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State Highway 16 (Texas)
Encyclopedia
State Highway 16, or SH 16, is a north–south state highway that runs from U.S. Highway 281 24 miles (38.6 km) south of Wichita Falls
to Zapata
on the Texas-Mexico
boundary. It is the longest state highway in Texas at almost 542 miles, but is only the 9th longest highway overall in the state.
, passing through Fredericksburg, Kerrville, and Bandera. The routes enters San Antonio from the northwest, and goes around the west side of the city concurrent with Interstate 410
. The route continues to the south through south Texas ranchlands, finally reaching its final terminus at US 83 in Zapata, almost 542 miles from its starting point.
SH 16 was one of the original twenty six state highways proposed in 1917, overlayed on top of the Fort Worth-Oklahoma Highway. From 1917 the routing mostly followed present day Interstate 35W
from Fort Worth to Denton
. It continued on, routed along present day Interstate 35 from Fort Worth through to Oklahoma. By 1919, the route was cancelled. It was then reassigned to the future route of U.S. Highway 181 (which was routed over it in 1926) from San Antonio
to Corpus
. It was reassigned by 1933 to a new section between Santa Anna
and Brady
over previous SH 4
and was rerouted over SH 51 from Crowell to Sagerton, and was being extended northward to the Oklahoma State line via Quanah. By 1936, SH 16 was extended north over part of SH 81
to Kerrville
. By 1939, the section from Brady to Santa Anna was promptly reassigned to U.S. Highway 183.
SH 16 extended north to north of Graham, terminating near Buena Vista south of San Antonio, replacing SH 81
. In 1965 the road was significantly extended via its current routing to Zapata, replacing State Highway 346 from San Antonio to Jourdanton, and was rerouted over Interstate 410 in San Antonio.
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
to Zapata
Zapata, Texas
As of the census of 2010, there were 5,089 people, 4,328 households, and 1,265 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 629.9 people per square mile . There were 2,239 housing units at an average density of 290.4 per square mile...
on the Texas-Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
boundary. It is the longest state highway in Texas at almost 542 miles, but is only the 9th longest highway overall in the state.
Route description
SH 16 begins at an intersection with US 281 between Windthorst and Antelope in North Texas, and begins it journey to the south. It reaches an intersection with US 380 in the town of Graham. It continues to the southeast, wrapping around the northern and eastern sides of Possum Kingdom Lake. Its next intersection is with I-20 south of the town of Strawn. It continues south through farm and ranchland in Central Texas, passing through the cities of Comanche and Llano. The route veers to the southeast as it reaches the Texas Hill CountryTexas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
, passing through Fredericksburg, Kerrville, and Bandera. The routes enters San Antonio from the northwest, and goes around the west side of the city concurrent with Interstate 410
Interstate 410
Interstate 410 is a loop route of Interstate 10 around San Antonio, Texas. It is identified as Connally Loop in honor of former Texas governor John Connally...
. The route continues to the south through south Texas ranchlands, finally reaching its final terminus at US 83 in Zapata, almost 542 miles from its starting point.
Previous routes
Interstate 35W (Texas)
Interstate 35W , an Interstate Highway, is the western half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35W runs north for , carrying its own separate sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Fort Worth...
from Fort Worth to Denton
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
. It continued on, routed along present day Interstate 35 from Fort Worth through to Oklahoma. By 1919, the route was cancelled. It was then reassigned to the future route of U.S. Highway 181 (which was routed over it in 1926) from San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
to Corpus
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. It was reassigned by 1933 to a new section between Santa Anna
Santa Anna, Texas
Santa Anna is a town in Coleman County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Santa Anna is located at ....
and Brady
Brady, Texas
Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. Brady refers to itself as "The Heart of Texas", as it is the closest city to the geographical center of the state. The population was 5,523 at the 2000 census...
