# Cherokee Turnpike

The Cherokee Turnpike is a controlled-access toll road in eastern Oklahoma. Opened in 1991, the route is a four-lane freeway carrying US-412 from east of Kansas, Oklahoma, to east of Chouteau, and has a total length of 32.8 miles (52.8 km) and a speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h).
An alternate route, US-412 Alternate, provides a free but not controlled-access route through the towns bypassed by the Turnpike with only a 55 mph (89 km/h) speed limit.

## Route description

The turnpike begins by branching off US-412 east of the Grand River in Mayes County. The turnpike carries US-412 for its entire length; the old alignment of US-412, which was also at one time State Highway 33, is now US-412 Alternate. The Cherokee Turnpike runs within a close distance of US-412 Alternate for its entire length. The turnpike generally varies only a few degrees from true east–west throughout its entire route.
The turnpike's first exit is a diamond interchange with State Highway 82 just south of Locust Grove. From this point, the road travels 11 miles (18 km) without another exit. During this interval, the highway crosses from Mayes into Delaware County. Just after crossing the county line, the Cherokee has its second exit, again meeting US-412 Alternate southeast of Rose. This second exit is a partial cloverleaf with loop ramps in the northwest, northeast, and southwest quadrants.
Continuing east, the turnpike passes through a barrier toll plaza. The final exit, another 11 miles (18 km) from the US-412 Alternate exit, occurs north of Kansas, Oklahoma at US-59/SH-10, which is another diamond interchange. After this interchange, US-412 Alternate crosses over the turnpike with no interchange. The median gradually widens again as US-412 Alternate, now concurrent with US-59, crosses under the westbound lanes and begins running through the median. The eastbound lanes eventually merge with US-59/US-412 Alternate. This marks the eastern terminus of both the Cherokee Turnpike and US-412 Alternate. US-59 and mainline US-412 continue east toward West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, where they split, and US-412 crosses the state line into Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

## History

The Cherokee Turnpike resulted from the same 1987 compromise between urban and rural legislators that resulted in the Kilpatrick, Creek, and Chickasaw Turnpikes. The turnpike opened to traffic in 1991.

## Services

An Oklahoma Tourism Information Center is located on the turnpike near the Kansas exit, 13 miles (21 km) from the Arkansas–Oklahoma state line. Free coffee is available at the tourism center.
Law enforcement along the Cherokee Turnpike is provided by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop XD, a special troop assigned to the turnpike.

## Tolls

A two-axle vehicle currently pays $5.70(PikePass holders pay less) to drive the full length of the Turnpike. This is equivalent of a toll of 17 cents per mile. Drivers in vehicles with more than two axles, such as truckers, pay higher tolls.
Tolls are collected for eastbound traffic upon exiting at Locust Grove and Leach, and entry at Kansas. Westbound traffic must pay toll upon exit at Kansas and entry at Leach and Locust Grove. All traffic passing through the barrier toll west of the Kansas exit must pay toll, regardless of direction.

## Future

On May 20, 2021, Senator Jim Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, introduced legislation to designate the portion of US-412 between I-35 in Noble County and I-49 in Springdale, Arkansas as future Interstate 42. (I-42) The bill, titled the "Future Interstate in Oklahoma and Arkansas Act" (S. 1766), was cosponsored by senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, both Republicans of Arkansas. The senators' stated reasons for seeking an Interstate designation along the US-412 included encouraging economic development, expanding opportunities for employment in the region, making travel safer and shipping easier, attracting new businesses, and better connecting rural and urban communities. Other supporters of the measure include the mayor of Tulsa, G. T. Bynum, and the heads of both ODOT and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT). The language of the bill was later included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684). Interstate 42 (I-42) was the proposed designation but was withdrawn. ArDOT and ODOT later resubmitted the application to the Spring 2024 meeting; AASHTO approved the route as Interstate 42, conditional on it being upgraded to Interstate standards.

## Exit list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Mayes | ​ | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 412 continues west | US 412 continues west | US 412 continues west |
| Mayes | ​ | 0.0 | 0.0 | | US 412 Alt. | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Mayes | Locust Grove | 6.2 | 10.0 | 6 | SH-82 – Locust Grove, Tahlequah | |
| Delaware | ​ | 17.1 | 27.5 | 17 | US 412 Alt. – Rose, Leach | |
| Delaware | ​ | 19.7 | 31.7 | Toll plaza | Toll plaza | Toll plaza |
| Delaware | ​ | 28.3 | 45.5 | 28 | US 59 / SH-10 – Kansas, Tahlequah | |
| Delaware | ​ | 32.6 | 52.5 | | US 59 / US 412 Alt. | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Delaware | ​ | 32.6 | 52.5 | US 59 / US 412 continue east | US 59 / US 412 continue east | US 59 / US 412 continue east |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access Tolled |||||||