Interstate 240 (Oklahoma)

Infobox road
state=OK
route=240
type=I


maint=ODOT
length_mi=16.22
length_round=2
length_ref= [ [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table2.htm Route Log - Auxiliary Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways - Table 2] ]
year_established=1965Oglesby, Scott. [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix35.html#235ok 3-digit Interstates from I-35] . "Kurumi." URL accessed 29 January 2005.]
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=OK|I|44|US|62
OK|3 in Oklahoma City, OK
junction=Jct|state=OK|I|35|US|62|US|77 in Oklahoma City, OK
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=OK|US|270|OK|3 in Oklahoma City, OK
previous_type=I
previous_route=235
next_type=I
next_route=244

Interstate 240 (abbreviated I-240) is an interstate highway in Oklahoma, USA, that runs 16.22 miles (26.1 km) west from Interstate 40 to Interstate 44 in southern Oklahoma City. After its terminus in southwest Oklahoma City, the main I-240 roadbed becomes Interstate 44 and Airport Road toward Will Rogers World Airport. The interstate overlaps SH-3, the longest Oklahoma state highway, for its entire length.

Major destinations along the route include Crossroads Mall, Tinker Air Force Base, and the heavily populated Southside of Oklahoma City.

I-240's service road is named S.E. 74th Street.

Route description

From the western terminus at I-44, I-240/US-62/SH-3 runs east towards Interstate 35. The western half is the busier of the two sections, serving the Southside area of Oklahoma City and traffic headed to the airport. This segment has a configuration of ramps that causes much weaving and many accidents. An entrance ramp will merge onto the highway, forming a new lane. This new lane will then become an Exit Only lane for the next exit. However, the exits are not spaced very far apart, causing entering and exiting traffic to conflict. (For a satellite photo, see [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.391761,-97.516977&spn=0.003315,0.007277&t=k&hl=en] .) Signs were installed in October 2004 designating the western half of I-240 as the "Keith Leftwich Memorial Loop", in honor of a state senator who died recently.Stuve, Eric. [http://www.okhighways.com/i240.html Interstate 240] . "OKHighways". URL accessed 8 March 2006.] I-240 meets I-35 at a cloverleaf interchange. US-62 splits off to join with I-35 northbound at this interchange

The section of I-240 east of I-35 exists primarily to serve the now-closed General Motors plant and Tinker Air Force Base. Crossroads Mall can also be accessed via Exit 4C for Pole Road. This section is much less traveled, having only four lanes (two in each direction) for much of its length. At I-240's eastern terminus with I-40, motorists traveling eastbound on I-240 are forced to merge onto I-40 eastbound - there is no I-40 West off-ramp. (Those wishing to take I-40 West must exit off of I-240 a mile earlier at Anderson Road, a surface street, and travel on it northbound until they reach I-40.

History

The section between I-35 and current I-44 was already complete in 1965. A loop along current I-44 up to SH-66, then east to I-35 again, was a planned extension of I-240, for a total of 31.76 miles or 51.1 km. However, this was rejected in favor of the current designation.

When the route was established, I-240 ran from its current eastern terminus around the city, turning north at the present interchange with I-44, continuing on the present course of I-44. (Interstate 44 ended near Edmond at the western end of the Turner Turnpike.) I-240 thus nearly created a loop around the city, intersecting both I-35 and I-40 twice. In 1978, it was 31.76 miles (51.11 km) long.Interstate System Route Log and Finder List, USDOT, March 1978]

As part of Oklahoma's 75th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) celebrations in 1982, ODOT extended I-44 to Lawton and Wichita Falls, Texas along the H.E. Bailey Turnpike. This caused I-240 to be truncated to its current western terminus near Will Rogers World Airport. ["I-240 Section Changing to I-44." "The Daily Oklahoman" 9 October 1982.]

Exit list

The entirety of the route is in Oklahoma County and within the Oklahoma City city limits.

References

External links

* [http://www.okhighways.com/i240.html I-240 at OKHighways.com]
* [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i240.html I-240 at Kurumi.com]
* [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-240_ok.html I-240 at AARoads]