Tulsa Highways @ OKHighways.com -- Interstate 44

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Interstate 44
Exit Guide
(Miles 219-241)

Exit 221A
(WB Only)

57th W. Ave.

Exit 221B
(WB Only)

OK 66 West
Sapulpa
Bristow

Exit 222A

49th W. Ave.

Exit 222B
(EB Only)

55th Pl.

Exit 222C
(WB Only)

56th St.

Exit 223A

Interstate 244 East
Downtown Tulsa

Exit 223B
(WB Only)

51st St.

Exit 223C

33rd W. Ave.

Exit 224

U.S. 75
Okmulgee
Bartlesville

Exit 225
(WB Only)

Elwood Ave.

Exit 226A

Riverside Dr.

Exit 226B

Peoria Ave.

Exit 227

Lewis Ave.

Exit 228

Harvard Ave.

Exit 229

Yale Ave.
St. Francis Hospital

Exit 230

Sheridan Rd.
41st St.

Exit 231

U.S. 64
OK 51
Sand Springs
Broken Arrow

Exit 231 (EB)
Exit 232 (WB)

Memorial Dr.
E. 31st St.

Exit 233 (EB)
Exit 233B (WB)

E. 21st St.

Exit 234A (EB)

U.S. 169 North
Owasso

Exit 234A (WB)

U.S. 169
Broken Arrow
Owasso

Exit 234B

Garnett Rd.

Exit 235

East 11th St.

Exit 236

129th E. Ave.

Exit 236B
(WB Only)

Interstate 244 West
U.S. 412 West
Sand Springs
Enid

Exit 238

161st E. Ave.

Exit 240

OK 167 North
193rd E. Ave.

Exit 241

OK 66 East
Catoosa
Claremore

Exit 242
(unmarked)

U.S. 412 East
Chouteau

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Interstate 44 (Miles 219-242)

(Miles 219-242)

Highway Review:
Entering Tulsa from the west on the Turner Turnpike, the speed limit is 60. After leaving the turnpike, motorists are immediately greeted with several hotels and fast-food restaurants located at the 49th W. Ave. (Exit 222A), and 55th Place (Exit 222B) exits. Exit 223A is for Interstate 244 East, which serves the Tulsa downtown area. Interstate 44 heads directly to the east at this interchange as Interstate 244 takes over heading in a northeasterly direction.

There aren't too many exits on Interstate 44 west of the Arkansas River in Tulsa. Exit 223C (33rd W. Ave.) and Exit 224 (U.S. 75) are the only interchanges between Interstate 244 and the river. Immediately after crossing the river, there is a half-cloverleaf interchange with Riverside Dr. (Exit 226A), with all the ramps east of Riverside Dr., since the river is just west. (That's why it's called Riverside Drive!) Now we enter one of the worst stretches of interstate in Oklahoma, the tight section of Interstate 44 between Riverside Dr. and U.S. 64/OK 51 (or the Broken Arrow Expressway, B.A. for short). This five mile section of roadway has substandard written all over it, and there isn't much right-of-way to expand. Expansion of this section is in the plans for the future, and when money becomes available in the Garvee road bond program, this highway will be widened. (In my opinion, it can't come soon enough!) Towards the eastern part of this segment are some of the oldest signs in Oklahoma. Interstate 44 is, however, being widened from just east of Exit 230 (E. 41st St./Sheridan Rd.) to the Mingo Valley Expressway/U.S. 169 (Exit 234A), so the old button copy signs at U.S. 64/OK 51 are now history. There are still button copy signs at Exit 229 and Exit 230, however, to satisfy you button copy buffs out there.

Interstate 44 widens from four lanes to six lanes around Memorial Dr., located between the B.A. Expressway and the Mingo Valley Expressway. The interchange with U.S. 169 is under construction, as the Mingo Valley Expressway is being widened as well. As of late November 2002, access was blocked off from Interstate 44 East to U.S. 169 South.

