Interstate 27

Route map:
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with Texas State Highway 27.

Interstate 27 marker

Interstate 27

Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
Map
I-27 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length124.132 mi[1] (199.771 km)
Existed1969[1]–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end US 87 / Loop 289 in Lubbock
Major intersections
North end I-40 / US 60 / US 87 / US 287 in Amarillo
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesLubbock, Hale, Swisher, Randall, Potter
Highway system
← SH 26→ SH 27

Interstate 27 (I-27

control cities on I-27;[3] other cities and towns served by I-27 include (from south to north) New Deal, Abernathy, Hale Center, Plainview, Kress, Tulia, Happy, and Canyon. In Amarillo, I-27 is commonly known as the Canyon Expressway (or Canyon E-Way), although it is also called Canyon Drive on its access roads. I-27 was officially designated the Marshall Formby Memorial Highway after former attorney and State Senator Marshall Formby in 2005.[1] The entire length of I-27 replaced US Highway 87 (US 87) for through traffic. An extension of I-27 north to Raton, New Mexico, and south to Laredo, Texas
, was approved in 2022.

Route description

Southern terminus in Lubbock

I-27 parallels the BNSF Railway's Plainview Subdivision, which splits from its Chicago–Southern California Transcon line at Canyon and runs south to Lubbock. A large amount of the alignment is on former US 87, but several portions through built-up areas have been bypassed, as well as two longer areas where US 87 still follows the old road.[4]

The Interstate begins at a point along the four-lane US 87 freeway south of downtown Lubbock. Mile 0 is posted near 77th Street,[5] about five blocks south of Loop 289. Exit numbering begins just to the south, with exit 1 at the 82nd Street interchange; the freeway becomes six lanes at its north end. The Loop 289 interchange is a cloverleaf between the oneway frontage roads of each highway, and with direct ramps from I-27 south to Loop 289 west (exit 1A) and Loop 289 east to I-27 north. US 84 (Avenue Q and Slaton Highway) crosses I-27 at a three-level diamond interchange, with an extra approach from the northeast carrying Avenue A into the junction. Exit 1B connects I-27 south to US 84 and the Loop 289 frontage roads, while all traffic from US 87 north to US 84, Avenue A, or Loop 289 must use exit 1 for 82nd Street.[4]

The six-lane cross section that began at exit 1 remains through Lubbock. Major junctions in that city include

Farm to Market Road 2641 (FM 2641, Regis Street; exit 8), reducing I-27 to two lanes in each direction as it passes Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport and leaves the city.[4]

Downtown Lubbock, as seen from I-27

I-27 crosses over the Plainview Sub for the first time north of

Loop 461; at exit 15, I-27 begins to parallel the rail line, just to its west. Along this part of the highway, and other similar portions, slip ramps still connect the mainlanes with the frontage roads, but intersecting roads pass over all four roadways and the railroad on a long bridge; a pair of two-way roadways connects the frontage roads to the crossroad, with the one on the east crossing the railroad at-grade.[4]

As it approaches

Business I-27-T (Bus. I-27-T), which is accessed at exits 36 and 38. As it leaves Hale Center, I-27 turns to the northeast, following the northwest side of the rail line.[4]

The next two interchanges along the railroad between Hale Center and

trumpet interchange (exit 53) north of Plainview, where I-27 again begins to parallel the Plainview Sub to the west. Both interchanges between this one and the first split with US 87 (exit 61), a modified Y interchange south of Kress, continue the pattern with the crossroad bridging over everything.[4]

After it leaves US 87, I-27 is no longer next to the rail line, but it continues to handle interchanges as it does alongside the line, except at

FM 3331 (exit 108), where I-27 crosses the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River. Exits 109 (Country Club Road) and 110 (US 87 south, US 60 west) are integrated, with some access to one road provided via the other.[4]

