Interstate 37

Interstate 37 (I-37) is a 143.0-mile (230.1 km) Interstate Highway located within the southern portion of the U.S. state of Texas. The highway was first designated in 1959 as a route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Construction in the urban areas of Corpus Christi and San Antonio began in the 1960s and the segments of the Interstate Highway in rural areas were completed by the 1980s. Prior to I-37, the route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio was served by a combination of State Highway 9 (SH 9) from Corpus Christi to Three Rivers and U.S. Route 281 (US 281) from Three Rivers to San Antonio. As a result of the construction of I-37, SH 9 was removed from the State Highway System.

Interstate 37
I-37 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length143.00 mi[1] (230.14 km)
ExistedOctober 16, 1959[2]–present
Major junctions
South end US 181 / SH 35 at Corpus Christi
 
North end I-35 / US 281 in San Antonio
Location
CountiesNueces, San Patricio, Live Oak, Atascosa, Bexar
Highway system
SH 36SH 37
Interstate 37 from the top of the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio, Texas

The highway begins in Corpus Christi at US 181 and SH 35 and heads north to San Antonio, where it ends at I-35. Beyond I-35, the freeway continues as US 281 to northern San Antonio as a major freeway. In Corpus Christi, the highway provides access to the downtown area, the Port of Corpus Christi, and the Corpus Christi International Airport. In San Antonio, it provides access to Downtown, Brooks City-Base, the Alamodome, the Tower of the Americas, the River Walk, the Alamo, and by extension via US 281, the San Antonio International Airport. The route provides an important connection between I-35 and the Texas Gulf Coast as well as one of the few limited-access hurricane evacuation routes away from the southern Texas coast.

Route description

Interstate 37 starts near the Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi and heads northwest toward San Antonio.[2] It links South Texas to the northern parts of the state via I-69E, US 77, and US 281. The highway functions as one of the few freeway hurricane evacuation routes for the southern Texas coast. It roughly parallels US 181, which both begins and ends at I-37, and US 281.[3]

A rural segment of I-37 between Corpus Christi and San Antonio

Unofficially, I-37 begins at an intersection with Shoreline Boulevard on the edge of Corpus Christi Bay. It then heads west as a surface street for three blocks where it becomes entrance and exit ramps which connect to the freeway.[4] I-37 begins officially at the gore point for these ramps, which is part of an interchange complex that also represents the southern ends of US 181 and SH 35.[5]

It heads west from US 181 through Corpus Christi and intersects two freeways, SH 286 (the Crosstown Expressway) and SH 358 (Padre Island Drive). The highway turns towards the northwest after the SH 358 interchange roughly parallel to the south of the Nueces River. Just prior to leaving the Corpus Christi city limits, it intersects and has a short concurrency with US 77 (future I-69E). US 77 (future I-69E) merges with I-37 as a freeway from the south; the two continue to the north and split after crossing the Nueces River. The Interstate continues to the northwest as US 77 (future I-69E) continues to the northeast.[6]

I-37 transitions to a rural setting once outside of the Corpus Christi city limits on its way to Mathis and Lake Corpus Christi. It continues on to the northwest and intersects US 59 (future I-69W) east of George West. It begins paralleling US 281 to the east before the two intersect and have a concurrency north of Three Rivers near Choke Canyon Reservoir. U.S. Highway 281 Alternate (US 281 Alt) splits off from I-37 near Sunniland and parallels I-37 before rejoining north of Campbellton. The two routes remain concurrent until US 281 splits off to head to Pleasanton, while I-37 bypasses the city to the east. After US 281 leaves towards the northwest, I-37 turns to the north towards San Antonio.[6]

I-37 and I-410 interchange on the southeast side of San Antonio

As I-37 enters the San Antonio city limits, it intersects the northern terminus of US 181. Continuing to the north, it intersects I-410, the inner loop around San Antonio, at a stack interchange. At this junction, the Interstate once again runs concurrently with US 281 which had been concurrent with I-410. Heading north through the south side of San Antonio, I-37 provides access to Brooks City-Base (formerly Brooks AFB). After a cloverleaf interchange at Loop 13, the freeway turns towards the northwest. The highway intersects I-10, which is concurrent with US 90 and US 87, at a stack interchange on the southeastern corner of Downtown. After the interchange, it once again heads north on the east side of Downtown. It passes near the Alamodome, the Tower of the Americas, the River Walk and the Alamo. I-37 ends at the northeastern corner of Downtown at a junction with I-35. US 281 continues to the north as a freeway and provides access to the San Antonio International Airport and later far north central Texas.[6]

From I-410 to I-10 in San Antonio, I-37 is designated the Lucian Adams Freeway, after the World War II veteran. Adams is a native of Port Arthur, and received the Medal of Honor for his service in France, along with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his gallantry during the Cassino Campaign.[7] From I-10 to its northern terminus at I-35, it is designated the Staff Sergeant William J. Bordelon Freeway. Bordelon was the first San Antonio native to receive the Medal of Honor after being killed in action during World War II.[8][9]

