U.S. Route 281 in Texas

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See also: Interstate 37, Interstate 44 in Texas, and Interstate 69C

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 281 in Texas. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 281.

U.S. Highway 281 marker

U.S. Highway 281

Map
US 281 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length580.608 mi[1][note 1] (934.398 km)
Existed1935–present
Major junctions
South end
Major intersections
North end
US 281 at Texas-Oklahoma state line in Burkburnett
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesCameron, Hidalgo, Brooks, Jim Wells, Live Oak, Atascosa, Bexar, Comal, Blanco, Burnet, Lampasas, Coryell, Hamilton, Erath, Palo Pinto, Jack, Archer, Wichita
Highway system

U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a

Rio Grande Valley, I-37 in San Antonio, and I-44 north of Wichita Falls
.

Route description

US 281 has two signed segments near its southern terminus in the

Spur 600, which provides access to the Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge) meet at Cage Boulevard, where signage changes to south–north, and the highway turns to the north.[4] North of the interchange with I-2, US 281 is concurrent with I-69C to that route's northern terminus (as of December 2015) in Edinburg.[5] US 281 travels through small towns and sparsely-populated areas, alternating between a divided highway and a main street and passing through a Border Patrol checkpoint south of Falfurrias,[6] until joining I-37 north of Three Rivers. The two routes split south of Pleasanton and separately travel northward to San Antonio
.

In San Antonio, US 281 overlaps

US 290 south of Johnson City. As US 290 continues toward Austin, US 281 and US 290 provide a scenic and less congested alternative to I-35 between San Antonio and Austin. The two routes split in the city, with US 281 continuing toward Marble Falls, Burnet, and Lampasas
.

North of

Wichita Falls, US 281 becomes a freeway. It begins a concurrency with I-44 at that route's western terminus, and the two routes travel north, crossing the Red River into Oklahoma near Burkburnett
.

History

A project to construct a stack interchange at I-410 (the "San Antonio Web"[7]) was completed June 9, 2008;[8] formerly there was no direct access between the two freeways and surface streets were required to travel between the freeways. The reason for this initial lack of direct interchange was due to litigation filed in the late 1960s against the Texas Highway Department over the highway's original construction alignment through portions of Brackenridge Park and Olmos Park that were alleged to be in violation of several Federal laws, ultimately including NEPA. As a result of the Supreme Court decision[9] in a more advanced and very similar case involving the proposed construction of I-40 through Overton Park in Memphis, Tennessee which upheld and affirmed the plaintiffs in that circumstance and precluded that highway's construction through the parkland with Federal funding, the Texas Highway Department chose instead to construct the McAlister Freeway entirely with State funding using a modified design that would increase curvature but limit encroachment into and noise impact on the Sunken Gardens area within Brackenridge Park. Funding of various highway projects from around Texas was re-allocated to the McAlister Freeway project, which was initially completed with only the indirect interchange via existing surface streets to Loop 410 since it required no Federal funding or approval and the Loop 410 overpass of that location where the McAlister Freeway main lanes would pass beneath had already been completed many years earlier.

In 2010, US 281 from Loop 1604 to Bulverde Road in north San Antonio was re-constructed as a superstreet.[10] Groundbreaking was held on March 11, 2010 with construction finishing later that year in September.[11]

The highway was expanded from a two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway from River Crossing to the Comal-Blanco county line at a cost of $30.5 million.[12]

Future

The section of US 281 from I-2/US 83 in Pharr to George West is steadily being upgraded to an interstate-grade freeway as part of the Interstate 69 expansion, and will be signed as Interstate 69C. The bypass for Premont is under construction scheduled for completion in 2024.[13]

The section of US 281 from Loop 1604 to the Bexar–Comal county line currently experiences heavy congestion during peak hours, being the most congested highway in Bexar County.[14] TxDOT is upgrading this section of highway from a superstreet to a limited–access freeway, with construction beginning in 2017 and concluding in 2022. Section 1, from Loop 1604 to Stone Oak Parkway, is planned to be constructed from 2017 to 2020. Section 2, from Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Drive, is planned to be constructed from 2019 to 2022.[15] The project will cost $532 million.[16] Ground breaking for the project was held on March 31, 2017 with construction officially beginning on July 17.[17][18]

