Interstate 44 (I-44[a]) in the U.S. state of Texas is an Interstate Highway that has a short, but regionally important, 15.398-mile (24.781 km) stretch connecting Wichita Falls with Oklahoma. Its entire length runs concurrently with U.S. Highway 277 (US 277) and US 281. I-44 provides access to downtown Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base. I-44 is known as the Central Freeway in Wichita Falls and the Red River Expressway in Burkburnett.
.svg) Interstate 44 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-44 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by TxDOT | ||||
| Length | 15.398 mi[1] (24.781 km) | |||
| Existed | 1982[1]–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |     US 82 / US 277 / US 281 / US 287 in Wichita Falls | |||
| US 287 in Wichita Falls | ||||
| East end |  I-44 / US 277 / US 281 at Oklahoma state line | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Texas | |||
| Counties | Wichita | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
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I-44 begins near exit 1 in Wichita Falls concurrent with US 277, US 281, and US 287. US 281 and US 287 continue to the south while US 277 leaves the concurrency at exit 1, which also provides access to US 82. I-44 heads north through Wichita Falls to an interchange with US 287 and Spur 325. US 287 leaves the concurrency as a freeway to the west while Spur 325 leaves the interchange toward the northeast, providing access to Sheppard Air Force Base and Wichita Falls Regional Airport. I-44 continues to the north as it leaves the Wichita Falls city limits at Bacon Switch Road. The freeway enters the Burkburnett city limits south of an interchange at Farm to Market Road 3429 (FM 3429). Heading north through the city, I-44 has an interchange with State Highway 240 (SH 240). After passing SH 240, I-44 begins to head toward the northeast before its final interchange in Texas at East 3rd Street. I-44 leaves the state of Texas at its crossing of the Red River and enters Oklahoma.[3]
History
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I-44 was signed south from Oklahoma City past I-40, along the H. E. Bailey Turnpike, in 1982.[4][5] This expanded the Interstate by some 100 miles (160 km) to Texas. This additional signage included the Red River Expressway in Burkburnett and the Central Freeway in Wichita Falls, to 8th Street (being concurrent with US 277/US 281/US 287). For many years, the freeway ended here, forcing traffic to exit onto the service roads. In the early 2000s, the Central Freeway was extended through the downtown area, connecting directly to the Central East Freeway via the Lloyd Ruby Overpass.[citation needed]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Wichita County.
| Location | mi[6] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita Falls | 0.0 | 0.0 |    US 277 / US 281 / US 287 south to US 82 west – Jacksboro, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Abilene | Continuation beyond western terminus; west end of US 277/US 281/US 287 concurrency | ||
| 0.2 | 0.32 | 1 |  Holliday Street – Business District | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance, access to United Regional Healthcare System | ||
| 0.4 | 0.64 | 1A |  Bus. US 277 south | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 0.8 | 1.3 | 1B | Scotland Park | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 1.3 | 2.1 | 1C | Texas Travel Info Center | |||
| 2.0 | 3.2 | 1D | Bus. US 287 | |||
| 2.2 | 3.5 | 2 | Maurine Street | |||
| 2.7 | 4.3 | 3A |  US 287 north – Vernon, Amarillo | East end of US 287 concurrency | ||
| 2.9 | 4.7 | 3B |  Spur 325 – Sheppard AFB | |||
| 3.5 | 5.6 | 3C |  FM 890 – Wichita Falls Municipal Airport | |||
| 4.2 | 6.8 | 4 | City Loop | No westbound entrance; exit not signed westbound | ||
| 5.1 | 8.2 | 5 | Access Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 5.5 | 8.9 | 5A |  FM 3492 (Missile Road) – Sheppard AFB | |||
| 6.7 | 10.8 | 6 | Bacon Switch Road | |||
| | 7.8 | 12.6 | 7 | East Road | ||
| Burkburnett | 10.9 | 17.5 | 11 |  FM 3429 (Daniels Road) | ||
| 12.4 | 20.0 | 12 |  SH 240 – Burkburnett | |||
| 13.4 | 21.6 | 13 | Glendale Street | Former Spur 383 | ||
| 14.1 | 22.7 | 14 | To SH 240 west (East Third Street) – Burkburnett | Former Loop 267 | ||
| | 15.4 | 24.8 |  I-44 east / US 277 north / US 281 north (President George W. Bush Bridge) – Lawton, Oklahoma City | Continuation into Oklahoma | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Notes
edit- ^ Some sources use "IH-44", as "IH" is an abbreviation used by the Texas Department of Transportation for Interstate Highways.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Interstate Highway No. 44". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Highway Designations Glossary". Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Overview Map of I-44" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
- ^ "I-240 Section Changing to I-44". The Daily Oklahoman. October 9, 1982. OCLC 26181551.[page needed]
- ^ Official State Map (Map). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. 1983.[full citation needed]
- ^ "Route of I-44" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
External links
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