Interstate 44 in Texas

Interstate 44
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length:	14.77 mi[1] (23.77 km)
Existed:	1982[2] – present
Major junctions
West end:	US 82 / US 277 / US 281 / US 287 in Wichita Falls
	US 287 in Wichita Falls
East end:	I‑44 / US-277 / US-281 at Oklahoma state line
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec ← SH 43 SH 44 →

In the U.S. state of Texas, Interstate 44 has a short but regionally important 14.77-mile (23.77 km) stretch, connecting Wichita Falls with Oklahoma. Its entire length is concurrent with U.S. Highway 277 and U.S. Highway 281. I-44 provides access to downtown Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base. The Interstate 44, US-277, US-281, US-287 concurrency is known as "Central Freeway" throughout the city. For example, I-44 East is known as "Central Freeway East."

Route description

I-44 begins near exit 1 in Wichita Falls concurrent with US 277, US 281 and US 287. US 281 and US 287 continue to the south while US 277 leaves the concurrency at exit 1, which also provides access to US 82. I-44 heads north through Wichita Falls to an interchange with US 287 and Spur 325. US 287 leaves the concurrency as a freeway to the west while Spur 325 leaves the interchange towards the northeast providing access to Sheppard Air Force Base and Wichita Falls Municipal Airport. I-44 continues to the north as it leaves the Wichita Falls city limits at Bacon Switch Road. The freeway enters the Burkburnett city limits south of an interchange at FM 3429. Heading north through the city, I-44 has interchanges with SH 240 and Spur 383. After passing Spur 383, I-44 begins to head towards the northeast before its final interchange in Texas at Loop 267. I-44 leaves the state of Texas at its crossing of the Red River and enters Oklahoma.^[3]

History

Interstate 44 was signed south from Oklahoma City past I-40, along the H. E. Bailey Turnpike, in 1982. This expanded the interstate by some 100 miles to Texas. This additional signage included the Red River Expressway in Burkburnett and the Central Freeway in Wichita Falls, to 8th street (being concurrent with US 277/281/287). For many years the freeway ended here, forcing traffic to exit onto the service roads. In the early 2000s, the Central Freeway was expanded through the downtown area, connecting directly to the Central East Freeway.

Exit list

The entire route is in Wichita County.

Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Wichita Falls	0.00	0.00		US 281 south / US 287 south / US 82 west / US 277 south – Jacksboro, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Abilene	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western terminus
			1	Holliday Street – Business District	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance, access to United Regional Healthcare System
			1A	Bus. US 277 south	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			1B	Scotland Park	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			1C	Texas Travel Info Center
			1D	Bus. US 287
			2	Maurine Street
			3A	US 287 north – Vernon, Amarillo	East end of US 287 concurrency
			3B	Spur 325 – Sheppard AFB
			3C	FM 890 – Wichita Falls Municipal Airport
			4	City Loop Street	Eastbound exit and entrance
			4	Frontage Road	Westbound exit only
			5	Access Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			5A	FM 3492 (Missile Road) – Sheppard AFB
			6	Bacon Switch Road
​			7	East Road
Burkburnett			11	FM 3429 (Daniels Road)
			12	SH 240 – Burkburnett
			13	Spur 383 (Glendale Street)
			14	Loop 267 (East Third Street) to SH 240 west – Burkburnett
​	14.77	23.77		I‑44 east / US-277 north / US-281 north	Continuation into Oklahoma
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. Federal Highway Administration, Route Log and Finder List: Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002
2. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Interstate Highway No. 44". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
3. Google (2008-02-25). "overview map of I-44" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2008-02-25.