Gatz, Tim J. (September 25, 2017). "Re: Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) funding for Interstate 40 / Douglas Interchange and related interstate widening in Oklahoma County" (PDF). Letter to The Hon. Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  15. ^ Oklahoma Turnpike Authority celebrates opening of Kickapoo Turnpike with virtual ceremony, Fox 25 Oklahoma City, Oct 14, 2020
  16. ^ a b c Google (February 28, 2017). "US 62 Bus. - Snyder, OK" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  17. ^ 2008 Control Section Maps (PDF) (Map). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. p. Okmulgee. Retrieved March 4, 2010.

External links

KML is from Wikidata


U.S. Route 62
Previous state:
Texas
Oklahoma Next state:
Arkansas