Texas State Highway 173

State Highway 173
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length:	97.34 mi (156.65 km)
Existed:	by 1933 – present
Major junctions
South end:	SH 16 near Jourdanton
	I-35
North end:	SH 16 in Kerrville
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate • US • TX (Loops – Spurs – Rec – FM) ← SH 172 SH 174 → ← SH 240 SH 241 SH 242 →

State Highway 173 or SH 173 is a state highway that runs from Jourdanton to Kerrville in south Texas. The highway was originally designated by 1933 from Hondo southeast to Jourdanton. By 1939, the designated route was extended south from Jourdanton through Freer, absorbing State Highway 241, with an expected terminus at Hebbronville. By 1942, the section from Freer to Hebbronville had been cancelled. In 1965, the section south of Jourdanton was transferred to SH 16. In 1990, the route was extended northward to Kerrville, replacing RM 689.

Route Description

SH 173 begins at SH 16 just north of Jourdanton. SH 173 runs northwest toward Devine where it intersects I-35 in the south part of town. Leaving Devine, 173 turns running in a sharper northwest direction. Just east of Hondo, the highway interchanges with US 90. The highway turns to run in a more north-south direction, twisting and turning many times through canyons. SH 173 enters Bandera and intersects SH 16 for a second time. The two highways share a short overlap before splitting. Here, sings are posted advising trucks and through traffic to use Hwy 173 as a route to Kerrville instead of Hwy 16 as Hwy 173 is a shorter and traffic can travel faster (SH 16 runs up a hill with many sharp curves). SH 173 runs into SH 16 for a third time in Kerrville, where the highway ends.

Junction List

County	Location	Destination	Notes
Atascosa	Jourdanton	SH 16 – Poteet, Jourdanton	South end of SH 173
		FM 2146 north – Poteet	South end of FM 2146 overlap
		FM 2146 south	North end of FM 2146 overlap
		FM 1333 south
		FM 2504 north
Frio		FM 472 south – Bigfoot
Medina	Devine	I-35 – Pearsall, San Antonio
		SH 132 – Pearsall, Natalia
		FM 2200 north – Yancey
		FM 1343 north – Dunlay
		US 90 – Hondo, Castroville	Interchange
		18th Street	Interchange
		FM 2676 east – Rio Medina
Bandera		FM 1077 west – Hill Country SNA
	Bandera	SH 16 south – San Antonio	South end of SH 16 overlap
		SH 16 north – Medina	North end of SH 16 overlap
		FM 3240 west
		RM 2828 west – Medina
Kerr		RM 480 north – Center Point
		FM 2771 west (Lower Turtle Creek Road)
	Kerrville	Loop 534 north (Veterans Highway) to I-10
		SH 16 – Medina, Kerrville