OKHighways.com

Highway History:
1953: OK 48 was about 60 miles long, as it went from OK 78 to what was then OK 12 (now OK 1) in Allen. Two sections of present OK 48 were signed as another highway: the section from Atwood to five miles north of Holdenville was signed as OK 68, and the section from OK 56 to OK 66 (then U.S. 66) was OK 27.

1959: By this year, the route had changed to the same one it is today, as the parts of OK 48 that were not complete six years earlier were now finished.

Highway Review:
OK 48 runs from OK 78 north of Durant to U.S. 64 just north and west of the eastern terminus of the Cimarron Turnpike, a distance of over 160 miles. It begins at an interchange off U.S. 69/75 duplexed with OK 78. OK 48 and OK 78 are duplexed for the first two miles of OK 48. After OK 78 heads west, OK 48 heads north towards its first town, Coleman, which is actually mostly located east of the highway. OK 48 has its only lettered route in Coleman, OK 48A, which connects OK 48 to OK 78 and the town of Milburn. Seven miles after leaving Coleman, OK 48 intersects OK 7 in the town of Wapanucka. The next town is Tupelo, located just south of OK 3. Over sixty miles into its route, OK 48 enters Allen and a seven mile duplex with OK 1 begins there. After leaving OK 1 behind in Atwood, OK 48 crosses the Canadian River and enters its largest town on the route, Holdenville, a town of over 4,000 residents. Twenty miles north of Holdenville OK 48 intersects Interstate 40.

There isn't too much in between OK 48's intersections with Interstate 40 and Interstate 44. OK 48 doesn't see a highway intersection between U.S. 62 and OK 18, a distance of 25 miles, which is almost the whole distance between the two interstates. Near Interstate 44, OK 48 travels through Bristow, another town of over 4,000 people. Some scenery along OK 48 near Keystone Lake north of OK 51 is about all that remains of the highway. After intersecting the Cimarron Turnpike/U.S. 412, OK 48 ends at U.S. 64, less than half a mile north of the turnpike.

Highway Information:
Distance: 160.5 miles
Counties traveled through: Bryan, Atoka, Johnston, Coal, Ponotoc, Hughes, Okfuskee, Creek, Pawnee
Highway intersections: OK 78 (Mile 0.0), OK 22 (Mile 5.4), OK 48A (Mile 15.7), OK 7 (Mile 22.8), OK 31 (Mile 32.3), OK 3 (Mile 39.9), OK 1 (Mile 60.0), OK 1 (Mile 67.0), Bus. U.S. 270 (Mile 77.8), U.S. 270 (Mile 79.1), OK 9 (Mile 88.7), OK 99A (Mile 96.7), Interstate 40 (Mile 102.4), OK 56 (Mile 104.3), U.S. 62 (Mile 107.3), OK 16 (Mile 132.0), OK 66 (Mile 132.4), OK 16 (Mile 133.1), Interstate 44 (Mile 133.4), OK 66 (Mile 136.1), OK 33 (Mile 145.0), OK 51 (Mile 153.4), U.S. 412/Cimarron Turnpike (Mile 160.2), U.S. 64 (Mile 160.5)
Highway duplexes: OK 1 (Miles 60.0-67.0, 7.0 miles), OK 16 (Miles 132.0-133.1, 1.1 miles), OK 66 (Miles 132.4-136.1, 3.7 miles)

Traffic Counts:
2,900 - OK 48 @ OK 78
2,700 - OK 48 @ OK 22
2,500 - OK 48 @ OK 48A
1,700 - OK 48 @ OK 7
1,300 - OK 48 @ OK 31
1,800 - OK 48 @ OK 3
1,000 - OK 48 @ OK 1
2,700 - OK 48/OK 1 duplex
2,100 - OK 48 @ U.S. 270
910 - OK 48 @ OK 9
500 - OK 48 @ OK 99A
720 - OK 48 @ Interstate 40
790 - OK 48 @ OK 56
1,700 - OK 48 @ U.S. 62
4,800 - Bristow
5,200 - OK 48 @ OK 66 E
1,900 - OK 48 @ OK 33
3,100 - OK 48 @ OK 51
2,200 - OK 48 @ U.S. 64

SOUTHERN TERMINUS
OK 78, north of Durant

	"END OK 48" sign as OK 48 South nears its end at OK 78. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 48 South at OK 78. Durant is less than five miles straight ahead. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 48 North assurance shield just north of OK 78. OK 48A is 10 miles ahead. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 78 South at OK 48 North. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	U.S. 69/U.S. 75 South at OK 48 North Via OK 78 - Durant. This interchange is located three miles south of the southern end of OK 48. (Photo taken 5/31/04)

OTHER HIGHWAY PICTURES

	OK 48 North at OK 48A West. OK 48A connects to OK 78 in Milburn at its other end. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 48 North* at OK 7 in Wapanucka.* (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 48 North at OK 31 East. OK 31 goes through Coalgate, McAlester, Quinton, Kinta, and McCurtain in its 133 miles. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 48 North at OK 99A West. OK 99A connects OK 3E east of Shawnee to OK 48, and intersects U.S. 377/OK 99 and OK 56 along its journey. OK 48 heads off to the east for a couple miles before heading back to the north. (Photo taken 10/31/03)
	Go straight ahead at the intersection above, and you will see this sign for the turn onto OK 99A West. Between OK 56 and OK 48, OK 99A is a narrow, twisty road. (Photo taken 10/31/03)
	OK 48 North assurance shield just north of OK 51. Keystone Lake is a few miles away from this point. The northern terminus of OK 48 is approaching in eight miles. (Photo taken 1/7/03)
	OK 48 North at U.S. 412/Cimarron Turnpike West. The curve ahead and the signs in the distance are the northern terminus of the highway. This interchange is the eastern terminus of the Cimarron Turnpike as well. (Photo taken 1/7/03)
	Taken from the "END OK 48" sign (behind me in the photo) is OK 48 South at U.S. 412 West. This shows the proximity of OK 48's northern terminus and the Cimarron Turnpike. (Photo taken 1/7/03)

NORTHERN TERMINUS
U.S. 64, south of Cleveland

	An unusually large "END" tab really lets motorists know that this is the end of OK 48 North. The green sign in the distance is just before the U.S. 64 intersection. The large END tab here reminds me of the "ENDS" tab at OK 15's eastern terminus. (Photo taken 1/7/03)
	OK 48 North at U.S. 64. U.S. 64 merges with U.S. 412 just to the east of this intersection. The U.S. 64/412 freeway is known as the Keystone Expressway, and is full of old, substandard signage, if there are any signs signifying an exit at all! (Photo taken 1/7/03)