U.S. Route 290
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by TxDOT | ||||
Length | 261 mi[1] (420 km) | |||
Existed | 1927[1]–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | ![]() | |||
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East end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Texas | |||
Highway system | ||||
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Houston%2C_TX_-_IH610_US290_-_exit12_w18th_st_-_Hempstead_rd.jpg/220px-Houston%2C_TX_-_IH610_US290_-_exit12_w18th_st_-_Hempstead_rd.jpg)
U.S. Highway 290 (or U.S. 290) is an east–west U.S. Highway located entirely within the State of Texas. Its current western terminus is at Interstate 10 near Harper, and its eastern terminus is at Interstate 610 on the northwest side of Houston.[1]
Route description
Fredericksburg–Johnson City
West of Austin, U.S. 290 is a rather scenic route through the Texas Hill Country, passing through the towns of Fredericksburg and Johnson City, and hence close to the historical sites connected with Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, a top commander during the War in the Pacific (1941–45) and the deceased President from Texas, Lyndon Baines Johnson. East of Austin, U.S. 290 is a divided highway that passes through or near the towns of Giddings and Brenham.
Austin
In Austin, U.S. 290 runs concurrently with Interstate 35 for approximately 8 miles (13 km), including the Downtown Austin area, as well as the entirety of W. Ben White Boulevard. At various intervals, U.S. 290 intersects with SH 71, RM 1826, Mopac Expressway, Capital of Texas Highway, S Lamar Boulevard, S Congress Avenue, and along the concurrent I-35 strip, Sixth Street, Loop 111, and RM 2222, and U.S. 183, among other roads.
Houston
In Houston, U.S. 290 is sometimes called the Northwest Freeway. The Texas Legislature officially designated this highway within Harris County as the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway in 2005.[2] U.S. 290 is also part of a hurricane evacuation route. That route starts at SH 6 in Galveston. SH 6 is taken to U.S. 290. Then U.S. 290 is taken to where the two highways break apart. Then SH 6 is taken to Waco.
In Harris County outside of Houston, State Highway 6 (SH 6) joins with U.S. 290 and the two highways run concurrently until splitting just north of Hempstead.
The large remnant of U.S. 290 continues to be an important highway, one that connects Austin with Interstate 10, and from there eastward to Houston. Parts of U.S. 290 in Austin and near Houston are multilane freeways.
History
U.S. 290 originally had an eastern terminus in San Antonio before 1935 when it was re-routed further north and extended eastward. The old highway into San Antonio was redesignated US 87.[1][3]
Prior to the Interstate era, it extended nearly 300 miles (483 km) farther west to an intersection with US 80 (now Interstate 20) before Interstate 10 supplanted it. Much of the old route near Sheffield became SH 290. Other former alignments that are part of the state highway system include the Fort Stockton and Balmorhea business routes of Interstate 10 and RM 1312 between Ozona and Sonora.[4][5][6][7]
Prior to construction of the Northwest Freeway, U.S. 290 through Houston followed Hempstead Highway, which runs parallel to the freeway approximately one-half mile to the southwest. The eastern terminus of U.S. 290 was also approximately one mile to the southeast at the intersection of Hempstead Highway, Washington Avenue and Old Katy Road. There is a small directional T interchange at this intersection.
Because of truncations in its length, U.S. 290 no longer intersects with its "parent" route, U.S. 90.
Toll roads are planned along segments of U.S. 290 in Houston and Austin.
In 2011 two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, John Culberson and Michael T. McCaul, asked TxDOT to advocate for the relabeling of U.S. 290 as an interstate highway.[8]
Austin
290 Toll Road | |
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Location | Austin, Texas |
In Austin, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority Manor Expressway along U.S. 290 from Austin to Manor, opened on May 17, 2014. The Manor Expressway is signed as the 290 Toll Road.[9]
Houston
Prior to construction of the Northwest Freeway, U.S. 290 through Houston followed Hempstead Highway, which runs parallel to the freeway approximately one-half mile to the southwest. The eastern terminus of U.S. 290 was also approximately one mile to the southeast at the intersection of Hempstead Highway, Washington Avenue and Old Katy Road. There is a small directional T interchange at this intersection.
The interchange with I-610 and first part of frontage roads opened in 1963. The first freeway section opened in 1975. In 1982, freeway main lanes completed to just inside Beltway 8. In 1990, the stack interchange with Beltway 8 were completed. From 1985 to 2005, the main lanes outside Beltway 8 were completed.[10]
The freeway was constructed to only 3 lanes in each direction, but a major investment study in 2002 requested expansion to 5 lanes in each direction inside Beltway 8 and 4 lanes in each direction from Beltway 8 to the proposed Grand Parkway. It also recommended to build a new tollway along Hempstead Highway.[10]
In Houston, the Harris County Toll Road Authority is planning to construct toll managed lanes along and adjacent to the U.S. 290 right-of-way, to be called the Hempstead Tollway.[11]
Business routes
US 290 has three business routes.
