The Will Rogers Turnpike is a controlled-access toll road in the northeast portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The highway begins as a continuation of the Creek Turnpike in Tulsa, continuing northward from the I-44/US-412 interchange there to the Missouri state line in Joplin. The turnpike carries the I-44 designation for its entire length. The turnpike is long and costs $4.75 (for a two-axle vehicle) to drive one way. The Will Rogers Turnpike opened to traffic on June 28, 1957. It was designated as I-44 in 1958. It is named for Will Rogers, "Oklahoma's Favorite Son".

Route description

300px|thumb|Eastern terminus of the Will Rogers Turnpike at the Oklahoma–Missouri state line

The Will Rogers Turnpike begins at an interchange between I-44, US-412, and the Creek Turnpike on the northeast side of Tulsa, straddling the line between Wagoner County and Rogers County. The Creek Turnpike ends at this interchange, with northbound Creek Turnpike traffic continuing onto the Will Rogers Turnpike. I-44 eastbound traffic also merges into the turnpike here. The turnpike heads north to its first interchange, which provides an exit to East Pine Street for westbound traffic and an entrance to the eastbound turnpike. North of the Pine Street interchange, the highway curves to a more northeast course, crossing the Verdigris River. In Verdigris, the turnpike has an interchange at the eastern terminus of SH-266. The turnpike continues northeast to Claremore, county seat of Rogers County, where it junctions SH-20; it also passes over SH-88 in Claremore, with no access provided between the two highways. The turnpike then continues northeast out of Rogers County.

After leaving Rogers County, the Will Rogers Turnpike enters Mayes County. The only interchange in Mayes County is a partial interchange with SH-28 west of Adair. Eastbound motorists can exit the turnpike at SH-28 and motorists on SH-28 can join the turnpike heading westbound. From this interchange, SH-28 continues northeast, entering Craig County. Cash is no longer accepted. Tolls are paid using PikePass, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's transponder-based electronic toll collection system, or PlatePay, which uses automatic license plate recognition to bill a vehicle's registered owner. , a two-axle vehicle currently pays $5.40 with PikePass or $10.50 with PlatePay to drive the full length of the Turnpike, with higher rates charged for larger vehicles such as tractor-trailers. PikePass tolls are calculated based on the vehicle's entry and exit locations, which are determined by transponder readers placed at each interchange and at the two termini. PlatePay tolls are collected at the main toll plaza located southwest of Vinita. Reduced PlatePay tolls are also collected at some interchange ramps for shorter trips would not otherwise pass through the main toll plaza, although all PlatePay users that pass through the main toll plaza are charged the full toll regardless of entry or exit location. The Vinita mainline toll plaza also included open road tolling lanes for the then-newly introduced PikePass system, which are now used by all traffic following the all-electronic tolling conversion.

Services

Law enforcement along the Will Rogers Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop XA, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.

Vinita service plaza

thumb|A view of the Vinita McDonald's from the westbound parking lot

The Will Rogers Turnpike's most prominent service plaza lies between the toll plaza and the Vinita exit. The main feature of this service plaza is a McDonald's bridge restaurants spanning the turnpike. Customers can view the traffic passing beneath the restaurant from the dining area through windows overlooking the highway. At the front of the west anchor stands a statue of Will Rogers. A Phillips 66 gas station is also available for both directions of travel at the plaza.

The architecture of the McDonald's building is dominated by golden arches on both sides of the building that appear from a distance to be not only the corporate symbol of the chain but the primary supports for a steel arch bridge structure over the turnpike. Visitors to the eatery exit from either side of the interstate, and then enter through one of the sides, and then proceed to the restaurant level via stairs or an elevator.

The building hosting the McDonald's restaurant was originally built when the turnpike opened in 1957 as one of the Glass House restaurants, owned by the now-defunct Interstate Hosts company. Because of this heritage, it is also known as the "Glass House McDonald's" and the "McDonald's Glass House Restaurant". The building originally operated as a Howard Johnson's restaurant.

The McDonald's is purported to be the "world's largest." However, the biggest temporary McDonald's in the world was opened during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which had but it was demolished after the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The building and service plaza closed on June 4, 2013, for a complete renovation. It reopened on December 22, 2014 with a McDonald's, Subway, and Kum & Go fuel stations. It reopened as the Will Rogers Archway. The Kum & Go fuel stations were re-branded to Maverik in August 2024 following Kum & Go's acquisition by Maverik's parent company.

Exit list

See also

  • Will Rogers
  • Pikepass
  • Oklahoma Turnpike Authority

References

  • Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
  • Brief information page about the service plaza
  • History from Oklahoma Modern
  • Postcards from the original "Glass House"
  • Another postcard of the original "Glass House"