over previous SH 4
State Highway 4 (Texas)
State Highway 4 or SH 4 is an east–west state highway that runs from the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville to the Gulf of Mexico at Boca Chica State Park. Outside of Brownsville, it parallels the Rio Grande river...
and was rerouted over SH 51 from Crowell to Sagerton, and was being extended northward to the Oklahoma State line via Quanah. By 1936, SH 16 was extended north over part of SH 81
State Highway 81 (Texas)
State Highway 81 is a Texas state highway that runs from Hillsboro to Grandview. It was designated in 1991 to replace U.S. Highway 81, which was decommissioned south of Fort Worth.-Route description:...
to Kerrville
Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
. By 1939, the section from Brady to Santa Anna was promptly reassigned to U.S. Highway 183.
SH 16 extended north to north of Graham, terminating near Buena Vista south of San Antonio, replacing SH 81
State Highway 81 (Texas)
State Highway 81 is a Texas state highway that runs from Hillsboro to Grandview. It was designated in 1991 to replace U.S. Highway 81, which was decommissioned south of Fort Worth.-Route description:...
. In 1965 the road was significantly extended via its current routing to Zapata, replacing State Highway 346 from San Antonio to Jourdanton, and was rerouted over Interstate 410 in San Antonio.
Junction list
| County | Location | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapata | Zapata Zapata, Texas As of the census of 2010, there were 5,089 people, 4,328 households, and 1,265 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 629.9 people per square mile . There were 2,239 housing units at an average density of 290.4 per square mile... |
, Falcon Lake | |
| Jim Hogg | South end of FM 649 overlap | ||
| North end of FM 649 overlap | |||
| Hebbronville Hebbronville, Texas Hebbronville is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Jim Hogg County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,558 at the 2010 census... |
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| South end of SH 359 overlap | |||
| North end of SH 359 overlap | |||
| Duval | |||
| Freer Freer, Texas Freer is a city in Duval County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,241 at the 2000 census. The city and county are heavily Hispanic in ethnicity and Democratic in voting history. From the 1930s-1960s, the county was dominated by the political boss, called a patron in South Texas, George... |
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| McMullen | |||
| Tilden Tilden, Texas Tilden is an unincorporated community in and the county seat of McMullen County, Texas, United States.Tilden lies at the intersection of State Highways 16 and 72 in the north central part of the county. It is located roughly an hour south of San Antonio.... |
South end of SH 72 overlap | ||
| North end of SH 72 overlap | |||
| Atascosa | |||
| Jourdanton Jourdanton, Texas Jourdanton is a city in and the county seat of Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,732 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:... |
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| Poteet Poteet, Texas Poteet is a city in Atascosa County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,305 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for its first postmaster, Francis Marion Poteet.... |
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| South end of FM 476 overlap | |||
| North end of FM 476 overlap | |||
| Bexar Bexar County, Texas As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile... |
Interchange | ||
| San Antonio | South end of I-410 overlap | ||
| Exit 51; | |||
| Exit 53; , San Antonio | |||
| Exit 1; Frontage Road | |||
| Exit 3A; Ray Ellison Drive | Signed as exit 3 northbound | ||
| Exit 3B; Medina Base Road | Northbound exit is via exit 3 | ||
| Exit 4; Valley Hi Drive – Lackland AFB Lackland Air Force Base Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command .... |
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| Exit 6; | |||
| Exit 7; Marbach Road | |||
| Exit 8; Lakeside Parkway | Southbound exit and entrance | ||
| Exit 9A; – SeaWorld SeaWorld San Antonio SeaWorld San Antonio is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, located in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio, Texas. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group, and the world's... |
Signed as exit 9 northbound | ||
| Exit 9B; Military Drive | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| Exit 10; | |||
| Exit 11; Ingram Road | |||
| Exit 12; Exchange Parkway | |||
| Interchange; north end of I-410 overlap | |||
| Leon Valley Leon Valley, Texas Leon Valley is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,239 at the 2000 census; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had grown to 11,020... |
Wurzbach Parkway Wurzbach Parkway Wurzbach Parkway is a part freeway and part major arterial road in San Antonio, Texas built to provide relief on Interstate 410 and Loop 1604 on the city's northside. The highway is named for Harry M. Wurzbach, who represented the San Antonio area in Congress as a Republican in the 1920s and 30s.... |
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| San Antonio | |||