Brenham
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2014) |
Location | Brenham, Texas |
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Length | 4.59 mi[12] (7.39 km) |
Business U.S. Route 290-F is the original routing of US 290 through the town of Brenham. The route is 4.59 miles (7.39 km) in length. It was established in 1990 when the mainline of US 290 was rerouted along with SH 36 around the western and southern sides of Brenham.[12] The routing begins to the west of town at an intersection with SH 36. The business route continues east into downtown on Main Street. Before reaching downtown, the route splits into two parallel one-way streets: Main Street carrying westbound traffic and Alamo Street carrying eastbound traffic. It passes through downtown, meeting the business routing of State Highway 36 and the western terminus of SH 105. At this intersection, the business route turns south on Market Street, and continues out of Brenham, rejoining the mainline US 290 near an intersection with FM 577.[13][14]
Hempstead–Hockley
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2014) |
Location | Hempstead–Hockley, Texas |
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Business U.S. Route 290-H is the original routing of US 290 through the towns of Hempstead, Waller, and Hockley.[15] This route was designated between 1995 and 1998 in stages as a limited-access bypass route was constructed to the north of these towns.[16]
Cypress
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2014) |
Location | Cypress, Texas |
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Business U.S. Route 290-L is the original routing of US 290 through the town of Cypress.[17] The route was designated in 1993 as a limited-access bypass was built to the northeast of the original routing.[18]
Major intersections
The entire route is in Texas. All exits are unnumbered.
County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
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Kimble | | ![]() | Western terminus; I-10 exit 477 | ||||
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Gillespie | Harper | ![]() ![]() | West end of RM 783 overlap | ||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | East end of RM 783 overlap | ||||||
Fredericksburg | ![]() ![]() | West end of US 87 overlap | |||||
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![]() ![]() | West end of SH 16 overlap | ||||||
![]() ![]() | East end of SH 16 overlap | ||||||
![]() ![]() | East end of US 87 overlap | ||||||
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Stonewall | ![]() ![]() | ||||||
![]() ![]() | West end of RM 1623 overlap | ||||||
![]() ![]() | East end of RM 1623 overlap | ||||||
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Blanco | | ![]() ![]() | |||||
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Johnson City | ![]() ![]() | ||||||
![]() ![]() | West end of US 281 overlap | ||||||
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| ![]() ![]() | East end of US 281 overlap | |||||
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Hays | Henly | ![]() ![]() | |||||
Dripping Springs | ![]() | ||||||
Travis | Austin | ![]() ![]() | |||||
![]() ![]() | West end of SH 71 overlap | ||||||
Old Fredericksburg Road | Interchange; west end of freeway; no direct westbound exit | ||||||
Monterey Oaks Boulevard / Industrial Oaks Boulevard | |||||||
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West Gate Boulevard | No direct westbound exit (signed at Loop 343) | ||||||
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Manchaca Road / Pack Saddle Pass / Victory Drive | No direct eastbound exit (signed at Loop 343) | ||||||
![]() | Access to South Austin Medical Center | ||||||
![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | East end of SH 71 overlap; west end of I-35 overlap; US 290 west follows exit 230 | ||||||
Woodward Street / Ben White Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-35 exit 231 | ||||||
see I-35 | |||||||
51st Street / Cameron Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; I-35 exit 237B | ||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | East end of I-35 overlap; US 290 east follows exit 238B | ||||||
Berkman Drive / Cameron Road | |||||||
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![]() ![]() | East end of freeway; west end of 290 Toll Rd. | ||||||
![]() | Access point | ||||||
![]() | Access point | ||||||
![]() | Access point | ||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() | SH 130 exit 437 | ||||||
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Manor | ![]() ![]() | East end of 290 Toll Rd. | |||||
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Bastrop | Elgin | ![]() ![]() | West end of SH 95 overlap | ||||
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![]() ![]() | East end of SH 95 overlap | ||||||
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McDade | ![]() | ||||||
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| ![]() | Interchange | |||||
Paige | ![]() | ||||||
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Lee | Giddings | ![]() | |||||
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Fayette | Ledbetter | ![]() ![]() | |||||
Carmine | ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Washington | | ![]() ![]() | Interchange | ||||
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Burton | ![]() ![]() | ||||||
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Brenham | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | interchange; west end of SH 36 overlap; west end of freeway | |||||
