Ultimate Interstate 45 is a conceptual northward extension of I‑45, carrying the route from Dallas, Texas to Overland Park, Kansas by way of the cities of Durant, McAlester, and Muskogee in Oklahoma with potential spur routes linking the corridor to the Tulsa metropolitan area.

Current I-45 Status and Development

Interstate 45 currently lies entirely within Texas. Although its mileage is relatively short for a major north–south corridor—especially for an Interstate ending in “5”, it plays a crucial role by linking the Dallas/Fort Worth region with Houston and Galveston. Past discussions about extending I‑45 northward have gained little momentum, but existing improvements along the corridor make such an upgrade increasingly feasible. Much of US‑75 north of Dallas already functions as a grade‑separated expressway already meeting or near interstate standards. Moving into Oklahoma, several portions of US‑75 and US‑69 still fall short of interstate criteria, yet many upgraded expressway and freeway segments could be converted with additional bypasses and minor upgrades. In Kansas, some stretches would require new‑terrain construction while others could be upgraded from existing 2‑lane or 4‑lane highways. North of Fort Scott, US‑69 already meets interstate standards.

Indyroads Conceptual Improvements

The preferred routing shown in the maps would extend I‑45 north along unsigned I‑345, replacing it, then continue on US‑75 toward Oklahoma until meeting US‑69 near Denison, Texas. From there, the corridor would follow US‑69/US‑75 to Atoka, Oklahoma, then continue along US‑69 through McAlester and Muskogee to reach I‑44 (Will Rogers Turnpike) near Big Cabin. The route would follow I‑44 for roughly 30 to 50 miles to Miami or Quapaw in Oklahoma, then shift toward on a new terrain alignment passing near the towns of Picher, Oklahoma and Baxter Springs, Kansas, tracking near Alternate US‑69 then continuing north along US‑69 toward Pittsburg and Fort Scott. After bypassing both cities, the corridor would continue along the US‑69 freeway to Overland Park, terminating at I‑35 in Lenexa.

Texas

Large portions of the US‑75/US‑69 corridor in Texas are already meet or are near interstate standards, and current construction activity positions the route to be fully eligible for interstate designation should a northern extension of I‑45 be considered and ultimately approved. Two major projects, one in the Dallas/Collin County region and one in Grayson County, are actively upgrading the corridor’s geometry, lane configuration, operational characteristics and interstate standards.

Dallas & Collin County – Tech Lanes Conversion

A major project converting former HOV lanes into peak‑hour “technology lanes” is nearly complete along US‑75 from I‑635 to SH‑121/Sam Rayburn Tollway. Valued at $58 million, the work is 99% finished and opens the inside lane to all drivers for 22 hours each day, reserving peak‑hour restrictions only for HOVs, motorcycles, and low‑emission vehicles. No tolls are charged. These upgrades improve lane continuity and operational consistency—both important for interstate signing.

Grayson County – Widening and Corridor Modernization

TxDOT is advancing a series of widening and modernization projects from the Collin County line northward through Sherman and Denison. Improvements include new U‑turn bridges in Van Alstyne and Howe, conversion of frontage roads to one‑way operation, and updated speed limits. Long‑range plans anticipate full interstate‑standard upgrades through Grayson County by approximately 2031, creating a continuous, grade‑separated corridor from Dallas to the Oklahoma border.

Taken together, these projects demonstrate that Texas is effectively preparing US‑75/US‑69 for full interstate designation. Once Oklahoma and Kansas complete their respective upgrades, the Texas portion of the corridor will be ready to carry the I‑45 shield without further major reconstruction.

Oklahoma

Corridor 45 Alternate Routings

There are also 4 possible recommended alternate routings are represented by the dotted blue or magenta lines on the map. All routings below are described running from South to North, and each of the alternatives share the same routing from Dallas through Tulsa OK as follows:

Ultimate Interstate 45 would follow its proposed routing along sections of US-75 and US-69 from Dallas, TX to the Indian Nation Turnpike (OK-75) junction near McAlester, OK.
From there all of the alternatives deviate from the ultimate routing instead following the Indian Nation TPK (OK-75) and then US-75 North from McAlester, OK to Tulsa, OK (what is proposed as Ultimate Interstate 145).