Northern terminus at I-40 south of downtown Amarillo

I-27 is overlapped by US 60 and US 87 from exit 110 north of Canyon to the end of the Interstate in Amarillo; here, the frontage roads are one-way. Several near the south end are handled by bridging the intersecting road over all roadways, but, once I-27 crosses

turbine interchange; US 287 also passes through, using I-40 to the east and US 60/US 87 to the north. Four lanes continue beyond I-40 and are joined by several from the I-40 ramps, making the northernmost portion of the Canyon Expressway five lanes in each direction. Several blocks beyond I-40, the highway ends at a split into two one-way pairs. Northbound traffic feeds onto Fillmore Street (US 87 north) and Buchanan Street (US 60 east and US 287 north), while southbound traffic approaches on Taylor Street (US 287 south) and Pierce Street (US 60 west and US 87 south). The rightmost of the five northbound lanes is barrier-separated from the rest, forcing traffic exiting I-40 west onto Buchanan Street. Through the I-40 interchange and the split, the frontage roads are discontinuous.[4]

History

I-27 in Tulia

The roadway between Lubbock and Amarillo was part of the Puget Sound to Gulf Highway (

freeway upgrade of US 87 (also US 60 there) between Canyon and Amarillo, was built in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[11] This highway, with a design speed of 45 mph (72 km/h), included frontage roads along its entire length and ended in each city with a Y interchange:[14] the split of US 60 and US 87 in Canyon, and a split between the two oneway pairs of Taylor and Fillmore streets and Pierce and Buchanan streets in Amarillo. The Dumas Expressway, a freeway upgrade of US 87 north from Amarillo, opened several years later, feeding into the same one-way pairs.[15]

Four-laning of US 87 from Canyon to Lubbock was completed in the late 1960s, with the last section to be widened lying between

Loop 445 (in Plainview in 1967; marked as Bus. US 87-G).[22]

I-27 was not part of the original

FM 1541, which now ends at exit 103 southeast of Canyon.[25]

The final section of I-27 to be built was through Lubbock, inside Loop 289; this was built in the early 1990s and completed on September 3, 1992. On that day, a ceremony at the 34th Street overpass opened the road from 19th Street (

business loops of I-27 have been designated: through Plainview (former Loop 445) in early 1991 and through Hale Center (formerly a local street) in 2002.[30][31]

The completion of I-27, costing a total of $453.4 million (equivalent to $884 million in 2023

retail cluster
outside the two terminal cities and has attracted several industries.

Future

Main article: Ports to Plains Corridor

In 1995, a study of a southern extension of I-27 to

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.[37] Currently, no interstates connect to Saskatchewan. The part of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor within Texas was a proposed Trans-Texas Corridor.[38] Some parts of this plan have I-14 possibly ending where I-27 will cross I-20. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) recommends studying I-27 extension again.[39]

On June 10, 2019, Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas House Bill 1079, which authorizes a comprehensive study to extend I-27 north of Amarillo and south of Lubbock to Laredo.[40] The proposed route south of Lubbock would have the Interstate go to Lamesa, then split with one route going toward Midland and the other traveling to Big Spring. The two routes would then merge near Sterling City, travel through San Angelo and Del Rio, travel near the border until Eagle Pass, turn east to Carrizo Springs, then travel south to Laredo.[41]

Numbering

On March 15, 2022, a bill was signed by President Joe Biden that added the extension of I-27 north to Raton, New Mexico, and south to Laredo to the Interstate Highway System.[42] A bill introduced in March 2023 would explicitly designate the extension as I-27 with two auxiliary routes numbered I-227 and I-327.[43] I-227 is proposed to be routed via SH 158 from Sterling City to Midland and SH 349 from Midland to Lamesa; I-327 would utilize US 287 from Dumas to the Oklahoma state line.[44][45] It would also formally name the Interstate the Ports-to-Plains Corridor.[46][47] The bill was introduced by legislators from both Texas and New Mexico.[48][49] On August 1, 2023, the legislation passed through the U.S. Senate with some slight modifications; I-227 was redesignated as I-27W with I-27 between Sterling City and Lamesa redesignated as I-27E and I-327 was redesignated as I-27N.[50][51] The act was passed again by the Senate in March 2024 after some changes were made in the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2023.[52]

