Texas State Highway 550

State Highway 550 (SH 550) is a toll road under construction that connects to the Port of Brownsville for 1.5 miles (2.4 km). When SH 550 is complete, it will be a limited-access toll route around the northern and eastern edges of Brownsville and signed as I-169, partly replacing and expanding Farm to Market Road 511 (FM 511). Its purpose is to provide a new entry point for truck traffic to the Port of Brownsville and forming a loop that allows traffic to bypass the northern sections of the urbanized extent of the Brownsville city limits. This may serve as a relief route for future traffic congestion and as a future business corridor.

State Highway 550
SH 550 corridor highlighted in red
Route information
Length	9.74 mi (15.68 km)
Existed	2015[citation needed]–present
Major junctions
South end	Port of Brownsville
Major intersections	SH 48 near Brownsville
North end	I-69E / US 77 / US 83 in Olmito
Location
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Cameron
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Former Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec
← SH 495 → I-610

Route description

SH 550 was constructed on the same routing as FM 511 from its connection with I-69E and US 77/US 83 southeastward to FM 3248. Separated travel lanes, intended to be the frontage roads, were the first stage of construction from I-69E and US 77/US 83 to FM 3248. Flyover bridges have been constructed at FM 1847 and at two rail crossings. The second stage of construction built a new divided limited-access highway, which splits from FM 511 at FM 3248 and travels southeast to a new entry point for the Port of Brownsville, and a new crossover bridge at Old Port Isabel Road. The third stage that will complete the mainlanes on the Stage one portion, and construct exit ramps directly to and from I-69E and US 77/US 83 at Olmito, begun in March and will end in approximately 60 days.^[1] The route is a toll route, but the second and third stages of the route are being funded with $36 million of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.^[2] According to local authorities in Cameron County, upon full completion, the route will be signed as I-169 as a spur route of I-69E.^[3]

History

Previous designation

State Highway 550
Location	west of Fort Worth - Convair Assembly Plant
Existed	May 22, 1947–September 26, 1960

SH 550 was previously designated on May 22, 1947, from US 80 west of Fort Worth, eastward via Fort Worth and Dallas to US 67 and US 80 east of Dallas. On July 29, 1953, SH 550 was extended to SH 183. On September 25, 1953, SH 550 was extended north to White Settlement Road. On May 26, 1954, SH 550 was extended west to US 80, and the old route to White Settlement Road became a connection. On April 27, 1955, the connection of SH 550 was extended north from White Settlement Road to the entrance of the Convair Assembly Plant. On October 30, 1958, the section east of the Dallas–Fort Worth Turnpike was canceled. This highway was transferred to I-20 (now I-30) and Spur 341 at the inception of the Interstate Highway System on September 26, 1960.

Current designation

The first segment of SH 550 was opened and designated on July 25, 2008, despite the first stage of construction having been expected to be completed in 2010, with bidding for the final sections. The first phase of the route opened on March 10, 2011,^[4] with tolling for the bridge over FM 1847 beginning on May 11, 2011. Phase two, which created a new limited access highway from FM 3248 to a new entrance to the Port of Brownsville, was opened on June 1, 2013.

Future

Local officials say SH 550 Toll when completed, will be signed as I-169.^{[citation needed]} I-169 is currently being signed from I-69E to Old Alice Road.^{[citation needed]}

Major junctions

The entire route is in Brownsville, Cameron County. All exits are unnumbered.

mi	km	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00	Capt. Donald L. Foust Road	At-grade intersection; eastern terminus of SH 550; road continues east as Ray Windhaus Road
0.40	0.64	Old State Highway 48	At-grade intersection
0.60	0.97	Port of Brownsville gate entrance (eastbound traffic) exit (westbound traffic)
0.66	1.06	SH 48
1.42	2.29	FM 511 east	Eastern end of FM 511 frontage roads; southbound exit and northbound entrance
3.49	5.62	Port Isabel Road	Can be accessed via Dr. Hugh Emerson Road exits
6.54	10.53	FM 3248 (Dr. Hugh Emerson Road) FM 511 ends	Connected to FM 511 & Port Isabel Road exits; western end of FM 511 frontage roads; western terminus of FM 511
6.88	11.07	FM 1847
7.22	11.62	Old Alice Road
9.74	15.68	I-69E north / US 77 north / US 83 north to I-2 west	I-69E exit 10B southbound; western terminus of SH 550
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• Texas portal
• U.S. Roads portal

Notes