Major intersections

All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Port Brownsville, Port Isabel, Harlingen
Southern terminus; road continues east as SH 48 (Boca Chica Boulevard)
2.03.2
FM 802
east (Ruben M. Torres Boulevard)
2.54.0
FM 3248
east (Alton Gloor Boulevard)
7.712.4
FM 1421
north
9.515.3
FM 1732 east – Olmito
FM 1577
north (Esparza-Domanski Highway)
FM 732 north – San Benito
FM 2520 north – San Benito
18.029.0
FM 509 – Free Trade International Bridge
19.631.5
FM 1479 north (Fred Elizondo Highway) – Rangerville, Harlingen
FM 506 north – La Feria
FM 2556
north (Jo-Ed Road)
FM 491 north – Mercedes
FM 1015 – Progreso–Nuevo Progreso International Bridge
Progreso32.452.1
 FM Bus. 1015 north
34.655.7
FM 88 north (Ruben Hinojosa Highway) – Weslaco
​38.962.6
FM 493 – Donna, Donna–Río Bravo International Bridge
​43.970.7
FM 907 north – Alamo
FM 2557 north – San Juan
Spur 600 south – Hidalgo, Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge
Interchange
49.780.0
FM 3072
(Dicker Road)
54.888.2
Bus. US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen
55.689.5 I-2 / US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen
55.990.0 SH 495 (Ferguson Avenue)
56.390.6 I-2 / US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen

 I-69C begins		South end of I-69C overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-2 exit 146; I-69C exits 0A-B
see I-69C
FM 490

 I-69C
ends		Interchange; current north end of I-69C overlap
FM 1017
Interchange
FM 755 west – La Gloria, Rio Grande City
Interchange
​106.0170.6

 Bus. US 281 north – Encino
​108.8175.1

 Bus. US 281 south – Encino
​124.7200.7
FM 3066
interchange; south end of freeway
Falfurrias125.2201.5

 Bus. US 281 north
126.8204.1 SH 285 – Hebbronville, Riviera
127.8205.7

 Bus. US 281 south
​128.5206.8
FM 1418
interchange; north end of freeway
FM 1538
west
FM 716
west
​149.8241.1
FM 2295 – Kingsville, Benavides
Interchange
​152.4245.3
FM 735
west
FM 2508 – Ben Bolt
Interchange
​159.8257.2
FM 625
west
​160.0257.5
FM 1930 – Alice
Interchange
​163.4263.0
FM 1554
​164.4264.6 SH 44 / SH 359 – Alice, San DiegoInterchange
​167.7269.9

 Bus. US 281 south – Alice		Interchange
​171.9276.6
FM 2044 east – Alfred
FM 624 – Orange Grove, Cotulla
Interchange
FM 3162 east – Lagarto
Houston
South end of Bus. US 59 overlap
205.6330.9
US 59
north		North end of Bus. US 59 overlap
​207.5333.9
FM 889
west
​212.5342.0
FM 1042 west – Simmons City
Choke Canyon State Park, Calliham, Tilden, Federal Prison
South end of SH 72 overlap
216.2347.9
 SH 72 east (King David Drive) – Kenedy		North end of SH 72 overlap
​219.9353.9
 I-37 south – Corpus Christi		South end of I-37 overlap; US 281 south follows exit 72
see I-37
San Antonio
North end of I-37 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance; US 281 north follows exit 103
​252.3406.0
Spur 199
east (Leal Road) / Jim Brite Road
FM 1334 east – Coughran
256.2412.3
 SH 97 west – Jourdanton		South end of SH 97 overlap
257.0413.6

