Cherokee Turnpike
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The Cherokee Turnpike is a
toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
in eastern
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. Opened in 1991, the route is a four-lane tollway carrying US-412 from east of
Kansas, Oklahoma Kansas is a town in Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 802 at the 2010 census. Geography Kansas is located in southern Delaware County. Spring Creek flows through Kansas. Oklahoma State Highway 10 passes through Kans ...
to east of
Chouteau Chouteau was the name of a highly successful, ethnically French fur-trading family based in Saint Louis, Missouri, which they helped found. Their ancestors Chouteau and Laclède initially settled in New Orleans. They then moved-up the Mississipp ...
, and has a total length of and a speed limit of . An alternate route, US-412 Alternate, provides a free but not controlled-access route through the towns bypassed by the Turnpike with only a 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 without another exit. 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 A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
. This second exit is a
partial cloverleaf A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange. The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
with loop ramps in the northwest, northeast, and southwest quadrants. Continuing east, the turnpike passes through a barrier toll plaza. The final exit, another from the US-412 Alternate exit, occurs north of
Kansas, Oklahoma Kansas is a town in Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 802 at the 2010 census. Geography Kansas is located in southern Delaware County. Spring Creek flows through Kansas. Oklahoma State Highway 10 passes through Kans ...
at US-59/
SH-10 Route 10, or Highway 10, can refer to routes in the following countries: International * European route E10 * European route E010 Argentina * La Pampa Provincial Route 10 Australia Queensland * Smith Street Motorway (Queensland) * Scenic ...
, 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 West Siloam Springs is a town in Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, a 3.5 percent decrease from the figure of 877 recorded in 2000. A bedroom community for Siloam Springs, Arkansas, it is notable f ...
, where they split, and US-412 crosses the state line into
Siloam Springs, Arkansas Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city shares a border on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line with the city of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, which is within the Cherokee Nation territory. The town was founded i ...
.


History

The Cherokee Turnpike resulted from the same 1987 compromise between urban and rural legislators that resulted in the Kilpatrick, Creek, and
Chickasaw Turnpike The Chickasaw Turnpike, also designated State Highway 301 (SH-301), is a short toll road in the rural south central region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A two-lane freeway, it stretches for from north of Sulphur to just south of Ada. The Okla ...
s. The turnpike opened to traffic in 1991.


Services

An Oklahoma Tourism Information Center is located on the turnpike near the Kansas exit, from the Arkansas–Oklahoma state line. Free coffee is available at the tourism center. Law enforcement along the Cherokee Turnpike is provided by
Oklahoma Highway Patrol The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) is a major state law enforcement agency of the government of Oklahoma. A division of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the OHP has traffic enforcement jurisdiction throughout the state. OHP was legislat ...
Troop XD, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.


Tolls

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $3.25 (PikePass holders pay less) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. This is equivalent of a toll of 8¢ per mile. Drivers in vehicles with more than two axles, such as truckers, pay higher tolls. 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.


Exit list


See also

* * *
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (formerly Oklahoma Transportation Authority) is an agency of Oklahoma that deals with issues regarding the Oklahoma turnpike system. Along with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the Authority is the primar ...
*
Pikepass Oklahoma has an extensive turnpike system, maintained by the state government through the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. All of Oklahoma's turnpikes are controlled-access highways. The majority have at least four lanes, though the Chickasaw Turnpi ...


References


External links


Cherokee Turnpike Toll/Fares Chart - Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
{{Oklahoma Turnpikes Toll roads in Oklahoma Transport infrastructure completed in 1991 1991 establishments in Oklahoma Transportation in Mayes County, Oklahoma Transportation in Delaware County, Oklahoma U.S. Route 412