 U.S. Route 181 | |
|---|---|
 US 181 highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Auxiliary route ofUS 81 | |
| Length | 136.76 mi[1] (220.09 km) |
| Existed | 1927[1]–present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |   I-37 /SH 35 atCorpus Christi |
| Major intersections | |
| North end | I-37 nearSan Antonio |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Counties | Nueces,San Patricio,Bee,Karnes,Wilson,Bexar |
| Highway system | |
U.S. Highway 181 is a south–northU.S. Highway located entirely in the state ofTexas. Both termini are atInterstate 37 (I-37), the road that it mainly parallels to the east. Its southern terminus is at I-37 inCorpus Christi near theGulf of Mexico. Its northern terminus is at I-37 on the south side ofSan Antonio; prior to the Interstate era, US 181 traveled intoDowntown San Antonio along Presa Street to an intersection with its parent route,US 81, which then ran along Alamo Street.
The southern terminus of US 181 is inCorpus Christi, atI-37; the interchange also servesSH 286. US 181 travels northeast as a freeway, concurrent withSH 35, providing access to thePort of Corpus Christi. The two routes traverse theNew Harbor Bridge over the Nueces Bay Causeway, crossing fromNueces County intoSan Patricio County and the city ofPortland.[2] InGregory, SH 35 splits to the east towardAransas Pass, while US 181 turns to the northwest as adivided highway towardTaft andSinton, where it intersectsUS 77 (futureI-69E).[3][4] North of the community ofSt. Paul, US 181 entersBee County;[5] it passes throughSkidmore, where it intersectsSH 359,[6] before reachingBeeville.[7] US 181 bypasses the city as a freeway to the east, intersectingUS 59 (futureI-69W), while the old alignment through the city serves as abusiness route.[7] Continuing north, the highway passes through the communities ofNormana,Tuleta, andPettus,[8] before crossing intoKarnes County,[9] reachingKenedy and thenKarnes City.[10][11] US 181 runs on the west side of both cities, while business routes serve their respective downtown areas.[10][11] Turning more to the northwest, US 181 passes throughFalls City before crossing intoWilson County and reachingPoth.[12] It subsequently passes through the eastern part ofFloresville; the old route through the center of the city remains part of the state highway system asLoop 181.[13] EnteringBexar County, US 181 passes throughElmendorf,[14] intersectingLoop 1604 near the city limits and the south shore ofCalaveras Lake.[15] Approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) to the northwest, US 181 reaches its northern terminus at another interchange with I-37, just south of that route's interchange withI-410 andUS 281, on the south side ofSan Antonio.[15]
US 181 is one of the original routes accepted byAASHO (now AASHTO) in November 1926. Its original northern terminus was at a junction with its parent,US 81, andUS 90 inDowntown San Antonio. By 1968, the portion between Downtown andLoop 13 had been removed from the state highway system.[1] The completion ofI-37 in San Antonio during the 1970s resulted in the truncation of US 181 to its interchange with that freeway, although the AASHTO route log in 1989 stated that US 181 extended northward along I-37 to a common northern terminus atI-35/US 281. The segment north of this point along Presa Street was transferred toSpur 122.[16]
In 2003, TxDOT began studies to replace theCorpus Christi Harbor Bridge due to maintenance and safety issues as well as to provide long-term access to the Port of Corpus Christi to larger ship vessels (includingPanamax). Construction of theNew Harbor Bridge began on August 8, 2016. The alignment of the new bridge, which lies west of the old bridge, begins at the northern terminus ofSH 286 (exit 1C onI-37) and crosses theCorpus Christi Ship Channel before merging with the current US 181 alignment. Construction was scheduled for completion by spring 2020, but was extensively delayed due to engineering and design issues.[17][18] Construction was completed in June 2025; the southbound lanes opened to motorists on June 28, shifting the southern terminus of US 181 to the interchange of I-37 and SH 286, while the northbound lanes opened on July 8.[19] With the completion of the new bridge, the old Harbor Bridge is slated for demolition.[20]
| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces | Corpus Christi |     I-37 toSH 286 / Shoreline Boulevard / Broadway Street /Spur 544 –Bayfront,Corpus Christi Museum,Airport,San Antonio,Chapman Ranch,Robstown | south end of freeway; south end ofSH 35 concurrency | ||
| Tancahua Street / Staples Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| Port Area | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge overCorpus Christi Channel | |||||
| Burleson Street -Corpus Christi Beach | |||||
| Beach Avenue -Corpus Christi Beach | |||||
| Nueces Bay | Nueces Bay Causeway | ||||
| San Patricio | Portland | Indian Point Park | |||
| Frontage Road | southbound access only | ||||
 FM 893 (Moore Avenue) –Taft | no direct southbound exit (signed at FM 2986) | ||||
 FM 2986 (Wildcat Drive) –Sinton | |||||
| Lang Road | southbound exit only | ||||
 FM 3239 (Buddy Ganem Drive) to Northshore Boulevard /FM 2986 | |||||
| | La Quinta Terminal | northbound access only | |||
| Gregory |    SH 35 north toSH 361 south –Aransas Pass,Rockport,Houston,Port Aransas | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of SH 35 concurrency | |||
