Oklahoma's multi-decade battle to get a US route through Ada

[usends]

Many roadgeeks are aware that Oklahoma's 1988 extension of US 377 from Madill through Ada to Stroud was done without AASHTO's approval.  But the events that led up to that decision go back nearly another forty years.  And now that I've looked at this more closely, it makes me wonder whether that was the first time Oklahoma acted unilaterally: the 1959 extension of US 169 to Henryetta also may have been done without AASHO's approval.  (At least that's one of my theories to explain why that extension was retracted after only 5-6 years.)

This article raises more questions than answers, but it's a start towards getting all of the related documentation compiled in one place.  It's a pretty crazy history, and I still can't understand why AASHO/AASHTO was so opposed to ODOT's requests.  I mean, maybe the road needed some improvements, and maybe it would've given Oklahoma a more dense network of US routes.  But that's nothing that didn't already exist in many other states.  So was there bad blood between OK and other state DOTs?  Or was it a reflection of AASHO's increasingly antagonistic stance towards the US route system?  If you have any info or insights, please reply here or leave a comment in the blog post.

[Mapmikey]

Did some poking around and couldn't find anything related to wayward 169 extensions or 377 but confirmed something you may already know to be true..

US 169 did originally follow US 75 from Owasso to the OK 11-33 jct.  Oklahoma State highway reports back in that era have pretty detailed US route logs.

1935-36 shows the same Owasso to Tulsa description for US 75 and US 169, with US 169 getting 2.5 miles in Tulsa.  1937-38 shows US 169 going Owasso to Tulsa via OK 11 to end at the same intersection in Tulsa.

1935-1936: https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/14638/rec/10 (this also shows the US 70N that Droz says was denied by AASHO)
1937-38: https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/14845/rec/13

[texaskdog]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

[In_Correct]

U.S. 377 deserves much more attention. It should be extended to Nebraska. But it took them many decades to get U.S. 377 extended to Interstate 44. Now they need to finish 4 laneing it. It is alarming that U.S. 377 been this long until recently was only 2 laned the entire length in Denton County. Oklahoma City is another metropolitan area that U.S. 377 is not that far away from.

There is a lot of traffic between Oklahoma City and Dallas Fort Worth. They might as well continue to upgrade it to 4 lanes to connect these two areas and the smaller cities in between them.

If they do that, it could be a relief route for Interstate 35. ... especially during times of road construction.

[US 89]

I wouldn't mind seeing US 377 extended the rest of the way up OK-KS-NE 99, and then perhaps jumping over to NE 50 and up to Omaha.

[Bobby5280]

In Oklahoma I think they also need to be doing more improvements along the US-81 corridor. That highway is getting more busy, particularly West of the OKC metro. Really US-81 ought to be 4-laned from Enid down to the Red River, and maybe all the way to Bowie and US-287. There is a limited access US-81 bypass in the works for Chickasha, including a new cloverleaf interchange with I-44. The US-81 bypass around Duncan is supposed to be extended North a bit to Marlow in the coming years; that bypass was built where it could eventually be upgraded into a 4-lane freeway.

[The Ghostbuster]

Should we feel bad for the people of Ada (and the state of Oklahoma), or should we just tell them "get over it!" and move on with our lives?

[In_Correct]

Should we feel bad for the people of Ada (and the state of Oklahoma), or should we just tell them "get over it!" and move on with our lives?

Didn't you ask this question before?!

[Brian556]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

That's one of the things I like about them. That and they actually know what a streetlight is

[dfwmapper]

My theory: someone had a crystal ball and saw the bullshit present-day routing of highways in Ada and punished ODOT for their bad decisions. US 377/SH99 running through town instead of on the bypass? SH 1 running through town with a change of direction that has a railroad crossing in the center of it when there's a perfectly viable alternative route with a grade separated railroad crossing? This is worse than ᴄraɪɢ ᴄoᴜntY.

[Scott5114]

Should we feel bad for the people of Ada (and the state of Oklahoma), or should we just tell them "get over it!" and move on with our lives?

Yes, we should feel bad for the people of Ada, but because they have to live in Ada, not because of anything having to do with US-377.

