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State Highway 70 (Texas)
Encyclopedia
State Highway 70 is a state highway in Texas
. The route runs approximately 315 miles (506.9 km) from near Blackwell
to south of Perryton
.
. The highway soon crosses into Nolan County, where it serves as the northern terminus of . The first large city along SH 70's route is Sweetwater
; here, the route is concurrent with Interstate 20
and along the south side of the city, between IH 20's Exits #244 and #247, before it resumes its northward course and enters Fisher County. SH 70 intersects in Roby
and in Rotan
. Continuing north into Kent County, the route begins a concurrency with that lasts until Jayton
. In Dickens County, SH 70 serves as the northern terminus of and passes through the east and north side of Spur
before reaching Dickens
and an intersection with . After heading almost due north from here, the route enters Motley County and passes through the town of Roaring Springs
. The next major city along the route is Matador
, where SH 70 and intersect one another (along with ). After leaving Matador, SH 70 enters Hall County, where it has a brief concurrency with through Turkey
. The highway then briefly turns to the northwest and enters Briscoe County, beginning a brief concurrency with , before turning to the west and reentering Hall County; the two routes separate near the community of South Brice. SH 70 resumes a more northerly path into Donley County
, and has a short concurrency with through Clarendon
. After the two routes separate, SH 70 heads due north to a junction with Interstate 40
at its Exit #124, near the Donley–Gray County line. Northbound SH 70 is concurrent with the freeway for about 3.5 mi (5.6 km) before the routes split at IH 40 Exit #121. SH 70 continues north into Pampa
, where it intersects and has a half-mile duplex with . After leaving Pampa, the route turns more to the north-northeast, and enters the sparsely-populated Roberts County, where its only intersections are with a few farm to market roads
that connect to the county seat of Miami
. SH 70 then enters Ochiltree County and reaches its northern terminus at south of Perryton
. While the current official route description of SH 70 indicates a concurrency with US 83 to a junction with in Perryton, that roadway is presently signed only as US 83, which agrees with TxDOT's County Map Book, and signage in Perryton at the SH 15 junction with US 83 directs traffic to SH 70 using "TO SH 70" markers.
to just northeast of San Angelo
along a portion of the original , which had been shifted farther east. By 1933, the route had been rerouted north to Jayton
, replacing . In 1938, SH 70 was extended north from Jayton to Dickens
, absorbing a portion of . Significant extension came in 1947, when SH 70 was extended to Perryton
in the northern Panhandle; this was due to the realignment of between Matador and Ralls
, bypassing Dickens, and the cancellation of SH 18 from Matador to Perryton. The same year, was rerouted to a more westerly alignment between Abilene, Texas
and San Angelo, Texas
, and the section from just south of Blackwell to near San Angelo was transferred to that route. In 1957, SH 70 was shifted to a more westerly alignment in Dickens, and was designated along the old route of SH 70 through the city.
, which is a former alignment of the state highway through that city. The route was designated in 1990, when SH 70 was rerouted along the south and east side of the city to use the freeway. The business route is also concurrent with through downtown Sweetwater.
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...
. The route runs approximately 315 miles (506.9 km) from near Blackwell
Blackwell, Texas
Blackwell is a city in Coke and Nolan counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 360 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blackwell is located at ....
to south of Perryton
Perryton, Texas
Perryton is a city in Ochiltree County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,774 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ochiltree County.-Geography:Perryton is located at ....
.
Route description
SH 70 begins in far northeastern Coke County at a junction with north of BronteBronte, Texas
Bronte is a town in Coke County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,076 at the 2000 census.Texas State Senator Grady Hazlewood, who served from the Amarillo-based District 31 from 1941-1971, was born in 1902 in Coke County near Bronte.-Geography:...
. The highway soon crosses into Nolan County, where it serves as the northern terminus of . The first large city along SH 70's route is Sweetwater
Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
; here, the route is concurrent with Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in Texas
Interstate 20 in Texas is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, running east from a junction with Interstate 10 east of Kent, Texas, through the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to the border with Louisiana near Waskom, Texas...
and along the south side of the city, between IH 20's Exits #244 and #247, before it resumes its northward course and enters Fisher County. SH 70 intersects in Roby
Roby, Texas
Roby is a city in and the county seat of Fisher County, Texas, United States. The population was 643 at the 2010 census.- History :In 1885, shortly after Fisher County was organized, a dispute arose between business partners from Mississippi and a town called Fisher. Both wanted their land to host...
and in Rotan
Rotan, Texas
Rotan is a city in Fisher County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,611 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rotan is located at ....
. Continuing north into Kent County, the route begins a concurrency with that lasts until Jayton
Jayton, Texas
Jayton is a city in and the county seat of Kent County, Texas, United States. It is located in the northeastern portion of the county, and the population was 534 as of the 2010 Census.-History:...
