US 69 Thru North Texas - Oklahoma - Kansas

[gfs1943]

Starting planning next summer's trip. I need to get from North Texas to Kansas City area, and want to stay off Interstates and toll roads as much as possible. What is US 69 like from about Sherman, TX to the southern KC area? I'm not in a hurry; will probably take three days for this portion of the trip.

[rexlion]

You could take US-75 to Tulsa, then pick up US-169. The latter is very smooth to Independence KS; that's as far as I've been lately.

[jswat]

I have travelled 69 through Oklahoma twice in the past year and I will avoid it in the future. Very rough, under construction, and with congestion in several small towns. I35 (after you get away from Ft Worth) is good and the Kansas Turnpike is excellent with some interesting scenery in Kansas. The toll for my MH and toad is just $14.30 and well worth the price. US 99/75 are rough on any vehicle but especially rough for a MH. Just my opinion.

[gfs1943]

Folks, I appreciate all the responses. I'll look at some of the alternatives you offered.

Last year we traveled from northwest Oklahoma to OK City, then down I35 to Fort Worth on the way home from our western journey. That was the first time I had been in Oklahoma for several years, and the secondary roads were some of the roughest I've seen. I was surprised, because Oklahoma used to have good secondary roads when I lived in that state. Of course, that was more than 30 years ago! I guess they've worn out since I left. The people are still very friendly though.

This year's trip will take us to the KC area, visiting Overland Park, KS and Independence, MO. Then we continue east to St. Louis, and on to New York. I plan to park in New Jersey for a few days; I ain't driving the MH to New York City. Anyway, when we leave New York/New Jersey, we're going south to North Carolina, then back west thru Tennessee and Arkansas on the way home.

[BB_TX]

Highly variable. I have driven it when it was mostly pretty good. I have driven it when parts were really really bad.
Drove it once when the southbound section between Atoka and McAlester was really bad, but the northbound lanes in that same section were pretty good.

[haddy1]

I guess that it all depends on what you are driving. I driven US69 in OK from Big Cabin to US75 several times in my MH (228 WB) and have no issues.

[tatest]

I also use the Indian Nation Turnpike to avoid rough pavement on I-69 between McAlester and I-40. Even in a car.

US-69 is in better shape north of I-40, but is slow going with congestion around Muskogee and Wagoner, and again Vinita to Baxter Springs, particularly during the seasons when all the lake resort traffic gets mixed up with the heavy truck traffic that is always on 69. In Kansas, it gets slow around Pittsburg and Fort Scott.

For getting to KC from NE Oklahoma, US-169 is a better route, especially through Kansas, as realignment since the 1980's has it bypassing many of the small to medium cities it once went through. You can take 169 all the way to KC if going to the city center, or switch to US-59 at Garnett, to connect earlier with I-35, if going to the suburbs in Kansas. Whether I use 59 or stay on 169 depends on just where I am going in the KC area.

If your destination is on the east side of KC, the best way in is the I-49/US-41 going north from Carthage. You can pick that up as far south as Anderson, Missouri, but I find the best place to connect is I-44 just south of Carthage.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

The stretch of US-69 between McAlester and I-40 has a severe case of heaving of the concrete slabs and the swelling of the joint material.

It is like running over a gravel road with all the pitching and bumping up and down. I avoid it whenever possible. Only use it when going to Lake Eufaula

Take US-75 north from Atoka to join I-40 at Pharoah. Or take the Indian Nation Turnpike up to I-40 at Henryetta and take US-62/75 up to near Tulsa. US-62/75 is a good stretch of road.

You can also go east and pick up US-59 or like we did in September heading from Canton, TX to Branson - US-271.

[Executive45]

We avoid the interstates as much as possible too. What we've found is almost all the secondary roads in Texas and Kansas are above average countrywide. Highway 69 is no exception.

Enjoy the trip!......Dennis

[haydoracin]

Have driven it many times. Most recent was March of 2014 and it was very rough. Not too bad in a car but beat the "crap out of the MH.