Oklahoma Roads - US 66 - Washita County

in Washita County



EB just across the county line from Beckham Co. and Elk City, as old US 66 starts out as I-40's north frontage road.


Then, I-40 cuts across the old alignment and old US 66 magically becomes the south frontage road. With no direct crossing (which would have been at a sharp skew), the only way to continue is to proceed to the next overpass in Canute. I decided to explore the old alignment by heading west from that point back to where I-40 cut off former 66. You can see how it lines up with the north frontage road in the distance.

All remaining photos are eastbound.


Back east on the dead-end stub until it comes back into the south frontage road.


Remnants from when US 66 still ran through Canute. The last photo is Holy Family Church.


Looking north along 9th St., which comes to I-40 at Exit 47.


Clearly, the original road followed what are now a brief set of WB lanes east of Canute. As I-40 was being constructed, small town bypasses tended to lag behind the rest of the route. Thus US 66 widened to a divided highway on either side of town, which was then taken over by I-40 when it was created. In some places, such as just east of Canute, I-40 directly overlays even the original US 66 as well as the newer divided highway. In other places, the original road strays from the new alignment and is still intact.


And in still other places, the original road gets crossed by I-40 and switches sides, such as at the top of the page. All the US 66 traveler can do is take the next overpass or backtrack to the previous one to get to the other frontage road.


East of Clinton Lake, there are suddenly a number of old and scenic bridges.


There is even scenic scenery, to the south.


Forced onto I-40, I can still take some photos of old frontage road bridges until the next exit. (Sometimes there is just no good way to connect the dots on the old alignments.)


Old bridges, old pavement, old curb, old alignment.

Continue west on old US 66 onto OK 34
Continue east on old US 66 into Custer County
Back to US 66 main page

Onto I-40 (US 66's successor)

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