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State Highway 54 (Texas)
Encyclopedia
State Highway 54 or SH 54 is a 55.2 miles (88.8 km) highway maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
that runs from Interstate 10
and U.S. Route 90
in Van Horn
north to US 62
and US 180
between Salt Flat
and Pine Springs
near Guadalupe Mountains National Park
. The route, located in western Culberson County
, is largely isolated passing through no cities or towns beyond Van Horn and intersecting no other highways between Van Horn and its northern terminus. Within Van Horn, the route has intersections with Business Interstate 10-D and Farm to Market Road 2185
.
The route was established early in the history of the Texas highway system
originally beginning in Alpine
and ending at the New Mexico
state line near Carlsbad, NM
. The route's length and termini have changed over the years as have the roads with which it intersect largely due to two factors. First in the early years was the development of the United States Highway system
which incorporated many parts of the former length of the route and even resulted in the brief elimination of SH 54 as well as other former state highways it intersected. Later was the construction of I-10 at Van Horn that caused SH 54 to be extended to meet the Interstate and resulted ultimately in the realignment and eventual decommissioning of US 80 in western Texas and changes in the designation of the former route of US 80 through the town.
by way of Fort Stockton
, Sonora
, and Brady
. In 1919, another proposal incorporated a route called SH 12 from New Mexico through Van Horn and then south to the Rio Grande
. The road would then run parallel with the river to Brownsville
and then travel along the Gulf Coast
to Houston
. In 1922, a further revision aligned this route similar to the current US 90 between Van Horn and Del Rio
.
SH 54 was originally established as a highway beginning at SH 3 in Alpine following the current US 90 to SH 1 in Van Horn, and then the present SH 54 and along US 62 and US 180 to the New Mexico state line near Carlsbad, NM. This original designation occurred sometime between 1924 when the state assumed maintenance responsibilities for state highways and 1926. Between 1926 and 1928, SH 130, a predecessor of US 62 and US 180 was constructed from the present northern terminus of SH 54 west to El Paso
.
Over the next several years, many changes to the route were spurred by the creation of the United States Highway system. In 1927, US 90 was newly designated in Texas over a route that replaced the portion of SH 54 between Alpine and the combined route of the new US 80 and SH 1 in Van Horn. SH 3 was realigned westward concurrently
with US 90 to Van Horn. In 1932, US 62 was created along SH 54 from the state line to SH 130 and then along SH 130 to El Paso. SH 54 and SH 130 kept their designations as concurrent routes to US 62. Between 1936 and 1940, US 90 was extended northward through Van Horn to US 62. SH 54 and intersecting routes SH 1, SH 3, and SH 130 were all decommissioned in favor of their redundant U.S. highway routes. The decommissioning of SH 54 was short lived as US 90 was shortened in 1940 back to its previous terminus at US 80 in Van Horn, and SH 54 was again designated between Van Horn and US 62. In 1943, US 180 was designated over the route of US 62 at the northern terminus of SH 54. In 1953, construction began on FM 2185 from SH 54 in Van Horn into northeastern Culberson County.
Changes to the route and its intersecting highways occurred again after the construction of the I-10 bypass at Van Horn. In 1975, US 80 was realigned along I-10 with its former route through town designated as State Highway Loop 519 although it was signed as US 80 Business. The following year, SH 54 was extended southward to terminate at I-10. In 1990, the designation of Loop 519 was changed to Bus. I-10-D. One year later, US 80 was decommissioned throughout western Texas.
North of town, the route passes through a gap between the Beach Mountains and the Baylor Mountains and then emerges onto a large salt basin. The route follows the western edge of the basin east of the Sierra Diablo and the Texas Parks and Recreation Department's
Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area until the route reaches its northern terminus at US 62 and US 180 between Salt Flat and Pine Springs near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Between Van Horn and its northern terminus, the route is isolated encountering no major intersections. Beyond Van Horn, the only community along the route is the ghost town
of Daugherty 30 miles (48 km) north of town.
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...
that runs from Interstate 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....
and U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 in Texas
US 90 is a major east-west highway in the US state of Texas with large portions of it running concurrently with I-10. US 90 begins at I-10 in Van Horn, travels through the two largest cities in Texas, San Antonio and Houston, and continues on into the state of Louisiana.-Van Horn to San Antonio:US...
in Van Horn
Van Horn, Texas
Van Horn is a town in and the county seat of Culberson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Van Horn is located at ....
north to US 62
U.S. Route 62
U.S. Route 62 runs from the US-Mexico border at El Paso, Texas to Niagara Falls, New York, near the United States-Canada border. It is the only east-west US Route that connects Mexico and Canada.Parts of U.S...
and US 180
U.S. Route 180
U.S. Route 180 is an east–west United States highway. Like many three-digit routes, US 180 no longer meets its "parent", US 80. US 80 was decommissioned west of Mesquite, Texas, and was replaced in Texas by Interstate 20 and Interstate 10. The highway's eastern terminus is in Hudson Oaks,...
between Salt Flat
Salt Flat, Texas
Salt Flat is an unincorporated community in northeastern Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. It lies along the concurrent U.S. Routes 62 and 180 north of the CDP of Sierra Blanca, the county seat of Hudspeth County. Its elevation is 3,730 feet . Although Salt Flat is unincorporated, it...
and Pine Springs
Pine Springs, Texas
Pine Springs is an unincorporated community in northern Culberson County, Texas, United States. It is the closest settlement to the headquarters of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in the state of Texas. Pine Springs is located on U.S. Routes 62...
near Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at in elevation. It also contains El Capitan, long used as a landmark by people traveling along the old route later followed by the Butterfield Overland...
