Interstate 44 is an interstate highway in the central United States. Its western terminus is in Wichita Falls, Texas at an intersection with U.S. Highway 287; its eastern terminus is in Saint Louis, Missouri at Interstate 55. Interstate 44 is one of five interestates built to bypass U.S. Highway 66, namely between St. Louis and Oklahoma City.
Length
| Miles | km | ||
| 15 | 24 | Texas | |
| 329 | 530 | Oklahoma | |
| 290 | 467 | Missouri | |
| 634 | 1021 | Total | |
Major cities along the route
Intersections with other Interstates
Spur routes
- Tulsa, Oklahoma - I-244, I-444 (unsigned)
- St. Louis, Missouri - I-244 (decommissioned in 1974, made part of I-270)
Death Trap of Eureka, Missouri
I-44's most dangerous section starts at Missouri State Highway 100 near Gray Summit, Missouri and ends at Missouri State Highway 141 at Valley Park. This section of I-44 is well-known for its share of fatal and often deadly accidents, including most recently as of July 29th, 2005, all 5 members of a family were killed, although it had been caused by a dump truck and charges are pending. This area used to be a 70 MPH zone and 4-Laned, but a few years ago, the limit was lowered to 65 MPH and 6-laned, but that may not be enough for long-term needs. There has been rumors of widening of this section to 8 Lanes, lowering to 55 MPH, and/or increased law enforcement.
Notes
- I-44 in Oklahoma is a toll road most of the way, paralleled by former U.S. 66.
- Some highway mavens think that I-44 and I-64 could and should hook up in St. Louis, Missouri, become one longer interstate, and be renamed I-60. However, as I-64 extends through St. Louis, and is planned to extend beyond to Wentzville, this most likely will not happen. In addition, the cost of resigning hundreds of miles of interstate would be prohibitive.
- I-244 in Tulsa, Oklahoma has its own loop route, I-444. I-244 and I-444 together form a square around Tulsa's downtown known locally as the "Inner Dispersal Loop". But while some maps show the "444" designation, it is signed only with the names of the US and state routes it also carries: US 75, US 64, and Oklahoma State Highway 51.
- What was once I-244 around St. Louis is currently part of that city's I-270/I-255 beltway.
- Business Loop I-44 and Business Spur I-44 at the Fort Leonard Wood exit intersect. This is the only ___location in the country where the loop and spur of an interstate do this.