OKHighways.com

Highway Review:
U.S. 81 begins its journey towards Canada in Fort Worth, Texas. At one time, U.S. 81 went all the way to the Mexico border, but the southern terminus was truncated in the early 1990s. Much of its final section in the Dakotas runs parallel or with Interstate 29. The two highways share a northern terminus at the Canadian border north of Pembina, ND.

In Oklahoma, U.S. 81 crosses the Red River and almost immediately motorists are greeted with the town of Terral. The first nine miles of U.S. 81 in Oklahoma run closely parallel to the Red River. Nine miles north of Terral, U.S. 81 intersects OK 32 at its western terminus. The next ten miles have been repaved recently and leads to U.S. 70 east of Waurika, the county seat of Jefferson County. In Comanche, fifteen miles north of U.S. 70, U.S. 81 intersects OK 53. Nine miles later, the highway grows from a 2-lane road to a 4-lane divided highway near Duncan, and the highway remains 4-laned all the way to Chickasha, 40 miles north of Duncan. Just south of Chickasha, U.S. 277 joins U.S. 81 and they are signed until U.S. 62/OK 9, where U.S. 81 heads west with U.S. 62 and OK 9 and U.S. 277 heads east. OK 92 spends some time with U.S. 81 as well in Chickasha.

U.S. 81 heads north on its own once again two miles west of Chickasha. The next major highway is OK 37 in Minco, followed by OK 152 just north of Minco. Both highways share a couple miles with U.S. 81, but never at the same time, as U.S. 81/OK 37 is south of OK 152, OK 37 heads west with OK 152, and U.S. 81/OK 152 then head across the Canadian River before going their separate ways in Union City. Seven miles later, U.S. 81 intersects Interstate 40 at its Exit 125. U.S. 81 then enters El Reno and heads west along old U.S. 66 (current OK 66). U.S. 81 is a 4-lane divided highway for a couple miles north of El Reno then it goes back down to 2 lanes until the interchange at OK 3, when U.S. 81 becomes 4-laned all the way to north of Enid, a distance of about 60 miles. Between OK 3 and Enid, U.S. 81 travels through Okarche, Kingfisher, Dover, Hennessey, Bison, and Waukomis.

After traveling through Enid (pop. 47,045) U.S. 60 East and U.S. 64 West have joined U.S. 81 North. The three U.S. highways are joined for about 15 miles before splitting at a T-intersection. U.S. 81 heads east with U.S. 60 for four miles then heads north on its own in Pond Creek. Eleven miles later U.S. 81 heads through its final major town, Medford, and fifteen miles north of there U.S. 81 enters Kansas.

Highway Information:
Distance: 230.6 miles
Counties traveled through: Jefferson, Stephens, Grady, Canadian, Kingfisher, Garfield, Grant
Highway intersections: OK 32 (Mile 10.3), U.S. 70 (Mile 20.2), OK 53 (Mile 35.2), OK 7 (Mile 44.1), OK 7B (Mile 44.9), OK 7 (Mile 51.2), OK 29 (Mile 55.1), Bus. U.S. 81 (Mile 63.2), OK 17 (Mile 64.6), Bus. U.S. 81 (MIle 66.0), U.S. 277/OK 19 (Mile 76.9), OK 19 (Mile 79.9), Interstate 44 (Mile 82.1), OK 92 (S)(Mile 82.4), U.S. 62/277/OK 9/92 (Mile 84.0), U.S. 62/OK 9 (Mile 85.7), OK 37 (Mile 103.6), OK 37/152 (Mile 105.1), OK 152 (Mile 109.3), Interstate 40/Bus. Loop I-40 (Mile 116.9), OK 66 (Mile 117.4), Bus. Loop I-40 (Mile 119.7), OK 3 (Mile 130.9), OK 3/33 (Mile 143.2), OK 51 (Mile 161.8), OK 51 (Mile 162.3), U.S. 60/412 (Mile 181.3), U.S. 64 (Mile 185.7), OK 45 (Mile 186.7), U.S. 64 (Mile 200.7), U.S. 60 (Mile 204.8), OK 11 (Mile 215.8)
Highway duplexes: OK 7 (Miles 44.1-51.2, 7.1 miles), U.S. 277 (Miles 76.9-84.0, 7.1 miles), OK 19 (Miles 76.9-79.9, 3.0 miles), OK 92 (S) (Miles 82.4-84.0, 1.6 miles), U.S. 62/OK 9 (Miles 84.0-85.7, 1.7 miles), OK 37 (Miles 103.6-105.1, 1.5 miles), OK 152 (Miles 105.1-109.3, 4.2 miles), Bus. Loop I-40 (Miles 116.9-119.7, 2.8 miles), OK 3 (Miles 130.9-143.2, 12.3 miles), OK 51 (Miles 161.8-162.3, 0.5 miles), U.S. 60 (Miles 181.3-204.8, 23.5 miles), U.S. 64 (Miles 185.7-200.7, 15.0 miles)

