U.S. Route 90 Alternate (Texas)
Encyclopedia
U.S. Highway 90 Alternate is an alternate route
to U.S. Highway 90 in the U.S. state
of Texas
, running from west of Seguin
east via Seguin, Gonzales
, Hallettsville
, Eagle Lake
, Rosenberg
and Sugar Land
to northeastern Houston
. South of Downtown Houston
, US 90 Alternate is built to freeway and near-freeway standards along a section of South Main Street.
west of Seguin
and heads east through downtown Seguin on Court Street. (US 90 travels on Kingsbury Street, just 15 blocks to the north.) From Seguin to Rosenberg
, US 90 Alternate passes through mainly rural
areas.
Just west of downtown Rosenberg, it merges with Spur 529, part of US Highway 59
until 1976. US 59 used to run concurrent with US 90 Alternate between Rosenberg and southwest of downtown Houston, but it was relocated to the US 59 as construction of the freeway between Houston and Rosenberg was completed in stages from 1961 to 1976.
After Rosenberg, US 90 Alternate passes through Richmond
, Sugar Land
, Stafford
and Missouri City
before entering Houston. There it crosses the Sam Houston Tollway into the Houston City Limits and becomes South Main Street. A few miles down, the highway meets the current northern terminus of the Fort Bend Toll Road. The short controlled-access highway portion of US 90 Alternate—part of which has local access (right-in/right-out
), but no median breaks - currently begins just before the Sam Houston Tollway and ends just short of Interstate 610. The controlled access portion, with the section between Interstate Highway 610 to just west of Holmes Road was completed in 2002 and the section from just west of Holmes Road to just east of the Sam Houston Tollway completed in 2007 has 6 lanes without interior or exterior shoulder lanes, plus exit lanes and a maximum speed limit of 55 mi/h for most of its length. These portions were previously a four-lane divided highway with exterior shoulder lanes, crossovers, and at grade crossings with major thoroughfares.
North of I-610, US 90A becomes the widest street in Houston with 10 through lanes and several turning lanes. This section, previously a four-lane divided highway, was upgraded to its current width between 1999 and 2001. Further north, US 90 Alternate splits from South Main Street onto Old Spanish Trail
(O.S.T.), becoming a six lane boulevard heading east to cross State Highway 288
(South Freeway) with a grade separated street-to-street intersection with Griggs Road, and meets the southern terminus of Spur 5 adjacent to the campus of the University of Houston
. After crossing Spur 5, it turns into a four-lane undivided road, crossing Brays Bayou and turning northeast onto Wayside Drive, crossing Interstate Highway 45 (Gulf Freeway). Between Polk Street until after crossing over the ship channel, it divides into two one way streets. US 90 Alternate West (southbound) is Wayside Drive while US 90 Alternate East (northbound) goes down S/SGT Macario Garcia (formerly 69th Street). At Interstate Highway 10/U.S. Highway 90 (East Freeway), US 90 Alternate turns east to multiplex with I-10/US 90 for a short jog, then turning north onto McCarty Street. US 90 Alternate ends at the junction with Interstate Highway 610 in northeastern Houston, where Business U.S. Highway 90-U continues northeast on McCarty Street. (Business US 90 is temporarily serving as part of US 90 until the Crosby Freeway is completed; US 90 comes from the south on IH 610 and exits at McCarty Street.)
}
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|Interchange
|-
|Stafford
|
|-
|Missouri City
|
|Interchange
|-
|rowspan=19|Harris
|rowspan=19|Houston
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|Interchange
|-
|Post Oak Road
|Interchange
|-
|Hiram Clarke Road
|Interchange
|-
|Stella Link Road, Willow Bend Boulevard
|Interchange
|-
|O'Meara Drive
|Interchange
|-
|
|-
|Buffalo Speedway
|-
|
|-
| – Downtown
|-
|Griggs Road
|Interchange
|-
|
|-
| – University of Houston
|-
| – Downtown
, Galveston
|-
|Lawndale Street
|Interchange
|-
|Clinton Drive
|Interchange
|-
|Palestine Street
|Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
| – Downtown
, Beaumont
|-
|
|}
Alternate route
An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Route system and various state route systems...
to U.S. Highway 90 in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
, running from west of 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...
east via Seguin, Gonzales
Gonzales, Texas
Gonzales is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,202 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gonzales County.-Geography:Gonzales is located at...
, Hallettsville
Hallettsville, Texas
Hallettsville is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,345 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lavaca County. The town is home to the Texas Championship Domino Hall of Fame and also hosts a dominoes tournament every year in January...
, Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake, Texas
Eagle Lake is a city in southeastern Colorado County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,664 at the 2000 census. It is home to a golf course, the largest private lake in Texas, and the Eagle Lake Regional Airport, which services light aircraft....
, Rosenberg
Rosenberg, Texas
Rosenberg is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Fort Bend County and is part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 31,676 at the 2010 census...
and Sugar Land
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
to northeastern Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. South of Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, US 90 Alternate is built to freeway and near-freeway standards along a section of South Main Street.
Route description
US 90 Alternate begins at U.S. Highway 90 and Farm to Market Road 464Farm to Market Road 464
Farm to Market Road 464 is a farm-to-market road in Seguin, Texas.-Route description:The western end of FM 464 is at a dead end near the banks of the Guadalupe River, at the community of Nolte. The route travels east along the Seguin city limits, intersecting before crossing Interstate 10 at...
west of 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...
and heads east through downtown Seguin on Court Street. (US 90 travels on Kingsbury Street, just 15 blocks to the north.) From Seguin to Rosenberg
Rosenberg, Texas
Rosenberg is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Fort Bend County and is part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 31,676 at the 2010 census...
, US 90 Alternate passes through mainly rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas.
Just west of downtown Rosenberg, it merges with Spur 529, part of US Highway 59
U.S. Route 59 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, U.S. 59 is named the Lloyd Bentsen Highway, after Lloyd Bentsen, former U.S. Senator from Texas. In northern Houston, US 59 is the Eastex Freeway...
until 1976. US 59 used to run concurrent with US 90 Alternate between Rosenberg and southwest of downtown Houston, but it was relocated to the US 59 as construction of the freeway between Houston and Rosenberg was completed in stages from 1961 to 1976.
After Rosenberg, US 90 Alternate passes through Richmond
Richmond, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile...
, Sugar Land
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
, Stafford
Stafford, Texas
Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
and Missouri City
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
before entering Houston. There it crosses the Sam Houston Tollway into the Houston City Limits and becomes South Main Street. A few miles down, the highway meets the current northern terminus of the Fort Bend Toll Road. The short controlled-access highway portion of US 90 Alternate—part of which has local access (right-in/right-out
Right-in/right-out
Right-in/right-out and left-in/left-out refer to a type of road intersection where turning movements of vehicles are restricted. A RIRO permits only right turns and a LILO permits only left turns. RIRO is usual where vehicles drive on the right, and LILO is usual where vehicles drive on the left...
), but no median breaks - currently begins just before the Sam Houston Tollway and ends just short of Interstate 610. The controlled access portion, with the section between Interstate Highway 610 to just west of Holmes Road was completed in 2002 and the section from just west of Holmes Road to just east of the Sam Houston Tollway completed in 2007 has 6 lanes without interior or exterior shoulder lanes, plus exit lanes and a maximum speed limit of 55 mi/h for most of its length. These portions were previously a four-lane divided highway with exterior shoulder lanes, crossovers, and at grade crossings with major thoroughfares.
North of I-610, US 90A becomes the widest street in Houston with 10 through lanes and several turning lanes. This section, previously a four-lane divided highway, was upgraded to its current width between 1999 and 2001. Further north, US 90 Alternate splits from South Main Street onto Old Spanish Trail
Old Spanish Trail (auto trail)
The Old Spanish Trail auto highway once spanned the country with a full of roadway from ocean to ocean crossing 67 counties and eight states along the Southern border of the United States. Work on the auto highway began in 1915 and, by the 1920s, the trail linked St. Augustine, Florida, to San...
(O.S.T.), becoming a six lane boulevard heading east to cross State Highway 288
State Highway 288 (Texas)
State Highway 288, or SH 288, is a north–south highway in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Texas, between I-45 in downtown Houston and Freeport, where it terminates on FM 1495...
(South Freeway) with a grade separated street-to-street intersection with Griggs Road, and meets the southern terminus of Spur 5 adjacent to the campus of the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
. After crossing Spur 5, it turns into a four-lane undivided road, crossing Brays Bayou and turning northeast onto Wayside Drive, crossing Interstate Highway 45 (Gulf Freeway). Between Polk Street until after crossing over the ship channel, it divides into two one way streets. US 90 Alternate West (southbound) is Wayside Drive while US 90 Alternate East (northbound) goes down S/SGT Macario Garcia (formerly 69th Street). At Interstate Highway 10/U.S. Highway 90 (East Freeway), US 90 Alternate turns east to multiplex with I-10/US 90 for a short jog, then turning north onto McCarty Street. US 90 Alternate ends at the junction with Interstate Highway 610 in northeastern Houston, where Business U.S. Highway 90-U continues northeast on McCarty Street. (Business US 90 is temporarily serving as part of US 90 until the Crosby Freeway is completed; US 90 comes from the south on IH 610 and exits at McCarty Street.)
