Texas State Highway 35

Not to be confused with Interstate 35 in Texas.

State Highway 35
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length	206.5 mi[1] (332.3 km)
Existed	1917–present
Major junctions
South end	I-37 / US 181 near Corpus Christi
Major intersections	US 87 in Port Lavaca SH 6 in Alvin Beltway 8 / Sam Houston Tollway in Houston I-610 in Houston
North end	I-45 in Houston
Location
Country	United States
State	Texas
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec
← I-35W → SH 36
← Loop 5 Spur 5 → FM 5

State Highway 35 (SH 35) is a 206.5-mile (332.3 km) state highway near the southeastern edge of Texas, United States, that is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It runs primarily south–north, paralleling the Gulf of Mexico for much of its length, from a junction with Interstate 37 in Corpus Christi to Interstate 45 in southeastern Houston.

Route description

The southern terminus of SH 35 is at an interchange with Interstate 37 (I-37) near downtown Corpus Christi, concurrent with U.S. Route 181 (US 181).^[2] The two highways run as a freeway near Corpus Christi Bay before crossing Nueces Bay on the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge and entering Portland. In Gregory, the two routes separate, with US 181 traveling towards Sinton, and the freeway segment of SH 35 ends shortly thereafter.^[3] After crossing FM 136, SH 35 runs eastward to Aransas Pass before turning towards the northeast.^[4] In Rockport, SH 35 runs as a divided expressway. After passing through Fulton, the highway crosses Copano Bay.^[5] SH 35 runs along the western edge of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge before entering Refugio County.^[6] In Calhoun County, SH 35 has a junction with US 87 in Port Lavaca^[7] before crossing Lavaca Bay.^[8] The route then runs east to Palacios before turning north^[9] toward Blessing, where it resumes its northeasterly trajectory^[10] toward Bay City^[11] and Angleton.^[12] From here, SH 35 takes a turn to the north-northwest toward Alvin^[13] before heading north through Pearland and crossing the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) into Houston.^[14] SH 35 then crosses I-610 before reaching its northern terminus at I-45.^[15]

History

SH 35 was originally proposed on November 19, 1917 as a route from Paris to Houston.^[16] On September 17, 1918, the section of the road from Liberty to Houston was cancelled (as it overlapped SH 12), and the road was rerouted south to Anahuac.^[17] On January 20, 1919, the highway was rerouted through Coldspring, Cleveland, and Humble to end in Houston, while the old route was replaced by the new SH 35A. On August 21, 1923, the northern half of the highway had been renumbered as SH 49, with the new northern end now going east to the Louisiana state line.^[18] On November 14, 1927, it was extended to Alvin.^[19] On April 10, 1934, it had been extended southwest along cancelled SH 58 and SH 57, ending in Gregory.^[20] SH 35 Spur was designated from 35 to the Retrieve Prison Farm. This SH 35 Spur was cancelled on July 15, 1935. On February 21, 1938, a new SH 35 Spur was designated to Danbury, as SH 35 was rerouted to bypass Danbury. On September 26, 1939, the section north of Houston was removed when it was renumbered as U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 84. SH 35 Spur was renumbered as Spur 28. On October 5, 1972, SH 35 was extended to Corpus Christi along US 181. On January 15, 1986, an Angleton bypass opened, with the old route becoming Loop 558. On February 25, 1987, SH 35 was rerouted back over Loop 558, and the bypass became Loop 558 instead (now FM 523). On April 27, 1995, another bypass opened, so that SH 35 no longer goes through Aransas Pass or Rockport. On March 29, 2007, an Old Ocean bypass opened, with the old route becoming Loop 419 (now Spur 419).

