History
I-44 was designated through Oklahoma to replace the section of US-66 running from Oklahoma City to Joplin, Missouri. I-44 covered the already-existing Turner Turnpike and Will Rogers Turnpike, with a western terminus at I-35 in Oklahoma City, the current western terminus of the Turner Turnpike.
I-44 was assigned to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in 1982, when I-44 was assigned to the west and north legs of I-240 (then a semi-beltway around Oklahoma City) and the H.E. Bailey Turnpike as part of Oklahoma's "Diamond Jubilee" celebrations. Before I-44 was assigned to it, the freeway connector to the north end of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike was named the Will Rogers Expressway. The freeway section through Lawton was the Pioneer Expressway.
Part of I-44 in Tulsa, OK was faced with a sinkhole found on the right lane of the westbound traffic between Lewis and Peoria on June 2, 2010. According to the local channel 6 news, the sinkhole measured 12 feet wide and 24 feet long. Fortunately traffic was only affected for a short period of time and has since been reopened.
Read more about this topic: Interstate 44 In Oklahoma
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