 SH 97 east to I-37 – Floresville		North end of SH 97 overlap
257.3414.1
Spur 242 to SH 97 – Poteet, Coastal Bend College
​260.1418.6
FM 3006 east to I-37
FM 1470 south – Poteet
FM 536 east – Floresville
Bexar​274.7442.1 Loop 1604 (Anderson Loop) – Elmendorf, SomersetInterchange
​276.2444.5
FM 2537
west / Martinez-Losoya Road
FM 1937 south / Del Lago Parkway – Losoya
281.8453.5
Stinson Airport
283.0455.4Espada Road – San Antonio Missions National Historical Parkinterchange
283.2455.8

 I-410 west / SH 130 south		South end of I-410 / SH 130 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; US 281 south follows exit 44
284.3457.5 Spur 122 (South Presa Street) / Southton RoadI-410 exit 42
285.3459.1
US 181 south – Corpus Christi, Floresville
North end of I-410 / SH 130 overlap; south end of I-37 overlap; US 281 north follows exit 41; US 281 south follows exit 133
see I-37
294.5474.0 I-35 – Laredo, AustinNorth end of I-37 overlap; I-37 exits 142A (north) and 142B (south); I-35 exits 158A-B
295.4475.4Josephine Street / Grayson StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
295.9476.2St. Mary's Street / Mulberry Avenue / Stadium Drive
297.0478.0Hildebrand Avenue
298.8480.9Basse RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
299.5482.0Jones-Maltsberger Road
300.3483.3Sunset RoadSouthbound exit only
300.4483.4 I-410I-410 exit 21A
300.7483.9Airport BoulevardNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
301.0484.4 San Antonio International Airport Terminals
301.3484.9Jones-Maltsberger Road / Isom Road
302.9487.5San Pedro AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; former
Spur 537
302.2486.3Nakoma Driveno direct southbound exit (signed at Wurzbach Parkway)
303.4488.3
PA 1502 (Wurzbach Parkway
)		signed with Nakoma Drive southbound; additional signage southbound for Sandau Road and Rhapsody Drive
304.0489.2Bitters Road
304.7490.4Oak Shadows Drive / Winding Way Driveno direct southbound exit (signed at Brook Hollow Boulevard)
305.4491.5Brook Hollow Boulevard
305.8492.1Thousand Oaks Drive / Mecca DriveNo direct southbound exit (signed at Donella Drive)
306.7493.6Donella Drive
307.3494.6 Loop 1604 / Frontage Road
307.9495.5 Sonterra Boulevard / Redland Road / Encino Rio Roadaccess to North Central Baptist Hospital and Methodist Stone Oak Hospital; Encino Rio Road signed at Evans Road southbound
309.5498.1Evans Road
VIA's Stone Oak Park & RideHOV only[19]
310.0498.9 Stone Oak Parkway / TPC Parkway
310.9500.3Marshall Road
Overlook Parkway
Bulverde Road
Borgfeld DriveInterchange; north end of freeway
FM 1863 – Bulverde
Interchange
321.2516.9 SH 46 – Boerne, New BraunfelsInterchange
FM 311 east – Smithson Valley
​331.3533.2
FM 306 east – Canyon Lake
North
Blanco​334.0537.5
 RM 473 west – Kendalia		South end of RM 473 overlap
Twin Sisters335.8540.4
 RM 473 east		North end of RM 473 overlap
​340.6548.1
RM 32 east – San Marcos, Canyon Dam
​340.9548.6
RM 165 – Wimberley
PR 23 – Blanco State Park
interchange
342.7551.5
RM 165 – Stonewall, Henly, Wimberley
​350.4563.9
US 290 east – Austin
South end of US 290 overlap
RM 2766 east – Pedernales Falls State Park
356.0572.9
US 290 west – Fredericksburg, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
North end of US 290 overlap
356.8574.2
Spur 356 south – Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
​358.8577.4
RM 1323 west – Sandy
RM 962 east – Cypress Mill
South end of RM 962 overlap
367.5591.4
RM 962 west – Llano
North end of RM 962 overlap
BurnetMarble Falls373.3600.8 SH 71 – Llano, AustinInterchange
376.1605.3
RM 2147
east		South end of RM 2147 overlap
377.7607.8
Lake LBJ
North end of RM 2147 overlap
378.8609.6 RM 1431 – Granite Shoals, Kingsland, Lago Vista, Cedar Park
​383.2616.7
RM 1855 west – Fairland
Demarco386.7622.3
 PR 4 west – Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake State Park, Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery
Burnet391.7630.4 SH 29 – Buchanan Dam, Llano, Georgetown
392.4631.5
RM 963 east – Watson, Oakalla
​401.2645.7
RM 2340 east – Lake Victor
US 190 east – Copperas Cove, Killeen
413.4665.3
US 190 east / US 281 Truck south – Belton, Austin
South end of US 183 / US 190 overlap
413.7665.8
Loop 257 east (4th Street) – Lampasas Downtown Historic District
414.0666.3
FM 580 west (North Avenue) – Colorado Bend State Park
South end of FM 580 overlap
414.6667.2
FM 580
east (East Avenue J)		North end of FM 580 overlap
​415.2668.2
US 190 west – Goldthwaite, Brownwood, San Saba, Lometa
North end of US 183 / US 190 overlap
​425.2684.3
FM 1690
north
​429.9691.9
FM 581 west – Lometa
South end of FM 581 overlap
FM 581
east		North end of FM 581 overlap
Coryell
 No major junctions
HamiltonEvant443.2713.3 US 84 – Gatesville, GoldthwaiteInterchange
​451.3726.3
FM 221 west – Shive
Hamilton459.3739.2
 SH 22 east / SH 36 (Main Street) – Comanche, Gatesville, Meridian
460.1740.5
FM 2905
east
FM 219 – Dublin, Cranfills Gap
​478.8770.6
FM 1744 south – Carlton
​479.2771.2
FM 1602 south – Fairy, Jonesboro
Hico480.1772.6

