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State Highway 6 (Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
State Highway 6, abbreviated to SH-6 or OK-6, is a state highway
in Oklahoma
. It runs in a 116.4 mile (187.3 km) crescent through the southwestern part of the state, running from the Texas state line north of Quanah, Texas
, to SH-152
in the unincorporated town of Sweetwater
. There are no letter-suffixed spur highways branching from SH-6.
SH-6 was added to the state highway system in 1954. The highway was later extended from its original extent; westward from Elk City in 1957 and southward to Texas in 1975.
leaves Texas
, becomes SH-6 and continues headed northeast, passing through the small Jackson County
towns of Eldorado
and Olustee
. Highway 6 meets US-62 five miles (8 km) west of Altus. SH-6 makes a right turn at this point to overlap US-62 into Altus
.
In Altus, SH-6 takes a turn to the north to overlap US-283. North of Blair
, US-283 heads due north while SH-6 turns toward the northwest. SH-6 crosses US-283 once more before the state highway continues to the north toward Granite
, where it meets SH-9
.
North of Granite, SH-6 runs along the Beckham
–Washita
county line until sharing a 4-mile (6.4 km) concurrency with SH-55, moving into Beckham County. After splitting away from SH-55, it meets SH-152
for the first time (it will meet SH-152 at its northern end.)
SH-6 continues north to have an interchange with Interstate 40 in Elk City
. It overlaps Business Loop I-40 for four miles (6.4 km) on the north side of the city. At this point the north–south highway curves to the west. It crosses US-283 (again), and then ends at SH-152 in Sweetwater.
to the Kansas state line north of Vinita
. When the United States Numbered Highways
system was established in 1926, the vast majority of the highway was overlapped by US-75 and US-73. (Later, this corridor would form the majority of U.S. Route 69 in Oklahoma
). As a result, the original SH-6 designation was decommissioned soon after the U.S. highway system's establishment.
The SH-6 designation remained unused until August 21, 1954, when it was assigned to a highway beginning at US-283 east of Mangum
, extending north through Granite and Retrop, and ending at US-66 in Elk City. The highway was extended west along SH-73 to its current northern terminus on January 21, 1957.
SH-6 was extended to the south on July 7, 1975, bringing it to Altus by way of a concurrency with US-283, where it joined US-62 in another concurrency, headed west. West of Altus, the route split off and headed southwest to the Texas state line. In addition to the U.S. routes, SH-6 was concurrent with SH-44 between that route's current southern terminus and Eldorado, where it ended; thereafter, SH-6 followed SH-34 to the Red River. To remove the redundant designations, both SH-34 and SH-44 were truncated to their current southern terminus on January 5, 1987.
SH-6 was realigned twice in 2004 to allow SH-6 a straighter route in situations where it was concurrent with another highway. The first such section removed a portion of the US-283 concurrency between Blair and Granite; the second realignment took place on the SH-55 concurrency north of Retrop. Both of these changes were applied to the highway on February 2, 2004. No further changes to the highway's route have taken place since then.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. It runs in a 116.4 mile (187.3 km) crescent through the southwestern part of the state, running from the Texas state line north of Quanah, Texas
Quanah, Texas
Quanah is a city in and the county seat of Hardeman County, Texas, United States, northwest of Fort Worth, and a few miles from the Oklahoma-Texas state line...
, to SH-152
State Highway 152 (Oklahoma)
State Highway 152 is a state highway running through west-central Oklahoma. At a length of 149.6 miles , it is the longest three-digit state highway in Oklahoma. It runs from State Highway 152 at the Texas State Line to Interstate 44 near Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City...
in the unincorporated town of Sweetwater
Sweetwater, Oklahoma
Sweetwater is a town in Beckham and Roger Mills counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was incorporated in 2003. Named for nearby Sweetwater Creek, the town is at the junction of State Highway 30 and State Highway 152...
. There are no letter-suffixed spur highways branching from SH-6.
SH-6 was added to the state highway system in 1954. The highway was later extended from its original extent; westward from Elk City in 1957 and southward to Texas in 1975.
Route description
After crossing the Red River, State Highway 6State Highway 6 (Texas)
State Highway 6 runs from the Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma boundary, to northwest of Galveston. In the Houston area, it runs north to FM 1960, then northwest along US Highway 290 to Hempstead, and south to Westheimer Road and Addicks, and is known as Addicks Satsuma Road. In the...
leaves Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, becomes SH-6 and continues headed northeast, passing through the small Jackson County
Jackson County, Oklahoma
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
towns of Eldorado
Eldorado, Oklahoma
Eldorado is a town in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 446 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Eldorado is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
and Olustee
Olustee, Oklahoma
Olustee is a town in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 607 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Olustee is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
. Highway 6 meets US-62 five miles (8 km) west of Altus. SH-6 makes a right turn at this point to overlap US-62 into Altus
Altus, Oklahoma
Altus is a city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,813 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County....
