Dallas to Kansas City

[kphoger]

So I was pondering....

Which is the faster route from Dallas to Kansas City?
(A) I-35 via Oklahoma City to Emporia, then choosing your preference of either staying on I-35 or using the Turnpike;
(B) US-75 and US-69 via Muskogee, to I-44 and US-71.

Route A is 37 miles longer than Route B, but has a higher average speed and no stoplights.
Anyone?  Anyone?

[txstateends]

I've historically liked "B" better, if I didn't have anywhere along the "A" route to be in-between.  Atoka, McAlester, and Muskogee are really the only stoplight problems (they could stand a good bypass but that's another topic/section  ), and even they aren't as bad as some places.

[Scott5114]

Route A is probably the better route. Whatever negligible time savings you get with the shorter US-75/69 route will probably be eaten up farting around Atoka, McAlester, Muskogee, Wagoner, Adair, and the smaller speed trap towns that cling to 69 like a polyp. On I-35, Oklahoma City should be no problem at all as long as you time it to not hit town during rush hours, and you'll be using the Turnpike through Wichita, so it's not really worth factoring in. I-35 NE of Emporia is shorter and cheaper than the Turnpike, and for the most part has been recently reconstructed so it is the better route to take.

Keep in mind that KS has a 75 MPH speed limit now, too, and the only 75 section in Oklahoma you will encounter on Route B is the Big Cabin to Missouri stretch. Most of US 69/75 through OK is signed for 65, I think.

B is probably more scenic and likely has less truck traffic for the majority of the route.

[bugo]

The route through OKC is far superior.  The slowing down and speeding up over and over on 69 is grueling and causes driver fatigue.  35/44/49 is much more relaxing.

[Scott5114]

I always found the 44 turnpikes to be somewhat taxing...though the speed limit is 75, there are quite a few people who appear unwilling to do that speed, and a lot of trucks and hills, so there's lots of passing and lane changing to do. The Turner is worse than the Will Rogers in this regard. I-35 all the way is probably most relaxing, then 35/44/49, then 69/44/49.

[kphoger]

Route A is probably the better route. Whatever negligible time savings you get with the shorter US-75/69 route will probably be eaten up farting around Atoka, McAlester, Muskogee, Wagoner, Adair, and the smaller speed trap towns that cling to 69 like a polyp. On I-35, Oklahoma City should be no problem at all as long as you time it to not hit town during rush hours, and you'll be using the Turnpike through Wichita, so it's not really worth factoring in. I-35 NE of Emporia is shorter and cheaper than the Turnpike, and for the most part has been recently reconstructed so it is the better route to take.

Keep in mind that KS has a 75 MPH speed limit now, too, and the only 75 section in Oklahoma you will encounter on Route B is the Big Cabin to Missouri stretch. Most of US 69/75 through OK is signed for 65, I think.

B is probably more scenic and likely has less truck traffic for the majority of the route.

I live in Wichita, and have driven all of Option A at separate times.

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Thank you all for your input.

[rte66man]

I live in Wichita, and have driven all of Option A at separate times.

======

Thank you all for your input.

For me, it depends on where in KC my trip will start/end. Leaving Independence or Liberty, I would take 71/44/35.  Leaving Olathe I would use 35 all the way.

I definitely agree with the other posters about avoiding 69 in OK. Too many traffic lights and speed traps between Big Cabin and the Bryan County line.

rte66man

[Scott5114]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

[bugo]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

I suppose you could take either 69 or ALT 69 south to OK 69A to I-44. 

[Scott5114]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

I suppose you could take either 69 or ALT 69 south to OK 69A to I-44. 

Done that... not really optimal since you have to go through Pittsburg and Baxter Springs. Wonder if it would be worth it to dodge east to take I-49 after the freeway runs out.

BTW, "OK 69A" is just a signage/map error. It's part of ALT 69, and is shown as such on ODOT's control section maps.

[apeman33]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

US 69 is four-lane all the way through town. But it's a poorly-designed expressway that was wedged in between a creek and a railroad, is never more than four blocks from the old main drag, and has that S curve so that it can pass in front of the car dealership owned by the state legislator who got the funding for it in the 1960s.

It's my feeling that in about 20 years, there will only be seven traffic lights on 69 between Shawnee Mission Parkway and the Oklahoma State line. And all seven of them will be in Fort Scott.

[apeman33]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

I suppose you could take either 69 or ALT 69 south to OK 69A to I-44. 

Done that... not really optimal since you have to go through Pittsburg and Baxter Springs. Wonder if it would be worth it to dodge east to take I-49 after the freeway runs out.

BTW, "OK 69A" is just a signage/map error. It's part of ALT 69, and is shown as such on ODOT's control section maps.

He means this:


This is the actual OK-69A. It begins about a mile east of the US 69/Alt US 69 junction and goes south to OK-10 and the onramp for I-44 on the east side of Miami. It passes by at least two casinos.

[Scott5114]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

I suppose you could take either 69 or ALT 69 south to OK 69A to I-44. 

Done that... not really optimal since you have to go through Pittsburg and Baxter Springs. Wonder if it would be worth it to dodge east to take I-49 after the freeway runs out.

BTW, "OK 69A" is just a signage/map error. It's part of ALT 69, and is shown as such on ODOT's control section maps.

He means this:


This is the actual OK-69A. It begins about a mile east of the US 69/Alt US 69 junction and goes south to OK-10 and the onramp for I-44 on the east side of Miami. It passes by at least two casinos.

D'oh! Completely forgot about that and overlooked it on my map. That is a poor designation; really should be OK-69B to keep it from being confused with either US 69A/69 Alternate or the other OK-69A in Mayes County!

(don't get me started on the situation with OK-9A)

[apeman33]

Is there any sensible way to incorporate US 69 in KS into the route? It's good quality and, in my one experience, fairly empty. It's a shame it just sort of dumps you onto a two-lane in Fort Scott.

I suppose you could take either 69 or ALT 69 south to OK 69A to I-44. 

Done that... not really optimal since you have to go through Pittsburg and Baxter Springs. Wonder if it would be worth it to dodge east to take I-49 after the freeway runs out.

BTW, "OK 69A" is just a signage/map error. It's part of ALT 69, and is shown as such on ODOT's control section maps.

He means this:
(snipping my own photo)

This is the actual OK-69A. It begins about a mile east of the US 69/Alt US 69 junction and goes south to OK-10 and the onramp for I-44 on the east side of Miami. It passes by at least two casinos.

D'oh! Completely forgot about that and overlooked it on my map. That is a poor designation; really should be OK-69B to keep it from being confused with either US 69A/69 Alternate or the other OK-69A in Mayes County!

(don't get me started on the situation with OK-9A)

With the way Oklahoma seems to whimsically change things up around there sometimes, it could change tomorrow.

[US71]

So I was pondering....

Which is the faster route from Dallas to Kansas City?
(A) I-35 via Oklahoma City to Emporia, then choosing your preference of either staying on I-35 or using the Turnpike;
(B) US-75 and US-69 via Muskogee, to I-44 and US-71.

Route A is 37 miles longer than Route B, but has a higher average speed and no stoplights.
Anyone?  Anyone?

If time is a factor, OKC to Emporia.

Muskogee has too many traffic signals.  As a personal aside, weekends are really bad traffic-wise in Muskogee.

[bugo]

You could bypass Muskogee by taking the turnpike, OK 165, and US 64.  There is a toll to get on the turnpike but it's not that much.  This would save you time and a lot of hassle.