Northwest Expressway (Oklahoma City)
Route description
In the northwest
SH 3 begins at the Colorado state line 19 mi (31 km) north of Boise City, Oklahoma. At this terminus, it is concurrent with US-287/US-385. It remains concurrent with the two U.S. Routes until reaching Boise City, where it encounters a traffic circle which contains five other highways. After the circle, US-385 splits off, and SH-3 overlaps US-287, US-56, US-64, and US-412, though US-56 and US-287 both split off within the next 8 miles (13 km).
In Guymon, US-64 splits off. At Elmwood, US-270 joins US-412, coming from a concurrency with SH-23. SH-3 remains concurrent with US-270 through Watonga. In Seiling, US-183 leaves the concurrency but is quickly replaced by U.S. Highway 281. SH-33 joins the roadbed 20 miles (32 km) later.
In Watonga, SH-33 and SH-3 split off from US-270 and US-281. SH-3 and SH-33 remain concurrent for an additional 28 miles (45 km), until Kingfisher, where SH-3 joins US-81. It will stay concurrent with US-81 for 13 miles (21 km), through the town of Okarche. 3 miles (4.8 km) after Okarche, SH-3 leaves US-81. This marks the first point that SH-3 has not been part of a concurrency.
Through Oklahoma City
Beginning at the split from US-81, SH-3 becomes a major artery in the Oklahoma City highway system, commonly known as the Northwest Expressway because it is a diagonal route and because it serves the northwestern part of the metro area. It skirts the northern limits of El Reno before entering the Oklahoma City limits. The often-congested Northwest Expressway passes through the suburb of Warr Acres and passes close to Lake Hefner.
At the intersection with the Lake Hefner Parkway (SH-74), SH-3 again re-enters a concurrency. The Lake Hefner Parkway ends very shortly after, and SH-3 becomes concurrent with I-44 through the western side of the city. Near Will Rogers World Airport, SH-3 transfers to I-240 along the southern side of the city. After I-240 ends, SH-3 is transferred onto I-40/US-270, which it remains concurrent with for 16 miles (26 km).
SH-3E/3W split
In Shawnee, SH-3 splits into two highways, SH-3E and SH-3W. SH-3W splits off I-40 onto US-177, along with US-270, at milemarker 181 on I-40. It continues along with US-270 and 177 through the west side of Shawnee and continues south of that city until Tecumseh, where US-270 splits off. South of Asher, SH-3W leaves US-177 and veers southeast toward Ada.
SH-3E, the longer of the two split routes, was the original routing of Highway 3 before the two highways were split. It remains on I-40 for 5 miles (8.0 km) after SH-3W splits off. When it does split off, it soon joins SH-18. It follows a route closer to the center of Shawnee. After leaving Shawnee, it heads southeast toward Seminole. Here, it meets US-377/SH-99. SH-3E merges onto this highway, and they will remain concurrent until after they reach Ada.
In Ada, SH-3E and SH-3W are reunited and become SH-3 once again.
Ada to Atoka
SH-3 then becomes part of the Richardson Loop, a freeway around the west and south sides of Ada. Throughout the Richardson Loop, it overlaps SH-1 and US-377/SH-99 at different times. The highway then becomes two-lane once again and heads southeast to the town of Coalgate, where begins an 18-mile (29 km) concurrency with US-75, lasting through Atoka. In Atoka, US-75 splits off to join US-69.
Antlers to Arkansas
Two miles west of Antlers, the highway has an interchange with the Indian Nation Turnpike, and in Antlers it intersects U.S. Highway 271. After reaching the town of Broken Bow, it turns southward and overlaps US-259 and US-70.
Near Idabel, the highway splits off after being with US-259 for 13 miles (21 km). 28 miles (45 km) later, it becomes AR 32 as it crosses the state line into Arkansas.
