Farm to Market Road 45, or FM 45, is a state highway

State highway

State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 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...

 that runs from US 190 in Richland Springs

Richland Springs, Texas

Richland Springs is a town in San Saba County in Western Central Texas. The population was 350 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richland Springs is located at ....

 north to US 377 about 5 miles south of Brownwood

Brownwood, Texas

Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...

. FM 45 forms a portion of the partial beltway that goes around the southeast side of Brownwood (the rest is formed by FM 2126

Farm to Market Road 2126

Farm to Market Road 2126 or FM 2126 is a state highway in the U.S. State of Texas that funs from FM 45 east to a junction with U.S. Highways 84 and 183...

).

Route description

FM 45 starts at US 190 about 14.7 miles west of San Saba

San Saba, Texas

San Saba is a town located in Central Texas. It was settled in 1854 and named for its location on the San Saba River. The population was at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of San Saba County...

 and heads northbound through Richland Springs to Main Ave. where the road briefly turns east for one block before continuing northbound. After exiting Richland Springs, FM 45 traverses the rural landscape with a daytime speed limit

Speed limit

Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...

 of 70 MPH. Halfway to Brownwood, FM 45 crosses the Colorado River

Colorado River (Texas)

The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....

 from San Saba County

San Saba County, Texas

San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Western Central Texas. In 2010, its population was 6,131. Its county seat is San Saba. It is named for the San Saba River, which flows through the county.-History:...

 into Brown County

Brown County, Texas

Brown County is a county in West Central Texas. As of 2000, the population was 37,674. Its county seat is Brownwood. Brown is named for Henry Stevenson Brown, a commander at the Battle of Velasco...

. At its junction with FM 2126, FM 45 continues west to US 377 with a speed limit of 65 MPH.

FM 45 provides Brownwood with a direct link to Richland Springs and San Saba (and vice versa). The highway shortens the trip between Brownwood and Richland Springs from 54 miles (going through Brady) to 34 miles.

History

Before Farm to Market Roads were built, one of the first bridges across the Colorado River in this area is the Regency Bridge

Regency Bridge

The Regency Bridge, locally known as the "Swinging Bridge," is a one-lane suspension bridge over the Colorado River in Texas. It is located at the intersection of Mills County Road 433 and San Saba County Road 137, both gravel roads, near a small community called Regency. The bridge saddles Mills...

. A historical marker

Historical marker

A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...

 was erected by TxDOT

Texas Department of Transportation

The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...

 at the junction of FM 45 and FM 574 that talks about the bridge.

Intersections

County	City	Mile	Road/Destination	Notes
San Saba San Saba County, Texas San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Western Central Texas. In 2010, its population was 6,131. Its county seat is San Saba. It is named for the San Saba River, which flows through the county.-History:...	Richland Springs Richland Springs, Texas Richland Springs is a town in San Saba County in Western Central Texas. The population was 350 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richland Springs is located at ....	0.0	US 190 - San Saba San Saba, Texas San Saba is a town located in Central Texas. It was settled in 1854 and named for its location on the San Saba River. The population was at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of San Saba County... , Brady Brady, Texas Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. Brady refers to itself as "The Heart of Texas", as it is the closest city to the geographical center of the state. The population was 5,523 at the 2000 census...	Southern Terminus
		3.0	FM 2997 - Lakeview, Wall
		6.1	FM 502
		7.6	FM 500 - Locker, Regency Bridge Regency Bridge The Regency Bridge, locally known as the "Swinging Bridge," is a one-lane suspension bridge over the Colorado River in Texas. It is located at the intersection of Mills County Road 433 and San Saba County Road 137, both gravel roads, near a small community called Regency. The bridge saddles Mills... , Regency
		10.1	FM 765
Bridge over Colorado River Colorado River (Texas) The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
Brown Brown County, Texas Brown County is a county in West Central Texas. As of 2000, the population was 37,674. Its county seat is Brownwood. Brown is named for Henry Stevenson Brown, a commander at the Battle of Velasco...		13.4	FM 547 - Goldthwaite Goldthwaite, Texas Goldthwaite is a small city located in Mills County in Central Texas. The population was 1,802 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mills County, which is named for John T. Mills, a justice of the Supreme Court for the Third, Seventh, and Eighth districts of the former Republic of Texas....
		14.9	FM 586
	Brownwood Brownwood, Texas Brownwood is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Texas, United States. The population was 18,813 at the 2000 census.-History:The original site of the Brown County seat of Brownwood was on the east of Pecan Bayou. A dispute arose over land and water rights, and the settlers were forced...	28.3	FM 2126 Farm to Market Road 2126 Farm to Market Road 2126 or FM 2126 is a state highway in the U.S. State of Texas that funs from FM 45 east to a junction with U.S. Highways 84 and 183...  - Early Early, Texas Early is a city located in Brown County in West Central Texas. The population was 2,588 at the 2000 census. It is named for Walter U. Early, who donated land for the schools. Home to Early ISD...
		30.7	US 377 - Brady, Brownwood	Northern Terminus