Question on TX 63

[US71]

Has anyone driven TX 63 east of Jasper? I'm going to be down in Colmesneil, TX in a couple weeks and am looking at alternate ways to get home. Two years ago, I drove US 190 to US 165 at Kinder, LA then north to Alexandria.

This year, I'm thinking of taking TX 63 and LA 28 to Alexandria, then tracking down some old pieces of 71 between there and Shreveport.  Looking at a map, 63 looks rather desolate except for an occasional "wide spot" in the road. Has anyone driven this who can tell me if there's anything worth looking for along the way?

[cenlaroads]

I've driven TX 63 from Jasper to Louisiana probably a dozen times.  Speaking for myself, there's not much to see beyond the trees lining the road.  If you've driven US 190 west of Jasper, it's more of the same of that.  I don't know anything about the history of the road.

However, you will get to cross the Sabine at Burr Ferry on a nice old truss bridge with a 12' 3" clearance.  It will probably be gone within a decade, so it would be good to grab some pictures now if you want them.

[US71]

I've driven TX 63 from Jasper to Louisiana probably a dozen times.  Speaking for myself, there's not much to see beyond the trees lining the road.  If you've driven US 190 west of Jasper, it's more of the same of that.  I don't know anything about the history of the road.

However, you will get to cross the Sabine at Burr Ferry on a nice old truss bridge with a 12' 3" clearance.  It will probably be gone within a decade, so it would be good to grab some pictures now if you want them.

AH! A truss bridge would make it most worth while.  

Yeah, 190 wasn't anything spectacular, though I found a couple old gas stations that had been given new life 

Appreciate the feedback!

[mcdonaat]

Ahh, Burr Ferry!! The truss bridge is half Texas and half Louisiana... the LA side has stamps for the Sabine, and the date. Texas is blank.

[US71]

Ahh, Burr Ferry!! The truss bridge is half Texas and half Louisiana... the LA side has stamps for the Sabine, and the date. Texas is blank.

I'll make a note to get a shot of that.

[US71]

At the risk of resurrecting an old thread, I got to visit the Sabine River Bridge just before Thanksgiving. Nice bridge, but showing its age. The Louisiana side didn't have the date stamp or the highway stamp: it was totally blank like the Texas side.

Here's a nice side view from the Louisiana side:

[cenlaroads]

Nice picture!  It's too bad that the bridge will most likely be replaced by a sterile concrete girder bridge, though I'll bet truckers won't mind avoiding the fifty-odd mile detour through Merryville!

According to the Louisiana DOTD website, the project to replace the bridge is in the design/development stage, which means that a source of funding has already been secured.  The project will probably be let within the next five years, give or take a few (unless there are other issues I'm not aware of).

I'm somewhat surprised at the amount of graffiti underneath the bridge, considering its remoteness.  I guess that just shows its age.

[US71]

Nice picture!  It's too bad that the bridge will most likely be replaced by a sterile concrete girder bridge, though I'll bet truckers won't mind avoiding the fifty-odd mile detour through Merryville!

According to the Louisiana DOTD website, the project to replace the bridge is in the design/development stage, which means that a source of funding has already been secured.  The project will probably be let within the next five years, give or take a few (unless there are other issues I'm not aware of).

I'm somewhat surprised at the amount of graffiti underneath the bridge, considering its remoteness.  I guess that just shows its age.

There are unpaved "paths" on both sides of the river that lead to fishing spots. There was someone on the Texas side when I was there. I actually parked on one of the paths myself so I would block traffic taking my photos

[mcdonaat]

I hate that its being removed... Look at the US 80 bridge in Monroe, where it was cheaper to renovate and rehabilitate than just build a new one.

[Road Hog]

This bridge was obsolete decades ago, but it has historic and architectural value. I hope they build the new one next to it and leave the old one standing as a pedestrian bridge.

[mcdonaat]

You did look at the Louisiana end of the bridge, right? Not just a glance from 30 feet away, but the actual northern side of the bridge... there's an old FAP marker in place. Already working on getting it saved for myself. It's FAP with an arrow pointing to Texas.

http://goo.gl/maps/IwuNa

[US71]

You did look at the Louisiana end of the bridge, right? Not just a glance from 30 feet away, but the actual northern side of the bridge... there's an old FAP marker in place. Already working on getting it saved for myself. It's FAP with an arrow pointing to Texas.

http://goo.gl/maps/IwuNa

I thought it was pointing to Louisiana

Saw the FAP Markers, just no bridge name/Route #'s on any of the abutments

[mcdonaat]

Bad news - Texas confirmed replacement of the TX 63/LA 8 bridge.

Good news - Texas confirmed that the FAP markers are mine.

Better news - TX 63 and LA 8 are one of the most scenic drives in the state.

Louisiana has the FAP markers on their end too. The actual project information (third plaque, shaped like a US shield) is covered up by a guardrail.

[US71]

Bad news - Texas confirmed replacement of the TX 63/LA 8 bridge.

Good news - Texas confirmed that the FAP markers are mine.

Better news - TX 63 and LA 8 are one of the most scenic drives in the state.

Louisiana has the FAP markers on their end too. The actual project information (third plaque, shaped like a US shield) is covered up by a guardrail.

Let me check my photos: I MAY have a close-up from the Texas side. For a road that didn't look very busy, there were a lot of vehicles passing through when I stopped.

[cenlaroads]

What does FAP mean?  Besides wanking

[US71]

What does FAP mean?  Besides wanking

Federal Aid Primary roadway
There's also FAS (Federal Aid Secondary)

[NE2]

Also federal aid project, confusingly.

[agentsteel53]

What does FAP mean?  Besides wanking

Federal Aid Primary roadway
There's also FAS (Federal Aid Secondary)

I just spotted my first FAI (Federal Aid Interstate) marker the other day.  it's on I-10 eastbound at mile 26 in Arizona.  if you pull over just at the milepost, and look maybe 50 feet back (to the west), you will see the gantry.

FAU (urban) also exists but I've never seen a sign for it.  anyone know of any?

[bugo]

I know TX 93 (former US 59) in Texarkana was formerly an FAU road.  There are thousands more, but that is the only one that popped into my head.