Traffic begins to calm down slightly as we head east. Garnett Rd. (Exit 234B), East 11th St. (Exit 235), and 129th E. Ave. (Exit 236) are interchanges serving eastern Tulsa. Just past the 129th E. Ave. exit, Interstate 244 and U.S. 412 East merge with Interstate 44 East, and the speed limit increases to 65. Remaining exits in the Tulsa area are at Exit 238 (161st E. Ave.), which is the home of a truck stop destroyed in a tornado that went through the area in the 1990s, Exit 240A (OK 167 North), and Exit 241 (OK 66 East). The OK 66 East interchange used to be the western terminus of the Will Rogers Turnpike, but with the completion of the Creek Turnpike a mile to the east, the interstate continues straight ahead for a mile before heading north on the Creek Turnpike for about 1 1/2 miles, then the highway hooks up with the old section of the Will Rogers Turnpike, about a mile east of where its western terminus was for so many years.

PICTURES

	Interstate 44 West at Exit 221B - OK 66 West - Sapulpa/Bristow. Exit 221A for 57th W. Ave. also exits just ahead to the right. After that, the Turner Turnpike begins. (Photo taken 4/25/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 222A - 49th W. Ave. (Photo taken 3/13/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 222A - 49th W. Ave. in Tulsa. The Turner Turnpike begins in less than a mile. (Photo taken 4/25/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 222B - 55th Pl. in Tulsa. Interstate 244 is approaching in just 1/2 mile. (Top photo taken 11/28/02, bottom photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 East approaching Exit 223A - Interstate 244 East. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 223A - Interstate 244 East - Downtown Tulsa. Interstate 244 is also known as the M.L. King Memorial Expressway. Downtown is about four miles to the north. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West approaching Exit 223A - Interstate 244 East. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 223A - Interstate 244 East - Downtown Tulsa. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 223B - 51st St.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 223C - 33rd W. Ave. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 224 - U.S. 75 - Okmulgee/ Bartlesville. U.S. 75 also heads into downtown Tulsa. It makes up part of secret Interstate 444 in downtown. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 224 - U.S. 75 - Bartlesville/Okmulgee. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East c/d ramp at U.S. 75 South. Okmulgee is about 40 miles to the south of this interchange. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 East c/d ramp at U.S. 75 North. Bartlesville is located 50 miles to the north. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 225 - Elwood Ave.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 226A - Riverside Dr. in Tulsa. The highway narrows to two lanes (four overall) after this interchange. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 226A - Riverside Dr.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 226B - Peoria Ave. The concrete median with the ugly green floppy things on top is the way this highway is in this substandard stretch. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 226B - Peoria Ave.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 227 - Lewis Ave. in Tulsa. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 227 - Lewis Ave.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 228 - Harvard Ave. in Tulsa. The highway isn't so narrow, but it doesn't have much room to grow, either. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 228 - Harvard Ave.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 229 - Yale Ave./St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa. Now we are entering button copy sign country. (Photo taken 3/13/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 229 - Yale Ave./St. Francis Hospital. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 230 - Sheridan Rd./41st St. in Tulsa. The "E." in front of "41st St." was removed from all signs around here, but in all reality, there is no reason for them to be gone. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 230 - Sheridan Rd./41st St. (Photo taken 4/25/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 231 - U.S. 64/OK 51 - Muskogee/Broken Arrow. Memorial Dr.-bound traffic also exits here. The interstate was recently widened to six lanes through here, so the signs at top were replaced by the signs on the bottom. (Top photo taken 11/28/02, bottom photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 East c/d lane at U.S. 64/OK 51 East/TO U.S. 169 - Broken Arrow/Muskogee. (Photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 c/d lane at U.S. 64/OK 51 West in Tulsa. The Broken Arrow Expressway (or B.A. Expressway) has been widened and the project, after years of waiting, was completed in January 2003. Some of the new signs on the B.A., however, make road scholars wonder if maybe the old signs should've stayed, with errors like U.S. 64 being signed as OK 64 in place. (Top photo taken 11/28/02, bottom photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 231 - U.S. 64/OK 51 - Sand Springs/Broken Arrow. (Photo taken 11/30/03)
	Interstate 44 West c/d lane at U.S. 64/OK 51 West - Tulsa. (Photo taken 11/30/03)