Starting in Tulsa OK, each of the alternates deviate from one another as described below:

Alternative Routing 1 follows I-44 from Tulsa OK and rejoins the Proposed Ultimate Interstate 45 routing northward into Kansas from a new junction near Miami, OK.
Alternative Routing 1A diverts to a new freeway/tollway route from US-75 near Okmulgee, OK on a new alignment to the Creek Turnpike (OK-364) near Broken Arrow, OK, then following the Creek Turnpike (OK-345) northward until it reaches and rejoins I-44 east of Tulsa. From there it Follows I-44 and rejoins the Proposed Ultimate Interstate 45 routing northward into Kansas from a new junction near Miami, OK
Alternative Routing 2 routes its way through Tulsa continuing northward as it follows US-169 north of Tulsa to Iola, KS then heads eastward near US-54 and rejoins the proposed Ultimate Interstate 45 as it heads northward along the US-69 freeway near Ft Scott, KS.
Alternative Routing 3 starts similarly to alternative 2 routing through Tulsa and heading northward along US-169 through Chanute, KS and Iola, KS but stays on US-169 as it routes through Garnett, KS and Paola, KS before terminating at a new interchange I-35 in Olathe, KS. Alternative 3 is the only one that does not rejoin the original ultimate route.

Alternatives 1 and 1A could also serve as an East West Split of Corridor 45. With the western alternative being signed as I-45W and the eastern routing through Muskogee being signed as I-45E.

Kansas

Pittsburg Bypass

The Crawford County Corridor is a proposed freeway bypass project being proposed by KDOT to improve US-69 from 1 to 3 miles north of Arma to US-400 south of Pittsburg. Initially Four proposed alignments were being studied for improvements to the highway in Crawford County. Of the 4 options the second western option was chosen as the preferred option due to less right of way encroachments at the north and south ends of the project. A connecting road from the south end of the project would have then tied the new bypass to the existing route about 1 mile south of US-400/K-171. The bypass project was moving forward until the cities of Alma, Frontenac, and Pittsburg Kansas passed resolutions removing their support of the western bypass option citing concerns about the impact of the western alignment of the route and asking the state to reconsider the routing. The cities are concerned about possible negative economic impacts of moving the highway further away. These cities prefer a more centralized alternative instead. As a result, the state is going back to the study phase to consider different possible alternatives. The map to the right shows the 4 potential alternatives considered. However, it remains to be seen in the next 2 years what will come out of the study going forward.

Western Routing
- Option 1 Begins in the north from 1/2 mile north of 650th Ave curving off to the west to about 2 miles west of existing US-69 bypassing Alma, Frontenac, and Pittsburg before ending at US-400 at the Crawford/Cherokee county line, 1/2 mile west of the Kansas Crossing casino.
- Option 2 Begins in the north from just south of 670th Ave curving off to the west to about 2 miles west of existing US-69 bypassing Alma, Frontenac, and Pittsburg before ending at US-400 at the Crawford/Cherokee county line 1 mile west of the Kansas Crossing casino. This option became the preferred option for the bypass.
- the proposed interchanges for the western options are:
  - 640th Ave
  - K-47 (620th Ave)
  - US-160 (590th Ave)
  - 570th Ave/West Atkinson Ave
  - K-126 (W 4th St)
  - 520th Ave
  - US-400/K-171 (End of Freeway)

Central Routing
- follows along the existing routing to approximately 1/2 mile west of the existing routing
- the proposed interchanges for the central option are:
  - N West St/Business 69
  - K-47 (620th Ave)
  - US-160 (590th Ave)
  - W Atkinson Ave
  - K-126 (W 4th St)
  - Business 69/Broadway
  - US-400/K-171 (End of Freeway)

Eastern Routing
- Begins in the north from 1/2 mile north of 650th Ave curving off to the east to about 1-3 miles east of existing US-69 following a meandering route around the east sides of Alma, Frontenac, and Pittsburg before rejoining the existing US-69 alignment 1/4 mile south of the Crawford/Cherokee county line.
- the proposed interchanges for the eastern option are:
  - E South St/640th Ave
  - K-47 (620th Ave)
  - US-160 (590th Ave)
  - E Atkinson Ave/570th Ave
  - K-126 (E 4th St)
  - Business 69/Broadway
  - US-400/K-171