History
The current SH-3 was designated on 15 May 1939. The original highway included all of current SH-3 up to Antlers, where it terminated at US-271. It was extended to the Arkansas state line on 4 August 1952. SH-3 ended there concurrent with US-70 and SH-7, near DeQueen, Arkansas. On 7 January 1963, the highway was given its own alignment from near Idabel to Arkansas, taking over that of SH-21, which was eliminated at that time.
From the highway's commissioning to 1976, there was only one fork of SH-3 between Shawnee and Ada, which was the path of current SH-3E. SH-3W and SH-3E were created on 4 October 1976; the new SH-3W took over all of SH-13. Other than minor realignments, the highway remains essentially the same today.
In the early 1980s, Governor George Nigh was able to obtain $97.1 million to upgrade the highway between Oklahoma City and Colorado, despite opponents labeling the project "the highway to nowhere". House Concurrent Resolution 1067 labeled the highway as "Governor George Nigh's Northwest Passage." ODOT officially so named the highway on 2 February 1981.
Notes
- SH-3's concurrency with I-44 in Oklahoma City is an example of a wrong-way concurrency – I-44 West is SH-3 East and vice versa.
- SH-3's concurrency with US-70 is also a wrong-way concurrency, as US-70 is signed as going west and SH-3 as going east.
- The SH-3 bypass around Atoka is named the Cecil B. "Bud" Greathouse Bypass. It was designated by ODOT on 4 October 1982.
Spurs
SH-3 had two lettered spurs, SH-3A and SH-3B.
SH-3A continued the alignment of the Northwest Expressway for two more miles before ending at I-44 near Penn Square Mall. It was originally known as SH-66A, a spur off US 66, which once ran through the area. The combined effect of US-66 being decommissioned and "3A" being a more logical name for an extension of SH-3 led to the name change. SH-3A was decommissioned in 2009.
SH-3B is entirely in Atoka, Oklahoma and runs between US-75/SH-3 and SH-7.
Junction list
| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cimarron | | 0.00 | 0.00 |    US 287 / US 385 north | Continuation into Colorado; western end of US-287/US-385 concurrency | |||
| | 17.6 | 28.3 |  US 287 south | Eastern end of US-287 concurrency | ||||
| Boise City | 18.5 | 29.8 |      US 56 / US 64 / US 412 west / US 385 south (Cimarron Avenue south) / SH-325 west (Main Street west) – Clayton NM, Kenton | Traffic circle around Cimarron County courthouse; eastern end of US-385 concurrency; western end of SH-3 concurrency; eastern terminus of SH-325 | ||||
| | 20.3 | 32.7 | US 287 – Amarillo, Denver CO, Stratford TX | Interchange | ||||
| | 26.4 | 42.5 |  US 56 east | Eastern end of US-56 concurrency; former SH-114 | ||||
| | 34.1 | 54.9 |  SH-171 | |||||
| Texas | Four Corners | 53.0 | 85.3 |  SH-95 north | Western end of SH-95 concurrency | |||
| | 58.0 | 93.3 | SH-95 south | Eastern end of SH-95 concurrency | ||||
| | 76.1 | 122.5 |  SH-136 north | Western end of SH-136 concurrency | ||||
| Guymon | 80.4 | 129.4 |   US 64 / US 412 Truck / SH-3 Truck east / SH-136 Truck south (NE 12th Street) | Eastern end of US-64 concurrency; western terminus of US-412 Truck/SH-3 Truck; northern terminus of SH-136 Truck | ||||
