Farm to Market Road 78 is a 30.205 mi (48.6 km) farm-to-market road connecting San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

 and Seguin

Seguin, Texas

Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

.

Route description

The western terminus of FM 78 is in Bexar County

Bexar County, Texas

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...

, near Fort Sam Houston

Fort Sam Houston

Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....

 and the southern end of the concurrency of Interstates 35

Interstate 35 in Texas

Interstate 35 in Texas is a major north–south Interstate Highway running from Laredo near the United States-Mexico border to the Red River north of Gainesville where it crosses into Oklahoma. Along its route, it passes through the cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Waco before it splits into two...

 and 410

Interstate 410

Interstate 410 is a loop route of Interstate 10 around San Antonio, Texas. It is identified as Connally Loop in honor of former Texas governor John Connally...

 in San Antonio. Access to FM 78 is available from IH 35 Exit #162 and from IH 410 Exit #31A (southbound) and #32 (northbound). Heading in a northeasterly direction, the route briefly enters Kirby

Kirby, Texas

Kirby is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is an enclave of San Antonio and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Founded as an agricultural settlement along the Southern Pacific railroad, the city was transformed into a suburban community upon its incorporation...

 before reentering San Antonio. FM 78 crosses into Converse

Converse, Texas

Converse is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Converse is located at ....

 and then Universal City

Universal City, Texas

Universal City is a city in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It borders San Antonio to the northeast, and is adjacent to Randolph Air Force Base. The population was 14,849 at the 2000 census. Through Universal City is Pat Booker Road, the commercial thoroughfare of the city...

, where it has a junction with Loop 1604. Outside of the loop, the route borders the north edge of Randolph Air Force Base

Randolph Air Force Base

Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....

. FM 78 then enters Guadalupe County

Guadalupe County, Texas

Guadalupe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 89,023. It is named for the Guadalupe River. The seat of the county is Seguin. It was founded in 1846....

 and passes through Schertz

Schertz, Texas

Schertz is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population was 31,465 at the 2010 census.On July 16, 2007 CNNMoney.com rated Schertz one of the best places to live in the United States...

, Cibolo

Cibolo, Texas

Cibolo is a city in Guadalupe County in the U.S. state of Texas.-Schools:The City of Cibolo is served by the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District .Maxine and Lutrell Watts ElementaryO.G. Wiederstein Elementary...

, Santa Clara

Santa Clara, Texas

Santa Clara is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 889 at the 2000 census. Santa Clara's population is estimated at 991 people in 2007...

, Marion

Marion, Texas

Marion is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,099 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:The city is named in for Marion Dove, whose grandfather, Joshua W...

, and McQueeney

McQueeney, Texas

McQueeney is a census-designated place in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,527 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

. The highway then crosses the Guadalupe River

Guadalupe River (Texas)

The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...

 and enters the city of Seguin. It has a junction with IH 10

Interstate 10 in Texas

Interstate 10 is the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. In the U.S. state of Texas, it runs east from El Paso, near the border with New Mexico, through San Antonio and Houston to the border with Louisiana in Orange, Texas....

 at Exit #607, an interchange it shares with SH 46. FM 78 continues eastward into Seguin along West New Braunfels Street and then southward on 8th Street before reaching its terminus at US 90.

FM 78 provides a connection (in conjunction with IH 35) between central San Antonio and Randolph Air Force Base. It also provides an alternate route (versus IH 10 and Loop 1604) between Seguin and portions of the northeastern San Antonio metropolitan area. Between San Antonio and Cibolo, FM 78 is a four-lane road, dropping to a two-lane road until McQueeney, before becoming a four-lane divided route to IH 10/SH 46.

History

Present-day FM 78 is part of what was the much longer original SH 3 designated in 1917. Most of this route was usurped by US 90 during the mass redescription of the state's highway system in 1939, while FM 78 was designated in 1943 over the portion of SH 3 which ran from FM 25 (now part of SH 46) in western Seguin to SH 218 at what was then known as Randolph Field. In 1947, the western terminus was extended to Loop 13 (the northern section of which would become IH 410 in the Interstate era), and the extension to IH 35 occurred in 1977. The route was extended eastward into Seguin along New Braunfels and 8th Streets to its current terminus at US 90 in 1979.

In 1995, the mileage of the section from IH 35 to FM 3009 in Schertz was officially transferred to Urban Road 78 (UR 78); however, as with other urban roads, TxDOT continues to sign the route with the "Farm Road" shield.

An older segment of FM 78 became Loop 539 in 1996, when the alignment of FM 78 in southern Cibolo was shifted to the south.

Major intersections

County	Location	Mile	Junction	Notes
Bexar Bexar County, Texas As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...	San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...	0.0		Western terminus
		0.5
	Converse Converse, Texas Converse is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Converse is located at ....	7.4
		8.6
	Universal City Universal City, Texas Universal City is a city in Bexar and Guadalupe Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It borders San Antonio to the northeast, and is adjacent to Randolph Air Force Base. The population was 14,849 at the 2000 census. Through Universal City is Pat Booker Road, the commercial thoroughfare of the city...	9.2
		10.4
		11.3
Guadalupe Guadalupe County, Texas Guadalupe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 89,023. It is named for the Guadalupe River. The seat of the county is Seguin. It was founded in 1846....	Schertz Schertz, Texas Schertz is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population was 31,465 at the 2010 census.On July 16, 2007 CNNMoney.com rated Schertz one of the best places to live in the United States...	12.0
		12.7
	Cibolo Cibolo, Texas Cibolo is a city in Guadalupe County in the U.S. state of Texas.-Schools:The City of Cibolo is served by the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District .Maxine and Lutrell Watts ElementaryO.G. Wiederstein Elementary...	13.6
		14.1		Former alignment of FM 78
		14.9		Former alignment of FM 78
	Marion Marion, Texas Marion is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,099 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:The city is named in for Marion Dove, whose grandfather, Joshua W...	19.7
		22.7
	McQueeney McQueeney, Texas McQueeney is a census-designated place in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,527 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...	25.9		West end of FM 725 concurrency
	McQueeney McQueeney, Texas McQueeney is a census-designated place in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,527 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...	26.1		East end of FM 725 concurrency
	Seguin Seguin, Texas Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...	27.0
		28.6
		28.8
		30.2		Eastern terminus