	Interstate 44 West c/d lane at U.S. 64/OK 51 East/ TO U.S. 169 - Broken Arrow/Muskogee. (Photo taken 11/30/03)
	Interstate 44 East c/d lane at E. 31st St./Memorial Dr. (Photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 232 - Memorial Dr./E. 31st St. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East* at Exit 233 - 21st St.* (Photo taken 11/28/03)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 233B - E. 21st St.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 234A - U.S. 169 North - Owasso. U.S. 169 was recently widened in this area, and the ramp from Interstate 44 East to U.S. 169 South was eliminated due to safety concerns with the proximity of U.S. 169's 21st St. exit. (Top photo taken 11/28/02, bottom photo taken 11/28/03)
	On Thanksgiving Day 2002, the ramp from the c/d lane to U.S. 169 South was being used exclusively for 21st St. as seen here. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 East c/d lane at U.S. 169 North. U.S. 169, also known as the Mingo Valley Expressway, will intersect Interstate 244 in two miles. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 234A - U.S. 169 - Broken Arrow/Owasso. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 234B - Garnett Rd. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 235 - East 11th St. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 235 - East 11th St. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 236 - 129th E. Ave. Those wanting to get from here to Interstate 244 West (about 1/2 mile to the north) must take this exit and head north on 129th E. Ave., then west on Interstate 244, because there is no direct connection from Interstate 44 East to Interstate 244 West. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West* at Exit 236 - 129th E. Ave.* (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44 East as it prepares to head underneath the eastbound lanes of Interstate 244. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 244's eastbound lanes merge with Interstate 44 East here. U.S. 412 continues with Interstate 44, but Interstate 244 comes to an end. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West approaching Exit 236B - Interstate 244 West. The empty space on the left guide sign once had an OK 33 shield, before U.S. 412 took over OK 33's route in eastern Oklahoma. (Photo taken 12/1/02)
	Interstate 44 West at unmarked Exit 236B - Interstate 244 West - Sand Springs/Enid. Notice that the control cities on this sign differ from the one on the advance signage. Also notice the skinny interstate shields - these are commonplace on Interstate 244. (Photo taken 12/1/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 238 - 161st E. Ave. in Tulsa. The speed limit increased from 60 to 65 after the merge of Interstate 244 and U.S. 412. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 238 - 161st E. Ave. in Tulsa. There is a glaring error on this sign; there's no arrow pointing towards where the exit is! (Photo taken 12/1/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 240 - OK 167 North - 193rd E. Ave. There is no sign indicating the exit is here, however, this gantry once contained the exit sign, and the exit is here, so this is the closest thing I got. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 240A - OK 167 North - 193rd E. Ave. OK 167 connects Interstate 44 to OK 266 and the Port of Catoosa, a distance of five miles. (Photo taken 12/1/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 241 - OK 66 East - Catoosa/ Claremore. Before September 2002, Interstate 44 traffic exited here as well. With the completion of the Creek Turnpike a mile to the east, and the proximity of the on-ramp from OK 167, Interstate 44 was moved to a new alignment and now runs along U.S. 412 for one more mile. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 241 - OK 66 East. The exit is actually unnumbered, at least, it was when I was in the area. There was also no sign at the exit. (Photo taken 12/1/02)
	Interstate 44 East at unmarked Exit 242 - U.S. 412 East - Chouteau. The interstate exits here and heads north along the Creek Turnpike for about 1 1/2 miles before merging with the original Will Rogers Turnpike. (Photo taken 11/28/02)
	Interstate 44/Creek Turnpike West at Exit 34 - Interstate 44/U.S. 412 West - Tulsa. The numbering on this section of Interstate 44 follows the Creek Turnpike mileage, which could make it confusing for out-of-towners who just saw Exit 248 about six miles back, then all of a sudden, Exit 34? (Top photo taken 12/1/02, bottom photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44/Creek Turnpike West approaching Exit 34 - Interstate 44/U.S. 412/OK 66 West - 1/2 mile, and Exit 33A - U.S. 412 East - 1 mile. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Interstate 44/Creek Turnpike West at Exit 35 - E. Pine St. This is the first exit for southbound travelers on the Creek Turnpike. (Photo taken 5/24/03)
	Before the Creek Turnpike was completed, Interstate 44 went through the valley in the middle of the picture. Now, it curves to the south to join the Creek Turnpike for 1 1/2 miles. Not visible in the picture, but visible to me on this day, was that all the exit signs at OK 66 were still up, even though the interstate doesn't go that way anymore! (Photo taken 12/1/02)