| 81.2 | 130.7 |  US 54 west (South 2nd Street) | Western end of US-54 concurrency | |||||
| 81.6 | 131.3 | US 412 Truck / SH-3 Truck / SH-136 Truck (US 54 east) – Liberal KS | Eastern end of US-54 concurrency; eastern terminus of US-412 Truck/SH-3 Truck; southern terminus of SH-136 Truck | |||||
| 81.65 | 131.40 | SH-136 south (East Street) | Eastern end of SH-136 concurrency | |||||
| | 96.2 | 154.8 |  SH-94 north – Hooker | Southern terminus of SH-94 | ||||
| Beaver | Bryan's Corner | 119.2 | 191.8 |  US 83 – Liberal Ks., Beaver, Perryton Tx., Turpin | ||||
| Elmwood | 136.1 | 219.0 |   US 270 west / SH-23 – Beaver, Booker Tx. | Western end of US-270 concurrency | ||||
| Harper | | 171.3 | 275.7 |  US 283 – Laverne, Shattuck | ||||
| May | 179.5 | 288.9 |  SH-46 – Buffalo, Gage | |||||
| Ellis |
No major junctions | |||||||
| Woodward | | 188.9 | 304.0 |  US 183 north – Buffalo | Western end of US-183 concurrency | |||
| Woodward | 202.8 | 326.4 |  SH-15 west (Oklahoma Avenue west) | Eastern terminus of SH-15 | ||||
| 204.9 | 329.8 |  US 412 east (Oklahoma Avenue east) / SH-34 north (9th Street north) – Enid | Eastern end of US-412 concurrency; western end of SH-34 concurrency | |||||
| | 208.7 | 335.9 | SH-34 south – Elk City, Vici | Eastern end of SH-34 concurrency | ||||
| | 217.5 | 350.0 |  SH-50 north – Mooreland | Southern terminus of SH-50 | ||||
| Dewey | | 236.0 | 379.8 | US 183 south – Taloga, Clinton | Eastern end of US-183 concurrency | |||
| Seiling | 238.1 | 383.2 |   US 60 east / US 281 north – Waynoka, Fairview | Northern end of US-60/US-281 concurrency | ||||
| 238.7 | 384.2 |   US 60 / SH-51 west (Shepherd Street) to US 183 – Vici | Southern end of US-60 concurrency; western end of SH-51 concurrency | |||||
| Hucmac | 247.1 | 397.7 | SH-51 – Canton, Southard | Eastern end of SH-51 concurrency | ||||
| Blaine | | 266.9 | 429.5 |   SH-33 west / SH-58 north – Canton, Thomas | Western end of SH-33 concurrency; southern terminus of SH-58 | |||
| Watonga | 276.5 | 445.0 |  US 270 east / US 281 south / SH-8 (Clarence Nash Boulevard) – Okeene, Geary | Eastern end of US-270/US-281 concurrency | ||||
| Kingfisher | Kingfisher | 304.1 | 489.4 |  US 81 north (Main Street north) / SH-33 east (Broadway Avenue east) | Eastern end of SH-33 concurrency; western end of US-81 concurrency | |||
| Canadian | | 316.4 | 509.2 | US 81 south – El Reno | Trumpet interchange; eastern end of US-81 concurrency | |||
| Oklahoma City | 329.9 | 530.9 |  SH-4 (Piedmont Road) – Piedmont, Yukon | |||||
| 333.5 | 536.7 |   I-344 / Kilpatrick Turnpike – Exact change required | Diamond interchange | |||||
| Oklahoma | 340.4 | 547.8 |  SH-74 north (Lake Hefner Parkway north) | Diamond interchange; west end of freeway section; western end of SH-74 (Lake Hefner Pkwy.) concurrency | ||||
| 341.1 | 548.9 | — | NW 50th Street | |||||
| 341.9 | 550.2 | 123B |  SH-66 west – Warr Acres, Bethany | Stack interchange; exit numbers follow I-44 | ||||
| 341.9 | 550.2 | — |   I-44 east (SH-66 east) / SH-74 end | Stack interchange; I-44 exit 123B; southern terminus of SH-74; northern end of I-44 concurrency | ||||
| 342.4 | 551.0 | 123A | NW 36th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| 343.2 | 552.3 | 122 | NW 23rd Street | |||||
