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U.S. Route 281
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U.S. Route 281
U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway. At 1,875 miles (3,018 km) it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route.
The highway's northern terminus is at the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 10. The route between Dunseith and the border is shared with North Dakota Highway 3. US 281 has two southern termini. The western terminus, known as International Blvd. in Hidalgo, begins from the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge. The southern eastern terminus of US 281 is in Brownsville, Texas, just short of the Mexican border ending on Bus. 77. The two spurs come together at South Cage Blvd in Las Milpas, Texas going north into Pharr, Texas. Thus, US 281 is the only continuous three-digit US route to extend from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.
The original Military Telegraph Road was incorporated into the US-281 route.
US 281 is a "child" of US 81. As a result of decommissioning portions of the parent route that have been superseded by concurrent Interstate Highways, the length of US 281 is 672 miles (1,081 km) greater than that of its parent, and US 281 no longer connects to its "parent", US 81.
US 281, beginning at the west, or the lower Rio Grande Valley, at an intersection with Business US 77 and SH 48 about two miles (3.2 km) from the Mexico border. It travels along close to the border through the Rio Grande Valley. At the east, or Upper Rio Grande Valley, turning north from Hidalgo, traveling through Las Milpas, Pharr, Edinburg, and many small towns while also having a Border Patrol checkpoint in Brooks County south of Falfurrias, Texas. It is alternating as a divided highway and main street, until joining I-37. It splits with I-37 and travels through Pleasanton as Business 281, travelling north to San Antonio. In San Antonio, US 281 overlaps I-410 on the south side of the city until the interchange with I-37. US 281 and I-37 then overlap north into downtown San Antonio until I-37 ends at I-35. US 281 continues north from downtown San Antonio as a freeway, intersecting I-410 again on the north side of the city, with access to the San Antonio International Airport. A project to construct a stack interchange at I-410 (the "San Antonio Web") was completed June 9, 2008; formerly there was no direct access between the two freeways and surface streets were required travel between the freeways. North of San Antonio, US 281 is not a freeway and forms the Main Street of Blanco. It overlaps US 290 south of Johnson City. US 290 continues toward Austin, so US 281 and US 290 between San Antonio and Austin are available as a scenic and less congested alternate to I-35.
North of San Antonio, US 281 continues through central and north-central Texas, passing through many towns, including Stephenville, Mineral Wells and Jacksboro before reaching Wichita Falls, where the highway begins a concurrency with I-44 north across the Red River into Oklahoma.
US 281 enters the state of Oklahoma at the Red River bridge north of Burkburnett, Texas on a route concurrent with I-44 starting in Wichita Falls. About six miles (9.7 km) north of the Red River, US 281 leaves I-44 at Randlett and follows a two-lane roadway parallel to the newer I-44, which becomes the Wichita Falls–Lawton section of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike, from Randlett to a point six miles (9.7 km) south of Lawton.
Through the Lawton/Fort Sill metropolitan area, US 281 again overlaps a toll-free section of I-44, while the former US 281 alignment through the city of Lawton is designated as Business US 281 between I-44 exits 34 and 39B. About eight miles (13 km) north of downtown Lawton, US 281 departs from I-44 to continue north through the cities of Apache, Anadarko, Gracemont, Binger and Hinton. About two miles (3.2 km) north of its junction with I-40 near Hinton, US 281 crosses a 1930s-vintage 38-span steel pony truss bridge over the South Canadian River that served traffic of the former east–west US 66 before that highway was superseded by I-40 in the 1960s. A four-mile (6.4 km) section of US 281's paving from north of I-40 to a point south of Geary is the original 18-foot (5.5 m) concrete surface of US 66.
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U.S. Route 281
U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway. At 1,875 miles (3,018 km) it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route.
The highway's northern terminus is at the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 10. The route between Dunseith and the border is shared with North Dakota Highway 3. US 281 has two southern termini. The western terminus, known as International Blvd. in Hidalgo, begins from the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge. The southern eastern terminus of US 281 is in Brownsville, Texas, just short of the Mexican border ending on Bus. 77. The two spurs come together at South Cage Blvd in Las Milpas, Texas going north into Pharr, Texas. Thus, US 281 is the only continuous three-digit US route to extend from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.
The original Military Telegraph Road was incorporated into the US-281 route.
US 281 is a "child" of US 81. As a result of decommissioning portions of the parent route that have been superseded by concurrent Interstate Highways, the length of US 281 is 672 miles (1,081 km) greater than that of its parent, and US 281 no longer connects to its "parent", US 81.
US 281, beginning at the west, or the lower Rio Grande Valley, at an intersection with Business US 77 and SH 48 about two miles (3.2 km) from the Mexico border. It travels along close to the border through the Rio Grande Valley. At the east, or Upper Rio Grande Valley, turning north from Hidalgo, traveling through Las Milpas, Pharr, Edinburg, and many small towns while also having a Border Patrol checkpoint in Brooks County south of Falfurrias, Texas. It is alternating as a divided highway and main street, until joining I-37. It splits with I-37 and travels through Pleasanton as Business 281, travelling north to San Antonio. In San Antonio, US 281 overlaps I-410 on the south side of the city until the interchange with I-37. US 281 and I-37 then overlap north into downtown San Antonio until I-37 ends at I-35. US 281 continues north from downtown San Antonio as a freeway, intersecting I-410 again on the north side of the city, with access to the San Antonio International Airport. A project to construct a stack interchange at I-410 (the "San Antonio Web") was completed June 9, 2008; formerly there was no direct access between the two freeways and surface streets were required travel between the freeways. North of San Antonio, US 281 is not a freeway and forms the Main Street of Blanco. It overlaps US 290 south of Johnson City. US 290 continues toward Austin, so US 281 and US 290 between San Antonio and Austin are available as a scenic and less congested alternate to I-35.
North of San Antonio, US 281 continues through central and north-central Texas, passing through many towns, including Stephenville, Mineral Wells and Jacksboro before reaching Wichita Falls, where the highway begins a concurrency with I-44 north across the Red River into Oklahoma.
US 281 enters the state of Oklahoma at the Red River bridge north of Burkburnett, Texas on a route concurrent with I-44 starting in Wichita Falls. About six miles (9.7 km) north of the Red River, US 281 leaves I-44 at Randlett and follows a two-lane roadway parallel to the newer I-44, which becomes the Wichita Falls–Lawton section of the H.E. Bailey Turnpike, from Randlett to a point six miles (9.7 km) south of Lawton.
Through the Lawton/Fort Sill metropolitan area, US 281 again overlaps a toll-free section of I-44, while the former US 281 alignment through the city of Lawton is designated as Business US 281 between I-44 exits 34 and 39B. About eight miles (13 km) north of downtown Lawton, US 281 departs from I-44 to continue north through the cities of Apache, Anadarko, Gracemont, Binger and Hinton. About two miles (3.2 km) north of its junction with I-40 near Hinton, US 281 crosses a 1930s-vintage 38-span steel pony truss bridge over the South Canadian River that served traffic of the former east–west US 66 before that highway was superseded by I-40 in the 1960s. A four-mile (6.4 km) section of US 281's paving from north of I-40 to a point south of Geary is the original 18-foot (5.5 m) concrete surface of US 66.
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