Photos progress westward in the direction I drove, and are mostly WB in case I don't consistently narrate the direction.


Continuing inexorably straight west from former US 62/75 (see big link at bottom), merging back to two lanes and driving over the rhythmic ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-THUNK crash tinkle tinkle of the bumpiest roadway I have ever driven at 60 MPH. The headlights in the third photo are the only other car I passed from Henryetta to current US 62. Just before meeting back up with US 62, the old road is paved over but you can still see the concrete joints rippling through.

Back on US 62 in Okemah, an old alignment of nightly lodging.


Old US 62 is right next to the modern road for quite some time through eastern Oklahoma. I decided to try one out, facing east in the first photo and west in the next two. Grass is growing through the concrete joints of the unneeded stub (where the Prelude parked), while the asphalt was left on the rest of the road for driveway use. The center stripe is still visible from when this was US 62.


Still tempted by the passing old alignments, I grab another one as I head WB and take eastward and westward photos on it. I'd ruined my rental car enough on old 62, so decided not to try to drive this.


East of Paden, the old alignment finally crosses over US 62 and breaks to the left as its own road.


The old alignment doesn't last too long on the east - after passing River Rd. to the west of Paden, it crosses back over for a little loop at the entrance to Prague. Prague is an Oklahoma Certified City. I worry about the rogue uncertified cities taking advantage of city benefits without having to register for certification. I'm looking at you, Knowles.


Just west of Meeker at South Quapaw Creek and undrivable.


On the other side, be prepared to hang a right and look at more of the alignment. The puddle is what heads westward as a stub, and the actual road photos head eastward back to the creek.


Just east of OK 177 in Jacktown, I noticed something going on in the trees to the north. When I got to the western end, I pulled in and headed back east on the old alignment. Surprisingly, this mostly abandoned stretch of road was quite a bit smoother than the still open former US 62 west of Henryetta. Sure, it's slowly being reclaimed by the trees, but you can still make it down the middle.


Don't need to worry about oncoming traffic when you're driving that one lane - the bridge deck is a good 2-3 inches above the rest of the pavement, so it's already likely no one comes through here. ODOT just never got around to closing the roadway, or the bridge just never got around to falling into the river.


Finishing up to return to my westerly course once more.


Just like at S. Quapaw Creek, here's a WB stub in Harrah and an EB roadway proceeding away from it. It seems that when the bridge was removed here, the stub was just tied into an existing roadway gracefully.

Back up the stub to Harrah.

US 75 and US 62/75 (and old 62/75)
More old US 62, Newcastle Bridge
Back to US 62 main page

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