Texas State Highway 2

State Highway 2
Route information
Existed	April 4, 1917–September 26, 1939
History	Replaced by US 81 (Oklahoma to Laredo and SH 6 (Waco to Galveston) in 1939
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec ← I-2 Loop 2 →

State Highway 2, or SH 2, was a Texas state highway.

SH 2 was one of the original twenty-five state highways proposed on April 4, 1917, overlaid on top of the Meridian Highway and Gulf Division Highway. From 1919 the routing mostly followed present day Interstate 44 (I-44) from Oklahoma to Wichita Falls, and U.S. Highway 287 (US 287) to Fort Worth. It continued on, routed along present day I-35W and I-35 to Waco. From here, the road divided into two branches, both signed as State Highway 2.

The western branch followed the Meridian Highway from Waco, roughly following I-35 through Austin and San Antonio, and terminating in Laredo.

The eastern branch followed the Gulf Division Highway from Waco, routed along present day State Highway 6 through Bryan to Hempstead and into Houston. From there the routing follows US 75 into Galveston. On August 21, 1923, the Gulf Division branch became part of State Highway 6(cancelling the Eastern SH 2) from Waco to Galveston.

In 1926, US 81 was routed over SH 2 from Oklahoma to Laredo. On March 19, 1928, SH 2 extended over SH 12B to Pharr.^[1] On August 6, 1929, the section south of Laredo was transferred to SH 4.^[2] On September 22, 1936, routes called SH 2 Loop through Buda and Kyle were added.^[3] On December 22, 1936, routes called SH 2 Bypass through Waco and New Braunfels were added.^[4] On December 21, 1938, SH 2 Loop and SH 2 Tap were designated in Ringgold.^[5] While the routes were marked concurrently, on September 26, 1939, SH 2 was removed in favor of US 81. The loops, bypasses, and taps became Loop 2 (Waco), Loop 3 (New Braunfels), Loop 4 (Buda), Loop 5 (Kyle), and Loop 19 and Spur 19 (Ringgold).

SH 2 may be signed in Midlothian, but is not designated.^[6]

Spur routes

The route had numerous spurs and alternate routings during its lifetime.

For the initial June 21, 1917 Texas routing proposal, while the main route continued southwest from Cleburne to Meridian, and then southeast to Waco, State Highway 2A ran southeast from Cleburne to Hillsboro, where it met State Highway 6.^[7] On April 23, 1918, the routing of SH 2A remained similar, except the split from the main route happened at Burleson, travelling southeast through Alvarado to Hillsboro.^[8] On August 21, 1923, the main route of SH 2 had been rerouted over SH 2A section from Burleson to Itasca, while SH 2A was reassigned to the old alignment of SH 2 from Burlseon to Cleburne and to the old alignment of SH 2E. The old route of SH 2 was renumbered as SH 89 (now SH 174 and SH 6).^[9] The SH 2A designation was deleted on September 26, 1939 and was replaced by portions of SH 174, SH 171, and SH 291 (now FM 2719).

State Highway 2B was a spur designated on December 18, 1917, in McLennan County running from Riesel northeast to Mart along an already constructed section of what was previously proposed as part of SH 7. On March 20, 1922, SH 2B extended to the Limestone county line.^[10] On December 17, 1923, it was cancelled.^[11] A second SH 2B was designated that same day over a former routing of SH 2C from Round Rock east and north to Temple via Taylor. On April 6, 1932, it was transferred to SH 95 and SH 43 (now US 79).^[12]

A more direct route through central Texas between Belton and Round Rock, bypassing Taylor to the west designated as an intercounty highway on January 24, 1918.^[13] On July 17, 1918, this was upgraded to a state highway, State Highway 2C, and extended north to Temple.^[14] On August 21, 1923, the main route of SH 2 had been rerouted over it, with SH 2C being reassigned to the old route of SH 2. On December 17, 1923, it was renamed SH 2B. By 1926, SH 2C was reassigned from Riesel to Mart. By 1930, this was cancelled.

State Highway 2D was a spur route in north Texas designated on December 16, 1918 branching off the main route at Bowie and travelling north through Ringgold and crossing into Oklahoma.^[15] On August 21, 1923, the main route of SH 2 had been rerouted over it, with the old route of SH 2 transferred to SH 50 (now US 380), SH 5 (now US 287), and SH 30 (now US 277).^[9]

State Highway 2E was a short connector route between Cleburne and Itasca designated on March 22, 1921, connecting the main route and SH 2A.^[16] On August 21, 1923, SH 2E was reassigned to SH 2A.^[9]

State Highway 2F was a planned spur routing designated on July 18, 1922 splitting from the main route in Taylor and travelling south to Elgin.^[17] On August 21, 1923, the route was cancelled,^[9][18] and on April 21, 1924 the route was restored as SH 95.^[19] It was redesignated on March 18, 1929, from Bowie to Montague.^[20] On April 23, 1929, it extended north to Nocona.^[21] On March 21, 1930, this was renumbered as SH 59.

References