SH 35A was a proposed spur route off SH 35 designated on March 18, 1918, with a route splitting off at Livingston, and travelling west to New Waverly.^[21] On January 20, 1919, the section of SH 35A south of Coldspring was cancelled, and the section north of Coldspring became the main route. The section of SH 35 from Livingston via Liberty to Anahuac was routed through Devers and was renamed SH 35A. On August 21, 1923, the section from Anahuac to Devers was renumbered as SH 61, and the section north of Devers was cancelled.^[18] By 1928, the Livingston to Liberty section was restored as SH 132. By 1933, that became a portion of SH 146.

SH 35B was a spur of SH 35 designated on November 27, 1922 from Jefferson to the Louisiana state line.^[22] On August 21, 1923, this was renumbered as SH 49.

An overlap of SH 35 with the Gulf Freeway was constructed in the 1980s. This portion extends from Spur 5 to Dowling Street (now Emancipation Avenue), a distance of about 1.6 miles (2.6 km). This section contains three elevated lanes in each direction (briefly four southbound lanes near the southern terminus). This overlap section is 22 lanes wide, including mainlanes, feeder roads, and a reversible HOV lane.^[23]

Future

State Highway Spur 5
Location	Houston
Length	2.929 mi[24] (4.714 km)
Existed	1998–present

In Houston, SH 35 is Telephone Road and Reveille Street from its northern terminus at I-45. An upgrade of the facility (in a slightly different corridor) to freeway standards is planned, tentatively named the Alvin Freeway. As of 2006, only 1.3 miles (2.1 km) had been built, under the sign Spur 5 (constructed between 1996–99; officially opened September 1999; designated 1998). However, the mainlanes extend less than half a mile south of Interstate 45 adjacent to the University of Houston campus.

In early 2023, TxDOT unveiled construction bids for the first phase of the project, which will extend Spur 5 from its current southern terminus at US 90 Alt (Old Spanish Trail) to Griggs Road, just north of I-610. Phase 2 of the project will extend the freeway from Griggs Road to Dixie Drive. The estimated cost for the entire project is $366 million.^[25]

Exit list (State Highway Spur 5)

The entire route is in Houston, Harris County.

mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
			US 90 Alt. (Old Spanish Trail)	Current southern terminus; at-grade intersection
			Wheeler Street	Current at-grade intersection
			University Drive	Current at-grade intersection
			I-45 south / Elgin Street – Galveston, Hobby Airport	Current southern terminus of freeway; no northbound entrance
			I-45 north – Dallas	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; freeway begins to run parallel to I-45; I-45 exit 44B southbound
			Scott Street  – Texas Southern University	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
			I-69 / US 59 / SH 288 south – Victoria, Cleveland, Lake Jackson, Freeport	Northern terminus; northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-69 exits 129A-B
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

Junction list

All exits are unnumbered.