[In_Correct]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

That's one of the things I like about them. That and they actually know what a streetlight is

They ought to. Since Oklahoma is in the middle of the United States Of America, they have many roads with lots of traffic.

[MikieTimT]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

That's one of the things I like about them. That and they actually know what a streetlight is

They ought to. Since Oklahoma is in the middle of the United States Of America, they have many roads with lots of traffic.

Being in the middle of the country, they and the states north and east of it should have lots of federally supported roads as they are in the center of the traffic population of the nation.  Lots of cars transiting through them to get to other destinations, so there is a need for federally supported roads as the states themselves are fairly poor in and of themselves.  And it's great when an Interstate doesn't replace a U.S. highway, but instead offloads the through traffic off of them.  There's still a need for access in most areas that an Interstate goes through that is, by definition, limited access by the Interstate itself.  Even rural areas have a need to move farm equipment that you wouldn't want on high-speed Interstate highways.  I-555, I'm looking at you!

[US 89]

Should we feel bad for the people of Ada (and the state of Oklahoma), or should we just tell them "get over it!" and move on with our lives?

Yes, we should feel bad for the people of Ada, but because they have to live in Ada, not because of anything having to do with US-377.

I mean, I’m sure every single person in Ada wakes up every morning grumbling that a quasi-governmental organization in Washington, DC doesn’t recognize the number on their city’s main street.

[rte66man]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

Other than I40/US66 west of El Reno, none of their interstates were built "right next to" an existing US route in rural areas.  You could make an argument for decommissioning US266 but IMO it is far enough away from I40 to merit it's retention.  US77 exists both in KS and TX so it's not a candidate. US62 and US64 aren't candidates for the same reason. OK did shorten US277 after the HE Bailey was built as it used to terminate in downtown OKC.

[texaskdog]

does anyone love US routes more than Oklahoma?  They don't decommission and had the interstate built right next to the US highway.

Other than I40/US66 west of El Reno, none of their interstates were built "right next to" an existing US route in rural areas.  You could make an argument for decommissioning US266 but IMO it is far enough away from I40 to merit it's retention.  US77 exists both in KS and TX so it's not a candidate. US62 and US64 aren't candidates for the same reason. OK did shorten US277 after the HE Bailey was built as it used to terminate in downtown OKC.

I believe Oklahoma mandated that I-35 be built within a few miles of US 77, though I don't remember where I heard that.

[kphoger]

This has been discussed before, but I can't find anywhere that someone provided actual evidence.  Two prominent members on here validated what you said, at least to some degree, but neither one backed it up with anything substantial.

There was, in fact, a law passed by the Oklahoma legislature requiring I-35 to be built within a certain distance of US-77 in order to be eligible for state road funding. I have always seen it quoted as one mile, though the above measurements makes me wonder if that is the case (or if there is some sort of provision for topography considerations, or perhaps an average divergence of one mile over a certain distance). Also, as far as I know, the law only applied to southern Oklahoma (probably the segment south of I-40).

In any case, local interests in Wayne, Paoli, and Wynnewood were able to secure this legislation with the help of Governor Henry Bellmon. Bellmon at one point threatened to build a toll road rather than an I-35 that was too far away from US-77.

(Source for this is The Roads That Built America by Dan McNichol. I haven't looked up or read the original law.)

There was a decision, made comparatively early on, that I-35 would be routed closer to US 77 than to US 177, as is indeed the case the entire way south of the US 60 dogleg overlap between Tonkawa and Ponca City where US 77 and US 177 "change places."

[In_Correct]

I noticed a lot of important busy roads have or had rail roads next to them. Some times very close until improved alignments were built.

This is true with The Unfinished Corridor (U.S. 69 in Oklahoma) and U.S. 77 ...

U.S. 377 is at least moderately important. It deserves a U.S. Route Designation ... and passing lanes. Be cause there is a rail line near it half the time. Very close in Dallas Fort Worth. It leaves U.S. 377 in Whitesboro, goes to Pottsboro, Denison, and then it goes to Kingston, Madill, heads north to Sulphur, Ada, and eventually Tulsa.

