Texas State Highway Spur 78
Encyclopedia
Texas State Highway Spur 78 or Spur 78 is a spur road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
connecting the University of Texas at Austin's
McDonald Observatory
complex atop Mt. Locke to State Highway 118 15.2 miles (24.5 km) from Fort Davis
. The road is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and is located within Jeff Davis County
.
until the section of that route between Fort Davis and the current intersection of SH 118 and SH 166
was re-designated as part of SH 118. In 1991 the only other intersecting highway, Spur 77
, was created.
and Harlan J. Smith Telescope
where there is a scenic overlook of the valley below and the surrounding Davis Mountains
.
Initially the route has steep grades as it descends from the summit of the mountain. After 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) the route intersects Spur 77 toward nearby Mt. Fowlkes where the observatory has another cluster of facilities. Spur 78 also intersects a few observatory service roads to maintenance facilities and residential areas. The observatory passes by the observatory's Frank N. Bash Visitors Center before terminating at SH 118.
Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
connecting the University of Texas at Austin's
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
McDonald Observatory
McDonald Observatory
The McDonald Observatory is an astronomical observatory located near the unincorporated community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The facility is located on Mount Fowlkes and Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of West Texas...
complex atop Mt. Locke to State Highway 118 15.2 miles (24.5 km) from Fort Davis
Fort Davis, Texas
Fort Davis is a census-designated place in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,050 at the 2000 census and 1,041 according to a 2007 estimate. It is the county seat of Jeff Davis County...
. The road is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and is located within Jeff Davis County
Jeff Davis County, Texas
Jeff Davis County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is named for Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,207, and 2,258 by 2009...
.
History
Spur 78 was not included on the 1933 official state highway map, but was in existence by 1939 when both the observatory was dedicated and the state's Highway Designation Files were created. Before 1941, the road connected the observatory to SH 166Texas State Highway 166
State Highway 166 or SH 166 runs for from SH 118 near Nunn Hill in northern Jeff Davis County, Texas passing around a major portion of the Davis Mountains before ending at SH 17 about two miles south of Fort Davis...
until the section of that route between Fort Davis and the current intersection of SH 118 and SH 166
Texas State Highway 166
State Highway 166 or SH 166 runs for from SH 118 near Nunn Hill in northern Jeff Davis County, Texas passing around a major portion of the Davis Mountains before ending at SH 17 about two miles south of Fort Davis...
was re-designated as part of SH 118. In 1991 the only other intersecting highway, Spur 77
Texas State Highway Spur 77
Texas State Highway Spur 77 or Spur 77 is a spur road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation connecting the University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory complex atop Mt. Fowlkes to Spur 78 from Fort Davis...
, was created.
Route description
At its terminus at the summit of Mt. Locke, Spur 78 has the distinction of having the highest elevation at any point on the state highway system with an elevation of 6791 feet (2,070 m). The route begins in front of the Otto Struve TelescopeOtto Struve Telescope
The Otto Struve Telescope was the first major telescope to be built at McDonald Observatory. Located in the Davis Mountains in West Texas, the Otto Struve Telescope was designed by Warner & Swasey Company and constructed between 1933 and 1939 by the Paterson-Leitch Company. Its 2.1 meter mirror...
and Harlan J. Smith Telescope
Harlan J. Smith Telescope
The Harlan J. Smith Telescope is a 2.7m telescope located at the McDonald Observatory, in Texas, in the United States. This telescope is one of several research telescopes that are part of the University of Texas at Austin observatory perched atop Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of west Texas...
where there is a scenic overlook of the valley below and the surrounding Davis Mountains
Davis Mountains
The Davis Mountains are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis, after which they are named. They are a popular site for camping and hiking and the region includes Fort Davis National Historic Site and Davis Mountains State Park...
.
Initially the route has steep grades as it descends from the summit of the mountain. After 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) the route intersects Spur 77 toward nearby Mt. Fowlkes where the observatory has another cluster of facilities. Spur 78 also intersects a few observatory service roads to maintenance facilities and residential areas. The observatory passes by the observatory's Frank N. Bash Visitors Center before terminating at SH 118.
Major intersections
See also
- List of highways in Jeff Davis County
- List of state highway spurs in Texas
- McDonald ObservatoryMcDonald ObservatoryThe McDonald Observatory is an astronomical observatory located near the unincorporated community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The facility is located on Mount Fowlkes and Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of West Texas...