| Childress Street / Sunset Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| | ToSH 361 south /SH 35 north (viaSpur 202 /FM 2986) –Ingleside,Port Aransas,Aransas Pass,Houston | Interchange; north end of freeway | |||
| Taft |   FM 631 east | South end of FM 631 concurrency | |||
 FM 631 west (Davis Road) –Odem | South end of FM 631 concurrency | ||||
| |  FM 1074 south | ||||
| Sinton |       SH 89 north /SH 188 east toFuture I-69E /US 77 –Rockport,Refugio,Beeville | Interchange; south end of SH 188 concurrency | |||
 FM 2046 south (Sodville Avenue) | |||||
 Bus. US 77 north (Vineyard Avenue) –Calallen,Corpus Christi | South end of US 77 Bus. concurrency | ||||
| Bus. US 77 south (San Patricio Street) /SH 188 west (Sinton Street) –Mathis,Victoria | North end of US 77 Bus. and SH 188 concurrencies | ||||
| Future I-69E /US 77 –Corpus Christi,Calallen,Victoria,Refugio | interchange; U.S. 77 is the future Interstate 69E | ||||
| SH 89 south –Refugio,Rockport,Gregory | interchange | ||||
| St. Paul |  FM 3089 west | ||||
| Bee | Skidmore |  SH 359 west toI-37 –Mathis,Alice,Lake Corpus Christi State Recreational Area | |||
 FM 797 west (Main Street) | |||||
| |  Bus. US 181 north –Kenedy | interchange; south end of freeway | |||
| | Emily Drive south | northbound exit only | |||
| |  SH 202 –Refugio,George West | ||||
| Beeville |   Future I-69W /US 59 –Laredo,George West,Victoria,Goliad | U.S. 59 is the future Interstate 69W | |||
| |  FM 351 south –George West,Sinton | ||||
| |  FM 3355 (Charco Road) | interchange; north end of freeway | |||
| | Bus. US 181 south –Sinton | ||||
| Tuleta |   FM 1465 west toFM 623 –Mineral | ||||
| Pettus | FM 623 –Mineral | ||||
| Tulsita |  FM 798 west –Pawnee | ||||
| Karnes | |   FM 743 north toFM 623 west /FM 1348 west –Kenedy,Pettus | |||
| Green |  FM 2509 north –Kenedy | ||||
| |  FM 632 east (Allen B. Polunsky Drive) –TDCJ Connally Unit | ||||
| | Bus. US 181 north toFM 2509 –Karnes City,Pettus | ||||
| Kenedy |    FM 1145 /SH 72 Truck east – truck route toSH 239 east /FM 792,Three Rivers,Goliad,Cuero | south end of SH 72 Truck overlap | |||
 SH 72 /SH 239 east –Three Rivers,Goliad,Cuero | north end of SH 72 Truck overlap | ||||
  FM 719 east toFM 792 –Helena | |||||
| Bus. US 181 south –Pettus | |||||
| Karnes City |   SH 80 north /SH 123 north (US 181 Bus. north) –Seguin,Floresville,San Marcos,Luling | ||||
 FM 1353 | |||||
 FM 99 –Coy City,Peggy,Whitsett | |||||
 Bus. US 181 south /FM 1144 west –Floresville,Peggy | |||||
| Hobson |  FM 81 east –Panna Maria,Runge | South end of FM 81 concurrency | |||
| FM 81 west | North end of FM 81 concurrency | ||||
| Falls City |  FM 791 west (West Maverick Street) –Campbellton | ||||
 FM 887 west toFM 791 –Campbellton | South end of FM 887 concurrency | ||||
| FM 887 east –Pawelekville,Gillett | North end of FM 887 concurrency | ||||
| Wilson | Poth |  FM 541 toI-37 –McCoy,Kosciusko | |||
  FM 427 north toFM 537 –Stockdale | |||||
| | FM 537 east –Stockdale | ||||
| |  Loop 181 north (Sgt. Hugo Lange Loop) –Floresville Business District,Pleasanton,San Antonio | ||||
| Floresville |   SH 97 west (Hospital Boulevard) toUS 281 –Pleasanton,Jourdanton | South end of SH 97 concurrency | |||
 SH 97 east /FM 536 west (Standish Street) toUS 281 –Stockdale,Espey | North end of SH 97 concurrency | ||||
| | Loop 181 south (Sgt. Hugo Lange Loop) –Floresville Business District,Pleasanton,Karnes City | ||||
| Calaveras |  FM 775 –La Vernia | ||||
| Bexar | |  Loop 1604 (Anderson Loop) –Elmendorf,Converse | interchange | ||
| | CPS EnergyCalaveras Power Station | interchange | |||
| San Antonio |  Spur 122 north (South Presa Street) | ||||
 I-37 north –San Antonio | I-37 exit 132 | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
US 181 hasbusiness routes inBeeville,Kenedy, andKarnes City. The routes are previous alignments of US 181 through these cities, and were previously designated in the state highway system with other route numbers. The designations were changed to Business US 181 by TxDOT in 1991. Ade facto fourth route, along a former alignment throughFloresville, is designated Loop 181.
Business US 181 in Beeville travels through central Beeville while mainline US 181 uses a freeway bypass to the east of the city. It is officially designated by TxDOT asBusiness US 181-J, and was designated asLoop 516 on May 31, 1973 (which was signed as a business route of US 181), but was changed to Business US 181-J on June 21, 1990.[21][22]
Business US 181 in Kenedy travels through central Kenedy while mainline US 181 passes to the west of the city. It is officially inventoried by TxDOT as two separate routes, with a discontinuity atSH 72.
Although not officially concurrent with SH 72, the signage in the area directs traffic from one segment to the other, effectively completing the loop.
Business US 181 in Karnes City travels northward and then westward through central Karnes City while mainline US 181 skirts the southwestern edge of the city. It is officially inventoried by TxDOT as two separate routes, which connect at the intersection withSH 80 /SH 123 in the east side of the city.
US 181's former alignment in Floresville is inventoried asLoop 181 by TxDOT.[31] The route was designated on October 15, 1946 when US 181 was realigned to the east. The route begins north of the city limits; within the city, it has a brief concurrency withFM 536 and intersectsSH 97 before rejoining US 181 in the southeastern section of the city.[13]
