U.S. 290 West - Waller & Washington Counties

U.S. 290 west & Texas 6 north at Field Store Road on the north side of Waller. Field Store Road travels north from Mills Street in the city to Waller Spring Creek Road at Waller High School. The road continues from there northward to FM 1488 at Fields Store.

05/03/06

U.S. 290 & Texas 6 cross into Waller County ahead of the diamond interchange with FM 362. FM 362 travels north-south from Brookshire to FM 1488 near Fields Store.

05/03/06

Next in line for westbound drivers is the diamond interchange with James Muse Parkway, a short connector linking the freeway with Owens Road to the north and U.S. 290 Business to the south.

05/03/06

Westbound at the ramp departure to James Muse Parkway on U.S. 290 & Texas 6. There are no frontage roads along the freeway at this point. James Muse Parkway serves eastern reaches of Prairie View.

09/27/06

Crossing paths with the freeway next is FM 1098 (Williams Street). FM 1098 follows Williams Street north from U.S. 290 Business at Cochran Road to a combination of University Drive and Owens Road.

09/27/06

FM 1098 (University Drive) serves the nearby campus of Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU). PVAMU was founded in 1876 and is the second oldest public college in the state of Texas. Almost 8,000 students attend the university.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 west & Texas 6 north at FM 1098 (Williams Street / University Drive). FM 1098 meets Owens Road a short distance north of the freeway, turning west to circumvent the campus of PVAMU. University Drive continues north to the university; Owens Road east parallels U.S. 290 & Texas 6 to James Muse Parkway. FM 1098 otherwise ends at FM 1488 north of Prairie View.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 & Texas 6 shield assembly posted as the freeway sinks below the FM 1098 (Williams Street) overpass.

09/27/06

Continuing west through Prairie View, U.S. 290 & Texas 6 advance to within one half mile of the diamond interchange at Liendo Parkway. Liendo Parkway is the last Prairie View exit.

09/27/06

Westbound at Liendo Parkway on U.S. 290 & Texas 6. Liendo Parkway, like James Muse Parkway, consists of a connecting roadway with U.S. 290 Business to the south and Wyatt Chapel Road, an east-west through road.

09/27/06

FM 359 ends at U.S. 290 & Texas 6 outside of Hempstead. The north-south highway provides the most direct route between the freeway and Brookshire at Interstate 10.

09/27/06

One half mile east of the diamond interchange with FM 359 on U.S. 290 west & Texas 6 north. FM 359 follows a four lane divided highway from the freeway southward to U.S. 290 Business, and a two lane roadway south from there to Monaville and Pattison.

09/27/06

A short distance west of FM 359 on U.S. 290 is the diamond interchange with FM 1488. FM 1448 enters the area from north of Prairie View and ends at U.S. 290 Business via 2nd Street in Hempstead.

09/27/06

FM 1488's other control point is Magnolia, a city in western Montgomery County 22 miles to the east. FM 1488 west ties into U.S. 290 (Austin Street) eight blocks east of Downtown Hempstead.

09/27/06

SH 6 prepares to split with U.S. 290 north of Hempstead at U.S. 290 Business (10th Street). The state highway provides the most direct route to Bryan and College Station from the Houston metropolitan area. All of SH 6 is four laned.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 Business (10th Street) south provides a direct link to the Hempstead central business district from U.S. 290 & SH 6. Meeting U.S. 290 Business in Downtown is the north end of SH 159, a route linking Hempstead with Bellville and SH 36 to the southwest.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 transitions into an at-grade highway beyond the separation with SH 6 north. An auxiliary lane along westbound defaults onto SH 6 north 20 miles to Navasota and College Station.

09/27/06

Supplemental guide sign referencing the connections with Texas 159 via U.S. 290 Business east to Bellville and College Station again. College Station is home to Texas A&M University.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 westbound at U.S. 290 Business (10th Street) south to Hempstead and the split with SH 6 north. A diamond interchange overlayed with a wye provides high speed access for SH 6 north and from SH 6 south. SH 6 continues northwest from Bryan to Waco and IH 35.

09/27/06

The next two communities along U.S. 290 westbound are Chappell Hill and Brenham. U.S. 290 maintains four overall lanes with a grassy median but access is no longer controlled.

09/27/06

Leaving the Hempstead area, U.S. 290 meets the south end of FM 1736. FM 1736 arcs north and east from U.S. 290 to SH 6 at Howth and from there eastward to FM 1488 near Fields Store. U.S. 290 continues west otherwise across the Brazos River into Washington County.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 meets FM 1371 near unincorporated Chappell Hill in eastern Washington County. FM 1371 enters the area from Sauney Stand and Buckhorn (FM 1456). The route continues west along the original U.S. 290 to the south.

09/27/06

FM 1155 travels north from parallel FM 1371 (old U.S. 290) to cross U.S. 290 en route to nearby Chappell Hill and Whitman.

05/03/06

The north end of FM 1371 ties into U.S. 290 via old U.S. 290 a short distance west of FM 1155.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 overtakes its original alignment beyond FM 1371 south to the southwest of Chappell Hill. FM 1371 connects the highway with a residential area nearby, Chadwick-Hogan Road and FM 1155 (Main Street).

09/27/06

The Washington County seat of Brenham lies ten miles ahead along U.S. 290 westbound. Giddings (U.S. 77) is another 36 miles to the west

09/27/06

Next in line for westbound drivers is the west end of FM 2447. FM 2447 travels 1.5 miles east from U.S. 290 back to Chappell Hill.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 curves west at the intersection with FM 2447 on the eight mile drive to Brenham. FM 2247 travels 8.20 miles overall from the Chappell Hill area to a dead end in rural eastern Washington County.

