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U.S. Highway 290 West - Burton (FM 2502) to Austin (Interstate 35)
| U.S. 290 westbound |
| U.S. 290 travels southwest two miles from Burton to the split with Texas 237. Texas 237 continues the southwest drive of the federal highway to Round Top, Warrenton, and junction Texas 159 near La Grange. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| A partial "Y" interchange constitutes the split between U.S. 290 west and Texas 237 south. Texas 237 heads 7.6 miles southwest to Round Top. La Grange is 22 miles away via Texas 237 and 159. Century Farms Road provides the connection from Texas 237 north to U.S. 290 west and U.S. 290 east to Texas 237 south nearby. Photos taken September 27, 2006.
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| The Texas Independence Trail follows Texas 237 southwest to Texas 159 and La Grange. Photos taken September 27, 2006.
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| Entering the town of Carmine, U.S. 290 crosses paths with the north end of Texas Spur 458 at Celebration Street. Texas Spur 458 provides a 2.4-mile connector between Carmine and Texas 237. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 gains frontage roads briefly through Carmine as it crosses into Fayette County. Texas Spur 458 provides a direct route between the town and Round Top via Texas 237. Celebration Street stems north from the spur end to Hauptstrasse Street and rural northwest Washington County. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Bannerless U.S. 290 shield posted along westbound as the highway travels 5.4 miles to Ledbetter. U.S. 290 nips two sections of Washington County on the drive. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Texas Farm to Market Road 1291 meets U.S. 290 at the village of Ledbetter. The north-south route joins the community with Waldeck 6.1 miles away. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Texas Farm to Market Road 1291 overall joins U.S. 290 at Ledbetter with Fayetteville (junction Texas 159) 21 miles to the southeast. The highway serves Walhalla on the drive and ends at Frelsburg north of Columbus. Photos taken September 27, 2006.
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| Continuing west, U.S. 290 enters Lee County and approaches Texas Farm to Market Road 180, a rural route straddling eastern Lee County between U.S. 290 and Somerville Lake. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 westbound at the northbound beginning of Texas Farm to Marker Road 180. FM 180 travels 13.1 miles to the Nails Creek unit of Lake Somerville State Park. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Now within the city of Giddings, U.S. 290 (Austin Street) intersects Texas Farm to Market Road 141 (Orange Street). FM 141 constitutes a 21-mile route northeast from Giddings to Dime Box and the Lake Somerville State Park area. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 maintains four overall lanes through Giddings along Austin Street, but is not divided. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 77 (Main Street) crosses paths with U.S. 290 (Austin Street) in downtown Giddings. The north-south route joins Giddings with La Grange 20 miles to the south and Lincoln nine miles to the north. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Approaching the Bastrop County line along U.S. 290 westbound. U.S. 290 becomes part of the Presidential Corridor west of Texas 21, but a sign indicates it is already a part of the corridor at the county line. Signed by legislation on September 1, 1997, the Presidential Corridor entails U.S. 290 from Interstate 35 (Austin) to Texas 21 and Texas 21 from U.S. 290 to Texas 6 (Bryan).1 Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 within Lee County is designated the Henry G "Bud" Lehman Highway. The highway enters Bastrop County and prematurely becomes a part of the Presidential Corridor. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Nearing the intersection with Texas Farm to Market Road 2104 at the village of Paige on U.S. 290 west. U.S. 290 expands from an undivided four-lane highway with a grassy median ahead. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
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| Texas Farm to Market Road 2104 joins the Paige vicinity with Smithville (via Texas Farm to Market Road 153) and Serbin (via Texas Farm to Market Road 2239). The highway travels 12.6 miles overall between U.S. 290 at Dallas Street and Fm 153 at Lake Thunderbird. Photos taken September 27, 2006. |
| Texas Spur 186 follows Gonzales Street northward from U.S. 290 through Paige a short distance to Texas 21. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
| U.S. 290 westbound at the northbound beginning of Texas Spur 186 (Gonzales Street) in Paige. Texas Spur 186 tallies just one half mile on its routing one block west of Main Street through Paige. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