. The route, located in western Culberson County
Culberson County, Texas
Culberson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,975. Culberson was founded in 1911. It is named for David B. Culberson, a lawyer and Confederate soldier in the American...
, is largely isolated passing through no cities or towns beyond Van Horn and intersecting no other highways between Van Horn and its northern terminus. Within Van Horn, the route has intersections with Business Interstate 10-D and Farm to Market Road 2185
Farm to Market Road 2185
FM 2185 is a 42-mile farm to market road entirely in Culberson County in West Texas.-Route description:The southern terminus of FM 2185 is at in Van Horn. FM 2118 follows E. 9th St. east out of Van Horn towards Culberson County Airport. Approximately 15 miles east of Van Horn, FM 2185 turns...
.
The route was established early in the history of the Texas highway system
Texas state highways
Texas state highways are a network of highways owned and maintained by the U.S. state of Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation is the state agency responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the system. In addition to the nationally-numbered Interstate highways and U.S...
originally beginning in Alpine
Alpine, Texas
Alpine is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.-History:...
and ending at the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
state line near Carlsbad, NM
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
. The route's length and termini have changed over the years as have the roads with which it intersect largely due to two factors. First in the early years was the development of the United States Highway system
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
which incorporated many parts of the former length of the route and even resulted in the brief elimination of SH 54 as well as other former state highways it intersected. Later was the construction of I-10 at Van Horn that caused SH 54 to be extended to meet the Interstate and resulted ultimately in the realignment and eventual decommissioning of US 80 in western Texas and changes in the designation of the former route of US 80 through the town.
History
This route was originally proposed in 1917 as part of a potential SH 10 beginning at the New Mexico state line, then proceeding south to Van Horn then southwest to Alpine before changing course to the northeast terminating in Fort WorthFort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
by way of Fort Stockton
Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....
, Sonora
Sonora, Texas
Sonora is the county seat of Sutton County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,924 at the 2000 census.Former State Senator and Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant was reared in Sonora and graduated from high school there.-Geography and climate:Sonora is located at ...
, and 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...
. In 1919, another proposal incorporated a route called SH 12 from New Mexico through Van Horn and then south to the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. The road would then run parallel with the river to 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...
and then travel along the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
to 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 ...
. In 1922, a further revision aligned this route similar to the current US 90 between Van Horn and Del Rio
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a border city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, United States.. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña via the Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge...
.
SH 54 was originally established as a highway beginning at SH 3 in Alpine following the current US 90 to SH 1 in Van Horn, and then the present SH 54 and along US 62 and US 180 to the New Mexico state line near Carlsbad, NM. This original designation occurred sometime between 1924 when the state assumed maintenance responsibilities for state highways and 1926. Between 1926 and 1928, SH 130, a predecessor of US 62 and US 180 was constructed from the present northern terminus of SH 54 west to El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
.
Over the next several years, many changes to the route were spurred by the creation of the United States Highway system. In 1927, US 90 was newly designated in Texas over a route that replaced the portion of SH 54 between Alpine and the combined route of the new US 80 and SH 1 in Van Horn. SH 3 was realigned westward concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with US 90 to Van Horn. In 1932, US 62 was created along SH 54 from the state line to SH 130 and then along SH 130 to El Paso. SH 54 and SH 130 kept their designations as concurrent routes to US 62. Between 1936 and 1940, US 90 was extended northward through Van Horn to US 62. SH 54 and intersecting routes SH 1, SH 3, and SH 130 were all decommissioned in favor of their redundant U.S. highway routes. The decommissioning of SH 54 was short lived as US 90 was shortened in 1940 back to its previous terminus at US 80 in Van Horn, and SH 54 was again designated between Van Horn and US 62. In 1943, US 180 was designated over the route of US 62 at the northern terminus of SH 54. In 1953, construction began on FM 2185 from SH 54 in Van Horn into northeastern Culberson County.
Changes to the route and its intersecting highways occurred again after the construction of the I-10 bypass at Van Horn. In 1975, US 80 was realigned along I-10 with its former route through town designated as State Highway Loop 519 although it was signed as US 80 Business. The following year, SH 54 was extended southward to terminate at I-10. In 1990, the designation of Loop 519 was changed to Bus. I-10-D. One year later, US 80 was decommissioned throughout western Texas.
Route description
SH 54 begins at I-10 Exit 140A in Van Horn. From I-10 the route runs concurrently with US 90 north along Van Horn Dr. At Broadway Blvd., US 90 terminates and SH 54 turns east along Bus. I-10-D for half a block and then turns north along La Caverna St. The route intersects FM 2185 at Ninth St. before leaving Van Horn.North of town, the route passes through a gap between the Beach Mountains and the Baylor Mountains and then emerges onto a large salt basin. The route follows the western edge of the basin east of the Sierra Diablo and the Texas Parks and Recreation Department's
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...
Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area until the route reaches its northern terminus at US 62 and US 180 between Salt Flat and Pine Springs near Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Between Van Horn and its northern terminus, the route is isolated encountering no major intersections. Beyond Van Horn, the only community along the route is the ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Daugherty 30 miles (48 km) north of town.