April 2025 Update

KDOT has been continuing to go back to having open houses to determine the needs for the corridor as well as being able to address some of the concerns brought up by local residents, stakeholders, crawford county and city governments invested in process. Because of this the immediate focus of the corridor study has changed regarding immediate and potential minor improvements to be made through 2030. This corridor had been under study and planning for full freeway upgrade with preliminary plans dating all the way back to 1999, with the initial EIS/EIR study completed in 2012 with a finding of no significant inpact (FONSI) and plans to proceed with the project in late 2023. The resulting outcry and withdrawal of support from several cities has stymied the project leaving the freeway with an uncertain future and KDOT making the following statement:

"KDOT is currently planning upgrades to some of the traffic signals, as well as speed feedback signs. Aside from these, there are no plans for this stretch of U.S. 69 highway. KDOT wants to collect community input and analyze updated traffic and crash data before making any decisions."

This could leave the door open potentially for a freeway in the future, but based on the statement and details available on the project website, it appears that this may be in the distant future. One can only assume if that means 2040 or 2050 or beyond. At any rate we remain steadfast in our support of a full limited access freeway corridor maintained from I-35 to I-44 in eastern Kansas, and this includes construction of this segment as a freeway.

You can read more about the project from the KDOT US69 Crawford County Study Website

June 2025 Update

KDOT has come back with its final concepts for improvements to be made to the Pittsburg to Arma corridor totaling an expected cost of $43 Million dollars to 'upgrade' the corridor and improve safety between 2026 to 2029. These improvements will provide a little relief to addressing the congestion and safety considerations along the corridor by partially restricting access along certain portions of the route, including RIRO (Right-in/Right-Out) access, the construction of 1 of 3 planned roundabouts, installation of additional traffic signage, signalized interchanges, and rumble strips. 2 additional roundabouts, 2 sweeping right (right turn channelization) ramps, and the addition of left turn and right turn acceeration and deceleration lanes are still being considered in the future and have yet to be funded for construction.

So, we have went from being nearly ready to start major construction of a long-needed freeway bypass that would have enhanced the region and would have been completed substantially by 2030 to now a handful of significantly inadequate minor improvements with a significantly hefty price tag. Ultimately, some of these improvements are needed, such as a roundabout at North Broadway and Atkinson for one. But this will not improve interstate commerce, it will not create the 4-lane freeway corridor originally imagined by KDOT when the northern portions of the expressway were constructed and opened. This effectively leaves US-69 as a dead-end in northern Crawford County because from there interstate traffic must then negotiate a network of narrow and congested 2-lane roads to continue further south. This is dissapointing to say the least.

Hopefully KDOT still has the greater vision of constructing the 4-lane through the region long term and is just addressing local concerns on the short term. By having capitulated so far to the cities of Arma, Frontenac, and Pittsburg they have set the area up to miss out on the benefits of being connected to a major commercial corridor. Something that neighboring Missouri took advantage of when they upgraded the US-71 corridor to what is now I-49. This has undoubtedly had a positive impact on cities along the corridor including Carthage, Lamar, Nevada, Butler, Appleton City, and Harrisonville. Benefits that could also bring similar growth to cities like Baxter Springs, Pittsburg, Arma, Fort Scott, and Pleasanton.

Fort Scott Bypass

The Fort Scott Bypass is a preliminarily proposed freeway bypass project being considered by KDOT to improve US-69 from 1 mile north of Fort Scott to K-7/US69 Junction approximately 5 miles south of Fort Scott traveling around the east side of the city. The potential alignment shown in the illustration is for illustration purposes only depicting a possible location of the bypass route, as nothing has officially been proposed along the corridor.

Recent improvements to the US69 mainline between Wall Street and 18th were just completed in 2023 along a previously improved expressway section that would be difficult to upgrade to a full freeway for several reasons. First is the tight geometry due to several curves along this section of expressway, secondly, the expressway abruptly ends at the south end curving on to main street leaving no option for extending the expressway further south. Third, converting intersections at 3rd Street, 6th Street, and 12th Street to grade separated crossings or intersections would also be difficult due to elevation issues and lack of room to build bridge approaches without elevating the expressway. It does appear that at one time the extension of this expressway was planned further southward. Evidence of this is visibileif you look at what appears to be an exit ramp built into the East National Ave bridge at the south end and noticeably vacant land located to the immediate southeast where the expressway would have likely curved to the southeast then crossing the railroad tracks and continuing south.

