Texas State Highway 550

Last updated

Texas 550.svg Toll Texas 550 new.svg
State Highway 550
Texas State Highway 550
SH 550 corridor highlighted in red
Route information
Length9.74 mi (15.68 km)
Existed2015[ citation needed ]–present
Major junctions
South end Port of Brownsville
Major intersectionsTexas 48.svg SH 48 near Brownsville
North endI-69E.svgUS 77.svgUS 83.svg I-69E  / US 77  / US 83 in Olmito
Location
Country United States
State Texas
Counties Cameron
Highway system
Texas 495.svg SH 495 I-610.svg I-610

State Highway 550 (SH 550) is a toll road under construction that connects to the Port of Brownsville for 1.5 miles (2.4 km). When SH 550 is complete, it will be a limited-access toll route around the northern and eastern edges of Brownsville and signed as I-169, partly replacing and expanding Farm to Market Road 511 (FM 511). Its purpose is to provide a interstate connection to the Port of Brownsville.

Contents

Route description

SH 550 was constructed on the same routing as FM 511 from its connection with I-69E and US 77/US 83 southeastward to FM 3248. Separated travel lanes, intended to be the frontage roads, were the first stage of construction from I-69E and US 77/US 83 to FM 3248. Flyover bridges have been constructed at FM 1847 and at two rail crossings. The second stage of construction built a new divided limited-access highway, which splits from FM 511 at FM 3248 and travels southeast to a new entry point for the Port of Brownsville, and a new crossover bridge at Old Port Isabel Road. The third stage that will complete the mainlanes on the Stage one portion, and construct exit ramps directly to and from I-69E and US 77/US 83 at Olmito, begun in March and will end in approximately 60 days. [1] The route is a toll route, but the second and third stages of the route are being funded with $36 million of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. [2] According to local authorities in Cameron County, upon full completion, the route will be signed as I-169 as a spur route of I-69E. [3]

History

Previous designation

Texas 550.svg
State Highway 550
Locationwest of Fort Worth - Convair Assembly Plant
ExistedMay 22, 1947–September 26, 1960

SH 550 was previously designated on May 22, 1947, from US 80 west of Fort Worth, eastward via Fort Worth and Dallas to US 67 and US 80 east of Dallas. On July 29, 1953, SH 550 was extended to SH 183. On September 25, 1953, SH 550 was extended north to White Settlement Road. On May 26, 1954, SH 550 was extended west to US 80, and the old route to White Settlement Road became a connection. On April 27, 1955, the connection of SH 550 was extended north from White Settlement Road to the entrance of the Convair Assembly Plant. On October 30, 1958, the section east of the Dallas–Fort Worth Turnpike was canceled. This highway was transferred to I-20 (now I-30) and Spur 341 at the inception of the Interstate Highway System on September 26, 1960.

Current designation

The first segment of SH 550 was opened and designated on July 25, 2008, despite the first stage of construction having been expected to be completed in 2010, with bidding for the final sections. The first phase of the route opened on March 10, 2011, [4] with tolling for the bridge over FM 1847 beginning on May 11, 2011. Phase two, which created a new limited access highway from FM 3248 to a new entrance to the Port of Brownsville, was opened on June 1, 2013.

Future

I-169 is the slated replacement for SH 550 designation and will extend over the SH 550 freeway to the Port of Brownsville to make an interstate connection. Although the route has not been completed, construction for SH 550 to the Port of Brownsville is planned after environmental clearance is completed. [5]

Junction list

The entire route is in Brownsville, Cameron County. All exits are unnumbered.

mikmDestinationsNotes
0.000.00Capt. Donald L. Foust RoadAt-grade intersection; eastern terminus of SH 550; road continues east as Ray Windhaus Road
0.400.64Old State Highway 48At-grade intersection
0.600.97 Port of Brownsville gate
entrance (eastbound traffic)
exit (westbound traffic)
0.661.06Texas 48.svg SH 48
1.422.29East plate.svg
Texas FM 511.svg
FM 511 east
Eastern end of FM 511 frontage roads; southbound exit and northbound entrance
3.495.62Port Isabel RoadCan be accessed via Dr. Hugh Emerson Road exits
6.5410.53Texas FM 3248.svg FM 3248 (Dr. Hugh Emerson Road)
End plate.svg
Texas FM 511.svg
FM 511 ends
Connected to FM 511 & Port Isabel Road exits; western end of FM 511 frontage roads; western terminus of FM 511
6.8811.07Texas FM 1847.svg FM 1847
7.2211.62Old Alice Road
9.7415.68North plate blue.svg
I-69E.svg
North plate.svg
US 77.svg
North plate.svg
US 83.svg
To plate blue.svg
West plate blue.svg
I-2.svg
I-69E north / US 77 north / US 83 north to I-2 west
I-69E exit 10B southbound; western terminus of SH 550
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. "State Adding Connector Routes from Expressway to SH 550". The Brownsville Herald .
  2. Texas Transportation Commission (January 28, 2010). "Minute Order 112119" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation.
  3. Clark, Steve (January 2, 2015). "Big Money Transportation Projects Make Gains in 2014". The Brownsville Herald . Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  4. Sepulveda, Pete Jr. (March 9, 2011). "First Section of SH 550 Toll to Open March 10" (PDF) (Press release). Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 22, 2012.
  5. Taylor, Steve (March 9, 2025). "Sepulveda gives update on Port of Brownsville interstate project". Rio Grande Guardian. Retrieved June 13, 2025.