Texas: Hill CR 4281 (Old US 81) Streeviewed despite very bad condition

[Brian556]

The section they streetviewed is the one that I could not drive due to it's bad condition. I did drive the Lovelace to Hillsboro section.

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.145594,-97.146191&spn=0.000018,0.012456&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=32.145594,-97.146191&panoid=YfCroFaKBmqYuMbqDMuM_Q&cbp=12,177.29,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.142148,-97.144676&spn=0.000009,0.006228&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=32.142148,-97.144676&panoid=T-itEaPaJ0wZaYI99qVhsg&cbp=12,349.23,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.139182,-97.143371&spn=0.000005,0.003114&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=32.139182,-97.143371&panoid=1DSK8mabZWLga5e8WcgxUg&cbp=12,328.5,,0,0

I'll bet this spot floods regularly.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.131846,-97.140146&spn=0.000002,0.001557&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=32.13175,-97.140104&panoid=FTe0qr7Qax2Mx1C6KKXGhQ&cbp=12,17.46,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.128128,-97.138512&spn=0.000002,0.001557&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=32.128128,-97.138512&panoid=n-D4aPIFWd6A8PxibQcMSw&cbp=12,167.59,,0,0

[mcdonaat]

The section they streetviewed is the one that I could not drive due to it's bad condition. I did drive the Lovelace to Hillsboro section.

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.145594,-97.146191&spn=0.000018,0.012456&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=32.145594,-97.146191&panoid=YfCroFaKBmqYuMbqDMuM_Q&cbp=12,177.29,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.142148,-97.144676&spn=0.000009,0.006228&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=32.142148,-97.144676&panoid=T-itEaPaJ0wZaYI99qVhsg&cbp=12,349.23,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.139182,-97.143371&spn=0.000005,0.003114&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=32.139182,-97.143371&panoid=1DSK8mabZWLga5e8WcgxUg&cbp=12,328.5,,0,0

I'll bet this spot floods regularly.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.131846,-97.140146&spn=0.000002,0.001557&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=32.13175,-97.140104&panoid=FTe0qr7Qax2Mx1C6KKXGhQ&cbp=12,17.46,,0,0

https://maps.google.com/?ll=32.128128,-97.138512&spn=0.000002,0.001557&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=32.128128,-97.138512&panoid=n-D4aPIFWd6A8PxibQcMSw&cbp=12,167.59,,0,0

Amazing what GSV can capture. Wonder if they use a dune buggy or something... My little compact car would never make it down that road.

[Brian556]

Considering that this road is open to traffic, it baffles me as to why it is not maintained. All other county roads receive at least some level of maintenance. They could at least mow in order to keep it from becoming overgrown. Yeah, it doesn't get a lot of traffic due to it being an old route, but still, other low volume county roads get maintenance.

From a road geek perspective, however, it's pretty interesting.

[US81]

I was afraid to attempt to drive very far along Hill CR 4281. I did drive Hill CR 3102 (except one segment between I-35 and CR 3103 which I was also afraid to attempt) and it was in bad condition. (I note that only segments of 3102 are street-viewed.) Between Abbott and West (at the time of my visit maybe 3 years ago) it was in better condition than CR 4281 looks to be, although from Abbott westward it was a deteriorating gravel/dirt road.

[txstateends]

The frame next to the floods-regularly pic shows a maximum load sign.  I can't read it well, but this "road" obviously won't handle much of a load at all, much less whatever the sign's maximum states.

[wxfree]

I've been through there in my Cavalier; it really isn't that bad.  Some areas are a bit lumpy, so you just go slow over them.  At times it's helpful to keep one side of the car on the high part in the middle to avoid impacts to the car's underside.  The grass scraping the bottom of the car makes noise, but causes no harm.

[Brian556]

Quote from WXFREE:

I've been through there in my Cavalier; it really isn't that bad.  Some areas are a bit lumpy, so you just go slow over them.  At times it's helpful to keep one side of the car on the high part in the middle to avoid impacts to the car's underside.  The grass scraping the bottom of the car makes noise, but causes no harm.

