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State Highway 48 (Texas)
Encyclopedia
State Highway 48 or SH 48 runs from Brownsville
to Port Isabel
in Deep South Texas.
on the west side of Brownsville. the road travels east through Brownsville on Boca Chica Boulevard, intersecting the main route of US 77 and US 83. It turns northeast at an intersection with SH 4 and past the Port of Brownsville (the former routing travels through the port grounds). The route then travels across the sandy flats near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
, before reaching its eastern terminus at SH 100 on the far northwestern edge of Port Isabel
. By 1933, this route was redesignated as an extension of SH 47. SH 48 was instead routed from Pharr
through Harlingen to Brownsville, along the current route of U.S. Highway 83 (then U.S. Highway 96). In 1936, this route was swapped with SH 4
, which ran closer to the Rio Grande River along Military Highway, and was extended east out of the city to the Port of Brownsville. In 1938, it was replaced by US 281 except for the section from Brownsville to the port. In 1990, it was officially extended 15 miles (24.1 km) to near Port Isabel
, replacing Farm to Market Road 1792, although some maps have this occurring by 1975.
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
to Port Isabel
Port Isabel, Texas
Port Isabel is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas...
in Deep South Texas.
Route description
SH 48 begins at an intersection with Business Route 77 and the southern terminus of U.S. Route 281U.S. Route 281
U.S. Route 281 is a north–south United States highway. At 1,872 miles long it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route....
on the west side of Brownsville. the road travels east through Brownsville on Boca Chica Boulevard, intersecting the main route of US 77 and US 83. It turns northeast at an intersection with SH 4 and past the Port of Brownsville (the former routing travels through the port grounds). The route then travels across the sandy flats near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, before reaching its eastern terminus at SH 100 on the far northwestern edge of Port Isabel
Route history
SH 48 was originally designated by 1926 from Daingerfield east through Linden to Atlanta as a renumbering of a portion of SH 1AState Highway 1 (Texas)
State Highway 1 was a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas. There has been no State Highway 1 since 1952 ; the number "may only be assigned by the Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation or the Transportation Commission."-History:SH 1 was assigned in 1917 as one of the...
. By 1933, this route was redesignated as an extension of SH 47. SH 48 was instead routed from Pharr
Pharr, Texas
Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 70,400. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas...
through Harlingen to Brownsville, along the current route of U.S. Highway 83 (then U.S. Highway 96). In 1936, this route was swapped with SH 4
State Highway 4 (Texas)
State Highway 4 or SH 4 is an east–west state highway that runs from the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville to the Gulf of Mexico at Boca Chica State Park. Outside of Brownsville, it parallels the Rio Grande river...
, which ran closer to the Rio Grande River along Military Highway, and was extended east out of the city to the Port of Brownsville. In 1938, it was replaced by US 281 except for the section from Brownsville to the port. In 1990, it was officially extended 15 miles (24.1 km) to near Port Isabel
Port Isabel, Texas
Port Isabel is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas...
, replacing Farm to Market Road 1792, although some maps have this occurring by 1975.
Counties and junctions
The entire route is within Cameron CountyCameron County, Texas
Cameron County is the southernmost county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 406,220. Its county seat is Brownsville. Cameron was founded in 1848...
| Location | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brownsville Brownsville, Texas Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of... |
||
| Port Isabel Port Isabel, Texas Port Isabel is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas... |