Cherokee Curve (eastern I-44/OK 66 split) in Catoosa, OK

[bugo]

https://maps.google.com/?ll=36.162998,-95.754111&spn=0.008281,0.019248&t=k&z=16

What a poorly designed interchange.  I-44 formerly took the left exit and split from OK 66 at the northern edge of this map view.  The ramp from 193rd to EB I-44/US 412 appears to have two stub ends.  Are they going to build a right exit ramp that feeds into these stub ends?  WB I-44 is very dangerous at this location.

[rte66man]

https://maps.google.com/?ll=36.162998,-95.754111&spn=0.008281,0.019248&t=k&z=16

What a poorly designed interchange.  I-44 formerly took the left exit and split from OK 66 at the northern edge of this map view.  The ramp from 193rd to EB I-44/US 412 appears to have two stub ends.  Are they going to build a right exit ramp that feeds into these stub ends?  WB I-44 is very dangerous at this location.

The "stub ramps" you can see in the photo are guide walls to keep vehicles on the onramp to EB I-44 from running off into the drainage hole. You can't really see the vertical part, but I drove through there 2 weeks ago and they were easily seen. There are no plans to add any more ramps there.

As to WB 44, can't argue that. Casino traffic has to do a quick weave to exit at 193rd E Ave.  If they miss that, it's another 2 miles to the next exit.

rte66man

[Scott5114]

Did they tear down the Fart Smock Bridge? Looks like it's been bypassed on the aerial imagery.

[Alps]

Did they tear down the Fart Smock Bridge? Looks like it's been bypassed on the aerial imagery.

R.I.P.

[Sonic99]

I just wanted to bump this because I drove through here last week and found the layout to be VERY confusing to out-of-town travelers. I was heading WB from Joplin with an ultimate destination for the night at a friends house in Moore, OK. As I approached this area, signs were telling me I could exit right and continue on I-44 to Tulsa, or continue straight on the Creek Turnpike to Oklahoma City, with no yellow "Toll Road" signage that I saw. My GPS didn't give me any cues about taking an exit ramp to remain on I-44. I ended up going straight onto the Creek Turnpike and my GPS immediately yelled at me, telling me I needed to take the exit ramp onto I-44. I saw NO signage for toll roads, but as soon as I got off at the first exit, I was prompted to pay a $0.35 toll at the end of the ramp. Then to get turned around and head back to I-44, I had to pay ANOTHER $0.35 toll (which the machine didn't take my first money that I put into the bucket and didn't tell me what the balance was, so I ended up just throwing another quarter in and got the green light to continue).

This setup is VERY confusing, and needs some much better signage! Why did they change the original layout anyway, I can see on Google Maps given the above link how I-44 originally just continued onto itself and into Tulsa without the confusing exit ramp to stay on the Interstate.

[NE2]

You're already on a toll road, so there's no need to warn you that you're continuing on a toll road.

[Sonic99]

Coming in from MO, I don't really have any other reasonable choices for getting to Tulsa, and had already paid the toll for that segment. By directing me onto the Creek Turnpike instead of staying on I-44, there is an additional toll that I was not expecting, and I also felt it was very dishonest to sign Oklahoma City separate from Tulsa and trick the passing-through motorists onto a toll road instead of the free Interstate through the Tulsa area.

[NE2]

Huh? If you were going to Tulsa, why didn't you take the exit signed for Tulsa?

[rte66man]

I just wanted to bump this because I drove through here last week and found the layout to be VERY confusing to out-of-town travelers. I was heading WB from Joplin with an ultimate destination for the night at a friends house in Moore, OK. As I approached this area, signs were telling me I could exit right and continue on I-44 to Tulsa, or continue straight on the Creek Turnpike ....

Turnpike = Toll (at least in this part of the US).

rte66man

[Sonic99]

Huh? If you were going to Tulsa, why didn't you take the exit signed for Tulsa?

I was going to Oklahoma City, but had only accounted for the tolls for the remote stretches of I-44 and was caught off guard by the signage directing me to OKC onto the turnpike. It was my first time going on a cross-country trip myself, and wasn't familiar with the area and how the whole toll road thing works.