With the rail road nearby it makes U.S. 377 seem not as desolate. Even if it is technically parallel to S.H. 1 it is still in the area until north of Ada.

[rte66man]

This has been discussed before, but I can't find anywhere that someone provided actual evidence.  Two prominent members on here validated what you said, at least to some degree, but neither one backed it up with anything substantial.

There was, in fact, a law passed by the Oklahoma legislature requiring I-35 to be built within a certain distance of US-77 in order to be eligible for state road funding. I have always seen it quoted as one mile, though the above measurements makes me wonder if that is the case (or if there is some sort of provision for topography considerations, or perhaps an average divergence of one mile over a certain distance). Also, as far as I know, the law only applied to southern Oklahoma (probably the segment south of I-40).

In any case, local interests in Wayne, Paoli, and Wynnewood were able to secure this legislation with the help of Governor Henry Bellmon. Bellmon at one point threatened to build a toll road rather than an I-35 that was too far away from US-77.

(Source for this is The Roads That Built America by Dan McNichol. I haven't looked up or read the original law.)

There was a decision, made comparatively early on, that I-35 would be routed closer to US 77 than to US 177, as is indeed the case the entire way south of the US 60 dogleg overlap between Tonkawa and Ponca City where US 77 and US 177 "change places."

Found the following in the OK Constitution at oklegislature.gov:

SECTION V-46
Local and special laws on certain subjects prohibited.

The Legislature shall not, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, pass any local or special law authorizing:
The creation, extension, or impairing of liens;
Regulating the affairs of counties, cities, towns, wards, or school districts;
Changing the names of persons or places;
Authorizing the laying out, opening, altering, or maintaining of roads, highways, streets, or alleys;
(emphasis added).

If such a law existed a the time I35 was laid out (early 60's), it would have long ago been repealed and won't exist in current online searches. Based on the quote from "The Roads That Built America", I suspect it was a not-in-writing budget deal where Bellmon threatened a veto of Highway Dept funding if the road wasn't routed near the towns. I will see what I can find.

[sparker]

I noticed a lot of important busy roads have or had rail roads next to them. Some times very close until improved alignments were built.

A sizeable percentage of major cross-country roads that formed much of the US highway system were originally service roads for the adjacent RR tracks, built by the RR construction crews for maintenance access if the rail line was disrupted -- also usually containing RR communications lines.   Since most rail lines were given land grants in the 19th century to encourage them to expand their networks, some railroads (SP in particular) tended to hold on to their properties, which could extend several miles either side of the actual line, while others (notably Santa Fe) sold off the unused land ASAP to cover initial operating costs (it usually took several years for a new rail line to show any profit at all).  So depending upon the line, some parallel roadways were still on RR land, while others were in either other private lands or the parvenu of one or another communities along the way (many of these were cooperative purchases from the rail companies).  Some states (CA in particular) were not shy about exercising public domain when acquiring ROW for their state systems, which in the case of SP, which was reluctant to part with properties -- some were still corporately owned under the Catellus property development/management division until the company was acquired by UP in 1996 -- so some legal "urging" was required to get them to cough up their properties adjacent to the rail lines (e.g., US/CA 99). 

In the case of Ada, OK -- it's on the BNSF main line (former SLSF/"Frisco") between St. Louis and DFW -- but that line is something of an odd duck, not paralleling any particular major route from Henryetta down to the Red River (it crosses into TX adjacent to US 69/75) but striking out on its own.   Lore has it that the surveyors decided to stay west of the fall line to ensure lower gradients and thus reduced operating costs.  In any case, it's been in operation for about 115 years, although the UP (former M-K-T) line paralleling US 69 a bit to the east, which was laid out on much more of a straight line regardless of terrain today handles considerably more traffic in the Kansas City-Texas set of corridors. 

[edwaleni]

I noticed a lot of important busy roads have or had rail roads next to them. Some times very close until improved alignments were built.