Exit list

CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
FM 1585 (Future Loop 88
)		Future interchange; current southern terminus of the Tahoka Highway freeway
​114th StreetFuture interchange
Lubbock98th StreetFuture interchange
0.00.01
 US 87 south – Tahoka
US 84 / Loop 289 / 82nd Street – Post		Current southern terminus; signed as exits 1 (82nd Street), 1A (Loop 289 west) and 1B (US 84 / Loop 289 east) southbound; roadway continues as US 87 south
1.32.11A50th Street – Buffalo Springs Lake, Ransom CanyonSigned as exit 1C southbound
2.23.5234th Street (
FM 835
) / Buddy Holly Avenue
3.35.33 US 62 / SH 114 (19th Street) – Floydada, Levelland, Texas Tech University
3.76.03A13th Street, BroadwayNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
4.36.94 US 82 (Marsha Sharp Freeway) – Crosbyton, Brownfield, Texas Tech University
5.28.45Buddy Holly Avenue / Municipal DriveSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
6.210.06A
Spur 326
(Avenue Q)		Southbound exit and northbound entrance
5.89.36B Loop 289Signed as exit 6 northbound
6.810.97Yucca Lane
8.113.08
FM 2641 (Regis Street) – Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport
9.114.69 Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, General Aviation, FAA
10.516.910Keuka Street
11.618.711
FM 1294 – Shallowater
​12.520.112County Road 58Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Loop 461 north – New Deal
14.623.514
FM 1729
15.625.115
Loop 461 south – New Deal
Southbound exit and northbound entrance
​17.728.517County Road 53
​20.533.020
Loop 369 north) – Abernathy, Anton
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
FM 2060
 / Main Street
22.335.922
Loop 369 south – Abernathy
Southbound exit and northbound entrance
​24.339.124
FM 54 – Spade, Petersburg
​27.644.427County Road
​31.751.031
FM 37
east		South end of FM 37 overlap
​32.652.532
FM 37 west – Cotton Center, Fieldton
North end of FM 37 overlap
​36.358.436
I-27 Bus.
north)
FM 1914
(Cleveland Street)
​38.562.038Main Street (
I-27 Bus.
south)		Southbound exit and northbound entrance
​41.266.341County Road
​43.670.243
FM 2337
​45.372.945
 I-27 BL north – Plainview
FM 3466 – Hale County Airport
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
48.978.749 US 70 – Plainview, Floydada, Muleshoe
50.881.850 SH 194 – Wayland Baptist University, Hart
51.883.451Quincy Street
​52.985.153
 I-27 BL south – Plainview
​54.287.254
FM 3183
​56.290.456
FM 788 – Edmonson
Swisher​61.398.761
 US 87 north / County Road – Kress		North end of US 87 overlap
​63.2101.763
FM 145 – Kress
​68.4110.168
FM 928
Tulia74.5119.974 SH 86 – Tulia
75.6121.775NW 6th Street
​77.5124.777
 US 87 south – Tulia		South end of US 87 overlap
​82.0132.082
FM 214
​83.1133.783
FM 2698
​88.2–
88.6		141.9–
142.6		88
FM 1881 – Happy
North end of US 87 overlap; signed as exits 88A (FM 1881) and 88B (US 87 north) northbound
FM 1075 – Happy
Randall​92.2148.492Haley Road
​94.1151.494
FM 285 – Wayside
​96.3155.096Dowlen Road
​99.4160.099Hungate Road
​103.5166.6103
FM 1541
north / Cemetery Road
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
​108.2174.1108