Junction list
| County | Location | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.... |
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... |
– San Antonio, Luling Luling, Texas Luling is a city in Caldwell County, Texas, United States, along the San Marcos River. The population was 5,080 at the 2000 census. There is some debate as to how Luling got its name. Some say it was named for a Chinese railroad worker, others for a judge named Luling, or that it was the maiden... |
|
| Gonzales Gonzales County, Texas Gonzales County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 18,628. It is named for its seat, the city of Gonzales.-History Timeline:* Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers, and later Coahuiltecan, Tonkawa, Karankawa... |
Belmont Belmont, Texas Belmont is an unincorporated community in Gonzales County, Texas, United States located on Alternate US 90 10 miles west of Gonzales, Texas. Although it is unincorporated, Belmont has a post office, with the ZIP code of 78604.-External links:... |
||
| Gonzales Gonzales, Texas Gonzales is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,202 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gonzales County.-Geography:Gonzales is located at... |
|||
| Lavaca | |||
| Shiner Shiner, Texas Shiner is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The town was named after Henry B. Shiner who donated for railroad right of way. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 2,070.... |
|||
| West end of US-Alt 77 overlap | |||
| East end of US-Alt 77 overlap; west end of US 77 overlap | |||
| Halletsville Hallettsville, Texas Hallettsville is a city in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,345 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lavaca County. The town is home to the Texas Championship Domino Hall of Fame and also hosts a dominoes tournament every year in January... |
East end of US 77 overlap | ||
| Sublime Sublime, Texas Sublime is an unincorporated community in Lavaca County, Texas, United States. Although it is unincorporated, Sublime has a post office, with the ZIP code of 77986.-External links:... |
|||
| Colorado | Sheridan Sheridan, Texas Sheridan is an unincorporated community in Colorado County, Texas, United States.-External links :* official website... |
||
| Rock Island Rock Island, Texas Rock Island, Texas may refer to the following places:*Rock Island, Colorado County, Texas*Rock Island, Polk County, Texas*Rock Island, Washington County, Texas... |
|||
| Eagle Lake Eagle Lake, Texas Eagle Lake is a city in southeastern Colorado County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,664 at the 2000 census. It is home to a golf course, the largest private lake in Texas, and the Eagle Lake Regional Airport, which services light aircraft.... |
|||
| Wharton | |||
| East Bernard East Bernard, Texas East Bernard is a city in Wharton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,729 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Bernard is located at .... |
|||
| Fort Bend Fort Bend County, Texas Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S... |
Rosenberg Rosenberg, Texas Rosenberg is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Fort Bend County and is part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 31,676 at the 2010 census... |
West end of SH 36 overlap | |
| East end of SH 36 overlap | |||
| Richmond Richmond, Texas -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile... |
|||
| Sugar Land Sugar Land, Texas Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a... |
|||
|-
|
|-
|
|-
|
|Interchange
|-
|Stafford
Stafford, Texas
Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
|
|-
|Missouri City
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
|
|Interchange
|-
|rowspan=19|Harris
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
|rowspan=19|Houston
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|Interchange
|-
|Post Oak Road
|Interchange
|-
|Hiram Clarke Road
|Interchange
|-
|Stella Link Road, Willow Bend Boulevard
|Interchange
|-
|O'Meara Drive
|Interchange
|-
|
|-
|Buffalo Speedway
Buffalo Speedway
Buffalo Speedway is a street in Houston, Texas. It starts in the upper class River Oaks neighborhood on the west side of Houston at an with Westheimer Road. It ends at West Bellfort Street on the southwest side...
|-
|
|-
| – Downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
|-
|Griggs Road
|Interchange
|-
|
|-
| – University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
|-
| – Downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
|-
|Lawndale Street
|Interchange
|-
|Clinton Drive
|Interchange
|-
|Palestine Street
|Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
| – Downtown
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
|-
|
|}
External links
- Feldstein, Dan. "South Main widening to `super street' may start in late '97/8-lane road not without opponents concerned with traffic, noise." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. Monday August 12, 1996. A17. - Staff. "Squeeze to be put on South Main commuters." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. Thursday July 13, 2000. A27.