| 344.2 | 553.9 | 121A-B | NW 10th Street – Fair Park | Signed as exits 121B (west) and 121A (east); Fair Park signed westbound only | ||||
| 345.5 | 556.0 | 120A-B |  I-40 (US 270) – Amarillo, Fort Smith | Full diamond interchange; signed as exits 120B (east) and 120A (west) | ||||
| 346.3 | 557.3 | 119 | SW 15th Street | |||||
| 347.3 | 558.9 | 118 | SW 29th Street | |||||
| 348.1 | 560.2 | 117A | SW 44th Street | Signed as exit 117B northbound | ||||
| 348.6 | 561.0 | 116B |  SH-152 (Airport Road) | Eastern terminus of SH-152 | ||||
| 349.4 | 562.3 | 116A | SW 59th Street | |||||
| 350.0 | 563.3 | 1A |   I-44 / US 62 west / I-240 begin – Lawton | Exit number follows I-240; southern end of I-44 concurrency; western end of I-240/US-62 concurrency; western terminus of I-240 | ||||
| Overlap with I-240 | ||||||||
| 366.8 | 590.3 | — |  I-40 west (US 270 west) / I-240 end – Oklahoma City | Eastern terminus of I-240; I-40 exit 165; eastern end of I-240 concurrency; western end of I-40/US-270 concurrency | ||||
| 368.1 | 592.4 | 166 | Choctaw Road | Exit numbers follow I-40 | ||||
| 371.2 | 597.4 | 169 | Peebly Road | |||||
| 374.0 | 601.9 | 172 | Harrah Newalla Road | |||||
| Pottawatomie | McLoud | 378.1 | 608.5 | 176 |  SH-102 (McLoud Road) | Western end of SH-102 concurrency | ||
| Dale | 380.2 | 611.9 | 178 | SH-102 – Dale, Bethel Acres | Eastern end of SH-102 concurrency | |||
| Shawnee | 382.9 | 616.2 | 181 |    I-40 / SH-3E east / US 270 / SH-3W east / US 177 – Shawnee, Tecumseh | SH-3 east splits into SH-3W and SH-3E; eastern end of I-40/US-270 concurrency; exit number is for US-177/US-270/SH-3W | |||
| See SH-3E and SH-3W | ||||||||
| Pontotoc | | 440.4 | 708.8 | — |   SH-1 east / SH-3E (J.A. Richardson Loop) / SH-3W / SH-19 west – Seminole, McAlester, Shawnee, Pauls Valley | West end of freeway section; northern end of SH-1 concurrency; SH-3 west splits into SH-3W and SH-3E | ||
| | Ada | Westbound exit only | ||||||
| | 440.9 | 709.6 | — | Reeves Road | Eastbound exit only | |||
| | 441.3 | 710.2 | — | SH-1 west – Latta, Roff, Sulphur | Southern end of SH-1 concurrency | |||
| | 442.3 | 711.8 | — | Oak Avenue | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||
| | 443.4 | 713.6 | — | Kerr Lab Road | ||||
| Ada | 444.4 | 715.2 | — |   US 377 / SH-99 north – Ada, McAlester | Western end of US-377/SH-99 concurrency; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |||
| 445.3 | 716.6 | — | Stonecipher Boulevard | |||||
| Ahloso | 446.2 | 718.1 | — | US 377 / SH-99 south – Fittstown, Tishomingo, Madill | East end of freeway; eastern end of US-377/SH-99 concurrency | |||
| | 454.9 | 732.1 | Stonewall | Interchange | ||||
| Coal | | 461.5 | 742.7 |  SH-48 – Lula, Allen, Tupelo | ||||
| | 471.1 | 758.2 |  US 75 north – Calvin | Western end of US-75 concurrency | ||||
| Coalgate | 474.9 | 764.3 |  SH-31 east (Main Street north) | Northern end of SH-31 concurrency | ||||
| 475.0 | 764.4 | SH-31 west (Ohio Avenue) | Southern end of SH-31 concurrency | |||||
| 475.4 | 765.1 |  SH-43 east (Lafayette Avenue) | Western terminus of SH-43 | |||||
| Atoka | Atoka |  SH-3 Byp. east (Greathouse Drive) – Antlers, Wapanucka | Western terminus of SH-3 Byp. | |||||
| 488.2 | 785.7 |  US 69 north (Mississippi Avenue north) – McAlester, Tulsa | Western end of US-69 concurrency | |||||
