Interstate 410
Named for former Texas Governor John Connally, Interstate 410 forms a 49.49 mile route encircling San Antonio. This freeway was predated by Loop 13, with construction of IH 410 utilizing the northwest quadrant of the state loop. The beltway overlaps with SH 16 for 16 miles, with US 281 for three miles and with IH 35 for four miles.
IH 410 experiences chronic congestion along the northwest and north quadrants, roughly between SH 151 and US 281. Reconstruction of the freeway in the mid 2000s included the June 2008 completion of the US 281 interchange rebuild, following the upgrade of the exchange with IH 10 in northwest San Antonio.
Interstate 410 Texas Guides
Inner
Outer
The first partial loop of San Antonio was Loop 13, designated in 1939. Loop 13 began at (former) Kelly AFB. It looped east to US 281 and US 181 (present-day IH 37), then north to US 90 (now IH 10) to end at US 81 (present IH 35). The loop was extended west to US 90 beyond Kelly AFB in 1941.
After World War II, Loop 13 was extended west from US 81 on the north side to Camp Bullis, followed by further westward extension to US 281 in 1949. The loop was closed, between US 90 on the west side and US 281 on the north side, in 1952.
When IH 410 was planned to cover the route of Loop 13, San Antonio's growth was primarily to the south. Several subdivisions had been built along and south of the Loop 13 corridor between US 81 (IH 35) and US 281 (IH 37) during the 1950s. As a result, IH 410 was planned on a route south of Loop 13, to encircle these subdivisions. North of US 90, IH 410 was planned over the original Loop 13 route.
The first sections of Loop 13 converted into a limited access highway were completed in 1959. This included the freeway from US 90 to US 81 / IH 10. The subsequent section was the new alignment between IH 35 and Spur 536 (former US 281) in 1964. The remainder of the freeway was finished by 1967.
One of the side effects of the construction timetable was easy access to the northwest side of San Antonio. After IH 410 was completed between US 90 and IH 10, growth turned toward the then easily-accessible land on the northwest side, ending development on the south side. The final result was a loop with two different characteristics -- rural south of US 90 and heavily developed north of US 90.
IH 410, like IH 610 in Houston, was planned with a missing link with the expectation of additional freeway mileage. This practice backfired on then-highway chair DeWitt Greer, when the additional mileage was allocated instead to IH 37. The section of IH 410 between IH 10 to the northwest and IH 35 to the northeast was renumbered to State Loop 410 in 1960 for motorist continuity as a result. In 1969, this "missing link" was added to the Interstate highway system.
scenes
Prior to completion of the direct interchange in 2008, traffic from U.S. 281 (McAllister Freeway) southbound to Interstate 410 utilized San Pedro Avenue (Spur 537) to connect with the beltway. FM 1515 ended at Exit 19 of IH 410.
12/31/02
Traffic that utilized the loop ramp for IH 410 east from San Pedro Avenue south entered a narrow collector distributor roadway. The c/d lane saw a return ramp to San Pedro Avenue which used to carry all U.S. 281 northbound related traffic interests to the suburbs of Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village and points beyond.
12/31/02
Interstate 410 and U.S. 281 shield assembly posted along NE Loop 410 westbound near San Antonio International Airport (SAT) and International Boulevard. This ramp was removed during construction of the new systems interchange between the beltway and McAllister Freeway.
12/31/02
A slip ramp merged onto IH 410 east from the frontage road near Airport Boulevard. This ramp used to provide the only connection from U.S. 281 north to the inner loop of IH 410.
12/31/02
The on-ramp from the Northeast Loop 410 frontage road to IH 35 & 410 north after the intersection with Rittiman Road. Shields posted at Exit 164 for the beltway omit IH 410.
09/29/07
Photo Credits:
- Kevin Trinkle: 12/31/02
- Alex Nitzman: 09/29/07
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Page Updated Monday July 08, 2019.