Interstate 244 Oklahoma

Overview

Commonly called the Crosstown Expressway,¹ Interstate 244 loops north to central Tulsa while I-44 (Skelly Drive) bypasses to the southeast. The freeway connects with a number of radial routes leading outward from Tulsa, including the Sand Springs Expressway west, Tisdale Parkway north, Cherokee Expressway northeast and Broken Arrow Expressway southeast. Shared alignments bring U.S. 75 north from Jenks and U.S. 412 west from Catoosa in addition to U.S. 64/SH 51 at Downtown.

I-244 is the Red Fork Expressway from I-44 northeast to Downtown and the MLK Expressway from Downtown east to I-44.¹ I-244 also represents the western and northern leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) freeway system encircling Downtown Tulsa. Unsigned Interstate 444 comprises the south and east legs of the urban loop alongside U.S. 64, U.S. 75 and SH 51.

Mileage by State

Oklahoma

15.75 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

The final section of Interstate 244 completed through Tulsa was the north leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop in December 1975.² It was named the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway east from Downtown by the Oklahoma Highway Commission in 1984.¹

The spans carrying I-244/U.S. 75 across the Arkansas River to Downtown Tulsa were built in 1967. With money partially funded by a nearly $50 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Grant in February 2010, a $78 million project commenced in April 2011 to replace the functionally obsolete westbound bridge.³ The span closed with all traffic shifted to the eastbound span with two-way traffic by June 14, 2011.⁴ Crews then demolished the existing span to make way for a new double deck structure with three highway lanes on the upper level and two dedicated future rail lines and a multi use path on the lower level.³

The new 3,300 foot long westbound bridge across the Arkansas River opened to traffic on December 19, 2012.⁵ Residual work there continued to 88 percent completion by March 4, 2013, when the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) approved a $41 million contract for the replacement of the eastbound span. The single level bridge was designed with an observation deck overlooking Cyrus Avery Plaza and the historic 11th Street Bridge.⁶

Work started on the new eastbound bridge on June 7, 2013, with construction of temporary crossovers to shift traffic onto the westbound span and repairs underway on the south leg of the IDL.⁷ A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on September 15, 2014 for the completion of the span. Ensuing work focused on the trails underneath the bridge and the viewing platform through Spring 2015. This work ran in tandem with the reopening of the IDL south leg.⁸

Construction rebuilt a five mile section of Interstate 244 (MLK Expressway) starting with the section between Delaware Avenue and 73rd E Avenue on March 2, 2015. The $38 million project followed 2014 reconstruction of I-244 east from near Memorial Highway to I-44.⁹ It coincided with a $22 million contract (awarded February 2015) for the western portion of the construction zone, from U.S. 75 (Cherokee Expressway) and the IDL east to Delaware Avenue. The freeway was resurfaced with concrete by October 2015 while work to replace overpasses at 73rd E, Delaware and Peoria Avenues and Admiral Place advanced to Summer 2016.¹⁰

$9.4 million in construction started on July 17, 2017 replaced the overpasses built in 1967 for Memorial Drive by the SH 11 interchange, and Harvard, Pittsburg and Yale Avenues further west along I-244. The bridge work ran through Summer 2018.¹¹ $5.8 million in construction at the west end of Interstate 244 through early 2018 rehabilitated bridges at the exchange with I-44 and the 51st Street connector.¹²

East End  ‐ Tulsa, OK

East at

A half diamond interchange (Exit 15) provides eastbound access from I-244/U.S. 412 to 129th E Avenue ahead of the wye interchange with I-44/SH 66. 11/01/16

West at

I-244/U.S. 412 split from I-44/SH 66 west to Tulsa International Airport (TUL) and the Osage Nation at a wye interchange (Exit 236 B) in two and a half miles. 11/02/16

East at

The eastbound lanes of I-244/U.S. 412 cross over I-44/SH 66 east as a lane drop occurs. U.S. 412 combines with I-44 east for 4.3 miles to the end of the Creek Turnpike, where I-44 turns north onto the Will Rogers Turnpike to Joplin, Missouri. Photo by Eric Stuve (11/28/02).

East End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

West at

Button copy signs posted on the approach to Exit 236B for I-244 west on I-44/SH 66 west. I-244 replaced the parallel route of SH 33 and U.S. 75 along Admiral Place to Lewis Avenue in Tulsa. Photo by Eric Stuve (12/01/02).

West End  ‐ Oakhurst, OK

West at

Interstate 244 and parallel Southwest Boulevard (old U.S. 66 Business, U.S. 75 Alternate and SH 33) come together south of Red Fork. Southwest Boulevard runs directly to the west of the Red Fork Expressway end at Exit 1 A. 05/04/12

East at

I-44 and SH 66 combine at the east end of the Turner Turnpike along a six lane freeway preceding Exit 223 A for I-244 east. Two lanes join the Red Fork Expressway northeast to the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL) around Downtown while I-44 turns east onto Skelly Drive. 05/04/12

West at

I-44/SH 66 pass over 33rd W Avenue just ahead of succeeding ramps for Interstate 244 east (Exit 223 A) and the Gilcrease Expressway spur west (Exit 223 B). 05/05/12

West End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

East at

One half mile from Interstate 244 on I-44/SH 66 east at Exit 222 B to 55th Place. The overhead for Exit 223 A was replaced with a variable message board by 2007. Photo by Eric Stuve (12/01/02).

References

1. "Tulsa World Stylebook - E." Tulsa World (OK), April 15, 2015.
2. "Phone Company Wires Crossed on 1-900 Billing." Tulsa World (OK), July 18, 1990.
3. Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT). (2011, April 15). Groundbreaking ceremony launches I-244/Arkansas River bridge replacement project in Tulsa. [Press release]. ODOT News. Retrieved from https://www.odot.org/newsmedia/tulsa_i244-bridge/press/11_023_groundbreaking_ceremony_launches_i-244_arkansas_river_bridge_replacement_project_in_tulsa.docx.doc.pdf
4. "Westbound I-244 bridge coming down." Tulsa World (OK), June 14, 2011.
5. "New I-244 bridge awaits traffic tonight." Tulsa World (OK), December 19, 2012.
6. "Eastbound bridge up next." Tulsa World (OK), March 5, 2013.
7. "Next phase of I-244 river bridge to begin soon." Tulsa World (OK), June 5, 2013.
8. "I-244 bridge opens." Tulsa World (OK), September 16, 2014.
9. Crews To Begin I-244 Rebuilding Project. (2015, March 2). News On 6. Retrieved from http://www.newson6.com/story/5e3624af2f69d76f62047f21/crews-to-begin-i244-rebuilding-project
10. Oklahoma Department of Transportation. I-244 project. Retrieved from https://www.ok.gov/odot/I-244_project.html
11. "Starting Monday: 4 bridges over I-244 east of downtown to be replaced; work to last until next summer." Tulsa World (OK), July 16, 2017.
12. "From east to west, downtown and midtown, major projects affecting Tulsa traffic." Tulsa World (OK), July 20, 2017.