State Highway 3, also abbreviated as SH-3 or OK-3, is a highway maintained by the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Traveling diagonally through Oklahoma, from the Panhandle to the far southeastern corner of the state, SH-3 is the longest state highway in the Oklahoma road system, at a total length of 615 miles (990 km) via SH-3E (see below).
Route description
In the northwest
SH 3 begins at the Colorado state line 19 mi (31 km) north of Boise City, Oklahoma. At this terminus, it is concurrent with US-287/US-385. It remains concurrent with the two U.S. Routes until reaching Boise City, where it encounters a traffic circle which contains five other highways. After the circle, US-385 splits off, and SH-3 overlaps US-287, US-56, US-64, and US-412, though US-56 and US-287 both split off within the next 8 miles (13 km).
In Guymon, US-64 splits off. At Elmwood, US-270 joins US-412, coming from a concurrency with SH-23. SH-3 remains concurrent with US-270 through Watonga. In Seiling, US-183 leaves the concurrency but is quickly replaced by U.S. Highway 281. SH-33 joins the roadbed 20 miles (32 km) later.
SH-3 and SH-33 concurrency between Watonga and Kingfisher.
In Watonga, SH-33 and SH-3 split off from US-270 and US-281. SH-3 and SH-33 remain concurrent for an additional 28 miles (45 km), until Kingfisher, where SH-3 joins US-81. It will stay concurrent with US-81 for 13 miles (21 km), through the town of Okarche. 3 miles (4.8 km) after Okarche, SH-3 leaves US-81. This marks the first point that SH-3 has not been part of a concurrency.
Through Oklahoma City
Beginning at the split from US-81, SH-3 becomes a major artery in the Oklahoma City highway system, commonly known as the Northwest Expressway because it is a diagonal route and because it serves the northwestern part of the metro area. It skirts the northern limits of El Reno before entering the Oklahoma City limits. The often-congested Northwest Expressway passes through the suburb of Warr Acres and passes close to Lake Hefner.
At the intersection with the Lake Hefner Parkway (SH-74), SH-3 again re-enters a concurrency. The Lake Hefner Parkway ends very shortly after, and SH-3 becomes concurrent with I-44 through the western side of the city. Near Will Rogers World Airport, SH-3 transfers to I-240 along the southern side of the city. After I-240 ends, SH-3 is transferred onto I-40/US-270, which it remains concurrent with for 16 miles (26 km).
SH-3E/3W split
In Shawnee, SH-3 splits into two highways, SH-3E and SH-3W. SH-3W splits off I-40 onto US-177, along with US-270, at milemarker 181 on I-40. It continues along with US-270 and 177 through the west side of Shawnee and continues south of that city until Tecumseh, where US-270 splits off. South of Asher, SH-3W leaves US-177 and veers southeast toward Ada.
SH-3E, the longer of the two split routes, was the original routing of Highway 3 before the two highways were split. It remains on I-40 for 5 miles (8.0 km) after SH-3W splits off. When it does split off, it soon joins SH-18. It follows a route closer to the center of Shawnee. After leaving Shawnee, it heads southeast toward Seminole. Here, it meets US-377/SH-99. SH-3E merges onto this highway, and they will remain concurrent until after they reach Ada.
In Ada, SH-3E and SH-3W are reunited and become SH-3 once again.
Ada to Atoka
SH-3 intersects US 69/US 75, SH-7, and Bypass SH-3 in Atoka.
SH-3 then becomes part of the Richardson Loop, a freeway around the west and south sides of Ada. Throughout the Richardson Loop, it overlaps SH-1 and US-377/SH-99 at different times. The highway then becomes two-lane once again and heads southeast to the town of Coalgate, where begins an 18-mile (29 km) concurrency with US-75, lasting through Atoka. In Atoka, US-75 splits off to join US-69.
Near Idabel, the highway splits off after being with US-259 for 13 miles (21 km). 28 miles (45 km) later, it becomes AR 32 as it crosses the state line into Arkansas.
History
The current SH-3 was designated on 15 May 1939. The original highway included all of current SH-3 up to Antlers, where it terminated at US-271. It was extended to the Arkansas state line on 4 August 1952. SH-3 ended there concurrent with US-70 and SH-7, near DeQueen, Arkansas. On 7 January 1963, the highway was given its own alignment from near Idabel to Arkansas, taking over that of SH-21, which was eliminated at that time.
From the highway's commissioning to 1976, there was only one fork of SH-3 between Shawnee and Ada, which was the path of current SH-3E. SH-3W and SH-3E were created on 4 October 1976; the new SH-3W took over all of SH-13. Other than minor realignments, the highway remains essentially the same today.[4]
In the early 1980s, Governor George Nigh was able to obtain $97.1 million to upgrade the highway between Oklahoma City and Colorado, despite opponents labeling the project "the highway to nowhere".[5] House Concurrent Resolution 1067 labeled the highway as "Governor George Nigh's Northwest Passage." ODOT officially so named the highway on 2 February 1981.[6]
Notes
SH-3's concurrency with I-44 in Oklahoma City is an example of a wrong-way concurrency – I-44 West is SH-3 East and vice versa.
SH-3's concurrency with US-70 is also a wrong-way concurrency, as US-70 is signed as going west and SH-3 as going east.
The SH-3 bypass around Atoka is named the Cecil B. "Bud" Greathouse Bypass. It was designated by ODOT on 4 October 1982.[7]
Spurs
Former SH-3A
SH-3 had two lettered spurs, SH-3A and SH-3B.
SH-3A continued the alignment of the Northwest Expressway for two more miles before ending at I-44 near Penn Square Mall. It was originally known as SH-66A, a spur off US 66, which once ran through the area. The combined effect of US-66 being decommissioned and "3A" being a more logical name for an extension of SH-3 led to the name change. SH-3A was decommissioned in 2009.
SH-3B is entirely in Atoka, Oklahoma and runs between US-75/SH-3 and SH-7.