History

Prior to I-37, the routing between Corpus Christi and San Antonio was covered by SH 9 from Corpus Christi to Three Rivers and US 281 from Three Rivers to San Antonio. Beginning in 1971, sections of SH 9 were officially removed from the State Highway System as I-37 was completed.[10] No sections of US 281 were removed from the State Highway System as a result of the construction of I-37, but the two do share the same alignment at two different points between San Antonio and Three Rivers. Also, US 281 was rerouted onto I-37 in San Antonio in 1978.[6][11][12]

I-37 was first designated in 1959 to provide a route between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.[2] Construction began in the 1960s and the route was completed by the 1980s.[3] The first sections of the freeway completed were in Corpus Christi. The freeway was completed from its southern terminus to 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the west at the Port Avenue overpass to include the SH 286 interchange in 1963.[13][14][15][16][17] In 1964, the freeway was extended another 1.1 miles (1.8 km) westward with the completion of the overpasses at Nueces Bay Boulevard and Buddy Lawrence Boulevard.[18][19][20] By 1965, the freeway had been extended west 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to Navigation Boulevard.[21][22] In 1966, the interchange at SH 358 was complete, as were the mainlanes to Corn Products Road, 1.0 mile (1.6 km) west of the SH 358 interchange.[23][24][25] By 1968, the freeway had been completed an additional 8.1 miles (13.0 km) further west to Callicoatte Road.[26][27] The southbound I-37 bridge over the Nueces River was built in 1933 for US 77 (future I-69E) when it was first routed through Corpus Christi.[28][29] The northbound bridge was built in 1958 with the expansion of US 77 (future I-69E) to four lanes.[30]

The southern terminus of I-37 in Corpus Christi

Construction in San Antonio also began in the 1960s and was completed in 1972. The first sections were completed in 1967 to include the portion just south of I-410 at the US 181 interchange.[31] The section from Steves Avenue north to Florida Street to include the I-10 interchange was also complete in 1967.[32][33][34] In 1968, the section south of I-410 was extended south to Loop 1604.[35] In 1969, the two sections were connected with the completion of overpasses at Goliad Road, Pecan Valley Drive, Fair Avenue and Hackberry Street as well as the completion of the interchanges at I-410 and Loop 13.[36][37][38][39][40][41] The last sections left were on the east side of downtown. The downtown overpasses at Durango Boulevard, Commerce Street and the overpass stretching from Houston Street to Jones Avenue were all completed in 1972.[42][43][44] The last portion completed in San Antonio was the stack interchange at I-35 (also known as the San Antonio "Downtown Mixer"), near the Pearl Brewery. With the completion of the interchange in 1972,[45] the city had a complete freeway loop in conjunction with I-10 and I-35 around the central business district of the city. At the time construction began in July 1969, the I-35 interchange was the largest highway construction project in state history at $11 million (equivalent to $59 million in 2018[46]).[47]

The interchange between I-37 and I-69E/US 77

The rural sections of the freeway were completed later than those in the urban areas. Construction of the highway in Corpus Christi and Nueces County continued north over the Nueces River into San Patrico County. The interchange at US 77 (future I-69E) was completed in 1969.[48] The road that was already in existence along this stretch, SH 9, would be utilized as a frontage road as many of the bridges along this stretch were from when SH 9 was built in the 1930s.[49][50] The main lanes were extended northward to SH 234 in 1969.[51] By 1970, the freeway had been extended as far north as SH 188.[52] In 1971, I-37 reached FM 888 and service to the city of Mathis.[53] During the mid-1970s, the southern section and northern section were both being extended. The southern section was extended northward in Live Oak County to US 59 (future I-69W) in 1975 and FM 799 in 1976.[54][55] The northern section saw completion in Atascosa County to FM 541 in 1975 and FM 1099 in 1976.[56][57] By the early 1980s, the freeway was nearly complete. In 1980, the interchange at US 281 southeast of Pleasanton was complete.[58] With the completion of the interchange at SH 72 and other bridges in the Pleasanton area in 1981, I-37 was complete.[59][60]