[bugo]

OTA did it on purpose to trick motorists into taking the Creek.  I get travelers all the time who come into the store off the 31st Street exit off the Creek who have been confused by this setup.  There is a similar situation at the I-35/I-44/Kilpatrick interchange, where you must exit off of the mainline to stay on I-44 and the mainline lanes default to the Kilpatrick.

[Strider]

umm.. that interchange looks dangerous. especially westbound.

[Alps]

I think in general, roadgeeks are going to have little sympathy for someone who relies on the GPS instead of reading signs to see that I-44 exits.

[Sonic99]

I think in general, roadgeeks are going to have little sympathy for someone who relies on the GPS instead of reading signs to see that I-44 exits.

I was confused by the way that the overhead signs directed Oklahoma City-bound drivers off of I-44 and gave the impression that I-44 went a different direction. I knew that I wanted I-44 on the other side of Tulsa, but the signage gave me the impression that I-44 went "out of the way" and that continuing straight was the most direct route to get to OKC, and for someone from a state that has no toll roads, not giving any notice that continuing straight was a toll road versus the free I-44 (which I had to exit to remain on).

[NE2]

Straight ahead does go to OKC. It's something called a bip-ass.



from http://www.okroads.com/delaware/i44mo.html

[lordsutch]

Straight ahead does go to OKC. It's something called a bip-ass.

from http://www.okroads.com/delaware/i44mo.html

Of course, going straight at your counterexample doesn't dump you on a differently-numbered road that jacks you with an additional toll. Or even dump you on the "bip-ass."

[NE2]

That has nothing to do with whether signing the bip for Oklahoma City/Chicago is proper.

[Sonic99]

I know what a bypass is. I was under the impression that I was going to stay on I-44 as I approached, but this sign is what got me confused as to which way to go. Is this a shorter way to go straight through to OKC without going through Tulsa? Does I-44 add significant mileage and time to my trip? That is what I was thinking as I approached this interchange. What does the St. Louis bypass have to do with an out-of-state traveler encountering this sign and being a little confused as to what is going on.


EDIT: I just realized on the OKHighways page that this signage is new, directing OKC drivers onto the Creek Turnpike. The old signage would not have been as confusing.

[NE2]

I don't get it. You were confused that a bypass has a control city for a destination on the radial beyond the bypass? My point with the St. Louis example was that this is standard practice (in some states).

[andy3175]

Perhaps the interchange design lays the framework for eventual inclusion of the Creek Turnpike into the Interstate system, either as part of a relocated I-44 or a new I-x44 in accordance with SAFETEA-LU legislation from 2005, Section 1908(a):

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/legis.htm

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ59/html/PLAW-109publ59.htm

SEC. 1908. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ROUTE SEGMENTS ON INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND NHS.

(a) INTERSTATE SYSTEM.-

(1) CREEK TURNPIKE, OKLAHOMA.-The Secretary shall designate as part of the Interstate System (as defined in section 101 of title 23, United States Code) in accordance with section 103(c)(4) of such title the portion of the Creek Turnpike connecting Interstate Route 44 east and west of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

(2) CERTAIN SECTION OF INTERSTATE ROUTE 181.-The Secretary shall designate as part of Interstate Route 26 the 11-mile section of Interstate Route 181 lying northwest of the intersection with Interstate Route 81, Tennessee.

(3) TREATMENT.-The designations under paragraph (2) shall be treated, for purposes of title 23, United States Code, as being made under section 103(c)(4) of such title.

Regards,
Andy

[agentsteel53]

SAFETEA-LU

I'm astonished no one has challenged the stupidity of that name in front of the Supreme Court yet.

[andy3175]

SAFETEA-LU

I'm astonished no one has challenged the stupidity of that name in front of the Supreme Court yet.

As if ISTEA was any better....

[agentsteel53]

As if ISTEA was any better....

it is, because it doesn't have a seemingly meaningless extra syllable at the end.  ISTEA-LOU?

[Scott5114]

If you're headed to Oklahoma City, the Creek Turnpike is the better route (current issues with construction aside, of course). Much less traffic and craziness than on I-44 through Tulsa. OTA makes a lot of questionable signage decisions, but this is not one of them.

[bugo]

The eastern part of the Creek Turnpike has nearly no traffic.  It is very underutilized, but a nice drive at 75 MPH.