Ranch to Market Road 243

Ranch to Market Road 243
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length	20.484 mi [1]  (32.966 km)
Existed	1945 [1] –present
Major junctions
West end	RM 1174 near Oatmeal
Major intersections	SH 29 at Bertram
East end	US 183 near Mahomet
Location
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Burnet, Williamson
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec
← FM 242 → FM 244

Ranch to Market Road 243 (RM 243) is a Ranch to Market Road in the U.S. state of Texas maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The road, first designated in 1945, is located in Burnet and Williamson counties in the Texas Hill Country and passes through the city of Bertram and the smaller communities of Oatmeal and Mahomet. The nearly 21-mile (34 km) road has major intersections with RM 1174 and US 183 at its termini and has short concurrencies with SH 29 and again with RM 1174 in Bertram. RM 243 passes through a portion of a national wildlife refuge and crosses two forks of the San Gabriel River.

History

RM 243 was originally designated on June 11, 1945, as Farm to Market Road 243 (FM 243), a 13.8-mile (22.2 km) from SH 29 in Bertram to a location TxDOT identifies as Green's Corner at the road's eastern terminus on what was then SH 74. ^[1] On July 14, 1949, the road was extended 5.7 miles (9.2 km) to Oatmeal. ^[1] US 183 was rerouted eastward south of Albany along a new route that includes the present section between Briggs and Austin at the Green's Corner terminus. ^{[1] [2]} On October 31, 1957, RM 243 received its current Ranch to Market designation and was extended 2.6 miles (4.2 km) to RM 1174, ^[1] which was extended southward from Bertram at the same time. ^[3]

Route description

RM 243 begins at RM 1174 in Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge in Burnet County. ^[4] The road proceeds northward passing through Oatmeal before crossing the South Fork of the San Gabriel River, then turns to the northeast toward Bertram. ^[5] In Bertram, RM 243 joins SH 29 to the southeast until turning back to the northeast along N. Grave St. joining RM 1174. ^[6] On the north edge of town, RM 1174 separates to the north, then RM 243 leaves town to the northeast and crosses the North Fork of the San Gabriel River. ^{[5] [7]} The road then passes through Mahomet before it terminates immediately after crossing into Williamson County at US 183 between Liberty Hill and Biggs. ^[7]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi [6]	km	Destinations	Notes
Burnet	​	0	0.0	RM 1174  – Bertram	Western terminus at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
	Bertram	7.9	12.7	SH 29 west – Burnet	Begin overlay of SH 29
		8.0	12.9	SH 29 east / RM 1174 south (N. Grange St.) – Liberty Hill	End overlay of SH 29, begin overlay of RM 1174
		8.5	13.7	RM 1174 north (N. Main St.)	End overlay of RM 1174
Williamson	​	20.7	33.3	US 183  – Austin, Briggs	Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

• U.S. Roads portal
• Texas portal

1. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Ranch to Market Road No. 243". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation . Retrieved 2010-11-13.
2. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 183". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation . Retrieved 2010-11-13.
3. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Ranch to Market Road No. 1174". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation . Retrieved 2010-11-13.
4. County Grid Map (Map) (2010 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 429–430. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-12. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
5. Llano, Texas (PDF) (Map) (1992 ed.). 1:100,000. 30x60 minute series (topographic). United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2010-11-13.
6. Google (2010-11-13). "Route of RM 243" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
7. Taylor, Texas (PDF) (Map) (1985 ed.). 1:100,000. 30x60 minute series (topographic). United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2010-11-13.