 SH 6 south (2nd Street) to SH 220 – Meridian, Downtown Historic District		South end of SH 6 overlap
Erath​484.5779.7
 SH 6 north – Dublin, Eastland		North end of SH 6 overlap
​486.0782.1
FM 1824 east – Duffau
​492.4792.4
FM 913 east – Selden
​497.8801.1
 SH 108 north – Stephenville
Stephenville498.5802.3 US 67 – Dublin, Glen Rose
498.8802.7
US 377 – Dublin, Granbury
499.1803.2
FM 205
east
499.6804.0
 Bus. US 377 – Stephenville, Fort Worth
500.8806.0
FM 8 west – Tarleton Agricultural Center
​501.8807.6
FM 3025
west
FM 1189 north – Lipan
​519.5836.1
FM 2803 north – Patillo
Palo Pinto​521.1838.6 FM 4 – Santo, Lipan
​527.0848.1 I-20 – Abilene, Fort WorthI-20 exit 386
​527.3848.6
FM 2201 west – Santo
​528.1849.9
FM 129 west – Brazos
​537.6865.2
Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Municipal Airport
​539.6868.4
FM 2256
south
Mineral Wells541.3871.1
 US 180 east (South 1st Street)		One-way couplet
541.4871.3
 US 180 west (Hubbard Street)
542.5873.1
FM 3027
east (Northeast 23rd Street)		South end of FM 3027 overlap
543.1874.0
FM 3027 west – Union Hill
North end of FM 3027 overlap
​544.8876.8
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
​548.8883.2
FM 2270
west
FM 1885 east – Graford, Possum Kingdom Lake, Weatherford
​551.8888.0
FM 52 – Oran, Whitt
FM 2210 – Gibtown
​564.8909.0
 SH 199 east – Fort Worth		south end of SH 199 overlap
​568.2914.4
FM 3324
south
​569.8917.0
Dallas
South end of US 380 / SH 114 overlap
Fort Richardson State Park
572.3921.0
US 380 west / SH 59
north (Belknap Street)		North end of US 380 / SH 199 overlap
572.9922.0
FM 3344
north (Post Oak Road)
573.0922.2
 SH 148 north – Henrietta
​579.6932.8
 SH 114 west – Olney		North end of SH 114 overlap
​588.4946.9
FM 1191 south – Jermyn
​589.7949.0
FM 2190 east – Squaw Mountain
​592.6953.7
Loop 187 north – Antelope
​595.4958.2
Loop 187 south – Antelope
Archer​599.2964.3
 SH 16 south – Graham
​603.2970.8
FM 2581
north
FM 174 east – Archer City, Bowie
FM 172 – Bluegrove
​622.51,001.8 FM 1954 – Holliday, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Arrowhead State Park
WichitaWichita Falls624.81,005.5 Loop 473 / Rathgeber Roadinterchange; south end of freeway
625.51,006.6
FM 369 west (Southwest Parkway) / SH 79 south – Archer City
South end of SH 79 overlap; no direct southbound entrance
626.51,008.3Hatton Road
627.11,009.2Midwestern Parkway – Midwestern State University
627.61,010.0


