Oklahoma State Highway 47

State Highway 47 (SH-47 or OK-47) is a state highway in Oklahoma. It runs 94.6 miles (152.2 km) west-to-east in Roger Mills, Dewey and Custer counties.[1]

State Highway 47
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	94.6 mi[1] (152.2 km)
Existed	November 12, 1936[2]–present
Major junctions
West end	FM 2124 at the Texas state line
East end	SH-33 in Thomas
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highway System Interstate U.S. State Turnpikes ← SH-46 → SH-48

The current SH-47 was first established in late 1936. Over time it was expanded, reaching its current extent in 1945. A lettered spur route, SH-47A, was added in 1965.

Route description

State Highway 47 begins at the Texas state line, where FM 2124 becomes SH-47 upon entering Oklahoma, in the Black Kettle National Grassland. Four miles (6.4 km) later, SH-30 joins the highway for a three-mile (5 km) concurrency just south of Reydon.[3] Just outside the community of Rankin, SH-30 turns to the south, and SH-47 continues off to the east.

A few miles west of Cheyenne, SH-47A branches off in a loop to the north, rejoining Highway 47 in a couple of miles. South of Cheyenne, SH-47 joins US-283 for a concurrency to the north. SH-33 also joins in on the concurrency, with a signed direction opposite that of SH-47 (a wrong-way concurrency). SH-47 and US-283/SH-33 parts ways at Roll, where SH-47 resumes its travel to the east.

From Roll, the highway travels 21 miles (34 km) to a junction with SH-34 just south of Leedey.[3] SH-47 continues east for 22 miles (35 km) until it reaches a junction with US-183.[3] There, it turns to the south for a five-mile (8 km) concurrency.[3] After leaving US-183, SH-47 travels another 13 miles (21 km) to the east to its terminus at SH-33 in Thomas.[3]

History

The current incarnation of State Highway 47 was first commissioned on November 12, 1936.[2] Originally, the highway began at SH-34 south of Leedey and proceeded east to end at SH-14 (present-day US-183) south of Putnam.[4] However, the road was removed from the state highway system just over a year later, on the last day of 1937. It was brought back with the same extent on June 19, 1939.[2]

Throughout the early 1940s, SH-47 underwent a period of expansion. The first extension of the highway came on June 20, 1940, when it was extended west to end at US-283 in Roll.[2][5] SH-47 was extended east to Thomas via US-183 on May 31, 1944.[2] The final extension occurred on October 1, 1945, when the highway was extended south down US-283 to Cheyenne, then west to the Texas state line.[2]

SH-33 and SH-47 swapped places west of US-283 on July 9, 1956; SH-47 proceeded due west of Roll to the Texas state line, while SH-33 passed through Cheyenne and turned toward the west south of there.[2] This gave both highways straighter courses and resolved the wrong-way concurrency. However, the change was rescinded on August 13, 1956.[2]

Two minor realignments were done to SH-47 in the 1960s. The first, on April 3, 1961, relocated the highway west of Aledo, while the other one, on May 5, 1964, adjusted it between Roll and Angora. SH-47 has undergone no changes since.[2]

Junction list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Roger Mills	​	0.0	0.0	FM 2124	Western terminus, Oklahoma state line
	Reydon	4.2	6.8	SH-30	Northern end of SH-30 concurrency
	Rankin	7.1	11.4	SH-30	Southern end of SH-30 concurrency
	​	18.4	29.6	SH-47A	Western terminus of SH-47A
	​	19.9	32.0	SH-47A	Eastern terminus of SH-47A
	​	20.8	33.5	US 283	Southern end of US-283 concurrency
	​	25.4	40.9	SH-33	Southern end of SH-33 concurrency
	Roll	33.4	53.8	US 283 / SH-33	Northern end of US-283/SH-33 concurrency
Dewey	​	54.5	87.7	SH-34
	​	76.8	123.6	US 183	Northern end of US-183 concurrency
Custer	​	81.8	131.6	US 183	Southern end of US-183 concurrency
	Thomas	94.6	152.2	SH-33	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Spurs

Two highways have served as branch routes during SH-47's history. Both of these bore the SH-47A designation.

Historic

Historically, SH-47A was a spur serving the central business district of Reydon. The highway was commissioned on a temporary basis on February 8, 1950. Its alignment was adjusted, and the highway received a permanent commission, on January 8, 1951. The highway was turned back over to the town on December 6, 1954.[2]

Current

The current SH-47A is a 2.15-mile (3.46 km) loop route that connects to SH-47 at both ends west of Cheyenne.[6] The highway is entirely located within Roger Mills County and the Black Kettle National Grassland. It provides access to the Washita Battlefield National Historic Site.

SH-47A was commissioned on September 7, 1965.[2]

References

1. Stuve, Eric. "OK-47". OKHighways.com.
2. Oklahoma Department of Transportation. "Memorial Dedication and Revision History, SH 47". Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
3. Official State Map (PDF) (Map) (2009–10 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
4. Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System (PDF) (Map) (April 1937 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Highways. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
5. Map Showing Condition of Improvement of the State Highway System (PDF) (Map) (April 1941 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Highways. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
6. 2008 Control Section Maps – Roger Mills County (PDF) (Map). Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-04-16.

External links

• SH-47 at Roadklahoma
• SH-47A at OKHighways.com