Exit list

CountyLocationmikmExit[61]DestinationsNotes
NuecesCorpus Christi0.320.51 US 181 north / SH 35 north PortlandSigned as exit 0 southbound, southern end of freeway, I-37 has at-grades until Shoreline Blvd at Mesquite St., Chapparal St., and Water St.
0.440.711ABuffalo StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
1.101.771BBrownlee Boulevard, Port AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
0.99–
1.33
1.59–
2.14
1C SH 286 south (Crosstown Expressway)Access to Spohn Memorial Hospital
1.462.351DPort AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
2.12–
2.54
3.41–
4.09
1ELawrence Drive, Nueces Bay Boulevard
3.275.262Up River Road
3.926.313ANavigation Boulevard
4.457.163BMcBride Lane, Lantana StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
4.787.694A SH 44 west / SH 358 east NAS Corpus Christi, Padre Island
4.967.984BLantana Street, McBride LaneSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
5.829.375Corn Products Road / Valero Way
7.0111.286Southern Minerals Road
8.31–
8.55
13.37–
13.76
7Tuloso Road, Suntide Road
10.1516.339 FM 2292 (Rand Morgan Road) / Up River Road
11.2318.0710Carbon Plant Road/Joe Fulton Int'l Trade CorridorSouthbound exit leads to Carbon Plant Road
11.3418.2510AJoe Fulton Int'l Trade Corridorsouthbound exit; northbound exit is part of exit 10
11.9519.2311A FM 3386 (McKinzie Road)
12.5920.2611B FM 24 (Violet Road) / Hart Road
13.8922.3513A FM 1694 (Callicoatte Road) / Leopard Street
14.6623.5913BSharpsburg RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
15.2224.4914A I-69E south / US 77 south Kingsville, Robstown, BrownsvilleSouth end of US 77 overlap; current northern end of I-69E, signed as exit 14 southbound; access to Corpus Christi Medical Center-Northwest
15.4724.9014BRed Bird LaneNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
15.9625.6915Sharpsburg Road, Red Bird LaneSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
17.0127.3716Labonte Park
San Patricio18.0429.0317
Future I-69E north / US 77 north Victoria, Sinton
North end of US 77 overlap; U.S. 77 is the future Interstate 69E
20.4632.9320APicnic Area
21.4734.5520BCooper Road
Edroy23.42–
23.94
37.69–
38.53
22 SH 234 / FM 796 Edroy, Odem
31.7551.1031 SH 188 Sinton, Rockport
Mathis35.2156.6734 Loop 459 Mathis, Alice
36.8359.2736 SH 359 Skidmore, Mathis
Live Oak41.0566.0640 FM 888
47.8877.0647 FM 534 / FM 3024 Swinney Switch
51.8783.4851Hailey Ranch Road
57.1792.0156 US 59 (Future I-69W) George West, BeevilleU.S. 59 is the future Interstate 69W
60.4197.2259 FM 799
66.43106.9165 FM 1358 Oakville
69.88112.4669 SH 72 Three Rivers, Kenedy
73.55118.3772 US 281 south Three Rivers, AliceSouth end of US 281 overlap
77.40124.5676
Alt. US 281 / FM 2049 Whitsett
84.19135.4983 FM 99 Whitsett, Karnes City
Atascosa89.52144.0788 FM 1099 Campbellton
93.31150.1792
Alt. US 281 Campbellton, Whitsett
Southbound exit and northbound entrance
99.09159.4798 FM 541 McCoy, Poth
104.85168.74103 US 281 north PleasantonNorth end of US 281 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
105.32169.50104 Spur 199 (Leal Road)No southbound entrance
107.34172.75106Coughran Road
110.73178.20109 SH 97 Pleasanton, Floresville
114.73184.64113 FM 3006
118.48190.68117 FM 536
Bexar120.97194.68120Hardy Road
123.64198.98122Priest Road/Mathis Road
126.40203.42125 Loop 1604 (Anderson Loop) Elmendorf
127.55205.27127San Antonio River TurnaroundNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
San Antonio131.04210.89130Southton Road, Donop Road
132.88213.85132 Spur 122Northbound exit and southbound entrance
133.60215.01132 US 181 south FloresvilleSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
134.70216.78133 I-410 (Connally Loop) / SH 130 / US 281 southSouth end of US 281 overlap; I-410 exit 41
136.47219.63135 Loop 13 (Military Drive) Brooks City-BaseAccess to Stinson Municipal Airport and Mission Trail Baptist Hospital
137.62221.48136Pecan Valley Drive
138.34222.64137Hot Wells Boulevard
138.98–
139.14
223.67–
223.92
138New Braunfels Avenue, Southcross BoulevardSigned as exits 138A (east) and 138B (west) southbound
139.84225.05138CFair Avenue, Hackberry Street
140.77226.55139 I-10 (Jose Lopez Freeway) / US 87 / US 90 El Paso, Houston, Victoria, Del RioI-10 exit 575A
141.53–
141.61
227.77–
227.90
140AFlorida Street, Carolina Street
142.13228.74140BCesar Chavez Boulevard Alamodome
142.69229.64141ACommerce Street Downtown San AntonioSigned as exit 141 northbound
142.90229.98141BHouston Street – The AlamoSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
143.23230.51141CMcCullough Avenue, Nolan StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
143.91231.60142 I-35 (Pan Am Expressway) Austin, Laredo
US 281 north (McAllister Freeway) Johnson City, San Antonio International Airport
Signed as exits 142A (north) and 142B (south); I-35 exit 158; northern terminus; roadway continues beyond I-35 as US 281
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
gollark: Well, I don't mean that it has *no value*, only that it's not *that* useful.
gollark: I'll go have my discord bot set a reminder for 2 years or something.
gollark: Of course, I completely made that up, so I might also be wrong.
gollark: They've already done multiple cameras, weird lenses or whatever, and every other bizarre useless thing.
gollark: The next big trend in phone cameras is going to be IR/UV sensors, mark my words.

See also

  •  Texas portal
  •  U.S. Roads portal

References

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  46. Thomas, Ryland; Williamson, Samuel H. (2019). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved April 6, 2019. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series.
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