The John Kilpatrick Turnpike signed Interstate 344 (I-344) since November of 2024, is a controlled-access toll road in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The turnpike forms a partial beltway that runs from State Highway 152 (SH-152) and Interstate 240 (I-240) to an interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) and Interstate 44 (I-44). At the eastern terminus, traffic continuing east merges with I-44 traffic, forming the Turner Turnpike. The Kilpatrick Turnpike is 31.0 miles (49.9 km) long.[1]
 .svg) Kilpatrick Turnpike | |
|---|---|
 The John Kilpatrick Turnpike highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by OTA | |
| Length | 31.0 mi[1] (49.9 km) |
| Existed | September 1, 1991–present |
| Component highways |
|
| Major junctions | |
| Counterclockwise end |   I-240 / SH-152 in Oklahoma City |
| Clockwise end |     I-35 / SH-66 / I-44 / Turner Turnpike in Oklahoma City |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Counties | Canadian, Oklahoma |
| Highway system | |
| |
The turnpike is named after John Kilpatrick who was the chairman of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority in the early 1990s.
Route description
editThe Kilpatrick Turnpike's entire route lies within the city limits of Oklahoma City. There are no exit numbers assigned to any of the turnpike's interchanges.[2]
The Kilpatrick Turnpike begins at an interchange with State Highway 152 (SH-152) and Interstate 240 (I-240) just west of Council Road in southwestern Oklahoma City. The turnpike heads generally north and west from this interchange, with exits to Morgan Road, Sara Road/SW 29th Street, and a partial interchange with SW 15th street, with traffic exiting from southbound and entering northbound. From there, it angles northeast to a full interchange with I-40/US-270. Another partial interchange is located at N.W. 10th Street, with ramps allowing drivers to join the northbound turnpike and exit the southbound turnpike. The turnpike continues north, passing just east of the Yukon city limits, before making an S-curve to the east, running west of Lake Overholser. The turnpike's next full interchange is with State Highway 66 (SH-66), which runs along N.W. 39th Expressway. North of this interchange, the Kilpatrick Turnpike crosses the North Canadian River. The next interchange is with Wilshire Boulevard. Immediately north of Wilshire Boulevard is the first barrier toll plaza. The highway's next interchange is with SH-3, also known as the Northwest Expressway. The turnpike curves to the east north of here, entering Oklahoma County.[2]
East of the county line, the Kilpatrick Turnpike follows the route of Memorial Road; Memorial splits into a pair of one-way frontage roads during this stretch. The next interchange, at Council Road, allows eastbound traffic to exit and westbound to enter the turnpike. The two interchanges to the east of here, at Rockwell Avenue and MacArthur Road, allow full access. At Meridian Avenue, traffic can exit the turnpike westbound and enter it eastbound. To the east lies an interchange with SH-74, a freeway known as the Lake Hefner Parkway. The interchange only allows direct access from the westbound Kilpatrick Turnpike to southbound SH-74 and from northbound SH-74 to the eastbound turnpike; all other movements must be completed via Memorial Road.[1] The turnpike continues east, with full interchanges at May and Pennsylvania (Penn) avenues. East of Penn, the highway curves southeast, leaving the Memorial Road corridor. The next interchange is at Western Avenue. To the east of here is the second barrier toll plaza. After the toll plaza is the interchange with US-77, a freeway also known as the Broadway Extension. The turnpike then has an interchange at Eastern Avenue. The turnpike then comes to an end at I-35/I-44. Eastbound I-44 splits away from northbound I-35 at this interchange to form the Turner Turnpike, and the eastbound Kilpatrick Turnpike mainline merges into the Turner Turnpike toward Tulsa.[2]
Law enforcement along the John Kilpatrick Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop YE, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.[3]
History
editIn 1987, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized construction of the first phase of the turnpike, between I-35 and Lake Hefner Parkway. It was completed in 1991. In 2001, an extension of the turnpike to I-40 was completed.[4]
On October 29, 2015, Governor Mary Fallin announced that the Kilpatrick Turnpike would be extended south to end at SH-152 near Will Rogers World Airport as part of Driving Forward, a $892 million turnpike package. The project began on January 20, 2018.[5] The westbound direction of the extension was opened January 9, 2020.[6] The eastbound direction was opened on the following dates: January 28 from I-40 to Morgan Road, February 4 from Morgan to SH-152 westbound, and February 14 to SH-152 eastbound.[7]
In February 2021, the OTA announced that all of the turnpikes will be going all-electronic tolling within the next five years, starting with the Kilpatrick Turnpike. This change (known as PlatePay) began on the Kilpatrick in July 2021.[8]
On August 2, 2021, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation of the John Kilpatrick Turnpike as part of an extension of I-240, forming a beltway around Oklahoma City. ODOT Director Tim Gatz stated in the Transportation Commission meeting that the numbering change was primarily to aid in navigation using digital mapping and routing applications. Gatz also said, "If you look at the Interstate 240 designation on the loop around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, we are finally to the point where we have a truly contiguous route there that can shoulder the burden of some of that transportation need in a loop format. That's common practice across the country, and you'll see that in many of the metropolitan areas, and that update will really be beneficial as far as everything from signage to how do you describe that route on a green-and-white sign." The designation would need to be approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to take effect.[9] It was instead assigned as I-344 in 2023.
