Site Navigation Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma New Mexico Texas     Paris @ LoneStarRoads Paris is a city with an area population of about 30,000 and lies in northeastern Texas near the Oklahoma border. The city was founded in 1839 as an inland port for pecans and cotton. Paris has recently made a name for itself as a worldwide jewelry production and research hub, and bills itself as the second largest "Paris" in the world. Downtown Paris Downtown Paris is centered around a town square. This photo shows US 82 business eastbound as it enters the square. US 82 business meets US 271 business and SH 19/24 on the southwest side of the square. SH 19/24 heads southbound to Cooper and eventually I-30. On the southeast side of the town square, US 82 business and US 271 business meet for their brief multiplex. US 82/271 business heads east out of downtown Paris. The city has worked hard to preserve the historic character of downtown, as evidenced by the many antique stores in this photo. Loop 286 / US 82 / US 271 Many Texas cities have loops, and Paris is no exception. Loop 286 forms an oval route around Paris and switches between rural highway, city street, and freeway. TxDot has no plans currently to update Loop 286 to a full freeway. This view looks northward on Loop 286 just before it's western junction with US 82. The road changes from a two lane highway to a freeway at this point. Loop 286 northbound at it's western junction with US 82. Although mentioned nowhere on the signage for this intersection, traffic headed into downtown Paris can exit here and turn right. US 82 westbound provides a link to Sherman and Wichita Falls. Loop 286 joins US 82 after the previously pictures intersection. The road continues briefly as a full freeway. The next major interchange along US 82/Loop 286 is FM 79. The road at this point is joined by local streets and driveways, and is not a true limited access route. Continuing northward and westward on US 82/Loop 286 at FM 79. FM 79 is a 26 mile highway connecting Paris to farming communities in the Red River Valley to the north. The road continues as a freeway, now heading east across the northern side of Paris. Paris' northside industrial area can be seen to the left. Paris is home to large Campbell's Soup and Kimberly-Clark facilities. US 82/Loop 286 continues eastward as a limited access facility and prepares to meet US 271, the city's other US highway. US 82/Loop 286 eastbound at US 271. US 271 connects Paris with Hugo, Oklahoma about 25 miles to the north. Although not mentioned on local signage, exiting here and turning right will put drivers on US 271 business headed downtown. At the previous interchange, US 82 and Loop 286 are joined by US 271. The next interchange at Stillhouse Road is almost immediate. US 82/US 271/Loop 286 passes near the regional medical center and through Paris' main retail areas. The next exit is Stillhouse Road, which serves the medical center and residential areas. Continuing eastbound on US 82 / US 271 / Loop 286 the next exit is for FM 195. The first reassurance signage for the triple-multiplex is a full 2 miles east of the US 271 interchange. Most signage along Loop 286 leaves a lot to be desired. Continuing eastbound the road begins to transition from a freeway back to local road. The FM 195 exit serves northeastern Paris residential areas, and the farming communities in northeastern Lamar County. Almost immediately after the FM 195 exit, warnings of an impending traffic light at Collegiate Drive show up. The road begins a 4 mile stretch as an at-grade facility. The light at Collegiate Drive is just after the FM 195 onramps. Collegiate Drive connects northeastern Paris with the local junior college. The next major intersection sees US 82 leaving the multiplex and continuing eastward to Clarksville and Texarkana. This is a northbound view along the Paris Loop at US 82's eastern interchange. Again no direction is given to drivers heading into downtown or of US 82 business. US 271 / Loop 286 continues southward as a freeway and soon encounters US 271 business. This is the only mention along the loop of a US business route. The main lanes of Loop 286 continue through a pretty complex interchange with US 271 and US 271 business. Continuing straight ahead from this point one will continue to Mt. Pleasant and I-30. Immediately after the US 271 / Loop 286 split, a loop ramp allows drivers to make a U-turn to continue north on Loop 286. This is a northbound view of the large US 271 / Loop 286 interchange on the southeast side of Paris. For once in this city, signage is more than adequate. Drivers are warned well in advance heading northbound of the interchange and which lane to be in. Signs further north on Loop 286 tell of the interchange, and to continue northward to encounter US 82. Just before the interchange, a direction sign points drivers to US 82, Mt. Pleasant, and to Hugo, Oklahoma. At US 271, the left lane continues northbound as Loop 286, and the right lane becomes exit only for US 271 southbound. Further north, the lane splits again as drivers can continue into downtown Paris along US 271 business or around the city on the loop. South of the US 271 eastern interchange, Loop 286 again transitions to a rural two lane highway. This intersection at FM 1507 is typical of the southern side of the loop. This view looks eastbound at FM 1417 on the south side of Paris. Loop 286 briefly expands to four lanes at this intersection. The final interchange on our circuit of the Paris Loop is at SH 19/24. Loop 286 has a short freeway section here on the south side of the city. This view looks westbound on Loop 286 at the SH 19/24 exit. The road continues westward and northward to again meet US 82. Page Updated January 11, 2007.