. In Dickens County, SH 70 serves as the northern terminus of and passes through the east and north side of Spur
Spur, Texas
Spur is a city in Dickens County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,088.On October 9, 2009, Spur celebrated its centennial with the dedication of a Giant Spur sculpture. The Giant Spur was built by local welder John Grusendorf. The event, sponsored...
before reaching Dickens
Dickens, Texas
Dickens is a city in and the county seat of Dickens County, Texas, United States. The population was 332 at the 2000 census.Charles Weldon Cannon , a Dickens County native, made his famous boots and saddles in Dickens.-Geography:...
and an intersection with . After heading almost due north from here, the route enters Motley County and passes through the town of Roaring Springs
Roaring Springs, Texas
Roaring Springs is a town in Motley County, Texas, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.Roaring Springs was originally an Indian campground. At the time of the recapture of Cynthia Ann Parker in Foard County, Roaring Springs was the main Comanche outpost. It was known for the...
. The next major city along the route is Matador
Matador, Texas
Matador is a town in and the county seat of Motley County, Texas, United States. The population was 740 at the 2000 census. In 1891, it was established by and named for the Matador Ranch...
, where SH 70 and intersect one another (along with ). After leaving Matador, SH 70 enters Hall County, where it has a brief concurrency with through Turkey
Turkey, Texas
Turkey is a city in Hall County, Texas, United States. The population was 494 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Turkey is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. The highway then briefly turns to the northwest and enters Briscoe County, beginning a brief concurrency with , before turning to the west and reentering Hall County; the two routes separate near the community of South Brice. SH 70 resumes a more northerly path into Donley County
Donley County, Texas
Donley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,828. It is named for Stockton P. Donley, a frontier lawyer. Its county seat is Clarendon....
, and has a short concurrency with through Clarendon
Clarendon, Texas
Clarendon is a city in Donley County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,974 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Donley County, Clarendon is located on United States Highway 287 in the Texas Panhandle some sixty miles east of Amarillo. It was established in 1878 by Methodist clergyman L.H...
. After the two routes separate, SH 70 heads due north to a junction with Interstate 40
Interstate 40 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, Interstate 40 runs east–west through the panhandle in the northwest part of the state. The only large city it passes through is Amarillo, where it meets the north end of Interstate 27.-History:...
at its Exit #124, near the Donley–Gray County line. Northbound SH 70 is concurrent with the freeway for about 3.5 mi (5.6 km) before the routes split at IH 40 Exit #121. SH 70 continues north into Pampa
Pampa, Texas
Pampa is a city in Gray County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,887 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gray County.Pampa is the principal city of the Pampa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Gray and Roberts counties....
, where it intersects and has a half-mile duplex with . After leaving Pampa, the route turns more to the north-northeast, and enters the sparsely-populated Roberts County, where its only intersections are with a few farm to market roads
Farm to Market Road
In the United States, a farm-to-market road or ranch-to-market road is a state road or county road which serves to connect rural or agricultural areas to market towns...
that connect to the county seat of Miami
Miami, Texas
Miami is a city in Roberts County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Pampa, Texas Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 588 at the 2000 census...
. SH 70 then enters Ochiltree County and reaches its northern terminus at south of Perryton
Perryton, Texas
Perryton is a city in Ochiltree County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,774 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ochiltree County.-Geography:Perryton is located at ....
. While the current official route description of SH 70 indicates a concurrency with US 83 to a junction with in Perryton, that roadway is presently signed only as US 83, which agrees with TxDOT's County Map Book, and signage in Perryton at the SH 15 junction with US 83 directs traffic to SH 70 using "TO SH 70" markers.
History
SH 70 was originally designated in 1926 from AspermontAspermont, Texas
Aspermont is a town in and the county seat of Stonewall County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census. Aspermont means "rough mountain" in Latin....
to just northeast of San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
along a portion of the original , which had been shifted farther east. By 1933, the route had been rerouted north to Jayton
Jayton, Texas
Jayton is a city in and the county seat of Kent County, Texas, United States. It is located in the northeastern portion of the county, and the population was 534 as of the 2010 Census.-History:...
, replacing . In 1938, SH 70 was extended north from Jayton to Dickens
Dickens, Texas
Dickens is a city in and the county seat of Dickens County, Texas, United States. The population was 332 at the 2000 census.Charles Weldon Cannon , a Dickens County native, made his famous boots and saddles in Dickens.-Geography:...
, absorbing a portion of . Significant extension came in 1947, when SH 70 was extended to Perryton
Perryton, Texas
Perryton is a city in Ochiltree County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,774 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ochiltree County.-Geography:Perryton is located at ....
in the northern Panhandle; this was due to the realignment of between Matador and Ralls
Ralls, Texas
Ralls is an agricultural community in Crosby County, West Texas, United States, named after John Robinson Ralls, who, with the help of W.E. McLaughlin, laid out the townsite in July 1911...
, bypassing Dickens, and the cancellation of SH 18 from Matador to Perryton. The same year, was rerouted to a more westerly alignment between Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
and San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
, and the section from just south of Blackwell to near San Angelo was transferred to that route. In 1957, SH 70 was shifted to a more westerly alignment in Dickens, and was designated along the old route of SH 70 through the city.
Business route
SH 70 has one business route, Business SH 70-G in SweetwaterSweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
, which is a former alignment of the state highway through that city. The route was designated in 1990, when SH 70 was rerouted along the south and east side of the city to use the freeway. The business route is also concurrent with through downtown Sweetwater.