Gilcrease Expressway

This article is about the State Highway numbered 344 in Tulsa. For the Interstate Highway in Oklahoma City numbered 344, see John Kilpatrick Turnpike.

The Gilcrease Expressway is a 10.5-mile-long (16.9 km) highway in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the county's long-term plan to complete an outer highway loop around Tulsa's central business district. The highway will connect Interstate 44 (I-44) in West Tulsa to I-244 near the Tulsa International Airport.

Gilcrease Expressway
Gilcrease Expressway highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	10.5 mi[1] (16.9 km)
Component highways	SH-11 (US-75 to I-244) SH-344 (I-44 to W 41st St)
Major junctions
CCW end	I-44 / I-244 in Oakhurst
Major intersections	US 64 / US 412 / SH-51 near Sand Springs (future) L.L. Tisdale Parkway in Tulsa US 75 / SH-11 in Tulsa
CW end	I-244 / US 412 in Tulsa
Location
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highway System Interstate US State Turnpikes

Route description

Currently, the portion of freeway open to traffic is the section between North 41st West Avenue and Interstate 244. From US-75 to I-244/US-412, the Gilcrease carries the easternmost part of State Highway 11. The currently existing freeway serves Tulsa International Airport and surrounding areas.

Additionally, the Gilcrease Expressway Extension has been constructed. It is a one-mile (1.6 km) stretch of two-lane road signed as State Highway 344. The extension currently runs from West 51st Street to West 41st Street South at the 5600 block in West Tulsa. The Extension connects the community of Berryhill and the newer developments along West 41st Street South to Interstate 44.

Future

The next portion of the Gilcrease Expressway to be constructed is the segment between North 41st West Avenue and Edison Street in West Tulsa. Although, the section between 41st West Avenue and Edison Street is named 31st Street North, 53rd West Avenue, Newton Street and 57th West Avenue.^[2]

Many homes have been removed along South 57th West Avenue between West 26th Street and West 21st Street. Plans include construction of a bridge over the Arkansas River, connecting Sand Springs and Berryhill.

$88 million of a $918.7 million tax increase will be put forward to the expressway's extension.^[3]

Proposed turnpike

In 2010, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to study the construction of a turnpike to complete the Gilcrease Expressway. The cost of the turnpike was estimated at $373 million for the final 6.7 miles (10.8 km) of the expressway.^[4]

On October 29, 2015, Governor Mary Fallin announced Driving Forward, a $892 million turnpike package. A five-mile (8.0 km) tolled extension of the Gilcrease Expressway was included in the package.^[5] The project is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2016.^[6]

On June 4, 2018, the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved the designation Oklahoma State Highway 344 for the highway, to take effect upon completion of construction.^[7] The extension opened on November 14, 2022.^[8]

Exit list

Mile markers reset between gap in route. The entire route is in Tulsa County.

Location	mi[1][9]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Oakhurst	0.00	0.00	-	I-44 / SH-66 – Joplin, Sapulpa, Oklahoma City	Counterclockwise terminus;[5] expressway continues as I-44/SH-66 east
	0.9	1.4	1	51st Street	Former at-grade intersection; south end of tolled section[5]
	1.5	2.4	Toll Gantry
	2.0	3.2	2	41st Street South	Former at-grade intersection[5]
​	2.7	4.3	Toll Gantry
​	4.0	6.4	4	21st Street South/Avery Drive	[5]
​	4.9	7.9	Toll Gantry
​	5.6	9.0	-	US 64 / US 412 / SH-51	North end of turnpike[5]
​				Edison Street	Temporary north end of counterclockwise extension;[5] road to continue north into Tulsa as 57th West Avenue
Sections linked by 57th West Avenue, Newton Street, 53rd West Avenue, and 31st Street North
Tulsa	0.0	0.0		41st West Avenue	Temporary west end of clockwise section; road continues west as 31st Street North
	2.2	3.5	-	L.L. Tisdale Parkway – Downtown Tulsa, Gilcrease Museum	At-grade intersection; west end of limited-access section
	3.5	5.6	-	Peoria Avenue / Mohawk Boulevard
	4.4	7.1	-	Lewis Avenue
	5.0	8.0	-	SH-11 west / US 75 – Okmulgee, Downtown Tulsa, Bartlesville	Western end of SH-11 concurrency
	5.6	9.0	-	Harvard Avenue
	6.5	10.5	-	Yale Avenue
	7.5	12.1	-	Apache Street / Sheridan Road – Tulsa Zoo	Signed solely as Sheridan Road westbound
	8.5	13.7	-	Virgin Street – Airport Terminal	Signed solely as Airport Terminal eastbound
	9.1	14.6	-	Memorial Drive Pine Street	Eastbound signage Westbound signage
	9.9– 10.5	15.9– 16.9	-	SH-11 ends / I-244 / US 412 to US 169 – Joplin, Downtown	Clockwise terminus of Gilcrease Expressway; eastern end of SH-11 concurrency; eastern terminus of SH-11
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Electronic toll collection

References

1. "Gilcrease Expressway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
2. Brian Barber (December 23, 2008). "No fanfare as Gilcrease Expressway opens 2.2 miles to traffic". Tulsa World.
3. "Largest Tax Hike in Tulsa History: $88,000,000.00 for Gilcrease Expressway". Tulsa Beacon. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
4. Gavin Off (May 20, 2010). "OTA to seek bids on Gilcrease extension". Tulsa World. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
5. "Gilcrease Expressway, I-44 North to Edison Street" (PDF). Driving Forward OK. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. February 15, 2018. pp. 1–2. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
6. "Driving Forward OK". Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
7. Oklahoma Department of Transportation (June 2018). "AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING" (PDF). Retrieved October 11, 2019. Add the State Highway 344 designation to the new portion of the Gilcrease Expressway that is being constructed West of Tulsa. The alignment of State Highway 344 will be between Interstate 244/State Highway 51, west of Tulsa, and extend approximately 5.25 miles to the existing interchange of Interstate 244 and Interstate 44 southeast of the City of Tulsa. The addition of State Highway 344 will become effective upon the completion of construction and approval by the State Transportation Commission.
8. "Gilcrease Expressway Turnpike Now Open To Drivers". News on 6. November 14, 2022. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
9. "Overview of Gilcrease Expwy. (counterclockwise end)". Google Maps. Google, Inc. Retrieved April 14, 2018.

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