 To
FM 3331 – Hereford
​110.4177.7109Country Club Road
​110.8178.3110

 US 60 west / US 87 south – Canyon, Hereford		South end of US 60/US 87 overlap; no northbound exit
​112.0180.2111Rockwell Road
​113.0181.9112
FM 2219
​113.8183.1113McCormick Road
​116.1186.8115Sundown Lane
Amarillo117.1188.5116 Loop 335 (Hollywood Road)
118.0189.9117Bell Street / Arden Road
119.6192.5119Hillside Road / Western Street / 58th AvenueSigned as exits 119A (Hillside Road west) and 119B (Western Street / 58th Avenue) southbound
120.7194.2120ARepublic AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
121.0194.7120B45th AvenueSigned as exit 120 northbound
121.6195.7121AGeorgia StreetSigned as exit 121 northbound
122.3196.8121BHawthorne Drive / Austin StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
122.2196.7122AParker Street / Moss LaneNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
122.8197.6122B
FM 1541
(Washington Street) / 34th Avenue
123.4198.6122C34th Street / Tyler StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Potter123.7199.1123A26th AvenueSigned as exit 123 southbound
124.1199.7123B
 I-40 / US 287 south – Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Albuquerque


 US 60 east / US 87 / US 287 north – Dumas, Pampa, Downtown		Northern terminus; I-40 exit 70; freeway continues as US 60 east / US 87/US 287 north
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Business routes

Hale Center

Business Interstate 27-T marker

Business Interstate 27-T

LocationHale Center
Length1.168 mi[31] (1.880 km)
Existed2002[31]–present

Business Interstate 27-T (Bus. I-27-T) is a 1.168-mile-long (1.880 km)

FM 1914
(Cleveland Street).

Major intersections
The entire route is in Hale Center, Hale County.

mi[53]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 I-27 / US 87
0.50.80
FM 1914
(Cleveland Street)
1.1681.880 I-27 / US 87
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Plainview

Main article: Interstate 27 Business (Plainview, Texas)

Business Interstate 27-U marker

Business Interstate 27-U

LocationPlainview
Length9.282 mi[30] (14.938 km)
Existed1990[30]–present

Business Interstate 27-U (Bus. I-27-U) is a 9.282-mile (14.938 km) business loop in Plainview.