In the case of Ada, OK -- it's on the BNSF main line (former SLSF/"Frisco") between St. Louis and DFW -- but that line is something of an odd duck, not paralleling any particular major route from Henryetta down to the Red River (it crosses into TX adjacent to US 69/75) but striking out on its own.   Lore has it that the surveyors decided to stay west of the fall line to ensure lower gradients and thus reduced operating costs.  In any case, it's been in operation for about 115 years, although the UP (former M-K-T) line paralleling US 69 a bit to the east, which was laid out on much more of a straight line regardless of terrain today handles considerably more traffic in the Kansas City-Texas set of corridors.

I was looking at the same thing.

Ada has a healthy, multi-threaded economic base. Oil, ranching, agro, and industrial.  But all the railroads have left for more economic ROW's as you said.  I even checked the rail banked Stuart to Savannah line to see how close it gets to Ada.

Even Flex-N-Gate doesn't use their siding anymore for their Plastics works. It appears BNSF has removed all the switches off the line, which means *everything* is by truck. This means Ada's future lies in better road connectivity. It's no wonder they squawk about road funding in their area.

[CtrlAltDel]

So depending upon the line, some parallel roadways were still on RR land, while others were in either other private lands or the parvenu of one or another communities along the way (many of these were cooperative purchases from the rail companies).

Parvenu? That word doesn't really fit here.

[Bobby5280]

Even Flex-N-Gate doesn't use their siding anymore for their Plastics works. It appears BNSF has removed all the switches off the line, which means *everything* is by truck. This means Ada's future lies in better road connectivity. It's no wonder they squawk about road funding in their area.

If it was up to me there would be a much better diagonal route (along or near OK-3) coming from the OKC area down toward Texarkana, and a similar route going NW from OKC toward Denver. It's a big "spoke" missing from the national highway system. Between OKC and Ada a proper 4-lane route, or even a turnpike should begin just South of Purcell on I-35 and follow just South of the Canadian River to Ada. The freeway bypass around the South side of Ada could be incorporated into this route. Atoka and Antlers should be included along the path. From there the route would bend down to Idabel and cross into Arkansas, ending South of Ashdown at I-49.

[sparker]

So depending upon the line, some parallel roadways were still on RR land, while others were in either other private lands or the parvenu of one or another communities along the way (many of these were cooperative purchases from the rail companies).

Parvenu? That word doesn't really fit here.

Good catch; typed the wrong parameters into my thesaurus app.  Bailiwick would be a more appropriate term. 

[In_Correct]

Even Flex-N-Gate doesn't use their siding anymore for their Plastics works. It appears BNSF has removed all the switches off the line, which means *everything* is by truck. This means Ada's future lies in better road connectivity. It's no wonder they squawk about road funding in their area.

If it was up to me there would be a much better diagonal route (along or near OK-3) coming from the OKC area down toward Texarkana, and a similar route going NW from OKC toward Denver. It's a big "spoke" missing from the national highway system. Between OKC and Ada a proper 4-lane route, or even a turnpike should begin just South of Purcell on I-35 and follow just South of the Canadian River to Ada. The freeway bypass around the South side of Ada could be incorporated into this route. Atoka and Antlers should be included along the path. From there the route would bend down to Idabel and cross into Arkansas, ending South of Ashdown at I-49.

S.H. 3 projects are minimal. I could not find too many S.H. 3 projects.

However, intersecting S.H. 3 is S.H. 48. There are supposed to be numerous projects all the way to its intersection with S.H. 3. The map does not say much, but so far the improved road is a 5 lane avenue (center turn lane) with shoulders.

Other nearby unspecified projects is U.S. 177 from S.H. 19 to S.H. 29 Right Of Way & Utilities F.F.Y. this year with half of it F.F.Y. 2027. It is probably adding shoulders.

S.H. 7 east of Sulphur to S.H. 1. ... S.H. 1 at the Chickasaw Turnpike intersection. ... and S.H. 1 south of S.H. 7.. There are currently no shoulders either.

U.S. 377 also has a Right Of Way & Utilities of similar length as U.S. 177 F.F.Y. 2020 with 4 miles of it (S.H. 59 West to S.H. 59 East) F.F.Y. 2027 and says new parallel lanes.