 US 82 east / US 287 south / SH 79 north – Texarkana, Fort Worth		North end of SH 79 overlap; south end of US 82 / US 287 overlap
628.21,011.0
Spur 447
 / Galveston Street
628.71,011.8
US 277 south – Lubbock, Abilene
North end of US 82 overlap; south end of US 277 overlap
629.21,012.6Broad Street – Business Districtnorthbound exit and southbound entrance
630.01,013.96th Street – MPECno direct southbound exit
overlap; see I-44
​645.11,038.2
US 281 north – Lawton
Oklahoma state line (bridge over the Red River)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

U.S. Route 281 Spur

The entire route is in Hidalgo County. [20]

Location[20]mikmDestinationsNotes
Hidalgo0.00.0Bridge StreetWestern terminus; road continues as South International Boulevard to the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge
0.71.1
Spur 115 (North International Boulevard) – McAllen
1.21.9 SH 336 – McAllenInterchange
​3.55.6
FM 2061 (Jackson Road) – McAllen
Spur 600 (Cage Boulevard) – Edinburg, Harlingen, Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge
Eastern terminus; interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Length does not account for concurrencies along Interstate Highways and U.S. Highways with lower numbers

References

  1. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 281". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  2. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 412. Retrieved December 3, 2014.[needs update]
  3. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 352. Retrieved December 29, 2015.[needs update]
  4. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 382. Retrieved December 29, 2015.[needs update]
  5. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Interstate Highway No. 69-C". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  6. ^ "Falfurrias Station". U.S. Customs and Border Protection. United States Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Driscoll, Patrick (January 16, 2006). "Now there's a name for it". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on February 23, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  8. ^ Driscoll, Patrick (June 10, 2008). "U.S. 281/Loop 410 interchange ramps are complete". San Antonio Express-News. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  9. ^ Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
  10. ^ Gerber, Tim (December 2, 2011). "ARMA: Highway 281 Super Street is working". KSAT. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  11. My San Antonio
    . March 11, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  12. ^ "US 281 - Spring Branch". TxDOT. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  13. ^ "U.S. 281 Relief Route Project at Premont Set to begin Monday". Alice Echo News-Journal. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  14. My San Antonio
    . Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  15. ^ "US 281 from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Drive". TxDOT. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  16. ^ "Residents get updated look at 281 expansion project". KSAT. May 12, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  17. ^ Brnger, Garrett (March 31, 2017). "Long-awaited U.S. 281 expansion breaks ground". KSAT. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  18. ^ Hernandez, Michael (July 17, 2017). "Construction begins today on US 281 expansion". WOAI. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  19. ^ King, Samuel (August 18, 2021). "TxDOT, VIA Celebrate Opening of New HOV Lanes on Highway 281". ksat.com. San Antonio: KSAT-TV. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  20. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2258. Retrieved June 18, 2022.

External links

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U.S. Route 281
Previous state:
Terminus 		Texas Next state:
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