Notes

  1. ^ Some sources use "IH-27", as "IH" is an abbreviation used by TxDOT for Interstate Highways.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Interstate Highway No. 27". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  2. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Highway Designations Glossary". Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  3. ^ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (2001). List of Control Cities for Use in Guide Signs on Interstate Highways. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.[full citation needed]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Google (February 15, 2008). "Overview Map of I-27" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 15, 2008.
  5. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 433. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Commerce Journal, Highway Commission Adopts 25 Highways, July 6, 1917[full citation needed]
  7. OCLC 32889555. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons
    .
  8. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 87". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  9. H.M. Gousha Company, Official Road Map: Texas (Conoco), 1938 Archived April 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  10. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 9". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  11. ^ a b c Jack Faucett Associates. "Economic Development History of Interstate 27 in Texas". Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on May 7, 2006.
  12. Texas State Highway Department, General Highway Maps: Lubbock[permanent dead link], Hale[permanent dead link], Swisher[permanent dead link], Randall[permanent dead link], and Potter Counties, partially revised to February 1, 1940 [dead link][full citation needed
    ]
  13. Sinclair), 1946 Archived April 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  14. ^
    Texas State Highway Department, General Highway Maps: Lubbock[permanent dead link], Hale[permanent dead link], Swisher[permanent dead link], Randall[permanent dead link], and Potter[permanent dead link] Counties, and Amarillo and vicinity, state highways revised to January 1, 1961 [dead link][full citation needed
    ]
  15. ^ a b c d e f Federal Highway Administration, National Bridge Inventory, 2006[full citation needed]
  16. Enco), 1961 Archived April 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  17. H.M. Gousha Company, Texas (Texaco), 1967 Archived April 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  18. H.M. Gousha Company, Texas (Texaco), 1969 Archived August 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  19. ^ United States Geological Survey (July 1, 1983). Plainview, Texas Quadrangle (Map). 15 minute. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2011 – via MSR Maps. (before the bypass was upgraded to freeway standards)[full citation needed][full citation needed]
  20. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 461". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  21. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 369". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  22. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 445". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  23. ^ Federal Highway Administration. "FHWA By Day: December 13". Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on October 5, 2006.
  24. ^ Rand McNally, 1988 Road Atlas[full citation needed]
  25. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Farm to Market Road No. 1541". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  26. ^ Federal Highway Administration (May 5, 2007). "Previous Interstate Facts of the Day". Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on April 26, 2006.
  27. ^ Texas Department of Transportation. "TxDOT History: 2000 to 1971". Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 8, 2007.
  28. ^ United States Geological Survey (July 1, 1975). Southern Lubbock, Texas Quadrangle (Map). 7.5 minute. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2011 – via MSR Maps.[full citation needed]
  29. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business U.S. Highway No. 87-G". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  30. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business Interstate Highway No. 27-U". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  31. ^ a b c d Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business Interstate Highway No. 27-T". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
  32. Gross Domestic Product deflator
    figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  33. ^ Austin American-Statesman, Towns to vie for I-27 extension, July 18, 1995[full citation needed]
  34. ^ San Antonio Express-News, Engineers opt for improving 3 roads, May 14, 1996[full citation needed]
  35. ^ Ports to Plains study, Frequestly Asked Questions Archived 2012-01-15 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 2007[full citation needed]
  36. ^ Ports to Plains study, Corridor Map Archived 2012-01-15 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 2007[full citation needed]
  37. Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition, PTP Partners: Great Plains International Trade Corridor, accessed August 2007 Archived September 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed
    ]
  38. ^ Texas Department of Transportation, Trans-Texas Corridor conceptual map, 2002 Archived 2007-08-20 at the Wayback Machine[full citation needed]
  39. ^ "TxDOT recommends studying I-27 extension again". Archived from the original on November 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  40. ^ "Abbott signs bill requesting study on I-27 expansion". Associated Press. June 17, 2019. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  41. ^ Dotray, Matt (June 12, 2019). "Governor signs bill calling for Interstate 27 extension study". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  42. ^ Driggars, Alex (March 15, 2022). "Raton to Laredo corridor added to Interstate Highway System, paving way for I-27 expansion". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  43. ^ Clark, Carol A. (March 30, 2023). "Luján Joins Legislation To Name Future Interstate Ports-To-Plains Corridor From Laredo, Texas To Raton, New Mexico As 'Interstate 27'". Los Alamos Daily Post. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  44. ^ Text of the I–27 Numbering Act of 2023 at Congress.gov
  45. ^ Driggars, Alex (March 28, 2023). "Cruz, Cornyn introduce legislation to name I-27 extension project". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  46. ^ Stringer, Matt (March 29, 2023). "Cruz, Cornyn Work to Enable New 'Ports-to-Plains' Texas Interstate Highway". The Texan. Austin. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  47. ^ Johnston, Georgina (March 28, 2023). "New bill would name Ports-to-Plains Corridor 'Interstate 27'". Everything Lubbock. KLBK-TV/KAMC-TV. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  48. ^ Maxwell, Nicole (March 30, 2023). "New Mexico and Texas could get new interstate". NM Political Report. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  49. ^ Ellis, Dusty (July 12, 2023). "What you need to know about Interstate 27". ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  50. ^ McEwen, Mella (August 1, 2023). "Senate passes act to create I-27 West through Midland". Midland Reporter Telegram. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  51. ^ Bordner, Zachery (August 5, 2023). "MOTRAN talks I-27, what it means for Midland/Odessa, Big Spring". Yourbasin. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  52. ^ Shaffer, Ben (March 11, 2024). "I-27 Numbering Act passes Senate, encompasses Midland". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  53. ^ Google (May 11, 2013). "Directions from I-27 to Cleveland Street" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 11, 2013.

External links

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