Texas State Highway 72

State Highway 72 marker

State Highway 72
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length: 111.73 mi[1][nb 1] (179.82 km)
Existed: 1926 – present
Major junctions
West end: SH 97 near Fowlerton
  US 281 in Three Rivers
I-37 near Three Rivers
US 181 in Kenedy
US 87 near Cuero
East end:
Alt. US 77 / US 87 / US 183 in Cuero
Location
Counties: McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Karnes, DeWitt
Highway system
← SH 71SH 73 →
← FM 62FM 63FM 64 →
← FM 3401FM 3402FM 3403 →

State Highway 72 (SH 72) is a Texas state highway that runs approximately 111 miles (179 km) from near Fowlerton to Cuero in South Texas.[1]

Route description

SH 72 begins in far western McMullen County, near the La Salle County line, at an intersection with SH 97 north of Fowlerton.[1][2] The highway has no major intersections until it intersects SH 16 north of Tilden.[3] The two routes run concurrently into Tilden, where SH 72 resumes its eastward path, passing south of Choke Canyon Reservoir and State Park before entering Live Oak County. The highway enters Three Rivers, where it intersects and runs concurrently with US 281 through the city center.[4] After separating from US 281, SH 72 takes a more northeasterly trajectory for the remainder of its journey. After crossing I-37 at the freeway's exit #69, it continues through rural Live Oak County and briefly passes through Bee County before entering Karnes County.[5] In Kenedy, SH 72 intersects US 181 and passes through the city's downtown along Main Street; SH 72's only business route is also in this city. To the east of the city, SH 72 intersects SH 239 and passes through Runge before entering DeWitt County.[6][7] The highway passes through Yorktown along that city's Main Street, intersecting SH 119. SH 72 intersects US 87 to the west of Cuero before it turns to the east and into the city. SH 72 ends at Alt. US 77 / US 87 / US 183 on the south side of Cuero.[1]

History

SH 72 was originally proposed in 1926 from Yorktown to Carmine, absorbing previously designated SH 3B. By 1928, it extended to Kenedy. By 1939, its route had been readjusted, with the section north of Cuero transferred to US 77 and SH 237, and a section added from Kenedy to Cotulla. In 1942, the section from Cotulla to Three Rivers was either cancelled or transferred to SH 97 and Farm to Market Road 63.[8] In 1961, the section from Fowlerton to Three Rivers was transferred back to SH 72. The section from the junction with US 87 in Cuero into the city was designated Farm to Market Road 3402 in 1977; this route was extended to the west to US 87 in 1983. FM 3402 was combined with SH 72 in 1994, completing the current route.[1][9]

SH 72 has seen increased traffic due to oil and gas exploration of the Eagle Ford Formation; recent counts have indicated that traffic on SH 72 exceeds that on US 87 around Cuero. As a result, TxDOT is considering the addition of shoulders to SH 72 in western DeWitt County.[10]

Business route

Business State Highway 72-B
Location: Kenedy
Length: 1.096 mi[11] (1.764 km)
Existed: 1982 (as Spur 542)–present[11]

SH 72 has one business route, Business SH 72-B in Kenedy, which is a former alignment of the state highway along Karnes Street through that city.[11] The route was designated as Spur 542 in 1982, when SH 72 was rerouted to use Main Street.[12] The western end of the business route is at Bus. US 181, which was renumbered from Spur 259 the same year.[13]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[14][15][nb 1]kmDestinationsNotes
McMullen 0.00.0 SH 97 – Fowlerton, CharlotteWestern terminus
 15.625.1 SH 16 north – JourdantonWest end of SH 16 concurrency
Tilden16.326.2 SH 16 south – FreerEast end of SH 16 concurrency
 23.037.0 FM 99
 24.238.9 RE 7 – Choke Canyon Reservoir
 28.145.2 RE 8 – Choke Canyon State Park
Live Oak 32.151.7 FM 1545
 36.158.1 FM 1545
Three Rivers39.162.9 US 281 north – CampbelltonWest end of US 281 concurrency
39.864.1 US 281 south – George WestEast end of US 281 concurrency
 42.368.1 I-37 – Corpus Christi, San Antonio
 44.571.6 FM 1358 – Ray Point
 46.975.5 FM 2049
BeePawnee56.891.4 FM 798
57.191.9 FM 673
 57.893.0 FM 882
KarnesZunkerville60.597.4 FM 626
 64.0103.0 FM 2985
 70.6113.6 FM 1145
Kenedy71.2114.6 FM 2102
71.6115.2 US 181 – Beeville, Karnes City
72.0115.9
Bus. US 181
72.3116.4
Bus. US 181
72.4116.5 FM 792
73.3118.0
Bus. SH 72
 74.2119.4 SH 239 – Goliad
Runge82.6132.9 FM 81
DeWittNordheim89.6144.2 FM 239
 94.7152.4 FM 952 – Cotton Patch
 96.1154.7 FM 2980
Yorktown97.1156.3 SH 119 – Goliad, Stockdale
97.5156.9 FM 240
 98.6158.7 FM 237
 109.0175.4 US 87 – Nixon
Cuero112.9181.7
Alt. US 77 / US 87 / US 183 – Victoria, Gonzales, Yoakum		Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The certified length given is shorter than the actual mileage, as TxDOT does not include the concurrencies with SH 16 and US 281.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "State Highway No. 72". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  2. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 378. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  3. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 408. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 438. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 437. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  6. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 436. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  7. ↑ Texas Department of Transportation Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Map Book (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 466. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  8. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Farm to Market Road No. 63". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Farm to Market Road No. 3402". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  10. ↑ Long, Sonny (November 18, 2011). "DeWitt County officials, residents discuss increased oil industry traffic, concerns". The Victoria Advocate. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Business State Highway No. 72-B". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  12. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Spur No. 542". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  13. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Spur No. 259". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  14. ↑ Google (November 2, 2012). "SH 72 Overview Map with Major Intersections: Jct. SH 97 to Jct. US 181" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  15. ↑ Google (November 2, 2012). "SH 72 Overview Map with Major Intersections: Jct. US 181 to Jct. US 183" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 2, 2012.

External links