Western Terminus: I-44 just north of US-412,
east of Catoosa (continues as Creek Turnpike)
If you ask almost anybody, they'll tell you that the Will Rogers Turnpike ends and the Creek Turnpike begins where the road crosses US-412, just east of Catoosa.
And almost anybody would be totally wrong.
The actual switchover occurs just as the road in the above picture goes behind the hill to the right, about 1¼ miles north of US-412. (This picture was taken looking north from the Pine St. bridge, one mile due north of 412.) About the same time the Creek was being finished engineers rerouted the end of the Will Rogers Turnpike so that a) the two turnpikes would meet, and b), and more importantly, to alleviate a major congestion problem where the western terminus used to be, far too close to the 193rd E Ave. exit. Many accidents and a few fatalities had occured in that spot, so it was important to move the exit.
Eastern Terminus: Missouri State Line (I-44 continues as free road)
Left: view looking into Oklahoma. Kansas in on the other side of those trees. Picture taken from the old parking spot for those who worked at this spot when the turnpike gate was here.
Right: view looking into Missouri. The speed limit drops from 75 to 70 at this spot.
Western terminus pictures taken 16 November 2002 (westbound showing old WRT in the distance) and 27 November 2002 (all the others). Eastern terminus pictures taken 2 February 2003.
If you ask almost anybody, they'll tell you that the Will Rogers Turnpike ends and the Creek Turnpike begins where the road crosses US-412, just east of Catoosa.
And almost anybody would be totally wrong.
The actual switchover occurs just as the road in the above picture goes behind the hill to the right, about 1¼ miles north of US-412. (This picture was taken looking north from the Pine St. bridge, one mile due north of 412.) About the same time the Creek was being finished engineers rerouted the end of the Will Rogers Turnpike so that a) the two turnpikes would meet, and b), and more importantly, to alleviate a major congestion problem where the western terminus used to be, far too close to the 193rd E Ave. exit. Many accidents and a few fatalities had occured in that spot, so it was important to move the exit.
 |
 |
 |
(click on one of the above pictures to
see a larger version)
Above Left: View on the Will Rogers westbound. The turn marks the
WR/Creek switchover. Hard to see, but you can tell in the distance that
the
road used to go straight ahead. That's the old Will Rogers portion that
they
diverted. Harder still to see, but the BGS at the far right says "Exit
35/E.
Pine St." The only exit between 412 & the old Will Rogers portion,
and
it uses the exit mileage of the Creek. Good indication that by that
point it is the Creek.
Above Center: view of the Creek looking southbound from the Pine St. bridge. The next two exits are for either direction of 412.
Above Right: The entrance point from Pine to I-44 northbound, and it is pointing you to the Creek Turnpike. And once the on-ramp ends you are indeed on the Creek Turnpike. For about a hundred feet. Then you're on the Will Rogers Turnpike.
Lower Left: US-412 westbound approaching the turnpikes. Here 412 avoids the problem completely (thereby adding to the confusion) by just saying "Turnpike."
Above Left: View on the Will Rogers westbound. The turn marks the
WR/Creek switchover. Hard to see, but you can tell in the distance that
the
road used to go straight ahead. That's the old Will Rogers portion that
they
diverted. Harder still to see, but the BGS at the far right says "Exit
35/E.
Pine St." The only exit between 412 & the old Will Rogers portion,
and
it uses the exit mileage of the Creek. Good indication that by that
point it is the Creek.Above Center: view of the Creek looking southbound from the Pine St. bridge. The next two exits are for either direction of 412.
Above Right: The entrance point from Pine to I-44 northbound, and it is pointing you to the Creek Turnpike. And once the on-ramp ends you are indeed on the Creek Turnpike. For about a hundred feet. Then you're on the Will Rogers Turnpike.
Lower Left: US-412 westbound approaching the turnpikes. Here 412 avoids the problem completely (thereby adding to the confusion) by just saying "Turnpike."
Eastern Terminus: Missouri State Line (I-44 continues as free road)
 |
 |
Left: view looking into Oklahoma. Kansas in on the other side of those trees. Picture taken from the old parking spot for those who worked at this spot when the turnpike gate was here.
Right: view looking into Missouri. The speed limit drops from 75 to 70 at this spot.
Western terminus pictures taken 16 November 2002 (westbound showing old WRT in the distance) and 27 November 2002 (all the others). Eastern terminus pictures taken 2 February 2003.