Texas State Highway 71

State Highway 71 marker

State Highway 71
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length: 253.199 mi[1] (407.484 km)
Existed: 1926 – present
Major junctions
West end: US 87/US 377 near Brady
 

US 281
US 290 in Austin
I-35 in Austin
US 183 in Austin
US 77
US 90 in Columbus
I-10 in Columbus

Alt. US 90

Future I-69/US 59
East end: SH 35 at Blessing
Location
Counties: McCulloch, Mason, San Saba, Llano, Burnet, Blanco, Travis, Bastrop, Fayette, Colorado, Wharton, Matagorda
Highway system
← SH 70SH 72 →

State Highway 71 or SH 71 is a Texas state highway that runs 253 miles (407 km). The northern terminus is at US 87 and US 377 south of Brady and its southern terminus is at SH 35 near Blessing. This highway is designated the "10th Mountain Division Highway" from SH 95 to Interstate 35.

History

SH 71 was originally designated in 1926 from Austin to Columbus, absorbing SH 3D in the process. By 1928, SH 71 had extended to Matagorda Bay. In 1935, U.S. Highway 290 was codesignated along the stretch from Austin to Bastrop, dropping SH 71 from this section completely by 1939. In 1951, this section was restored when US 290 was rerouted farther north. Late in 1965, the highway was extended to its current designation over the cancelled Ranch to Market Road 93 and Ranch to Market Road 734.

Austin

Through Austin, SH 71 is known as Ben White Boulevard and is one of Austin's newest freeways. Sections have opened regularly since 1996, when the first section west of Interstate 35 was opened. A 5-level stack was recently completed at Interstate 35, and the freeway east of Interstate 35 to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was recently completed.

Major displacements of commercial properties were required to build the Austin expansions. Most of the freeway had a 150 ft (46 m) wide right-of-way which was expanded to 300+ feet (91m+), and the western segment, which opened in 1998, was built on an 80 ft (24 m) right-of-way. The section at the western end required many more business displacements. The new freeway features depressed sections, elevated sections, and partial stack interchanges.

Business routes

SH 71 has two business routes.

Business State Highway 71-E is a business loop that runs through La Grange. The road was designated as Business SH 71-E in 1991 upon completion of a bypass around the city.[2]

Business State Highway 71-F (formerly Loop 329) is a business loop that runs through Columbus. The city was bypassed in 1982 and the original route was designated as Loop 329. The road was redesignated as Business SH 71-F in 1991.[3][4]

Junction list

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
McCullochBrady US 87 / US 377 – Brady, Mason
  FM 2309 north – Brady
  FM 1851 – Voca
  FM 1851 south – Voca
  FM 3293 west
MasonFredonia RM 386 south – MasonSH 71 briefly enters San Saba County just east of here
Pontotoc RM 501 east – Cherokee
Llano  SH 29 west – MasonWest end of SH 29 overlap
Llano SH 16 north / SH 29 east – San Saba, BurnetEast end of SH 29 overlap; west end of SH 16 overlap
RM 152 west – Castell
SH 16 south – FredericksburgEast end of SH 16 overlap
  FM 2333 east – Sunrise Beach Village
  RM 962 east – Round Mountain
  RM 2831 north
  RM 2147 east – Horseshoe Bay, Cottonwood Shores
BurnetMarble Falls US 281 – Marble Falls, Johnson CityInterchange
Blanco
 No major junctions
Travis  FM 2332 north (Pace Bend Road) – Briarcliff
Bee Cave RM 3238 west (Hamilton Pool Road)
RM 620 north – Lakeway, Round Rock
RM 2244 east – West Lake Hills
Austin US 290 west – Dripping Springs, Johnson CityWest end of US 290 overlap
See US 290
I-35 / US 290 east – Waco, San AntonioEast end of US 290 overlap
Woodward Street, Todd Lane, Burleson Road
Montopolis Drive
Riverside Drive
US 183 – Lampasas, LockhartEast end of freeway
Spirit of Texas Drive – Austin-Bergstrom International AirportInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Cardinal Loop, Presidential Boulevard – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Del ValleInterchange
FM 973 north – ManorWest end of FM 973 overlap
FM 973 south – Mustang RidgeEast end of FM 973 overlap
SH 45 Toll north / SH 130 Toll north – GeorgetownInterchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; SH 130 exit 449
SH 45 Toll / SH 130 Toll – Lockhart, Kingsbury, San AntonioSH 130 exit 449
Bastrop  SH 21 west – San MarcosInterchange; west end of SH 21 overlap
  FM 20 south / FM 969 north – Lockhart, WebbervilleWest end of expressway
Bastrop SH 304 south – Gonzalez
Loop 150 east / Hasler Boulevard – Bastrop, Bastrop State ParkEast end of expressway
SH 21 east / SH 95 north – Caldwell, ElginEast end of SH 21 overlap; west end of SH 95 overlap
Loop 150 west – Bastrop, Bastrop State Park
  SH 95 south / FM 153 east / Loop 230 east – Smithville, Flatonia, WinchesterInterchange; east end of SH 95 overlap
SmithvilleColorado Street (County Road 319)Interchange
Loop 230 west – SmithvilleInterchange
Fayette  Loop 543 east – West Point
  FM 154 – West Point, Muldoon
  Loop 543 west – West Point
  Loop 220 east – Plum
  Loop 220 west – Plum
 
Bus. SH 71 east – La Grange		West end of freeway
La Grange US 77 / Von Minden Street – Giddings, SchulenburgAccess to St Mark's Medical Center
SH 159 – Bellville, La Grange
 
Bus. SH 71 west – La Grange		East end of freeway
  FM 955 north – Fayetteville
Ellinger FM 2503 north
ColoradoHillcrest FM 1890 west (Shaws Bend Road)
 
Bus. SH 71 east – Columbus		Interchange
ColumbusRound House RoadInterchange
US 90 – Weimar, SealyInterchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
  I-10 west – San AntonioInterchange; west end of I-10 overlap, east exit 693, west exit 695; no eastbound entrance
Columbus
I-10 east / Bus. SH 71 west – Houston, Columbus		East end of I-10 overlap, exit 696
Altair
Alt. US 90 – Hallettsville, Eagle Lake
  FM 1693 west
Garwood FM 950 east – Matthews
  FM 333 west
Wharton  FM 1160 south – Louise
  FM 961 east – Wharton
  FM 2546 – Jones Creek
  FM 2546 north – Jones Creek
  FM 1300 west
El Campo FM 2765 (Loop Street)
FM 653 south (Wharton Street)

Bus. US 59 – Pierce, Louise
FM 1163 south (2nd Street)
FM 653 north (Wharton Street)
US 59 – Wharton, GanadoFuture I-69
  FM 2674 south
Danevang FM 441 north – Hillje
Matagorda  FM 1468 east – Markham
Midfield SH 111 west / FM 2431 east – Edna, Markham
  FM 456 east
Blessing SH 35 – Bay City, Palacios
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation,
  2. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - Business State Highway 71-E
  3. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - State Highway Loop 329
  4. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, Highway Designation File - Business State Highway 71-F
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