PICTURES

	U.S. 81 North at U.S. 70 east of Waurika. U.S. 70 is a major east-west thoroughfare throughout far southern Oklahoma. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	U.S. 81 South* at U.S. 70.* (Photo taken 5/12/04)
	U.S. 81 South* at OK 53 in Comanche.* (Photo taken 5/12/04)
	U.S. 81 North* at OK 7 East in Duncan.* (Photo taken 5/12/04)
	U.S. 81 North at OK 29 in Marlow. This is the western terminus of OK 29. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81 South at OK 29 East. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81 North at Business U.S. 81 south of Rush Springs. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81 North at OK 17 west of Rush Springs. OK 17 ends less than a mile east of here at Business U.S. 81, which was formerly U.S. 81. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81 South at Business U.S. 81 South. The northern half of the business route is signed as U.S. 81B, such as the one shown here. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 South/OK 19 West at U.S. 277 South/OK 19 West near Ninnekah. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 North/OK 19 East shields just north of the intersection pictured above. The three highways are joined for three miles before OK 19 heads east on its own. U.S. 277, however, stays with U.S. 81 until downtown Chickasha. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 North/OK 19 East at the OK 19 East intersection south of Chickasha. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 South/OK 19 West shields just south of the OK 19 East intersection. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 South at OK 19 East. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	Another view of U.S. 81/U.S. 277 South at OK 19 East. OK 19 heads off towards Lindsay, Pauls Valley, and Ada. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 North assurance shields just north of OK 19 West south of Chickasha. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277 South shields just south of the Interstate 44 West off-ramp. Interstate 44 is the overpass in the background. (Photo taken 11/22/02)
	U.S. 81/277 North at Interstate 44 East in Chickasha. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81/277 North at Interstate 44 West in Chickasha. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277/OK 92 North assurance shields just north of the OK 92 South intersection in Chickasha. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81/277/OK 92 South assurance shields just south of the U.S. 62/OK 9 intersection in downtown Chickasha. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81/U.S. 277/OK 92 North at U.S. 62/OK 9 in downtown Chickasha. U.S. 81 heads west at this point, while U.S. 277 and OK 92 head east. (Photo taken 10/4/02)
	U.S. 81 North/OK 152 East just north of OK 152 near Minco. (Photo taken 11/26/02)
	U.S. 81 North/OK 152 East at OK 152 East in Union City. OK 152's short stint with U.S. 81 ends here for those heading east towards Mustang and Oklahoma City. (Photo taken 11/26/02)
	U.S. 81 North at Interstate 40 East in El Reno. (Photo taken 11/26/02)
	U.S. 81 South at Interstate 40 East - Oklahoma City exit south of El Reno. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 North at Interstate 40 West. The speed limit, which was 65 at the I-40 East exit, has now fallen to 55, and is about to fall to 45. OK 66 is approaching and the I-40 Business Loop begins here as well. (Photo taken 11/26/02)
	U.S. 81 South at Interstate 40 West. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 North at OK 66 East in El Reno. OK 66, which follows U.S. 66's routing, has its western terminus at this intersection. The stoplight ahead still states that this is U.S. 66/ 270. U.S. 270 ran along this stretch of U.S. 66 as well before it was moved along Interstate 40. (Photo taken 11/26/02)
	U.S. 81 South at OK 66 East. The shield assembly for OK 66 is just ahead. The BGS is for U.S. 81 and Interstate 40-bound traffic to exit to the right to continue on U.S. 81. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 South/Bus. Loop I-40 East in El Reno. The blue directional tab should be a green one since the route is a business route. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 South at Business Loop I-40 in El Reno. The business loop runs along old U.S. 66. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 South/OK 3 East at U.S. 81 South - El Reno exit, south of Okarche. OK 3 heads towards northwest Oklahoma City while U.S. 81 heads towards El Reno. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 81 South at OK 3 West/OK 33. Two OK 33 West sign assemblies exist among these signs. The one on top should be an OK 3 shield, since OK 3 West begins a duplex with OK 33 at this stoplight in Kingfisher. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 60 West/U.S. 81 South at U.S. 60 West/ U.S. 412 in Enid. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 60 West/U.S. 64 East/U.S. 81 South at U.S. 64 East in North Enid. The three federal highways share a 15-mile triplex. (Photo taken 7/18/03)
	U.S. 60 West/U.S. 64 East/U.S. 81 South at OK 45 West. (Photo taken 7/18/03)