In Fall 2023, the AASHTO approved for the John Kilpatrick Turnpike to be designated as Interstate 344 (I-344).[10] In March 2024, the OTA announced that it would update signage for the turnpike over the next two months. The current turnpike logo would be removed and replaced with I-344 shields along with the yellow "TOLL" banner. I-240 will not be part of the turnpike; it will instead connect to I-344 via a short extension along Airport Road.[11]
Tolls
editAs of 25 July 2021[update], it costs $6.65 with PlatePay ($3.20 with Pikepass) to drive the entire length of the turnpike.[12]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Oklahoma City. All exits are unnumbered.
| County | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 0.000 | 0.000 |  I-240 east | Counterclockwise terminus;[13] highway continues east toll-free as I-240 (Airport Road) | |
 SH-152 west / SW 59th Street – Mustang | Eastbound exit only | ||||
| Council Road | Westbound entrance only | ||||
| Canadian | 0.89 | 1.43 | Toll plaza | ||
| 1.70 | 2.74 | Morgan Road | |||
| 3.60 | 5.79 | SW 29th Street | Northbound exit and Southbound entrance | ||
| 3.80 | 6.12 | Sara Road | Northbound entrance and Southbound exit | ||
| 5.00 | 8.05 | SW 15th Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance[13] | ||
| 5.90 | 9.50 |  I-40 (US 270) – Oklahoma City, Downtown, Yukon, Amarillo | Exits 138B-139A on I-40 | ||
| 7.10 | 11.43 | NW 10th Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 9.90 | 15.93 | SH-66 – Bethany, Yukon | |||
| 12.50 | 20.12 | Wilshire Boulevard | |||
| 13.12 | 21.11 | Toll plaza | |||
| 14.50 | 23.34 |  SH-3 / Morgan Road / Hefner Road | |||
| Canadian–Oklahoma county line | 16.40 | 26.39 | County Line Road | Future interchange | |
| Oklahoma | 17.40 | 28.00 | Council Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 18.80 | 30.26 | Rockwell Avenue | |||
| 19.80 | 31.87 | MacArthur Boulevard | |||
| 20.80 | 33.47 | Meridian Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 21.80 | 35.08 |   SH-74 (Portland Avenue / Lake Hefner Parkway) to I-44 | |||
| 22.80 | 36.69 | May Avenue | |||
| 23.80 | 38.30 | Penn Avenue | Full name "Pennsylvania" | ||
| 24.80 | 39.91 | Western Avenue | |||
| 25.64 | 41.26 | Toll plaza | |||
| 26.50 | 42.65 |  US 77 – Oklahoma City, Edmond | Direct access from US-77 south to the turnpike east opened to traffic in June 2022 | ||
| 28.00 | 45.06 | Eastern Avenue | |||
| 29.30– 29.40 | 47.15– 47.31 |  I-35 / I-44 west (SH-66) – Oklahoma City, Downtown, Wichita | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 138B on I-35 | ||
| 29.70 | 47.80 |  I-44 Toll east (Turner Turnpike) – Tulsa | Continuation east | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Route of John Kilpatrick Turnpike" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c Official State Map (PDF) (Map) (2013–14 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Oklahoma City inset. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Oklahoma Highway Patrol". Retrieved April 5, 2008.
- ^ "History".
- ^ "Driving Forward OK". Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ "SW Kilpatrick Extension".
- ^ "OTA opens east-bound John Kilpatrick extension this week". Fox 25. January 27, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ Lackmeyer, Steve (February 24, 2022). "Oklahoma turnpikes: Cashless tolling, political push led to proposed improvements". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ Oklahoma Transportation Commission (August 2, 2021). "ODOT Commission Meeting". Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 2023). "2023 Fall Meeting Report to the Council on Highways and Streets" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2023.
- ^ Humphrey, Spencer (March 7, 2024). "Multiple OKC-area highways, turnpikes to be designated as interstates in coming month". KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "Toll Rates". Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
- ^ a b "Southwest JKT Extension" (PDF). Driving Forward OK. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Retrieved April 13, 2018.