Gilcrease Expressway | |
|---|---|
 Gilcrease Expressway highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained byODOT | |
| Length | 16.7 mi[1] (26.9 km) |
| Component highways |  SH-344 from I-44 to US-64 SH-11 from US-75 to I-244 |
| Western segment | |
| Length | 6.2 mi[1] (10.0 km) |
| South end |   I-44 /SH-66 inSapulpa |
| Major intersections |    US 64 /US 412 /SH-51 nearSand Springs |
| North end | Edison Street inTulsa |
| Eastern segment | |
| Length | 10.5 mi[1] (16.9 km) |
| West end | 41st West Avenue in Tulsa |
| Major intersections | L.L. Tisdale Parkway in Tulsa US 75 /SH-11 in Tulsa |
| East end |  I-244 /US 412 inTulsa |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Highway system | |
| |
TheGilcrease Expressway is a 16.7-mile-long (26.9 km)highway inTulsa County,Oklahoma,United States. It is part of the county's long-term plan to complete an outer highway loop aroundTulsa'scentral business district. The highway will connectInterstate 44 (I-44) inSapulpa toI-244 nearTulsa International Airport.
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The eastern segment of the highway runs from North 41st West Avenue east to Interstate 244. FromUS-75 to I-244/US-412, the Gilcrease carries the easternmost part ofState Highway 11. The currently existing highway servesTulsa International Airport and surrounding areas.
Additionally, the Gilcrease Expressway Extension has been constructed. On October 29, 2015, GovernorMary Fallin announced Driving Forward, a $892 million turnpike package. A five-mile (8.0 km) tolled extension of the Gilcrease Expressway was included in the package.[2] The project began in the third quarter of 2016.[3]
On June 4, 2018, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designationOklahoma State Highway 344 for the highway, to take effect upon completion of construction.[4] The extension opened on November 14, 2022.[5]
In 2010, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized theOklahoma Turnpike Authority to study the construction of a turnpike to complete the Gilcrease Expressway. The cost of the turnpike was estimated at $373 million for the final 6.7 miles (10.8 km) of the expressway.[6]
The next portion of the Gilcrease Expressway to be constructed is the segment between 41st West Avenue and Edison Street in West Tulsa. Although, the section between 41st West Avenue and Edison Street is named 31st Street North, 53rd West Avenue, Newton Street and 57th West Avenue.[7]
Many homes have been removed along 57th West Avenue between West 26th Street and West 21st Street. Plans include construction of a bridge over theArkansas River, connectingSand Springs and Berryhill.
$88 million of a $918.7 million tax increase will be put forward to the expressway's extension.[8]
The entire route is inTulsa County.
| Location | mi[1][9] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapulpa | 0.00 | 0.00 | I-44 /SH-66 –Joplin,Sapulpa,Oklahoma City SH-344 begins | Southern terminus; southern terminus of SH-344;[2] exits 223A-B on I-44 | |||
| Oakhurst | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1 | 51st Street | |||
| 1.5 | 2.4 | Toll Gantry | |||||
| 2.0 | 3.2 | 2 | 41st Street South | ||||
| | 2.7 | 4.3 | Toll Gantry | ||||
| | 4.0 | 6.4 | 4 | 21st Street South / Avery Drive | [2] | ||
| Tulsa | 4.9 | 7.9 | Toll Gantry | ||||
| | 5.6 | 9.0 | US 64 /US 412 /SH-51 SH-344 ends | Northern terminus of SH-344 | |||
| Tulsa | 6.2 | 10.0 | Northern end of limited-access section | ||||
| Edison Street | Current northern terminus | ||||||
| Gap in route | |||||||
| Tulsa | 0.0 | 0.0 | 41st West Avenue | Current western terminus | |||
| 2.2 | 3.5 | L.L. Tisdale Parkway –Downtown Tulsa,Gilcrease Museum | |||||
| Western end of freeway section | |||||||
| 3.5 | 5.6 | Peoria Avenue / Mohawk Boulevard | |||||
| 4.4 | 7.1 | Lewis Avenue | |||||
| 5.0 | 8.0 |  US 75 /SH-11 west –Okmulgee,Downtown Tulsa,Bartlesville | Western end of SH-11 concurrency | ||||
| 5.6 | 9.0 | Harvard Avenue | |||||
| 6.5 | 10.5 | Yale Avenue | |||||
| 7.5 | 12.1 | Apache Street / Sheridan Road –Tulsa Zoo | Apache Street not signed westbound | ||||
| 8.5 | 13.7 |  Virgin Street –Airport Terminal | Virgin Street not signed eastbound | ||||
| 9.1 | 14.6 | Memorial Drive / Pine Street | Signed for Memorial Drive eastbound, Pine Street westbound | ||||
| 10.5 | 16.9 |   I-244 /US 412 toUS 169 –Joplin,DowntownSH-11 ends | Eastern terminus; eastern terminus of SH-11; exit 12B on I-244 | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||||
Add the State Highway 344 designation to the new portion of the Gilcrease Expressway that is being constructed West of Tulsa. The alignment of State Highway 344 will be between Interstate 244/State Highway 51, west of Tulsa, and extend approximately 5.25 miles to the existing interchange of Interstate 244 and Interstate 44 southeast of the City of Tulsa. The addition of State Highway 344 will become effective upon the completion of construction and approval by the State Transportation Commission.