OKHighways.com

Highway History:
OK 7 once stretched across the state of Oklahoma. Beginning at the Texas State Line, the highway was duplexed with U.S. 62 to Lawton. From there, OK 7 ran along mostly the same route as today to OK 3 in Atoka, where today's OK 7 ends. From there, OK 7 duplexed with OK 3 to the Arkansas State Line. Another note from that time was that OK 3 and OK 7 went straight at the U.S. 259 intersection (in the 1950s, U.S. 259 was OK 21 in this part of the state), and followed U.S. 70 for their final 16 miles in the Sooner State.

Highway Review:
OK 7 is one of Oklahoma's longest state highways. It begins at Interstate 44 in south Lawton, and is 4-lane, divided highway all the way to east of Duncan, after its duplex with U.S. 81. The highway becomes four lanes once again at Interstate 35's Exit 55 and provides a connection from Interstate 35 to the Chickasaw Turnpike. This presents an ironic situation - the road leading to the turnpike is 4-lane, divided highway, 70 mph speed limit, while the turnpike itself is a 2-lane, 65 mph road! East of Sulphur, OK 7 heads south with OK 1 for 10 miles before they split. About 40 miles later, OK 7 finds its end at U.S. 69/75 in Atoka.

Highway Information:
Distance: 150.3 miles
Counties traveled through: Comanche, Stephens, Carter, Garvin, Murray, Johnston, Atoka
Highway intersections: Interstate 44 (Mile 0.0), OK 65 (Mile 9.6), U.S. 81 (Mile 23.6), OK 7B (Mile 30.0), U.S. 81 (Mile 30.8), OK 7B (Mile 32.3), OK 76 (Mile 58.2), OK 74 (Mile 65.3), Interstate 35 (Mile 79.3), U.S. 77 (Mile 82.2), U.S. 77 (Mile 82.6), OK 110 (Mile 84.3), Chickasaw Turnpike (Mile 88.5), U.S. 177 (Mile 91.2), U.S. 177 (Mile 91.5), OK 1 (Mile 97.8), OK 1 (Mile 108.8), U.S. 377/OK 99 (Mile 119.5), U.S. 377/OK 99 (Mile 120.4), OK 7D (Mile 128.9), OK 48 (Mile 133.2), U.S. 69/U.S. 75 (Mile 150.3)
Highway duplexes: U.S. 81 (Miles 23.6-30.8, 7.2 miles), U.S. 77 (Miles 82.2-82.6, 0.4 miles), U.S. 177 (Miles 91.2-91.5, 0.3 miles), OK 1 (Miles 97.8-108.8, 11.0 miles), U.S. 377/OK 99 (Miles 119.5-120.4, 0.9 miles)

Traffic Counts:
18,600 - 2 miles E of Lawton
8,100 - 1 mile W of OK 65
7,900 - 1 mile E of OK 65
7,500 - OK 7 @ U.S. 81
17,400 - U.S. 81/OK 7 duplex
9,700 - SW Duncan
7,900 - SE Duncan
3,100 to 4,300 - OK 7B to OK 76
3,300 - OK 7 @ OK 76
1,900 - OK 7 @ OK 74
7,100 - OK 7 @ Interstate 35
10,100 - Davis
9,400 - OK 7 @ OK 110
8,400 - Sulphur
1,700 - OK 7 @ OK 1
1,300 to 1,600 - OK 1/OK 7 duplex
510 - 1 mile E of OK 1 W
310 - OK 7 @ U.S. 377/OK 99
1,900 - U.S. 377/OK 7/OK 99 multiplex
830 - OK 7 @ OK 7D
1,700 - OK 7 @ OK 48
1,900 - OK 7 @ OK 3 Bypass
3,700 - OK 7 @ U.S. 69/U.S. 75

WESTERN TERMINUS
Interstate 44, Lawton

	"END OK 7" and "State Maintenance Ends" signage as OK 7 West comes to an end in Lawton. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	OK 7 West at Interstate 44 West/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 South. The "END" sign is about 1/4 mile west of the interstate. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	OK 7 West at Interstate 44 East/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 North. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	OK 7 East at Interstate 44 West/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 South. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	OK 7 East at Interstate 44 East/U.S. 277/U.S. 281 North. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	First OK 7 East assurance shield just east of Interstate 44. The OK 65 junction is 9.5 miles ahead. (Photo taken 12/11/03)
	Interstate 44 West at Exit 36A - OK 7 East - Duncan. (Photo taken 10/11/02)
	Interstate 44 East at Exit 36A - OK 7 - Lee Blvd./Duncan. (Photo taken 9/6/02)