| 489.6 | 787.9 |  US 69 south (Mississippi Avenue south) / US 75 / SH-7 / SH-3 Byp. west (13th Street west) – Tishomingo, Durant | Eastern end of US-69/US-75 concurrency; eastern terminus of SH-3 Byp./SH-7 | |||||
| Pushmataha | Antlers | 519.8 | 836.5 |   Indian Nation Turnpike – Hugo, Paris, Henryetta, Tulsa | Interchange; Indian Nation Tpk. exit 16 | |||
| 520.5 | 837.7 |  SH-2 north – Moyers, Clayton | Southern terminus of SH-2 | |||||
| 521.5 | 839.3 |  US 271 south – Hugo | Western end of US-271 concurrency | |||||
| 522.4 | 840.7 | US 271 north – Wilburton, Poteau, Clayton | Eastern end of US-271 concurrency | |||||
| Rattan | 534.2 | 859.7 |  SH-93 south – Hugo | Northern terminus of SH-93 | ||||
| Oleta | 538.3 | 866.3 |  SH-147 south | Northern terminus of SH-147 | ||||
| McCurtain | | 565.9 | 910.7 |  SH-98 south | Northern terminus of SH-98 | |||
| Broken Bow | 577.0 | 928.6 |   US 70 east (Martin Luther King Drive) / US 259 north (Park Drive north) – DeQueen Ark., Beavers Bend | Northern end of US-70/US-259 concurrency | ||||
| Idabel | 584.8 | 941.1 | US 70 Byp. begins / US 70 west – Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain Campus, Hugo | Southern end of US-70 concurrency; northern end of US-70 Byp. concurrency | ||||
| 586.7 | 944.2 | US 259 south / US 70 Byp. west | Eastern end of US-259 concurrency; southern end of US-70 Byp. concurrency | |||||
| | 615.0 | 989.7 |  AR 32 east | Continuation into Arkansas | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||||
SH-3E
| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pottawatomie | | 387.0 | 622.8 | 181 | I-40 / SH-3 west / SH-3W east / US 177 / US 270 – Stillwater, Tecumseh | Exit numbers follow I-40; eastern end of I-40 concurrency; SH-3E west and SH-3W merge into SH-3 |
| Shawnee | 185 | Kickapoo Street – Shawnee | ||||
| 389.7 | 627.2 |  I-40 east / SH-18 north – Meeker | Western end of SH-18 concurrency; I-40 exit 186 | |||
| 391.7 | 630.4 | SH-18 south (Harrison Street south) | Eastern end of SH-18 concurrency | |||
| Earlsboro | 397.6 | 639.9 |   SH-9A to I-40 – Earlsboro | |||
| | 398.9 | 642.0 |  SH-99A east | Western terminus of SH-99A | ||
| Seminole | Seminole | 406.5 | 654.2 |  US 270 west / SH-9 – Eufaula, Norman | Western end of US-270 concurrency | |
| 408.9 | 658.1 | US 270 east (Broadway Avenue east) / US 377 / SH-99 north (Milt Phillips Avenue north) | eastern end of US-270 concurrency, western end of US-377/SH-99 concurrency | |||
| 411.4 | 662.1 |  SH-59 west – Maud | Western end of SH-59 concurrency | |||
| Bowlegs | 414.1 | 666.4 | SH-59 east – Bowlegs, Wewoka | Eastern end of SH-59 concurrency | ||
| | 428.5 | 689.6 |   SH-39 west (Broadway Street) / SH-56 east – Wewoka, Konawa | Eastern terminus of SH-39; western terminus of SH-56 | ||
| Canadian River | Haney-Abbott Bridge | |||||
| Pontotoc | Ada | 439.4 | 707.1 | — |   US 377 / SH-99 south / SH-1 east – Agri-Plex, Ada, McAlester | West end of freeway; eastern end of US-377/SH-99 concurrency, western end of SH-1 concurrency |
| | 440.4 | 708.8 | — | SH-3W / SH-19 west – Shawnee | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; eastern terminus of SH-19 | |