| Helotes Helotes, Texas Helotes is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,285 at the 2000 census; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had grown to 7,960.-History:According to... |
South end of FM 1560 overlap | ||
| North end of FM 1560 overlap | |||
| Scenic Loop Road – Grey Forest Grey Forest, Texas Grey Forest is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 418 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Grey Forest is located on Scenic Loop Road at .... |
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| Medina | – Medina Lake Medina Lake Medina Lake is a reservoir on the Medina River in the Texas Hill Country of the United States. It is operated by the Bexar/Medina/Atascosa County Agricultural District. Medina Dam was completed in 1913 in a privately financed project, creating the lake to supply irrigation water for local... |
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| Bandera Bandera County, Texas Bandera County, formed in 1856 from Bexar and Uvalde counties, is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population is 17,645. Its county seat is Bandera. Bandera is named for the Spanish word for flag... |
Pipe Creek Pipe Creek, Texas Pipe Creek is an unincorporated community in Bandera County, Texas, United States. It had a population of approximately 66 in 1990. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.... |
– Medina Lake Medina Lake Medina Lake is a reservoir on the Medina River in the Texas Hill Country of the United States. It is operated by the Bexar/Medina/Atascosa County Agricultural District. Medina Dam was completed in 1913 in a privately financed project, creating the lake to supply irrigation water for local... |
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| Bandera Bandera, Texas Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, United States,in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 957 at the 2000 census, and according to a 2009 estimate, the population had jumped up to 1,216 people... |
South end of SH 173 overlap | ||
| North end of SH 173 overlap | |||
| Medina Medina, Texas Medina is a census-designated place in Bandera County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
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| Kerr Kerr County, Texas Kerr County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 49,625. Its county seat is Kerrville. Kerr County was named by Joshua D. Brown for his fellow Kentucky native, James Kerr, a congressman of the Republic of Texas... |
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| Kerrville Kerrville, Texas Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826... |
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| Bridge over Guadalupe River Guadalupe River (Texas) The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria... |
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| , San Antonio | |||
| Gillespie Gillespie County, Texas Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 24,837. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a... |
Fredericksburg Fredericksburg, Texas Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530... |
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| South end of US 87/ 290 overlap | |||
| North end of US 87/ 290 overlap | |||
| Llano Llano County, Texas Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River.... |
– Enchanted Rock Enchanted Rock Enchanted Rock is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie... |
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| Llano Llano, Texas -History:Llano County was established in compliance with a February 1, 1856, state legislative act. The Llano River location was chosen in an election held on June 14, 1856, under a live oak on the south bank of the river, near the present site of Roy Inks Bridge in Llano... |
South end of SH 71 overlap | ||
| North end of SH 71 overlap | |||
| San Saba San Saba County, Texas San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Western Central Texas. In 2010, its population was 6,131. Its county seat is San Saba. It is named for the San Saba River, which flows through the county.-History:... |
Cherokee Cherokee, Texas Cherokee is an unincorporated community in San Saba County in Western Central Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 175 in 2000.-Geography:Cherokee is located at... |
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| San Saba San Saba, Texas San Saba is a town located in Central Texas. It was settled in 1854 and named for its location on the San Saba River. The population was at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of San Saba County... |
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| Mills Mills County, Texas Mills County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 5,151. Mills County is named for John T. Mills, a justice of the Texas Supreme Court... |
Goldthwaite Goldthwaite, Texas Goldthwaite is a small city located in Mills County in Central Texas. The population was 1,802 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mills County, which is named for John T. Mills, a justice of the Supreme Court for the Third, Seventh, and Eighth districts of the former Republic of Texas.... |
South end of US 183 overlap | |
| South end of US 84 overlap | |||
| North end of US 84/183 overlap | |||
| South end of FM 218 overlap | |||
