State Highway 82

SH 82 is a continuation of Louisiana 82 from Cameron Parish into Port Arthur. The 13.009 mile route includes the 5,032-foot long¹ Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge over the Sabine Neches Canal between Port Arthur and Pleasure Island.

East

Texas 82 begins at a trumpet interchange with Texas 73 in Port Arthur and leads southeast to a myriad of oil infrastructure. 11/20/10

The highway travels alongside many stacks and tanks through here, and past the main Valero Oil Refinery. 11/20/10

Southwestward view from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge of SH 82 across the Intracoastal Waterway. From left to right, visible is the Sabine Neches Canal, Texaco Island, the SH 87 bridge over the Intracoastal and a pair of oil platform assemblies awaiting deployment. 11/20/10

Texas 82 turns southward from the MLK, Jr. Bridge end at Pleasure Island and lines the east banks of the Sabine Neches and Port Arthur Ship Canals. 11/20/10

Arching over the south end of Sabine Lake, Texas 82 transitions into Louisiana 82 at the mid point of the span where the unsigned state line crosses. 11/20/10

West

SH 82 begins at the midpoint of the Sabine Lake bridge and enters the city limits of Port Arthur. In the distance various petrochemical infrastructure can be seen. 11/20/10

This view looks west at the first SH 82 route marker. 11/20/10

Typical "Welcome to Texas" signage. 11/20/10

SH 82 forms a central corridor for both fishing traffic and oil industry traffic. The "Debris on Road" sign shown here may be related to that. 11/20/10

The highway runs north between Sabine Lake, to the east, and the main channel to the Port of Beaumont and Port Arthur, to the west. The port here is the 4th busiest in the United States. The artificial island created by the channel is known as Pleasure Island. 11/20/10

SH 82 turns right here, and runs in a large arc in order to allow traffic to traverse the MLK bridge over the channel. 11/20/10

This view looks along the ramp up to the MLK Bridge, complete with reassurance marker. 11/20/10

The MLK Bridge was originally constructed as the Gulfgate Bridge and opened in August 1970. The structure cost $8.7 million and gives the shipping channel a 138-foot clearance. 11/20/10

SH 82 enters the west side of Port Arthur proper after crossing the bridge. This area of the city is packed with petrochemical infrastructure, refineries, oil shipment and storage facilities, and port facilities. 11/20/10

This view looks east from the bridge structure towards downtown Port Arthur. The city had seen very little development in the past 30 years, however, today it is experiencing a boom as an important Liquid Natural Gas port. 11/20/10

SH 82 now runs generally northwestward and has four or five lanes. This view looks at the junction of SH 82 and 7th Street in Port Arthur, Texas. 11/20/10

The highway runs through a massive amount of stacks and tanks through here, and past the main Valero Oil Refinery. This next sign tells drivers, somewhat cryptically, to use SH 87 as a detour for SH 87. Southbound highway 87 was closed by hurricane damage, and heading north on the same road will eventually send drivers to IH 10. 11/20/10

SH 82 reassurance marker near SH 87. 11/20/10

Directional signage appears as SH 82 meets SH 87 on the west side of Port Arthur. There are no southbound control points for the cross-highway because it is closed, likely permanently. 11/20/10

SH 82 at SH 87 in Port Arthur, TX. The two roads meet at a traffic light. 11/20/10

The detour sign, which just before indicated use of SH 87, now is signed along SH 82. 11/20/10

The oil infrastructure thins out, and a forest of power lines serving the port appears along the east side of the highway. 11/20/10

SH 82 nears SH 73 on the far northwest side of Port Arthur. SH 73 forms a freeway bypass of the city to the west and north. 11/20/10

SH 73 is used as a shortcut to IH 10 and is the main route west from Port Arthur to Houston. 11/20/10

Galveston, traditionally reached along SH 87 southbound, was likely recently added as a control point for SH 73 west. SH 82 ends here, at a trumpet interchange with SH 73. 11/20/10

Photo Credits:

11/20/10 by Justin Cozart

Connect with:
State Highway 73

Page Updated 04-27-2012.