U.S. Route 77

U.S. Route 77 is a major north-south United States Numbered Highway that spans approximately 1,305 miles, connecting the Mexico–United States border at Brownsville, Texas, to Sioux City, Iowa, passing through the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, as well as Iowa. The route passes through several major cities, including Dallas, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Kansas City, Kansas, and intersects with several major highways, such as Interstate 35 and Interstate 70. U.S. Route 77 also runs parallel to the Chisholm Trail, a historic cattle drive route that connected Texas to Kansas, and passes near several notable landmarks, including the Prairie National Wildlife Refuge and the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The route is maintained by the Federal Highway Administration and the respective state departments of transportation, including the Texas Department of Transportation, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, and the Kansas Department of Transportation.

● Route Description

U.S. Route 77 begins at the Mexico–United States border in Brownsville, Texas, where it intersects with Texas State Highway 4 and Texas State Highway 48, and runs north through the Rio Grande Valley, passing through the cities of Harlingen, Texas, and Weslaco, Texas. The route then continues north through the Texas Hill Country, passing near the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and the Enchanted Rock, before reaching the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where it intersects with Interstate 20, Interstate 30, and Interstate 35E. U.S. Route 77 then enters Oklahoma, passing through the cities of Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where it intersects with Interstate 40 and Interstate 235. The route continues north through Kansas, passing through the cities of Hutchinson, Kansas, and Topeka, Kansas, before reaching the Kansas City, Kansas, area, where it intersects with Interstate 70 and Interstate 35. U.S. Route 77 then enters Iowa, passing through the cities of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Sioux City, Iowa, before terminating at an intersection with Interstate 29.

● History

The route was established in 1926 as part of the original United States Numbered Highway System, and was originally designated as a route from Brownsville, Texas, to Yankton, South Dakota. However, in 1935, the route was truncated to its current northern terminus in Sioux City, Iowa, and the section from Sioux City, Iowa, to Yankton, South Dakota, was re-designated as U.S. Route 75. Over the years, the route has undergone several realignments and improvements, including the construction of Interstate 35, which parallels U.S. Route 77 for much of its length. The route has also been recognized for its historic significance, including its designation as a National Scenic Byway and its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. U.S. Route 77 has also been the subject of several notable events, including the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, which affected the route and the surrounding region, and the Great Flood of 1993, which caused significant damage to the route and the surrounding area.

● Major Intersections

U.S. Route 77 intersects with several major highways, including Interstate 20, Interstate 30, Interstate 35, Interstate 40, Interstate 70, and Interstate 29. The route also intersects with several U.S. Routes, including U.S. Route 54, U.S. Route 56, U.S. Route 59, U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 69, and U.S. Route 71. Additionally, the route intersects with several state highways, including Texas State Highway 4, Texas State Highway 48, Oklahoma State Highway 7, and Kansas State Highway 15. U.S. Route 77 also passes near several major landmarks, including the Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The route is also close to several major cities, including Dallas, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Kansas City, Kansas, and intersects with several major roads, including Loop 12 and Spur 408.

● Route Mileage

The total length of U.S. Route 77 is approximately 1,305 miles, with the majority of the route, approximately 637 miles, located in Texas. The route spans approximately 268 miles in Oklahoma, and approximately 233 miles in Kansas. The remaining approximately 167 miles of the route are located in Iowa. The route is maintained by the respective state departments of transportation, including the Texas Department of Transportation, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the Kansas Department of Transportation, and the Iowa Department of Transportation. U.S. Route 77 is also part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.

● Traffic Volume

The traffic volume on U.S. Route 77 varies significantly along its length, with the highest volumes occurring in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the Kansas City, Kansas, area. According to data from the Federal Highway Administration, the average annual daily traffic volume on U.S. Route 77 ranges from approximately 10,000 vehicles per day in rural areas to over 100,000 vehicles per day in urban areas. The route is also an important corridor for the transportation of goods, with several major trucking companies, including J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Schneider National, using the route to transport goods across the country. U.S. Route 77 is also a major route for tourism, with several major attractions, including the Six Flags Over Texas theme park and the National World War I Museum and Memorial, located along the route. The route is also close to several major universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Kansas.