Oklahoma State Highway 53

State Highway 53 is an 86.6-mile (139.4 km) highway in southern Oklahoma. It connects Walters in Cotton County to Gene Autry in Carter County. It has one lettered spur route, SH-53A, a spur route to Gene Autry.

State Highway 53
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	86.6 mi[1] (139.4 km)
Major junctions
West end	SH-5 in Walters
Major intersections	US 81 in Comanche I-35 near Springer US 77 in Springer
East end	US 177 east of Gene Autry
Location
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Highway system
Oklahoma State Highway System Interstate US State Turnpikes
← SH-52 → US 54

Route description

SH-53 begins at a T intersection in Walters, where State Highway 5 makes up the western and southern legs of the T. SH-53 runs eastward from here, crossing East Cache Creek.^[2] At Fivemile Corner,^[2] the road intersects SH-65, five miles (8 km) east of Walters.^[3] SH-53 continues due east into the Waurika Wildlife Management Area, where it crosses Beaver Creek and Little Beaver Creek (which at their confluence downstream of SH-53 are dammed to create Waurika Lake). After leaving the wildlife management area, SH-53 crosses into Stephens County.^[2]

About 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the Cottn–Stephens county line, SH-53 passes through Corum. The highway continues due east to the western outskirts of Comanche, where it curves northeast to pass through the city's downtown. There, it intersects US-81. SH-53 continues due east out of town as it approaches Comanche Lake, where it cuts away to the southeast before resuming its due east course. The highway then goes through a series of curves gradually sending it more southeast, passing through Loco. The route serves as the northern terminus for SH-89 just before crossing into Carter County.^[2]

The first highway junction that SH-53 encounters in Carter County begins a three-mile (5 km) concurrency with State Highway 76 north of Healdton.^[3] South of Fox, SH-53 splits off to the east. The highway passes through Clemscott, Graham, Milo, and Woodford before coming to an interchange with I-35. SH-53 joins southbound I-35, splitting off after two miles (3 km).^[3] It meets US-77 in Springer before passing through Gene Autry and ending at US-177.

SH-53A

State Highway 53A
Location	Gene Autry
Length	1.00 mi[4] (1.61 km)

State Highway 53A is a one-mile (1.6 km) spur to Gene Autry.^[4] It begins at SH-53 near the entrance to the Ardmore Air Park, in northeastern Carter County. It is a narrow, two-lane state highway with no shoulders throughout its length in and around the town of Gene Autry. The road has an at-grade crossing with the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe railroad at the north end of Gene Autry, and the road continues through the town until it reaches its terminus at the southern grade crossing of the same railway.

Former SH-53A

State Highway 53A
Location	Stephens County
Length	1.01 mi[5] (1.63 km)
Existed	?–February 2, 2004[6]

Another State Highway 53A was once a spur route to Comanche Lake. The highway was 1.01 miles (1.63 km) long. It was officially removed from the state highway system by action of the Transportation Commission on February 2, 2004.^[6]

Junction list

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Cotton	Walters	0.0	0.0	SH-5	Western terminus
	​	5.0	8.0	SH-65
Stephens	Comanche	20.2	32.5	US 81
	​	43.1	69.4	SH-89	Northern terminus of SH-89
Carter	​	49.4	79.5	SH-76	Southern end of SH-76 concurrency
	Fox	52.6	84.7	SH-76	Northern end of SH-76 concurrency
	​	72.8	117.2	I-35	Northern end of I-35 concurrency, I-35 exit 42
	​	74.9	120.5	I-35	Southern end of I-35 concurrency, I-35 exit 40
	Springer	75.9	122.1	US 77
	Gene Autry	82.6	132.9	SH-53A	Northern terminus of SH-53A
	​	86.6	139.4	US 177	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus