Interstate 40 West - Oklahoma to Groom

Welcome to Texas sign posted to the immediate west of the state line on IH 40 westbound. IH 40 overtakes historic U.S. 66, which returns from Texola, Oklahoma to the southeast.

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The Texas welcome center lies 100 miles ahead at Exit 76 in Amarillo.

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The first confirming marker for IH 40 west follows the on-ramp from the north side frontage road west from Texola. Texas Spur 30 (historic U.S. 66) follows the south side frontage road east from adjacent Exit 176.

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Drivers along Interstate 40 west reach Shamrock, the largest city in Wheeler County, in 13 miles. McLean, in adjoining Gray County, is 21 miles further.

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An abandoned picnic area lines the north side of Interstate 40 at Benonine.

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A brick Texas welcome sign still stood within the picnic area.

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The south side picnic area was also closed by 2011.

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A diamond interchange (Exit 169) connects Interstate 40 west with FM 1802 in one mile.

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FM 1802 overlays a 1.00 mile section of County Road 23 south from IH 40 to old the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad siding of Norrick.

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FM 2168 begins at Exit 167 and runs north 4.00 miles from IH 40 to County Road 263.

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Amarillo is now less than 100 miles along Interstate 40 west.

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Entering the diamond interchange (Exit 167) with FM 2168 (Daberry Road) north and County Road 21 south on IH 40 west.

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Three interchanges serve the forthcoming city of Shamrock in four miles while I-40 west reaches the town of McLean is 25 miles.

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IH 40 curves north to bypass Shamrock between Exits 164 and 161. Business Loop I-40J accompanies Historic U.S. 66 along 12th Street through the north end of town.

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Exit 164 departs for the north side frontage road ahead of an overpass leading south to Historic U.S. 66 (12th Street) west and a weigh station to the east. Business Loop I-40J totals 3.11 miles.

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U.S. 83 (Main Street) travels north through the Shamrock city center to cross paths with Interstate 40 at a diamond interchange (Exit 163) in one mile.

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North from Shamrock, U.S. 83 continues to the Wheeler County seat of Wheeler. South from the city, the US Highway varies between two and four lanes to the Collingsworth County seat of Wellington.

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IH 40 west passes over Roundup Creek ahead of this reassurance marker.

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A half diamond interchange returns the Shamrock Business Loop from 12th Street (Historic U.S. 66) before the next westbound IH 40 shield.

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Motorists continuing west arrive at McLean in 19 miles and Alanreed in 27 miles. Amarillo is now 89 miles away.

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FM 3075 south and FM 1547 north come together to end at IH 40 and the community of Lela in one mile.

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West from Lela, Interstate 40 shifts north to circumvent adjacent Long Dry Creek between mile marker 157 and 155.

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The next array of traveler services lie 14 miles ahead at McLean. Unincorporated Alanreed follows in 22 miles.

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Upcoming FM 453 comprises a minor collector north from a diamond interchange (Exit 152) with IH 40 along Pakan Road.

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FM 453 travels 9.23 miles north to Pakan and FM 2473. County Road 6 extends south from the end at IH 40 to CR 15 on the Collingsworth County line.

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Continuing west, Interstate 40 traverses open ranch land to a pair of abandoned parking areas at milepost 150 westbound and 149 eastbound.

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Distance sign posted ten miles from McLean and 80 miles to the regional service center of Amarillo.

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Exit 148 joins IH 40 with FM 1443 (Kellerville Road) north and unpaved County Road 2 south in one mile.

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FM 1443 (Kellerville Road) forms a major collector north 10.10 miles from IH 40 to FM 2473 at Kellerville.

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A wider median appears along Interstate 40 west on the two mile stretch to County Line Road (Exit 146).

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County Line Road is unpaved south from the diamond interchange (Exit 146) with IH 40 to FM 3143. A short stretch of the road is paved north to a nearby business.

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Exit 146 departs Interstate 40 west for County Line Road. County Line Road straddles the county border ten miles north to FM 2473.

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Interstate 40 concludes a 30.56 mile stint through Wheeler County and enters Gray County.

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Reassurance marker for Interstate 40 west posted after County Line Road.

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Business Loop I-40H branches north from IH 40 to the McLean business district in one mile. The business route separates into a one way couplet of First and Railroad Streets through the town street grid.

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A wye interchange (Exit 143) provides direct access to Historic U.S. 66 west from IH 40 west. The 3.80 mile long business loop returns at Exit 141.

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Texas 273 travels along the west side of McLean from a diamond interchange (Exit 142) with Interstate 40 to CR 270 and Morse Street. The 61.48 mile long state highway joins McLean with Lefors and Pampa to the north.

