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<-- OK 48A | OK
49 | OK 50 -->
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Highway History:
In 1950, OK 49 followed today's route of OK 115 from U.S. 62 in Cache north
to where unsigned OK 49 heads to the east, then OK 49 followed its present-day
route to U.S. 62/U.S. 277/U.S. 281. OK 115 had not been built yet. The part of
present-day OK 49 from OK 54 to OK 115 was not built yet, and sometime between
1950 and 1960, OK 115 was built as far south as OK 49. OK 115's southern
terminus was at unsigned OK 49 inside the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. (OK
49 and OK 115 are unsigned inside the wildlife refuge)
By 1970, OK 115 had been extended south to its present-day southern terminus at U.S. 62 in Cache, and OK 49 had been built between OK 54 and unsigned OK 115, so OK 49 was signed along this then-new roadway. This moved OK 49's western terminus to OK 54, where it still is today. OK 49's eastern terminus was at a divided at-grade U.S. 62/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 one mile south of the southwestern terminus of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike's northern section.
Within the next decade, an interchange was built at the junction of U.S. 62/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 at OK 49, and in 1982, Interstate 44 was extended southwestward from its old western terminus in northeast Oklahoma City, through Lawton, to Wichita Falls, Texas. Today, OK 49's eastern terminus is at Interstate 44/U.S. 62/U.S. 277/U.S. 281.
Highway Review:
OK 49 is a rather scenic and
interesting state highway. It isn't even signed for part of it!
The first few miles of the highway has a 55 mph speed limit, and
then after two 90-degree curves, OK 49 all of a sudden loses its
highway signage! That is because it enters the Wichita Mountains
National Wildlife Refuge, and the speed limit falls to 45 (35 at
night) as well. There are several curves on this stretch of
highway, and yes it is very possible that you will see buffalo,
longhorns, and other wildlife right by the highway, maybe even
crossing the highway! (Personal story: The first time I went through there was
in October 2002 at about 7 pm in so it was almost dark. When I
entered the wildlife refuge, there were three buffalo standing
right by the highway! And later, near the unsigned intersection
of OK 49 and OK 115, I almost ran into a longhorn, I think, that
was crossing the highway, and there were a few more right next to
it! So please be aware of the wildlife when driving through
there. Of course, it didn't help any that my headlights went out
and I didn't quite know it yet either! :) )
Back to the highway, OK 49 heads south and turns into OK 115. OK 49 traffic must turn off to the east, but of course, the highways are unsigned, so follow the sign that says I-44 and Lawton and that is the route of OK 49. Follow the sign that says Cache and you'll be on OK 115 South. A few miles east of OK 115, OK 49 leaves the wildlife refuge and gains its signage back. It skirts the southern side of Medicine Park and intersects OK 58 just east of there. The final few miles of OK 49 are just north of Fort Sill, and then at Interstate 44, OK 49 finds its eastern end after some of the most interesting 30 miles you'll ever see on an Oklahoma state highway.
Highway Information:
Distance: 30.0 miles
Counties traveled through: Kiowa, Comanche
Cities traveled through: Medicine Park
Highway intersections: OK 54 (Mile 0.0),
OK 115 (Mile 15.2), OK 115 (Mile 18.5),
OK 58 (Mile 26.0),
Interstate 44/U.S. 62/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 (Mile 30.0)
Highway duplexes: OK 115 (Miles 15.2-18.5, 3.3 miles)
WESTERN TERMINUS
OK 54
OTHER HIGHWAY PICTURES
EASTERN TERMINUS
Interstate 44/U.S. 62/U.S.
277/U.S. 281,
east of Medicine Park
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