That's what I was most worried about.... the grass clumps with dirt in them in the middle being high enough to damage the oil pan. I was also concerned about the broken and separated concrete damaging the tires.

[wxfree]

I didn't have much to do today, so I went out and saw this again.  I did not drive the full road before, as stated above.  Thinking back, I was going north and it started getting dark, so I bailed out at a gravel road, which would have been 4247, and got onto SH 81.  The part from CR 4247 to FM 3147 is the toughest along the road.  Had I driven along that before, I would not have said it wasn't that bad.  It's pretty bad.  There wasn't a risk of getting stuck anywhere, but at the speed I had to drive it almost would have been quicker to have walked through.  Despite what I said above, which was based on me incorrectly remembering things, this road should not be underestimated.  It's in serious need of rehabilitation or, with the lack of structures along part of it, closure.

[usends]

Wow, that's a really cool vintage road.  When was it bypassed in favor of the road that is now TX 81?  The TXDOT 1936 Hill Co. map shows it was still in use at that time.

[Brian556]

I think around 1943. Did some poking around in the TxDOT Hwy Designation files to find this.

That tells you just how old that concrete is. I'm guessing 20's?

[wxfree]

I just found something on Street View that reminded me of this topic.  I don't think it warrants its own topic, so I'll mention it here.  Let's talk about rough road conditions!
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.8818309,-104.8858124,3a,75y,207.89h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su4EjzmWMyEr391xQkTAsNA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

That is the Williams Ranch Road, part of which is along the old Butterfield Stage Route.  It runs from US 62/180 into Guadalupe Mountains National Park to the site of the old Williams Ranch.  The road is accessed by a locked gate, the key to which can be obtained at the park office.  High clearance and four-wheel drive are required.  The Google vehicle was accompanied by a park ranger, whose vehicle can be seen in some of the imagery.

[wxfree]

Wow, that's a really cool vintage road.  When was it bypassed in favor of the road that is now TX 81?  The TXDOT 1936 Hill Co. map shows it was still in use at that time.

On December 22, 1941 the project was added to the federal aid program and the Highway Commission requested that Hill County provide the necessary right-of-way for the relocation.  On December 17, 1945 a contract was awarded to build the road from Itasca to northeast of Hillsboro.

I love the searchable text in the minute order PDF files.  The images of the words aren't always especially clear, but the computer recognizes the letters.

[Brian556]

Wow, that's a really cool vintage road.  When was it bypassed in favor of the road that is now TX 81?  The TXDOT 1936 Hill Co. map shows it was still in use at that time.

On December 22, 1941 the project was added to the federal aid program and the Highway Commission requested that Hill County provide the necessary right-of-way for the relocation.  On December 17, 1945 a contract was awarded to build the road from Itasca to northeast of Hillsboro.

I love the searchable text in the minute order PDF files.  The images of the words aren't always especially clear, but the computer recognizes the letters.

How the heck did you find a minute order that old? When I go to the minute order search from the Highway Designation Files page, I never find anything older than the 90's

[wxfree]

All of the minute orders, back to 1917, are available.  To see a chronological listing, enter a year and sort them from oldest to newest.  To find something in particular, enter a useful search term.  To find those minute orders, I searched for "itasca" and opened each file from 1940 until I found what I was looking for from 1945 and used the PDF find function to see what each one said about Itasca.

https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/mosearch/results.aspx

[Brian556]

All of the minute orders, back to 1917, are available.  To see a chronological listing, enter a year and sort them from oldest to newest.  To find something in particular, enter a useful search term.  To find those minute orders, I searched for "itasca" and opened each file from 1940 until I found what I was looking for from 1945 and used the PDF find function to see what each one said about Itasca.

https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/mosearch/results.aspx

Thanks. Its pretty cool that they are available. Problem is, when I try to search something, all I get is "Sorry, something went wrong"

[wxfree]

It's doing that for me, too.  Try this link.  It's a search results page, but entering a new term seems to work.

https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/mosearch/Pages/Minute-Order-Search-Results.aspx?k=itasca