SH 191 is a 17.68 mile long highway joining Odessa and Midland north of IH 20 and Business Loop I-20 (Old U.S. 80). The route follows 42nd Street, a mostly commercial arterial across the north side of Odessa between SS 450 (Kermit Highway) and the The University of Texas of the Permian Basin at the SL 338 freeway. SH 191 upgrades to a freeway east from SL 338 to SH 158 in Odessa. The SH 191 freeway was completed between the two cities in 1980.
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| Billy Hext Road is the first exit east of Loop 338 in Odessa, and the first outside of the built up area of the city. 07/05/08 |
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| Billy Hext Road runs south from the freeway to BL 20. Some of Odessa's nicest subdivisions sit out here, although the general landscape is fairly unappealing. The land is almost perfectly flat with low scrub brushes, cacti, mesquite trees, and a lot of sand. Billy Hext was Odessa's mayor, and the city renamed Colorado Avenue after him in 2002. 07/05/08 |
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| A significant amount of suburban sprawl from Odessa spreads east along SH 191 out from the city. Large houses without trees or fences spread off into the distance to the south and north of the freeway as it advances toward SS 588 (Faudree Road). 07/05/08 |
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| Faudree Road runs south to the Odessa County Club, and to one of the most exclusive enclaves in the Odessa city limits. Spur 588 constitutes a 2.20 mile connector between SH 191 and BL 20 (old U.S. 80). 07/05/08 |
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| SH 191 enters Midland County soon after Faudree Road. Midland County is the home of the city of Midland, and has about the same amount of people as Ector County, which contains Odessa. 07/05/08 |
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| A short distance into Midland County, SH 191 leaves the city limits of Odessa. Although "twin" cities, Midland and Odessa's city limits do not yet meet. Midland has a higher relative standard of living than its western neighbor, and it contains most of the area's upscale retail and business establishments. 07/05/08 |
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| FM 1788 and SH 349 meet SH 191 at the succeeding exit by the University of Texas of the Permian Basin Center for Energy & Economic Diversification (CEED) campus. SH 349 was extended along FM 1788 as part of the La Entrada al Pacifico Corridor, and sign changes made after 2008 here reflect the concurrency. 07/05/08 |
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| Odessa is not present in the name of the cities' shared airport. Midland International Air & Space Port (MAF) lies 3.1 miles south along SH 349/FM 1788 at SL 40. As of 2008, the airport was the 9th busest in Texas and was served almost solely by Southwest Airlines. 07/05/08 |
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| SH 191 confirming marker posted east of the diamond interchange with SH 349/FM 1788. 07/05/08 |
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| A unique county road marker appears prior to the exit at CR 1275. Normally, a Texas county road exit would be signed with text-only on a freeway. 07/05/08 |
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| CR 1275 is shown here with normal signage, with a Southwest Airlines flight in the background preparing to land at MAF Airport. CR 1275 does not technically go anywhere, as it just forms an underpass of the freeway. It was likely added as an exit to facilitate suburban growth in the area. 07/05/08 |
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| SH 158 is an important state route that runs west and north from Midland as part of a bypass far to the north of Odessa. Traffic headed to the west out of Midland can use it to avoid Odessa's many ill-timed traffic lights. 07/05/08 |
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| Deauville Boulevard runs through a commercial strip along the south side of the SH 191/158 freeway in west Midland. The city's large Sports Complex is also located nearby to the southeast. 07/05/08 |
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| The final confirming marker for SH 191 east stands ahead of the entrance ramp bringing SH 158 east onto the freeway from Avalon Drive. 07/05/08 |
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| SH 158 east turns south at Loop 250 and the last exit from SH 191 eastbound. Loop 250 runs around the north side of Midland as a freeway, and continues as a surface street on the lesser-populated east side. 07/05/08 |
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| SH 191 ends as SH 158 turns south to Business Loop I-20 and IH 20. SH 158 Business (BS-158B) extends east from the freeway end 5.37 miles along Andrews Highway and Garfield Street to IH 20. Much of Midland's suburban growth occurred here on the west side of the city. 07/05/08 |
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| Midland can claim to be the hometown of US President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura. Bush's childhood home is a well signed tourist-attraction near Downtown Midland. George W. Bush was born in Connecticut, while Laura Bush was born here in Midland. 07/05/08 |
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| SH 191 heads under Loop 250 without a direct ramp connection to the other freeway. This interchange was rebuilt in 2004 when turn lanes were added and the pavement rehabilitated. 07/05/08 |
Page Updated 07-31-2019.