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Nueces	Corpus Christi			I-37 north / Spur 544 west – San Antonio	I-37 exit 0 southbound; southern end of US 181 concurrency; continues south as Spur 544.
				Belden Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				Burleson Street, Causeway Boulevard	No northbound entrance
				Beach Avenue	No southbound entrance
San Patricio	Portland			Nueces Bay
				Frontage Road	Southbound exit and entrance
				FM 893 (Moore Avenue) – Taft	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
				FM 2986 (Wildcat Drive)
				Frontage Road	No northbound entrance
				FM 3239 (Buddy Ganem Drive) / Broadway Boulevard
				Frontage Road	Northbound exit only
	Gregory			US 181 north – Sinton	Northern end of US 181 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance
				FM 3284 (Gregory Street)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
				SH 361 south / Spur 202 west – Aransas Pass, Port Aransas, Gregory	No northbound entrance
				FM 136 – Bayside	No northbound exit; north end of freeway
	​			FM 3512 south – Ingleside
	​			Bus. SH 35-L north – Aransas Pass	Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Aransas Pass			FM 1069 – Ingleside	Interchange; no northbound exit
Aransas	​			SH 188 – Sinton	Interchange
	Rockport			FM 1069 (Market Street) – Rockport	Interchange
				FM 2165 – Rockport	Interchange
				FM 3036 west	Southern end of FM 3036 concurrency
				Bus. SH 35-L south / FM 3036 east – Rockport	Northern end of FM 3036 concurrency
	​			Loop 1781 south	Prior to 2011, FM 1781
	Lamar			PR 13 east – Goose Island State Park
Refugio	​			FM 774 – Refugio, Austwell
	​			FM 1684 east
	​			SH 239 south – Austwell	Southern end of SH 239 concurrency
	Tivoli			SH 239 north – Goliad	Northern end of SH 239 concurrency
Calhoun	​			SH 185 south – Seadrift, Port O'Connor	Southern end of SH 185 concurrency
	​			SH 185 north – Victoria	Northern end of SH 185 concurrency
	​			FM 1679 north
	​			FM 2235 south
	​			FM 2541 south
	​			FM 2433 – Victoria, Indianola
	Port Lavaca			US 87 – Victoria, Port Lavaca
				FM 3084 west (Half League Road)
				FM 1090 (Virginia Street)
				SH 238 south – Port Lavaca, Seadrift
	Point Comfort			FM 1593 – Lolita, Matagorda Bay
	​			FM 2143 east
Jackson	​			SH 172 – La Ward
	​			FM 1862 north – Blessing
	​			FM 3280 south
Matagorda	Palacios			Bus. SH 35-H north – Palacios
				Bus. SH 35-H south – Palacios
	​			FM 2853 north
	​			FM 521 north – Simpsonville
	Blessing			FM 2853 south
				FM 616 west – La Ward
				SH 71 west – El Campo
	Elmaton			FM 1095 south – Simpsonville
	Markham			FM 1468 south	Southern end of FM 1468 concurrency
				FM 1468 north – Markham	Northern end of FM 1468 concurrency
	​			Colorado River Turnaround	Interchange
	Bay City			SH 60 – Wharton, Matagorda
				FM 2668 south
				FM 457 east – Cedar Lane
	Van Vleck			FM 2540 south
	​			FM 1728 north – Pledger
Brazoria	​			Loop 419 east – Old Ocean
	Old Ocean			FM 524 north – Danciger	Southern end of FM 524 concurrency
	​			Loop 419 west – Old Ocean
	​			FM 524 south – Sweeny	Northern end of FM 524 concurrency
	​			FM 1459 – Sweeny
	​			Bus. SH 35-E north – West Columbia
	West Columbia			SH 36 – Rosenberg, Freeport
				Bus. SH 35-E south (17th Street)
				FM 2851 north – Varner-Hogg Plantation
	Bailey's Prairie			FM 521 south – Brazoria	Southern end of FM 521 concurrency
				FM 521 north – Rosharon	Northern end of FM 521 concurrency
	Angleton			SH 288 (Nolan Ryan Expressway) – Houston, Freeport
				Loop 274 (Hancock Street)
				Bus. SH 288-B – Houston, Lake Jackson
				FM 523 (Highway 35 Bypass) – Freeport
	​			Spur 28 south – Danbury
	​			FM 2917 south
	Alvin			FM 2403 south
				Bus. SH 35-C north – Alvin
				FM 1462 west
				SH 6 – Sugar Land, Galveston	Interchange
				FM 517 (Dickinson Road) – League City
				FM 528 (Friendswood Road) – Friendswood, Webster
				Bus. SH 35-C south – Alvin	Interchange
	​			FM 2351 north – Friendswood
	Pearland			FM 518 – Friendswood
Harris	Houston			Beltway 8 (Frontage Road) / Sam Houston Tollway
				I-610 (South Loop Freeway) to I-45 south (Gulf Freeway) – Galveston	I-610 exit 32B; interchange; northbound entrance from I-45 closed until April 2018
				I-45 north (Gulf Freeway) – Downtown Houston	I-45 exit 40 southbound; interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Business routes

SH 35 has four business routes and one former business route.