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Exit 142 leaves Interstate 40 west for SH 273 (Cider Street) north to Business Loop I-40 and FM 3143 (Main Street) south. SH 273 ventures south to SH 203 near Hedley. FM 3143 takes a stair stepped route south from Historic U.S. 66 to Collingsworth County. The 21.93 mile highway ends at FM 1547, west of Dozier.

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11,826 vehicles per day (vpd) were recorded along IH 40 between Exits 142 and 141 by TxDOT in 2015.

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Business Loop I-40H merges with Interstate 40 at a wye interchange (Exit 141). This reassurance marker follows.

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Interstate 40 shifts over a mile southward in latitude from McLean west to Alanreed. Beyond Alanreed, the freeway reaches the Carson County town of Groom in 29 miles.

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Looking north from IH 40 at ranch land along Peterson Creek.

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Loop 271 (3rd Avenue) connects IH 40 with the community of Alanreed via a split diamond interchange (Exit 135) in one mile.

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The 1.34 mile route of Loop 271 travels from the south side frontage road along an overlap with FM 291 between 6th Avenue and Main Street. FM 291 spurs 11.83 miles south from Alanreed to become County Road 20 beyond Rock Creek. A 16.05 mile branch of the highway extends north from Loop 271 to SH 273 near the town of Lefors.

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Exit 132 with Johnson Ranch Road links Interstate 40 with an adjacent section of Historic U.S. 66 through hilly terrain of southeastern Gray County.

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The first rest area along Interstate 40 west in Texas lies just beyond the diamond interchange (Exit 132) with Johnson Ranch Road.

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Johnson Ranch Road (CR 16) spurs north from CR 539 (old U.S. 66) to McClellan Creek and CR 290 west to Johnson Ranch.

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The westbound rest area is located at milepost 131. An east side facility lines I-40 at milepost 129.

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Confirming marker for IH 40 west posted after the Gray County rest area. The freeway travels at 3,155 feet above sea level here.

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The next collection of traveler services lie 18 miles ahead at Groom. Conway, located at the crossroads with SH 207, lies midway between here and Amarillo.

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A series of S-curves takes IH 40 west along the Gray and Donley County line to Exit 124.

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FM 2477 stems north from old U.S. 66 to a diamond interchange (Exit 128) with IH 40 one mile ahead.

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The 10.61 mile route of FM 2477 meanders northwest from Exit 128 through McClellan Creek National Grassland to the National Guard Panhandle Training Area and SH 70 at CR 112.

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Interstate 40 circumvents hills rising south of Lake McClellan over the succeeding four miles.

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Westbound distance sign posted 15 miles from Groom and 57 miles from Amarillo.

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Curving south back into Donley County on IH 40 west.

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A 316.9 mile long route, Texas 70 originates from U.S. 277 in northeast Coke County, near Oak Creek Reservoir. The state highway travels 16.91 miles north from U.S. 287 at Clarendon to a modified diamond interchange (Exit 124) with I-40.

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South from Exit 124, Texas 70 joins the county seats of Clarendon, Matador, Dickens, Jayton, Roby and Sweetwater.

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Interstate 40 straddles the Gray and Donley County line west from the SH 70 south overpass at Exit 124.

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Texas 70 accompanies Interstate 40 west for 2.9 miles.

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Groom, a rural town with a population over 500, lies 12 miles ahead. Downtown Amarillo is 54 miles to the west, while I-40 formally enters the city in 44 miles.

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SH 70 partitions with IH 40 west at Exit 121 and bee lines north 23.90 miles to U.S. 60 in the city of Pampa.

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A slip ramp departs for the north side frontage road at Exit 121. SH 70 constitutes a rural highway north across the McClellan Creek valley nearby. Beyond Pampa, SH 70 leads to U.S. 83, south of Perryton.

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IH 40 dips into Donley County for the final time west from SH 70 to the railroad siding of Boydston.

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TxDOT recorded 12,046 vpd along IH 40 west of Exit 121 in 2015.

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Interstate 40 cuts 4.73 miles across the southwestern corner of Gray County.

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Forthcoming Business Loop I-40F lines Historic U.S. 66 (Front Street) through Groom as IH 40 bypasses the town to the north.

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The 3.53 mile route of Business Loop I-40F stems west from a half diamond interchange (Exit 114). Front Street runs west through the Groom business district as a five lane boulevard.

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Appearing on the north side of Exit 114 is the Britten Water Tower. Retained as an attraction because it did not meet code standards for actual use as a water tower, the structure leans ten degrees. The tower was purchased by Ralph Britten and placed where his family's truck stop and restaurant was once located.¹

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Interstate 40 briefly enters the Groom limits at the diamond interchange (Exit 113) with FM 2300 (Eastern Avenue).

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Motorists cross the Carson County line as the north side frontage road merges onto Interstate 40 west from Exit 114.

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