.
In Altus, SH-6 takes a turn to the north to overlap US-283. North of Blair
Blair, Oklahoma
Blair is a town in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 818 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Blair is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
, US-283 heads due north while SH-6 turns toward the northwest. SH-6 crosses US-283 once more before the state highway continues to the north toward Granite
Granite, Oklahoma
Granite is a town in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,065 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Granite is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
, where it meets SH-9
State Highway 9 (Oklahoma)
State Highway 9, abbreviated as SH-9, OK-9, or simply Highway 9, is a major east–west highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Spanning across the central part of the state, SH-9 begins at the Texas state line near Madge, Oklahoma, and ends at the Arkansas state line near Fort Smith, Arkansas. State...
.
North of Granite, SH-6 runs along the Beckham
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
–Washita
Washita County, Oklahoma
Washita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 11,508. Its county seat is New Cordell. It was formerly located in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma....
county line until sharing a 4-mile (6.4 km) concurrency with SH-55, moving into Beckham County. After splitting away from SH-55, it meets SH-152
State Highway 152 (Oklahoma)
State Highway 152 is a state highway running through west-central Oklahoma. At a length of 149.6 miles , it is the longest three-digit state highway in Oklahoma. It runs from State Highway 152 at the Texas State Line to Interstate 44 near Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City...
for the first time (it will meet SH-152 at its northern end.)
SH-6 continues north to have an interchange with Interstate 40 in Elk City
Elk City, Oklahoma
Elk City is a city in Beckham County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 11,693 at the 2010 census. Elk City is located on Interstate 40 and Historic U.S. Route 66 in Western Oklahoma, approximately west of Oklahoma City and east of Amarillo....
. It overlaps Business Loop I-40 for four miles (6.4 km) on the north side of the city. At this point the north–south highway curves to the west. It crosses US-283 (again), and then ends at SH-152 in Sweetwater.
History
The original State Highway 6 extended from the Texas state line near ColbertColbert, Oklahoma
Colbert is a town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,065 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated in 1939. It was named after Benjamin Franklin Colbert, a Native American Chickasaw descendant of Scots trader James Logan Colbert and his Chickasaw wife Minta Hoye, who had...
to the Kansas state line north of Vinita
Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita is a city in south-central Craig County, Oklahoma. As of 2009, the population estimate was 6,057. It is the county seat of Craig County.-Geography:...
. When the United States Numbered Highways
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
system was established in 1926, the vast majority of the highway was overlapped by US-75 and US-73. (Later, this corridor would form the majority of U.S. Route 69 in Oklahoma
U.S. Route 69 in Oklahoma
U.S. Route 69 is a major north–south U.S. Highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It extends the corridor formed by U.S. Route 75 in Texas, from Dallas northeast via McAlester and Muskogee to the Will Rogers Turnpike near Vinita. From Vinita to the Kansas state line, US-69 generally parallels...
). As a result, the original SH-6 designation was decommissioned soon after the U.S. highway system's establishment.
The SH-6 designation remained unused until August 21, 1954, when it was assigned to a highway beginning at US-283 east of Mangum
Mangum, Oklahoma
Mangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....
, extending north through Granite and Retrop, and ending at US-66 in Elk City. The highway was extended west along SH-73 to its current northern terminus on January 21, 1957.
SH-6 was extended to the south on July 7, 1975, bringing it to Altus by way of a concurrency with US-283, where it joined US-62 in another concurrency, headed west. West of Altus, the route split off and headed southwest to the Texas state line. In addition to the U.S. routes, SH-6 was concurrent with SH-44 between that route's current southern terminus and Eldorado, where it ended; thereafter, SH-6 followed SH-34 to the Red River. To remove the redundant designations, both SH-34 and SH-44 were truncated to their current southern terminus on January 5, 1987.
SH-6 was realigned twice in 2004 to allow SH-6 a straighter route in situations where it was concurrent with another highway. The first such section removed a portion of the US-283 concurrency between Blair and Granite; the second realignment took place on the SH-55 concurrency north of Retrop. Both of these changes were applied to the highway on February 2, 2004. No further changes to the highway's route have taken place since then.