So last month I had to drive from Dallas up to Oklahoma City to visit some relatives. Hadn’t done that drive in years, figured it’d be simple, right? Just hop on the highway and go. Turned out needing way more planning than I thought. Learned some stuff the hard way, definitely.
The Big Idea And First Plan
Started by just opening my map app. Typed in Dallas to OKC. Boom, three main routes popped up: sticking to I-35 the whole way, cutting over early to use I-44, or this weird path involving US-75 and I-40. First thought? “Easy, I-35, it’s direct.” Did not realize how bad traffic and construction could get on that road.
Checked traffic for my planned day, a Wednesday mid-morning. App showed parts of I-35 North already bright red. Nope. Started searching about routes online, reading forums. Kept seeing people complaining about I-35 being a parking lot north of Fort Worth, especially around Denton and Gainesville. Found warnings about major construction zones slowing things to a crawl.
Changing Gears And Picking I-44
Scrapped the straight-up-I-35 plan. Focused on the route branching off sooner to I-44 West. The path looked like this:
- Get on US-75 North out of Dallas
- Connect to I-40 East around Henryetta
- Switch onto I-35 North for the last leg into OKC
Sounded smoother. Reviews mentioned better pavement, less intense truck traffic than I-35 through Texas. Found a gas station/truck stop called Love’s near Ardmore recommended for a halfway decent bathroom and coffee stop. Bookmarked that.
What Actually Went Down
Hit the road around 9 AM. US-75 outta Dallas was fine, moving well. Hit the switch to I-40 East. Smooth sailing at first. Then, about 30 minutes in, saw brake lights ahead. Massive backup. Stuck dead still for nearly 45 minutes because of a rollover accident ahead. Lesson one: always pack extra water and snacks. You never know when you’ll be baking on an interstate.
Finally got rolling again. Stopped at that Ardmore Love’s. Packed? Absolutely jammed. Line for coffee was insane. Grabbed a quick snack, used the restroom – clean-ish. Filled the tank because gas was cheaper than I expected in Oklahoma. Got back on I-35 North for the last stretch. Traffic was heavier near Norman as I approached OKC, but nothing like the earlier I-35 disaster zone I avoided.
Stuff I Wish I Knew Before I Left
- Forget Google Maps Only: Used both the map app AND a dedicated GPS. GPS warned about that traffic backup way earlier than the map app did. Lifesaver.
- Tolls? Maybe: Didn’t hit any tolls on this route, but checked anyway. Some alternate routes near OKC have them. Good to know before you’re surprised.
- Stop Selection is Key: That Love’s was nuts. Next time, I’d look for slightly smaller towns or exits just off the main interstates for less chaos.
- Gas Price Watch: Gas was legit cheaper in Oklahoma. Wish I’d known; I’d have run it lower before crossing the border.
- Weather is Boss: Checked forecast leaving Dallas, but Oklahoma plains weather changes fast. Saw dark clouds building ahead – checked radar quickly while stuck in traffic. Watch those storms!
- Flexibility Wins: Wanted lunch at a specific place in OKC. Arrived way later than planned thanks to the accident. Had to pivot and grab something fast. Packing lunch would’ve been smarter.
Total drive time, minus the crazy traffic jam, was around 3.5 hours. With the stop? Almost 5 hours. Took way longer than the app’s initial estimate because of that accident.
The main lesson? That straight shot up I-35 everyone thinks of first? It’s often the worst choice unless you’re driving super late at night. Taking the slightly longer way via I-44 was definitely the smarter move traffic-wise, even with the unexpected delay. Plan your stops, prepare for the worst with snacks and water, and don’t trust any single map app completely. Good luck out there!