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| Nearing the diamond interchange between U.S. 290 and Texas 21 west of Paige. Texas 21 travels in a southwest fashion from Bryan, Caldwell, Bastrop, to San Marcos. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
| Westbound U.S. 290 at the ramp departure to Texas 21 west of Paige. Texas 21 heads 13 miles southwest to its merge with Texas 71 at Bastrop and ends 59 miles at San Marcos in the shadows of Interstate 35. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
| U.S. 290 bends northwest from Texas 21 toward the town of McDade where the highway meets both Texas Loop 223 and Texas Farm to Market Road 2336. FM 2236 branches southwest around Camp Swift Military Reservation to Texas 95 north of Bastrop. Texas Loop 223 acts as a business loop for U.S. 290 into the town center of McDade. Photo taken September 27, 2006. |
| U.S. 290 continues northwest from McDade to junction Texas Farm to Market Road 696 near the community of Butler. FM 696 travels east 22 miles to U.S. 77 at Lexington. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| A wide paved intersection joins U.S. 290 west with Texas 95 north at the east edge of Elgin in north Bastrop County. Texas 95 enters the city from Cedar Hills and Texas National Guard Camp Swift area. The state highway travels 17 miles south to junction Texas 21 & 71 in Bastrop. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 west & Texas 95 north at their merge in east Elgin. A frontage road segregates the movements between U.S. 290 and Avenue F leading northwest. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 & Texas share 1.9 miles of pavement along a bypass route south of central Elgin. The route gains the designation of the 10th Mountain Division Memorial Highway. Ahead the pair pass under the Union Pacific Railroad line and Texas Farm to Market Road 1704 (Main Street). Photos taken September 27, 2006.
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| Texas Loop 109 constitutes the main route through downtown Elgin from both U.S. 290 and Texas 95. The state highway also provides a connection to Texas Farm to Market Road 1704 (Main Street) south. FM 1704 travels ten miles southwest to Farm to Market Road 969 near Webberville. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Westbound at the partition with Texas 95 on U.S. 290 west. Texas 95 leaves at an at-grade intersection and resumes a northward course toward Coupland and Taylor. The state highway eventually ends in Temple. The Brazos Trail, like the Texas Independence Trail, entails a full loop utilizing a variety of U.S. and State highways. Texas 95 continues the trail northwest from U.S. 290 to Holland. Photos taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 enters Travis County, the home of Austin, outside of Elgin and continues west 4.5 miles to junction Texas farm to Market Road 1100. FM 1100 loops west from Texas 95 to Kimbro and south to U.S. 290. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Entering the town of Manor along U.S. 290 west at the junction of Texas Farm to Market Road 973 north and Texas Loop 212 west. FM 973 travels northeast 19 miles to Taylor and junction U.S. 79. Texas Loop 212 acts as a business loop for U.S. 290 south and westward into downtown Manor. FM 973 south follows portions of Loop 212, utilizing Parsons Street west to Lexington Street south through town. Ultimately FM 973 continues to Lake Walter E. Long, Del Valle, Moores Crossing, and U.S. 183 near Maha. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Texas Loop 212 returns to U.S. 290 via Lexington Street north to Murray Avenue. U.S. 290 meets the state highway opposite of Gregg Manor Road, which leads northwest to Manor High School and Manor Downs (via Hill Lane). Manor is fast growing bedroom community of Austin metro with recent annexations extending the town line well east to include new subdivisions. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 reaches the easternmost extent of Austin at junction Texas Farm to Market Road 734 (Parmers Lane). Parmers Lane constitutes an east-west belt arterial through Austin, beginning at U.S. 290 and ending at Texas Farm to Market Road 1431 (Whitestone Boulevard) at Cedar Park. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Drivers bound for Texas Farm to Market Road 734 (Parmers Lane) depart U.S. 290 westbound. FM 734 meanders northwest through growing suburbs to Interstate 35 at Exit 245. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 next crosses paths with Texas Toll 130, a new north-south bypass freeway of the Austin metropolitan area. Texas 130 travels as far south as Texas 71 (as of September 6, 2007) and as far north as Interstate 35 at Exit 266. The toll road will extend another 8.7 miles from Texas 71 to U.S. 183 in spring 2008.2 Eventually Texas Toll 130 will provide a direct route from Interstate 35 north of Austin to Interstate 10 between Seguin and Luling. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| As part of the overall stack interchange project that joins U.S. 290 and Texas Toll 130, U.S. 290 was upgraded to a short expressway between Texas Farm to Market Road 734 (Parmers Lane) and Texas Farm to Market Road 3177 (Decker Lane). Frontage roads now join U.S. 290 with the north end of FM 3177. Decker Lane carries the FM Road southwest to Lake Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park and Texas Farm to Market Road 969. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Texas Farm to Market Road 3177 (Decker Lane) travels underneath the U.S. 290 mainline and ramps from Texas Toll 130 to end at the parallel frontage road system. FM 3177 travels 4.8 miles between the federal highway and Texas Farm to Market Road 969 in east Austin. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| One half mile east of the U.S. 290 westbound junction with U.S. 183. U.S. 183 (Ed Bluestein Boulevard) / Anderson Lane). U.S. 183 constitutes a divided surface arterial, looping east through Austin from Texas Loop 111 (Airport Boulevard) at the Colorado River north to Interstate 35 as the Research Boulevard freeway. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Interests to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are advised to stay on U.S. 290, however the airport lies south of town along U.S. 183 (Bastrop Highway). With the opening of Texas Toll 130, motorists from eastern Travis County and east Austin may take that highway for a direct high-speed route to the airport. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 183 is known as Ed Bluestein Boulevard between U.S. 290 and the interchange with Texas Loop 111 (Airport Boulevard) where the highway becomes Bastrop Highway. North of U.S. 290, U.S. 183 follows Anderson Lane west to junction Texas Loop 275 and the transition to Research Boulevard. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 upgrades into a freeway from the U.S. 183 interchange westward to the merge with Interstate 35. U.S. 183 also follows a full freeway from Cameron Road west along Anderson Lane and all of Research Boulevard northwest to Texas Toll 45. Upgrades to Anderson Lane complete U.S. 183 as a freeway between Interstate 35 and U.S. 290. The freeway continues south along U.S. 183 to Loyola Lane. U.S. 183 overall joins the Austin area with Lampasas and Briggs to the north and Mendoza and Luling to the south. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| A split-diamond interchange joins the U.S. 290 freeway with Berkman Drive and Cameron Road adjacent to Reagan High School. Berkman Drive travels south to East 51st Street and north to St. Johns Avenue. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| An older Highway Gothic sign directing motorists onto the slip ramp for Berkman Drive and Cameron Road. Cameron Road follows a north-south arterial route between the Interstate 35 interchange at East 51st Street north to U.S. 183 (Anderson Lane) and Dessau Road at Rundberg Lane. Cameron Road serves the Capital Plaza Shopping Center and Cameron Park neighborhood nearby. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| U.S. 290 finally meets Interstate 35 itself west of the Cameron Road under crossing. The federal highway merges onto Interstate 35 south for an eight-mile overlap to the Ben White Boulevard freeway. This alignment bypasses downtown Austin to the east. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| One quarter mile east of the U.S. 290 stack interchange with Interstate 35 near Highland Mall and Cameron Park. Interstate 35 comprises the main freeway for all of the Austin metropolitan area and its growing traffic congestion provides it. The construction of Texas Toll 130, Texas Toll 1, and Texas Toll 45 is a result of the traffic woes along the aging Interstate 35. U.S. 290 joins Interstate 35 north of its split decked sections, a configuration that results in a traffic choke point at the deck merges. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| A high flyover carries U.S. 290 westbound onto Interstate 35 south ahead of the Texas Loop 111 (Airport Boulevard) interchange. Interstate 35 northbound continues through expanding Austin suburbs such as Round Rock and Georgetown on the northward drive to Temple, Waco, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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| Motorists not taking the Interstate 35 northbound off-ramp default onto Texas Farm to Market Road 2222 west or may take an off-ramp onto the westbound frontage road for Airport Boulevard at Highland Mall. FM 2222 stems west from the freeways along Koenig Lane to the Allandale neighborhood of the city. Interstate 35 northbound otherwise travels 94 miles north to Waco. Photo taken September 27, 2006.
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Sources:
- Texas Memorial Highway System
- New stretch of 130 opens." All Ablog Austin. September 6, 2007.
Page Updated October 27, 2007.
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