Cherokee Turnpike

Cherokee Turnpike

Route information
Maintained by Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
Length:	32.8 mi^[1] (52.8 km)
Existed:	1991 – present
Component highways:	US-412 entire length
Major junctions
East end:	US-412 west of Locust Grove
West end:	US-59 / US-412 west of West Siloam Springs
Location
Counties:	Mayes, Delaware
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highways Interstate U.S. Turnpikes

Eastern terminus of the Cherokee Turnpike near Kansas, Oklahoma. Exiting right takes traffic onto the toll road; continuing due west is US-59/US-412 Alternate.

The Cherokee Turnpike is a toll road in eastern Oklahoma. Opened in 1991, the route is a four-lane tollway carrying US-412 from east of Kansas, Oklahoma to east of Chouteau, and has a total length of 32.8 miles (52.8 km)^[1] and a speed limit of 75 mph (121 km/h). An alternate route, US-412 Alternate, provides a free but not controlled-access route through the towns bypassed by the Turnpike with only a 55 mph (89 km/h) speed limit.

Route description

The turnpike begins by branching off US-412 east of the Grand River in Mayes County. The turnpike carries US-412 for its entire length; the old alignment of US-412, which was also at one time State Highway 33, is now US-412 Alternate. The Cherokee Turnpike runs within a close distance of US-412 Alternate for its entire length. The turnpike generally varies only a few degrees from true east–west throughout its entire route.

The turnpike's first exit is a diamond interchange with State Highway 82 just south of Locust Grove. From this point, the road travels 11 miles (18 km) without another exit.^[1] During this interval, the highway crosses from Mayes into Delaware County. Just after crossing the county line, the Cherokee has its second exit, again meeting US-412 Alternate southeast of Rose. This second exit is a partial cloverleaf with loop ramps in the northwest, northeast, and southwest quadrants.

Continuing east, the turnpike's median widens to accommodate a service plaza available to both directions. After the service plaza, the turnpike passes through a barrier toll plaza. The final exit, another 11 miles (18 km) from the US-412 Alternate exit, occurs north of Kansas, Oklahoma at US-59/SH-10, which is another diamond interchange. After this interchange, US-412 Alternate crosses over the turnpike with no interchange. The median gradually widens again as US-412 Alternate, now concurrent with US-59, crosses under the westbound lanes and begins running through the median. The eastbound lanes eventually merge with US-59/US-412 Alternate. This marks the eastern terminus of both the Cherokee Turnpike and US-412 Alternate. US-59 and mainline US-412 continue east toward West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, where they split, and US-412 crosses the state line into Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

History

The Cherokee Turnpike resulted from the same 1987 compromise between urban and rural legislators that resulted in the Kilpatrick, Creek, and Chickasaw Turnpikes. The turnpike opened to traffic in 1991.^[1]

Services

An Oklahoma Tourism Information Center is located on the turnpike near the Kansas exit, 13 miles (21 km) from the Arkansas–Oklahoma state line. Free coffee is available at the tourism center.^[2]

Law enforcement along the Cherokee Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop XD, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.^[3]

Tolls

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $2.50 ($2.40 with Pikepass) to drive the full length of the Turnpike.^[1] This is equivalent of a toll of 8¢ per mile. Drivers in vehicles with more than two axles, such as truckers, pay higher tolls.^[1]

Tolls are collected for eastbound traffic upon exiting at Locust Grove and Leach, and entry at Kansas. Westbound traffic must pay toll upon exit at Kansas and entry at Leach and Locust Grove. All traffic passing through the barrier toll west of the Kansas exit must pay toll, regardless of direction.^[2]

Exit list

County	Location	mi^[4]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Mayes		0.0	0.0	US-412 continues west
		0.0	0.0		US-412 Alt.	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Locust Grove	6.2	10.0	6	SH-82 – Locust Grove, Tahlequah
Delaware		17.1	27.5	17	US-412 Alt. – Rose, Leach
		19.7	31.7	Toll plaza
		28.3	45.5	28	US-59 / SH-10 – Kansas, Tahlequah
		32.6	52.5		US-59 / US-412 Alt.	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		32.6	52.5	US-59 / US-412 continue east
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. "Toll/Fares Chart". Retrieved 2009-11-04.
1 2 Official State Map (PDF) (Map) (2008 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
↑ "Oklahoma Highway Patrol". Retrieved 2008-04-05.
↑ Google (November 24, 2012). "US-412—Cherokee Turnpike" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 24, 2012.

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

Cherokee Turnpike Toll/Fares Chart - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

Oklahoma Turnpikes

Cherokee Chickasaw Cimarron Creek H. E. Bailey Indian Nation John Kilpatrick Muskogee Turner Will Rogers Eastern Oklahoma County Turnpike (future)

Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Pikepass

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.