| | Ada | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||
| | SH-3 east / SH-1 (J.A. Richardson Loop) | SH-3E east and SH-3W merge into SH-3 | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
SH-3W
| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pottawatomie | | I-40 / SH-3 west (US 270 west) – Oklahoma City | Interchange; SH-3W west and SH-3E merge into SH-3; western end of US-270 concurrency; I-40 exit 181 | ||
| | I-40 east (SH-3E east) – Okemah | Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-40 exit 181 | |||
| |  US 177 north to SH-270 | Interchange; left entrance eastbound, left exits; western end of US-177 concurrency | |||
| Shawnee | 387.3 | 623.3 |  US 270 Bus. east (Kickapoo Spur) | Interchange; western terminus of US-270 Bus. | |
| 388.8 | 625.7 | US 270 Bus. west / SH-18 north (Farrall Avenue) | Interchange; southern terminus of SH-18, eastern terminus of US-270 Bus. | ||
| Tecumseh | 392.4 | 631.5 | Tecumseh | Interchange | |
| 394.6 | 635.0 | US 270 east / SH-9 – Tecumseh, Seminole | Eastbound exit split into "US-270 / SH-9 east – Seminole" and "SH-9 west – Tecumseh"; eastern end of US-270 concurrency | ||
| Chisney | 401.4 | 646.0 |  SH-59B west – Macomb | Eastern terminus of SH-59B | |
| Pearson | 406.4 | 654.0 | SH-59 east – Pearson, St. Louis | Northern end of SH-59 concurrency | |
| Asher | 412.4 | 663.7 | SH-39 – Konawa, Lexington, Purcell | ||
| Canadian River | Pottawatomie–Pontotoc county line | ||||
| Pontotoc–McClain county line | | 415.1 | 668.0 | US 177 south / SH-59 west – Stratford, Sulphur | Southern end of US-177/SH-59 concurrency |
| Pontotoc | | 421.0 | 677.5 |  SH-59A west | Eastern terminus of SH-59A |
| | 431.9 | 695.1 | SH-19 west – Stratford, Pauls Valley | Interchange | |
| | 433.4 | 697.5 | SH-3E west / SH-1 (J.A. Richardson Loop) / Main Street – McAlester, Seminole, Ada | Interchange; eastbound left exit and westbound entrance (left entrance from Main St.) | |
| | SH-3 east / SH-1 (J.A. Richardson Loop) / SH-19 end – Roff, Coalgate | Interchange; SH-3W east and SH-3E merge into SH-3; eastern terminus of SH-19 | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
References
- ^ "SH-3—Colorado to Seiling" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
"SH-3—Seiling to Southwest Oklahoma City" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
"SH-3—Overlap with I-240" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
"SH-3—Overlap with I-40" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-05-13. - ^ "SH-3E" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
- ^ "SH-3—Ada to Idabel" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
"SH-3—Idabel to Arkansas" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-05-23. - ^ ODOT Planning & Research Division. "Memorial Dedication & Revision History – SH-3". Retrieved 2006-08-21.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2004-03-07. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ ODOT Planning & Research Division. "Memorial Dedication & Revision History – SH-3 Northwest Expressway". Retrieved 2007-05-06.
- ^ ODOT Planning & Research Division. "Memorial Dedication & Revision History – SH-3 Bypass". Retrieved 2007-05-06.
- ^ "SH-3W" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-05-13.