| Priddy Priddy, Texas Priddy is an unincorporated community in Mills County in Northwestern Central Texas.The Priddy Independent School District serves area students.-External links:... |
North end of FM 218 | ||
| Comanche Comanche County, Texas Comanche County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 14,026. Comanche was founded in 1856. Comanche is named for the Comanche Native American tribe... |
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| Comanche Comanche, Texas Comanche is a city located in Comanche County in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 4,482 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Comanche County. The town square has been renovated and is becoming a popular tourist attraction. With "Star Beaus" and "karens" on the square and their... |
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| De Leon De Leon, Texas De Leon is a city located in Comanche County in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,433 at the time of the 2000 census.The town was laid out in April 1881 by surveying crews of the Texas Central Railway as it constructed a line from Ross, just north of Waco, to an undecided destination in... |
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| South end of SH 6 | |||
| North end of SH 6 overlap | |||
| Eastland Eastland County, Texas *Carbon*Cisco*Desdemona, a ghost town*Eastland*Gorman*Mangum*Olden*Ranger*Rising Star*Romney-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Eastland County, Texas*Santa Claus Bank Robbery-External links:** at the University of Texas*... |
Desdemona Desdemona, Texas Desdemona is a former oil boomtown and virtual ghost town located in Eastland County east of Abilene in West Texas. The community is located on Texas State Highway 16 at Farm-to-Market Roads 8 and 2214, approximately twenty miles southeast of the county seat of Eastland and twenty miles west of... |
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| Palo Pinto Palo Pinto County, Texas As of the census of 2000, there were 27,026 people, 10,594 households, and 7,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile . There were 14,102 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile... |
Strawn Strawn, Texas Strawn is a city in Palo Pinto County, Texas, United States. The population was 739 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Strawn is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.... |
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| South end of US 180 overlap | |||
| North end of US 180 overlap | |||
| – Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake , is a reservoir on the Brazos River located primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. The lake has an area of approximately with of shoreline... |
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| – Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake , is a reservoir on the Brazos River located primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. The lake has an area of approximately with of shoreline... , Camp Constatin BSA Circle Ten Council Circle Ten Council is the main Boy Scouts of America chartered council in central north Texas and a portion of Oklahoma. It encompasses all or parts of: Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Henderson, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, Rains, Rockwall and Van Zandt counties in Texas as well as Bryan... , Camp Grady Spruce YMCA The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs... |
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| – Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake Possum Kingdom Lake , is a reservoir on the Brazos River located primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. The lake has an area of approximately with of shoreline... |
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| Young Young County, Texas As of the census of 2000, there were 17,943 people, 7,167 households, and 5,081 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 8,504 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile... |
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| Graham Graham, Texas Graham is a city in north central Texas. It is the county seat of Young County, and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 8,903.-History:... |
South end of US 380 overlap | ||
| North end of US 380 overlap | |||
| Loving Loving, Texas Loving is an unincorporated community in Young County, Texas, United States. It lies on State Highway 114 eighteen miles southeast of Olney in the northeastern part of the county... |
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| Markley Markley, Texas Markley is an unincorporated community in Young County, Texas, United States. It lies on at the intersection of State Highway 16 and Farm Road 1769, in the northeast corner of Young County about 21 miles from Graham. As of the 2000 Census, the population was estimated to be 50.- History :Markley... |
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| Archer Archer County, Texas Archer County is a county located in the US state of Texas, and was formed in 1858 from Fannin County. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2005, the population estimate is 9,095, up from 8,854 in 2000. Its county seat is Archer City. Archer is named for... |
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