Should a bypass be constructed potential exits would likely be constructed at:

US-54 West/US-69 Business/K-7 on the north end
Wall Street/US-54 East
Jayhawk Rd
K-7/US69 Business in the south as the bypass reconnects to the existing routing in the south.
Partial interchange at Grand Road

Construction of the bypass is most definitely needed in order to fulfill the goal of having a full interstate quality freeway from Kansas City to Interstate 44 through southeast Kansas, which if completed could become part of the Interstate 45 corridor if it is ever extended north of Dallas. While there is concerns and some opposition to it due to the potential threat of economic decline, such as has been witnessed in smaller towns like Pleasanton, there are ways to mitigate this and promote the city as a regional center, thus protecting its commerce and keeping it a destination city, rather than a town to just drive around on your way to somewhere else. These same concerns are also part of the reason why there has been much consternation regarding the freeway bypasses proposed around Pittsburg and Frontenac. It remains to be seen if attempts move forward with the bypass will come however it looks like it will be several years if not decades before a Fort Scott bypass could become a reality.

Fort Scott to Arma

Upgrades were completed along US69 from the K-7 junction south of Fort Scott to Arma constructing the 2-lane segment into a 4-lane expressway with at grade intersections spaced 1 mile apart. Plans also call for the eventual upgrade of the corridor to full freeway standards with limited access grade separation and property access maintained by the use of frontage roads to connect to interchanges along the corridor

The proposed upgrades to freeway standard include:

Connect to the planned Pittsburg Bypass (Crawford County Corridor) south of the 680th Ave intersection
Upgrade 680th Ave to a standard diamond interchange
Close access at 690th Ave - Convert to cul-de-sac/access via adjoining roads
Grade separation at 700th Ave
Upgrade 710th Ave to a standard diamond interchange
Grade separation at 720th Ave
Close access at 730th Ave - Convert to cul-de-sac/access via adjoining roads
Close access at Birch Rd - Convert to cul-de-sac/access via adjoining roads
Grade separation at Cavalry Rd
Close access at Deer Rd - Convert to cul-de-sac/access via frontage/adjoining roads
Upgrade Eagle Rd to a standard diamond interchange
Close access at Fern Rd - Access via frontage road
Grand Rd access would remain at grade (likely to be upgraded in the future or due to long range planning for a Fort Scott bypass)

Officially the state opted to move forward with the upgradable expressway for the time being due to the expressway meeting the traffic needs for the foreseeable future. However right of way has been preserved for the ultimate upgrade of the highway to full freeway standards possibly by 2040.

Purpose and Need

Ideally offering this connection would provide a better through route to Kansas City, St. Louis, and the northern plains cities that currently must use the existing I-35 corridor. Additionally, many cities along the corridor would benefit from the positive economic impact of having a major north south interstate corridor passing through. This corridor, in conjunction with the other planned interstate corridors, such as I-69, I-49, and I-42 (OK-AR)) would improve interconnectability as well providing alternatives for long distance traffic to have more direct access to some destinations, while bypassing other congested metro areas resulting in energy savings and less pollution.

Auxiliary Routes

Ultimate Interstate 145 is an auxiliary interstate route that would connect Tulsa, OK to I-45 near McAlester, OK using the northern section of the Indian Nation Turnpike (OK-75) and continuing north along the US-75 freeway/expressway into Tulsa, OK terminating at I-244.

This 'Ultimate Interstate' could potentially be extended southward to Hugo, OK which would bring the entire Indian Nation Turnpike into the interstate system.

Ultimate Interstate 345 is an auxiliary interstate route that would connect Tulsa, OK to I-40 near Webbers Falls, OK by redesignating the entire Muskogee Turnpike (currently OK-351) as an interstate highway. The Oklahoma Department of Highways has applied and is seeking final approvals to sign this route as Interstate 343. This is problematic however since the route does not connect to Interstate 43 (Which is located in Wisconsin). This seems to be more of a novelty designation similar to the I-238 designation in California that also does not conform to numbering conventions. Considering our 'Ultimate Interstate' proposal to extend I-45 northward through the area, Interstate 345 would be a more logical choice for renumbering this road and as such Indyroads recommends amending the route number to I-345 instead.

Additionally, the I-345 route could be extended further northwestward to end at either I-44 in Central Tulsa or at I-244 downtown.

Ultimate Interstates:Corridor 45

Contents

Current I-45 Status and Development

Indyroads Conceptual Improvements

Texas