Alvin business loop

Business State Highway 35-C
Location	Alvin
Length	4.146 mi[26] (6.672 km)
Existed	1990–present

Business State Highway 35-C (Bus. SH 35-C), formerly Loop 409, is a 4.146-mile-long (6.672 km) business loop that runs through Alvin. The road was bypassed on April 1, 1965, by SH 35 and designated Loop 409. The road was redesignated as Business SH 35-C on June 21, 1990.^[26]

West Columbia business loop

Business State Highway 35-E
Location	West Columbia
Length	2.011 mi[27] (3.236 km)
Existed	1998–present

Business State Highway 35-E (Bus. SH 35-E) is a 2.011-mile-long (3.236 km) business loop that runs through West Columbia. The route was created in 1998 when SH 35 was rerouted north and west of town.^[27]

Palacios business loop

Business State Highway 35-H
Location	Palacios
Length	3.648 mi[28] (5.871 km)
Existed	1990–present

Business State Highway 35-H (Bus SH 35-H), formerly Loop 141, is a 3.648-mile-long (5.871 km) business loop that runs through Palacios. The road was bypassed on September 21, 1944 by SH 35 and designated Loop 141. The road was redesignated as Business SH 35-H on June 21, 1990.^[29]

Rockport–Aransas Pass business loop

Business State Highway 35-L
Location	Aransas County
Length	16.083 mi[30] (25.883 km)
Existed	1990–present

Business State Highway 35-L (Bus. SH 35-L), formerly Loop 70, is a 16.083-mile-long (25.883 km) business loop that runs through Rockport. The road was created in 1939 when SH 35 was rerouted south and east of town. The route was redesignated as Business SH 35-L on June 21, 1990. On April 27, 1995 the route was extended north to SH 35 and FM 3036 and south to SH 35 in Aransas Pass over former SH 35 and was also rerouted in Rockport with the old route redesignated as Loop 70.^[30]

Former Aransas Pass business loop

Business State Highway 35-M
Location	Aransas Pass
Length	1.387 mi[31] (2.232 km)
Existed	1990–1995

Business State Highway 35-M (Bus. SH 35-M), formerly Loop 81, was a 1.387-mile-long (2.232 km) business loop that ran through Aransas Pass. The route was created in 1939 when SH 35 was rerouted in the city. The route was redesignated as Business SH 35-M on June 21, 1990, but was redesignated as Loop 90 on April 27, 1995.^[29]

See also

• List of state highways in Texas
• Copano Bay Fishing Pier

References

1. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 35". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
2. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2140. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
3. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2125. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
4. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2126. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
5. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2110. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
6. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2093. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
7. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2053. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
8. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2030. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
9. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2032. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
10. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
11. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1982. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
12. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1954. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
13. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1883. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
14. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1844. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
15. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1800. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
16. "Minutes from 6th State Highway Commission meeting" (PDF). November 19, 1917.
17. "Minutes from 16th State Highway Commission meeting" (PDF). September 17, 1918.
18. "Minutes from 73rd State Highway Commission meeting" (PDF). August 21, 1923.
19. "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. November 14, 1927. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
20. "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. April 9, 1934. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
21. "Minutes from 10th State Highway Commission meeting" (PDF). March 18, 1918.
22. "Minutes from 70th State Highway Commission meeting" (PDF). May 21, 1923.
23. Chapter 4, The Spokes Archived 2006-09-04 at the Wayback Machine, p. 163 Houston Freeways, Erik Slotboom.
24. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Spur No. 5". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
25. Zuvanich, Adam (March 16, 2023). "TxDOT inching forward on Spur 5/SH 35 highway project in South Houston". Houston Public Media. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
26. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 35-C". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
27. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 35-E". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
28. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 35-H". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
29. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 35-M". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
30. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 35-L". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.
31. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 90". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation.

External links

Media related to Texas State Highway 35 at Wikimedia Commons