09/27/06

Entering the Brenham area, U.S. 290 upgrades into an expressway bypass of the city with five exits. U.S. 290 Business follows the old route along Market, West Main, and West Alamo Streets to Downtown.

09/27/06

Prior to the split with U.S. 290 Business (Market Street), U.S. 290 crosses paths with FM 577 (Gun & Rod Road) and Horton Street. FM 577 encircles Brenham's northeast side between U.S. 290 and SH 105.

09/27/06

Interests to SH 105 northeast for Washington and other points are advised to use FM 577 (Gun & Rod Road / Blue Bell Road) northwest three miles. FM 577 continues 0.9 miles west of SH 105 to SH 36 Business (Park Street) and 2.2 miles to end at the SH 36 expressway bypass.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 gains frontage roads west of the split with U.S. 290 Business and approaches the diamond interchange with SH 36 south and SH 36 Business (Day Street) north. SH 36 and U.S. 290 overlap for 2.5 miles along the bypass; the business route heads directly north into Downtown.

09/27/06

Westbound at the slip ramp forSH 36 south and SH 36 Business (Day Street) north. SH 36 south joins Brenham with Kenney, Bellville, and Interstate 10 at Sealy.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 west & Texas 36 north travels 1.1 mile west from their merge to FM 389 (Prairie Lea Street) in southwest Brenham. FM 389 heads east into central Brenham via Prairie Lea Street and College Avenue.

09/27/06

FM 389 east serves the Brenham Campus of Blinn College at Prairie Lea Street and College Avenue. Westward, the FM road ventures 15 miles through Klump, Lahum and Shelby.

09/27/06

Looking at the FM 389 overpass within the diamond interchange on U.S. 290 & Texas 36.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 departs the Brenham bypass and splits with Texas 36 west at the succeeding interchange. The US highway overtakes the business loop along West Main Street and continues ten miles west to Burton.

09/27/06

Old Mill Creek Road passes over U.S. 290 west & Texas 36 west ahead of the six-ramp parclo interchange with U.S. 290 Business (West Main Street). Ramps directly connect with West Main Street east to Downtown Brenham and the departing U.S. 290 west for Giddings and Austin.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 Business east follows West Main Street to Blinn Boulevard and the one way street couplet of West Alamo Street (east) and West Main Street (west) into the central business district. Once in Downtown U.S. 290 Business meets SH 36 Business at Austin Street / Austin Parkway and the west end of SH 105 at Chappell Hill Street.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 west and Texas 36 part ways. Texas 36 continues north 33 miles to Caldwell and 50 miles to U.S. 79 and 190 at Milano. Somerville, the northbound control point, lies 15 miles away in southern Burleson County.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 west merges with U.S. 290 Business ahead of the loop ramp onto U.S. 290 east & SH 36 south to Bellville and Houston.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 advances west along a five lane arterial through the western outskirts of Brenham.

09/27/06

FM 2679 joins U.S. 290 westbound with Longpoint to the northwest.

09/27/06

Westbound at the south end of FM 2679. FM 2679 travels 5.24 miles from U.S. 290 to FM 390 at Longpoint.

09/27/06

West of FM 2679, U.S. 290 again widens to include a grassy median.

09/27/06

Meeting U.S. 290 next is the south end of FM 1948. FM 1948 joins U.S. 290 with FM 390 via a short overlap in 1.9 miles.

09/27/06

FM 1948 travels northwest initially 4.9 miles to FM 594 before turning north and east to Somerville Lake and SH 36 at Quarry.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 curves southwesterly beyond FM 1948 three miles toward the rural city of Burton. Giddings (U.S. 77) remains 26 miles away.

09/27/06

Texas Spur 125 provides the connection between U.S. 290 and FM 390 at Burton. The state highway follows Mulberry and North Main Streets 0.60 miles to the city center.

09/27/06

Points of interest available from SS 125 include the Burton Cotton Gin Museum and Nails Creek Park, a unit of the Lake Somerville State Park and Trailway system. Connections from Spur 125 and FM 390 lead travelers northwest to the state park via FM 1697.

09/27/06

Main Street travels over U.S. 290 with no direct access. Therefore all travel interests into Burton must use Texas Spur 125 via Mulberry Street west.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 westbound at the Main Street overpass; Main Street dead ends nearby, but Hickory and Railroad Streets link the street with Boehnemann Road southeast.

09/27/06

FM 390 follows Washington Street southwest from SS 125 and Main Street to its end at U.S. 290 west of Burton. The FM Road is part of a state-designated scenic highway known as La Bahía Road.

09/27/06

Westbound at the intersection with FM 390 (Washington Street) in Burton. FM 390 loops overall 27 miles from Burton east to Longpoint, Gay Hill, Independence, William Penn, and SH 105 northeast of Brenham.

09/27/06

U.S. 290 is briefly a part of the Texas Independence Trail between FM 390 and SH 237. The trail follows various routes east from San Antonio to Victoria, Port Lavaca, Freeport and Galveston and west from La Porte, Houston, Bellville, Burton, Bastrop, Luling and Seguin.

09/27/06

One mile southwest of Burton, U.S. 290 west meets FM 2502, a northwest-southeast route joining the highway with Greenvine and Wesley in southern Washington County.

09/27/06

FM 2502 travels overall 18.8 miles between U.S. 290 near Burton and Texas 159 at Nelsonville. Greenvine is a 4.8 mile drive to the southeast.

09/27/06