FORMER WESTERN TERMINUS
U.S. 62, Lawton

Normally I don't write a commentary about a terminus, but I have some historical information on this terminus, thanks to Mark Adkinson (spam filter in effect, replace # with @). He sent me an e-mail February 16, 2003, informing me of the terminus change from U.S. 62 to Interstate 44. He also provided some background information of the routings of U.S. 62 and OK 7 in Lawton:

"...the western end of OK 7 has floated around quite a bit over the last 20 years or so. At one time, it ended at the corner of Cache Rd. and Sheridan. I didn't remember it ever going all the way to the Fort Sill gate, but...after U.S. 62 was routed to a new alignment just north of Cache Rd. in the 70's (not the current Rogers Lane alignment), OK 7 was rerouted to run all the way out [on] Lee to 82nd Street, then north to the new U.S. 62 alignment."

	The former western terminus of OK 7 was located here, at the entrance to the Fort Sill military base in northern Lawton. This ramp is the final opportunity to get off the highway before the road enters the base. Unlike the new western terminus, there is no "END" sign present here. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	This ramp is actually the exit ramp from Sheridan Rd. south after leaving Fort Sill. Since I didn't turn off at U.S. 62 like I was supposed to, I had to turn around in Fort Sill. But I was able to get this perspective. No need to worry about that anymore, though, as the western terminus has been truncated to Interstate 44. (Photo taken 9/6/02)

OTHER HIGHWAY PICTURES

	The now former OK 7 West at Business U.S. 281 in Lawton. OK 7 now ends at Interstate 44, half a mile to the east of this stoplight. (Photo taken 9/6/02)
	OK 7 East at OK 7B (Business OK 7) West in southeast Duncan. There are no signs in place for OK 7B from OK 7 East. (Photo taken 5/12/04)
	OK 7 West* at OK 7B West.* (Photo taken 5/12/04)
	OK 7 East at Interstate 35 North - Oklahoma City. (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 West* at Interstate 35 North.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 East* at U.S. 77 South.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	U.S. 77 South/OK 7 West* approaching U.S. 77 South.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	U.S. 77 South/OK 7 West at U.S. 77 South in Davis. The two highways have a 1/2 mile duplex. (Top photo taken 5/28/04, bottom photo taken 11/26/04)
	U.S. 77 North/OK 7 East assurance shields just east of U.S. 77 South. (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	U.S. 77 North/OK 7 East* at U.S. 77 North.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 West* at U.S. 77 North in Davis.* (Top photo taken 5/28/04, bottom photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 East* at OK 110 South.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 West at OK 110 South. OK 110 connects OK 7 to the town of Dougherty. (Top photo taken 5/28/04, bottom photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 East* at the Chickasaw Turnpike.* (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 West at the Chickasaw Turnpike. The Chickasaw Turnpike is a 2-lane road that is 17 miles long and costs 55 cents to drive on. (Top two photos taken 5/28/04, bottom photo taken 11/26/04)
	OK 7 East at U.S. 177 in Sulphur. OK 7 heads to the north here for a short duplex with U.S. 177. (Photo taken 11/26/04)
	U.S. 177 South/OK 7 West at OK 7 West in Sulphur. U.S. 177 enters the Chickasaw National Recreational Area just ahead. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 7 West at OK 7D North. OK 7D connects OK 7 to Bromide. (Photo taken 5/28/04)
	OK 7 East* at OK 48 in Wapanucka.* (Photo taken 5/28/04)

EASTERN TERMINUS
U.S. 69/U.S. 75, Atoka

	"END OK 7" sign as OK 7 East nears its end at U.S. 69 and U.S. 75 in Atoka. This is also the eastern end of the OK 3 Bypass. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 7 East at U.S. 69/U.S. 75. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 7 West/OK 3 Bypass assurance shields just west of U.S. 69/U.S. 75. The OK 3 Bypass will split from OK 7 in 1/2 mile. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 3 West approaching U.S. 69/U.S. 75/OK 7 in Atoka. OK 3 heads north with U.S. 69 and U.S. 75 for about a mile. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	OK 3 West at U.S. 69/U.S. 75/OK 7. (Photo taken 5/31/04)
	U.S. 69/U.S. 75 South/OK 3 East at OK 7 West/ OK 3 East/OK 3 Bypass. (Photo taken 5/31/04)