I haven't driven west of Wichita in a long time, but I've heard the road conditions on OK I40 are terrible. http://www.newsok.com/potholes-plague-i-40-drive-in-oklahoma/article/3452283?custom_click=lead_story_title

thanks for the link to the article.

Last summer I went from Dodge City to Tucumcari and was on US 54 starting at Minneola. There are a fair number of small towns, but little traffic and pretty good road conditions. Outbound across Oklahoma on I-40 a month earlier the stretch from Elk City to Oklahoma City was pretty rough, but not as bad as California highways.

thanks for replying, it appears it is a trade off, a lot less traffic, but some slowing down with the small towns and it looks like on a map that the road is still mostly 2 lane, can you confirm that?

The two lane is wide and straight. No problem setting the cruise for about 5 over the limit.

We make the drive east on I-40 from NM through OKC. I don't see any reason to take a slower route to avoid the highway.

It is a two-lane highway west of Pratt. Somewhere close to Pratt it changes to four-lane then to Wichita. I drive it once a year or so, on my way to NM, and I just hate it, because of all the truck traffic. But...I'm always headed to the Taos area, so it really is the shortest route for me. There really aren't that many small towns to slow things down.

I think it's a wash time-wise. Just whether you're happier with setting the cruise on the freeway or happier going through small towns USA. Fuel-wise, the shorter (and slower) route should be more economical.

We just drove the I-40 route and roads were fine in Feb in OK. Not very much traffic anywhere and all 4 lane. I-40 roads were the worst in New Mexico.

We didn't drive Hwy 54 because we don't like slowing down for towns, getting stuck behind slow drivers, or 2 lane highways.

It is really a personal preference.

May come to late for you, but just in case..... I drive this all the time and it cuts about 2 hours off the drive from going I-40 to OKC and then up I-35. 54 is in excellent shape except in TX, in fact it is all super 2 (large lanes and wide sides, except in TX. It's 4 lane in OK. Traffic isn't bad most of the time and it doesn't take much to get through the towns along the way... I would take it any time over the I-40 route. By the way, I-40 for an hour west of OKC to OKC is about the worse stretch of road. Wash board, be prepared for a bumpy (almost jarring ride)

Does anyone know what the fuel stations are like along this route? Are there plenty, the reason I am asking is it looks to be about 400 mile stretch from NM to KS and I want to make sure there are fuel stations along the way so I can get gas!

There are only a couple of places in the NM portion north of Tucumcari, but no shortage of stations in the KS portion of the route....Liberal, Meade, Pratt, etc.

Jimmy Fulton, is this a serious question? Yes, there are gas stations.

Also stations in smaller towns like Greensvurg and Mullenville, but there are places where it may be 15 or more miles between stations.

Ug "Greensburg"

When traveling off the interstates and through smaller towns in rural America, finding gas can occassionally be an issue at night as many mom-and-pop stations are not 24-hours. Also, they can be closed on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving afternoon. But otherwise, it's generally not an issue until you get off the US highways and onto state roads through even smaller towns.

yeah, there's just buffaloes, kangaroos, and dingoes out there. beware!

In Kansas, even in those smaller towns they will often have pumps available 24/7 with a credit card at the Co-Op.

You know it is often a matter of Interstate vs. poking along through towns. And if you are in no hurry the latter is more "scenic" if that can be said of Kansas. But who wants to go to Wichita or Iowa for that matter? Only kidding, with engineer son in W. and going to college in Des Moines. Yet, with this summer heat.....but I'll bet this trip is over anyway.
Bill in Boston

I think parts of Kansas could take your breath way, but you are correct, that requires getting away from I-70.

This has been very helpful but I have one more question for those that take this route...What's the driving conditions during the end of Jan. beginning of Feb.? Is this Highway snow & ice covered? Do they plow & salt the highway regularly? We're making this trip in a couple weeks..Anyone know? Thanks!