OK 63 between Kiowa and Haileyville: Worst state route in America?

[bugo]

I drove this thing today, and man is it in bad shape.  Very rough sloppily patched pavement, sharp curves (more than one 10 MPH curve,) one lane bridges (no trusses, unfortunately,) poor signage, sharp dropoffs, narrow lanes, missing centerlines in some places, poor geometry.  The speed limit is 55 but I struggled to do more than 40 down some parts of it.  I haven't seen a state highway this bad in a long time, if ever.  It looks like a bad county road.  Has anybody else driven it?

[US 41]

A 10 MPH curve on a state highway? THe lowest I've ever seen is a 15 MPH curve on a county highway. The lowest I've ever seen on a state highway is 30 MPH. I've also never seen a 1 lane bridge on a state highway. That has to be the worst state highway in America!

[Road Hog]

You get a bonus on the east end, though: You get to visit Warren Spahn's grave.

I've driven this road a number of times and yes, I've driven on county roads in Texas that were much better.

[oscar]

A 10 MPH curve on a state highway? THe lowest I've ever seen is a 15 MPH curve on a county highway. The lowest I've ever seen on a state highway is 30 MPH. I've also never seen a 1 lane bridge on a state highway. That has to be the worst state highway in America!

Hawaii state route 360 (key part of Maui's curvaceous Hana Highway) has a 15mph speed limit for its first 30 miles or so, except a short "speed zone" in the middle where you can zoom up to around 20mph or 25mph.  There are no curve advisory speed signs under 15mph, but there are over 600 hairpin curves you don't need a sign to slow down for.  There are also 42 one-lane bridges 17 feet wide or less, plus some others less than 24 feet wide (see my Hana Highway bridge log for details).   Both topography, and the historic designation for the entire highway including its historic one-lane bridges, will preclude any significant improvements.

But I wouldn't call it a bad road, because the awesome tropical scenery makes the three-hour trek out to Hana totally worth it. 

[Scott5114]

I've never looked at OK 63, but I'm sure it's not the worst; HI 360 is definitely worse based on Oscar's description. I'm sure there are worse state highways in Western states, as well–the road to Mogollon, NM, is probably just as curvy as OK 63 without the benefit of guardrails (it's bad enough that NMSHTD has signs warning the traveler not to use the road after dark), and there's plenty of state routes out there that aren't even paved.

[agentsteel53]

CA 173 is a glorified two-track carved into the side of a mountain.

[oscar]

Another lower-48 candidate would be the Moki Dugway in southeastern Utah (state route 261), with several miles of steep, unpaved switchbacks in the middle.

[corco]

Washington 142, a whole host of Montana state highways from what I can tell, Arizona 266.

An unconventional one I could throw out is Idaho 55 from Smiths Ferry into Long Valley- this is Idaho's main north-south artery and it's quite narrow, very windy, and no guardrails.

[agentsteel53]

this is Idaho's main north-south artery

I thought US-95 bore the brunt of the traffic?

I have driven that segment of 55 before, but in the middle of the night, so the only thing I thought of was unusual was that Yawheh's 666 Disciples (or something equally contradictory) had adopted a mile or two of it.

but if we're going to go with "unconventional" in the sense that it is entirely underpowered for its traffic load, I'd mention I-405 between LAX and US-101.  that innermost northbound lane, 10 feet wide, with drain covers and garbage, is somewhat exhilerating to drive at 60mph... too bad you can only do that at 2am.

[corco]

I thought US-95 bore the brunt of the traffic?

I have driven that segment of 55 before, but in the middle of the night, so the only thing I thought of was unusual was that Yawheh's 666 Disciples (or something equally contradictory) had adopted a mile or two of it.

55's been picking up more and more- it's definitely faster if you're in a car, especially if your destination is Boise. Trucks are better off on 95 or going through Oregon/Washington, but plenty of trucks use it anyway.

Yahweh and his disciples are/were signed on 95, actually, south of Riggins.

[agentsteel53]

Yahweh and his disciples are/were signed on 95, actually, south of Riggins.

a bit further along than I had remembered.  do you happen to have a photo of the sign?  I just remember thinking of it being extra bizarre, but not so bizarre that I needed to turn around and get a shot at night.

[corco]

I might- I'll have to dig. I've driven by that sign at least 100 times, but don't know if I ever actually took a picture of it.

[oscar]

An unconventional one I could throw out is Idaho 55 from Smiths Ferry into Long Valley- this is Idaho's main north-south artery and it's quite narrow, very windy, and no guardrails.

I drove that stretch several times last summer (it's in the heart of Idaho's hot springs country, and I did a lot of soaking with friends).  Aside from lots of construction, not bad at all. 

[J N Winkler]

I'd rather like to drive Oklahoma SH 63 and check it out, but I really doubt it comes close to any of the Western one-lane state highways.  (To add to the New Mexico examples already mentioned, there is the northern end of NM 503 near the Santa Cruz Reservoir, and there used to be--and may still be--a one-lane state highway off California SR 36 near Lassen National Park.)  Caltrans uses white shoulder stripes without center stripe to add visual emphasis to the narrowness of its one-lane state highways; New Mexico does not.

[rte66man]

Another lower-48 candidate would be the Moki Dugway in southeastern Utah (state route 261), with several miles of steep, unpaved switchbacks in the middle.

Is that the one in SE Utah where you are motoring along on a good 2-lane when all of a sudden you fall off the edge of the world, the pavement ends and there are no guardrails?

rte66man

[J N Winkler]

Is that the one in SE Utah where you are motoring along on a good 2-lane when all of a sudden you fall off the edge of the world, the pavement ends and there are no guardrails?

Yup, that's the Moki Dugway.  There are "scare" signs northbound just off the US 163 intersection to warn you of what is coming.  I assume there are similar signs southbound just off Utah SR 95, but I haven't checked UDOT photologging imagery in that direction.  I think the Moki Dugway is pretty tame because it is gravel with a southern exposure--for the real thrills and chills you need an oiled surface with northern exposure.

[agentsteel53]

I'd rather like to drive Oklahoma SH 63 and check it out, but I really doubt it comes close to any of the Western one-lane state highways.  (To add to the New Mexico examples already mentioned, there is the northern end of NM 503 near the Santa Cruz Reservoir, and there used to be--and may still be--a one-lane state highway off California SR 36 near Lassen National Park.)  Caltrans uses white shoulder stripes without center stripe to add visual emphasis to the narrowness of its one-lane state highways; New Mexico does not.

you may be referring to 172 or 147.  I've driven both, and none stuck out as being unusually bad.

173 is unusually bad.  I drove it in a small Chevy (Cobalt or Aveo, I think?) - one set of wheels on the high center, the other about six inches away from the edge.  I don't ever want to drive it again.

[leroys73]

Another lower-48 candidate would be the Moki Dugway in southeastern Utah (state route 261), with several miles of steep, unpaved switchbacks in the middle.

Moki Dugway!!!
But what an awesome view.  I did it on my fully loaded curiser motorcycle (VTX1300) last June.  WOW, I can't wait to go again.  I think I'll do it up this time.  BTW the switchbacks are paved but the rest is dirt/gravel.  I don't know whose ideal it was to pave the curves as gravel builds up on them making them even more of a challenge.  I did continue through Monument Valley.  If I would have been on a dual sport or a pickup I'd went through Valley of the Gods.

[corco]

Oh, US-36 from the Kansas state line to US-385 in Colorado. Potholes the size of Cadillacs.

[J N Winkler]

Here's the one-lane section of NM 503:

In Chimayó

Edit:  Sign messages on Utah SR 261 (Moki Dugway) northbound:

10% GRADES - 5 M.P.H. SWITCHBACKS - NARROW GRAVEL ROAD - 8 MILES

OVERSIZED AND/OR OVERWEIGHT VEHICLES PROHIBITED - 6 MILES AHEAD

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TRUCKS OVER 10,000 LBS. G.V.W. - RV's [sic!] - BUSES - VEHICLES TOWING

3 MILES OF UNIMPROVED ROAD - SHARP CURVES - STEEP GRADES - 6 MILES AHEAD

Several of these signs repeat within five miles of the hill climb.

[NE2]

SR 173 has been closed.

[agentsteel53]

SR 173 has been closed.

good riddance.  I'm all right with the occasional one-lane and/or dirt road being part of a state's system, but this one seemed to be shoddy for the sake of being shoddy.

[bugo]

These western highways you mention have to go through rugged terrain.  The western section of OK 63 mostly goes through gently rolling hills.  It would be easy to build a good road through here.  It's the quality of the pavement and poor geometry that make this road so bad.

[J N Winkler]

These western highways you mention have to go through rugged terrain.  The western section of OK 63 mostly goes through gently rolling hills.  It would be easy to build a good road through here.  It's the quality of the pavement and poor geometry that make this road so bad.

Easy, probably--but would it be worth it?  It sounds like the alignment and surfacing have not been improved beyond 1920's or 1930's standards but the road stays on the state highway system because Oklahoma DOT can't persuade the county to take it back and is unwilling to spend money to improve it to a standard that will guarantee acceptance.

[algorerhythms]

I drove this thing today, and man is it in bad shape.  Very rough sloppily patched pavement, sharp curves (more than one 10 MPH curve,) one lane bridges (no trusses, unfortunately,) poor signage, sharp dropoffs, narrow lanes, missing centerlines in some places, poor geometry.  The speed limit is 55 but I struggled to do more than 40 down some parts of it.  I haven't seen a state highway this bad in a long time, if ever.  It looks like a bad county road.  Has anybody else driven it?

Until it was reconstructed and demoted to county road status recently, Maryland Route 657 would be a close second to that road (though I haven't been on it since it was reconstructed in 2010, so it's likely significantly better than it was).

As for one-lane bridges on a state highway, there's a one-lane bridge on MD 638 over the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.