Existed: 1939 – present North end: I-45 in Houston Length 98.22 km | South end: FM 1495 in Freeport Constructed 1939 | |
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Counties Brazoria County, Texas, Harris County, Texas | ||
State Highway 288, or SH 288, is a north–south highway in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Texas, between I-45 in downtown Houston and Freeport, where it terminates on FM 1495. The route was originally designated by 1939, replacing the southern portion of SH 19.
Contents
Map of State Hwy 288, Texas, USA
Route description
In Harris County, SH 288 is the South Freeway, a divided freeway known for having one of the widest medians of the local road system. It begins as freeway status from its northern terminus at Interstate 69/U.S. Route 59 just south of downtown southward through south Houston. It reaches an intersection with I-610 and continues south through newer subdivisions. It reaches an intersection with State Highway 6, after which it loses its freeway status. From the Harris-Brazoria County Line to Freeport, it is referred to as the Nolan Ryan Expressway, in recognition of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan who grew up in Alvin, Texas, which is not directly on this road. North of Angleton, the route returns to freeway status passing west of Angleton, near the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport, and around the southwestern side of Lake Jackson. It then turns southward toward Freeport. In Freeport, it is known as Brazosport Boulevard. It reaches its southern terminus at State Highway 36 on the southwest side of town.
Toll Lanes
To help alleviate congestion on SH 288, HCTRA and BCTRA will construct toll lanes in the median of the existing freeway in the Greater Houston area. The route will begin at I-69/US 59 just south of Midtown and terminate at the intersection of the proposed Grand Parkway (SH 99) for a total length of 26 miles (41.8 km). BCTRA is to take on the part in Brazoria County. The entire length of the project will have 4 lanes with interchanges at IH-610 and at Beltway 8. Design work began in the summer of 2015.
History
State Highway 288 was designated in 1939 as the renumbering of the portion of State Highway 19 south of downtown Houston. The original routing ran southward along Almeda Road in Houston. The route traveled southward through Fresno, past the Houston Southwest Airport, before reaching Bonney. This entire portion of the route was transferred to Farm to Market Road 521 in 1983. The route then traveled east through downtown Angleton, continuing southeast before reaching Freeport. This original section is now part of County Road 543 and Farm to Market Road 523. SH 288 was redirected southward from Angleton when the city of Clute became more populated, then continued southward to a new intersection with State Highway 36 west of Freeport. The entire remaining section from FM 521 north of Angleton to Clute was transferred first to Texas State Highway 227 in 1987, and later Business Highway 288 when the bypass around the western side of Lake Jackson opened. The section from Clute south to Freeport remains from the original redirection.