Old Mill Creek Road | |||||||
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Lubbock Street / Industrial Boulevard | westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | East end of SH 36 overlap | ||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | interchange; east end of freeway | ||||||
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Waller | | ![]() ![]() | |||||
Hempstead | ![]() ![]() | interchange; west end of SH 6 overlap; west end of freeway | |||||
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| ![]() | no direct eastbound exit (signed at FM 1488) | |||||
Prairie View | Liendo Parkway | ||||||
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| James Muse Parkway | ||||||
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Harris | Waller | Fields Store Road | No eastbound exit (closed until February 2017) | ||||
![]() | No eastbound entrance (closed until February 2017) | ||||||
Binford Road | No eastbound exit (closed until February 2017) | ||||||
Hockley | Kickapoo Road | No eastbound entrance (closed until February 2017) | |||||
Kermier Road | No eastbound exit (closed until February 2017) | ||||||
Hegar Road (US 290 Bus. west) | No eastbound entrance (closed until February 2017) | ||||||
| Badtke Road | No eastbound exit (closed until February 2017) | |||||
| Roberts Road / Katy Hockley Road | ||||||
| Becker Road | No eastbound exit (closed until December 2016) | |||||
| Bauer Road | ||||||
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Cypress | Fairfield Place Drive | Westbound access only | |||||
Mason Road | |||||||
Mueschke Road | |||||||
Cypress-Rosehill Road / Fry Road / Spring-Cypress Road | No direct eastbound exit (signed at Mueschke Road) | ||||||
| Skinner Road / Spring-Cypress Road | ||||||
| Barker-Cypress Road | ||||||
| Telge Road | ||||||
| ![]() | Access to North Cypress Medical Center; Hempstead Rd. not signed westbound | |||||
Jersey Village | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | East end of SH 6 overlap, access to Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center | |||||
Eldridge Road / West Road | |||||||
290 Express Lane | West end of reversible HOV/toll lane; only access point between US 290 and the Express Lane | ||||||
NW Station Park & Ride | Westbound right exit and eastbound entrance for 290 Express Lane | ||||||
Jones Road | |||||||
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Houston | ![]() | ||||||
West Little York Park & Ride | Interchange for 290 Express Lane | ||||||
Fairbanks-North Houston Road | |||||||
West Tidwell Road / Hollister Road | No westbound exit (closed until December 2016) | ||||||
Pinemont Drive / Bingle Road / West 43rd Street | No westbound exit (closed until December 2016) | ||||||
Antoine Drive / West 34th Street | No entrance ramps (westbound entrance closed until December 2016) | ||||||
![]() | I-10 exit 763; I-610 exit 11; eastbound exit only. | ||||||
Mangum Road / Dacoma Street | No eastbound entrance | ||||||
![]() ![]() | Eastbound exit for 290 Express Lane; east end of HOV/toll lanes at I-10, exit 763. | ||||||
![]() | Eastern terminus; I-610 west exit 13A, north exit 13B | ||||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b c d Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 290". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ "Bill: HB 540 Legislative Session: 79(R)." Texas Legislature. Retrieved on February 12, 2009.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 87". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 290". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business Interstate Highway No. 10-F". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business Interstate Highway No. 10-G". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Ranch to Market Road No. 1312". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Foster, Robin. "Officials favoring upgrade by TXDOT." Houston Chronicle. Tuesday September 20, 2011. Retrieved on October 1, 2011.
- ^ "290 East Manor Expressway Toll Road". CTRMA. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b Houston Freeways
- ^ "Hempstead/US 290 Managed Lanes". HCTRA. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ a b Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business U.S. Highway No. 290-F". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 452. Retrieved December 3, 2014.[needs update]
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 453. Retrieved December 3, 2014.[needs update]
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 475. Retrieved December 3, 2014.[needs update]
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business U.S. Highway No. 290-H". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2014). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2014 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 496. Retrieved December 3, 2014.[needs update]
- ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business U.S. Highway No. 290-L". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- United States Numbered Highways
- U.S. Highways in Texas
- U.S. Route 90
- Interstate 10
- Transportation in Kimble County, Texas
- Transportation in Gillespie County, Texas
- Transportation in Blanco County, Texas
- Transportation in Hays County, Texas
- Transportation in Travis County, Texas
- Transportation in Bastrop County, Texas
- Transportation in Lee County, Texas
- Transportation in Fayette County, Texas
- Transportation in Washington County, Texas
- Transportation in Waller County, Texas
- Transportation in Harris County, Texas