U.S. Route 77 in Texas

U.S. Route 77 (US 77) is a major highway that is part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from the Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville to Sioux City, Iowa. In Texas, the road runs south-north for 471.3 mi from the International border with Mexico to the Oklahoma state line north of Gainesville. The highway is being upgraded to a freeway near Corpus Christi to connect to the freeway part of the highway in Raymondville as part of future I-69. A freeway in Robstown is already signed as part of I-69. From Waco to the Oklahoma state line, US 77 overlaps or runs parallel to I-35/I-35E.

Route description
US 77 crosses the Rio Grande with US 83 on the Veterans International Bridge. The two highways run together concurrent with I-69E until Harlingen. US 83 runs west (north) along I-2 to McAllen while US 77 runs north along with I-69E to Raymondville where the I-69E designation temporarily ends. North of Raymondville, the highway passes through Kenedy County, serving the county seat of Sarita; US 77 is the only state-maintained route to run through the county.

In Robstown, US 77 again picks up the I-69E designation until the interchange with I-37 in north Corpus Christi. US 77 shares a short overlap with I-37 before leaving the highway. US 77 runs through many small to mid-size communities before arriving in Waco. Here, US 77 begins its overlap with I-35 that lasts until Hillsboro, where the highway then parallels I-35E until Red Oak. North of Red Oak, US 77 overlaps I-35E through Dallas, leaving the interstate again in Denton. In Denton, US 77 is a suburban road that serves the downtown area and has an overlap with US 377 in the town, intersecting US 380 near Texas Women's University. After an interchange with Loop 288, US 77 rejoins I-35 in north Denton. US 77 remains concurrent with I-35 through Gainesville then crosses the Red River into Oklahoma.

History
US 77 was designated in 1927 from Gainesville to Corpus Christi. In 1943, the highway was extended south of Corpus Christi to the international border at Brownsville; this extension also rerouted the section of highway between Sinton and Corpus Christi, as the previous route traveled through Gregory between the two towns. In 1953, US 77 was rerouted between Halletsville and Victoria over former SH 295. The section of highway through Victoria was rerouted in 1978 to remove a concurrency with US 59, but this was cancelled the following year. In 1997, US 77 was extended so the highway's official designation ran to the Los Tomates International Bridge in Brownsville. In 2000, the city of Denton turned US 77 into a pair of one-ways streets from US 377 to FM 2164, with northbound traffic using Locust Street and southbound traffic using Elm Street. In 2003, the section of US 77 in Robstown between FM 892 and 9th Street was removed the state highway system as construction of a bypass around the town began.

In August 2011, TxDOT received permission from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to designate the Robstown bypass as I-69 due to it already being built to Interstate Highway standards and connecting to another Interstate Highway; the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the designation later that year in October. An official ceremony was held on December 5, 2011 to unveil I-69 signs on the Robstown-Corpus Christi freeway. This section of the highway was later re-designated as I-69E in 2013, though most of the original I-69 signage is still in place.

The section of freeway in the East Rio Grande Valley received approval for Interstate designation in May 2013. This section of highway was designated as I-69E as the two other branches of I-69, I-69C and I-69W were also approved. Signage was installed over the summer of 2013.

Future
US 77 from Raymondville to Victoria is planned to be upgraded to I-69E. South of Corpus Christi, US 77 is a freeway around most of Kingsville, with interchanges being constructed at US 77 Bus. and FM 1717 south of the town that would complete the freeway in Kingsville. A short freeway section of US 77 also exists in the town of Bishop, though the Kingsville and Bishop freeways are currently not connected. A bypass of Driscoll was constructed, with the northbound lanes opened to traffic in 2021 while the southbound lanes opened in August 2023.

Between Corpus Christi and Victoria, US 77 is still mostly a divided highway that does not bypass most of the towns it travels through. As of June 2022, Sinton is the only town along this section of US 77 that the highway bypasses. A bypass for Refugio, Texas is planned. Once completed, I-69E will end at I-69W (US 59) in Victoria, with those two Interstates forming I-69.

Related highways
US 77 has nine designated business loops in Texas, between the one in Waco and the mainline highway's southern terminus at the Mexico border. US 77 also has one auxiliary route designated as Alt. US 77, which is a 91 mi alternate route of US 77, located entirely in the state of Texas, running from Hallettsville to Refugio. Alt. US 77 also has a designated business loop in Yoakum, labeled "Business Alternate US 77-Q".

Waco business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-L (Bus. US 77-L) is a 9.7 mi business loop in Waco. The highway is the old alignment of US 77 through the city and was formerly signed as a US 77 and US 81 business loop, but designated as Loop 491 on October 2, 1970, until it was changed to the current Bus. US 77 designation on June 21, 1990. The section of highway from Loop 484 to US 84 is a freeway, making it the only business route in Texas that is a freeway.

Victoria business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-S (Bus. US 77-S) is a 11.2 mi business loop in Victoria. The loop's southern terminus begins at an interchange with US 77 and US 59 south of Victoria, traveling northward before reaching a grade separated interchange with Bus. US 59-T. Bus. US 77-S and Bus. US 59-T travel northeastward on Moody Street before making a sharp right curve eastward to Rio Grande Street. On Main Street, the two highways share a wrong-way concurrency with US 87 before Bus. US 77-S turns to the north onto Navarro Street. The business loop's northern terminus is at an intersection with US 77 and Loop 463 north of town.

Sinton business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-T (Bus. US 77-T) is a 4.8 mi business loop in Sinton. The business loop begins at an interchange with US 77 southwest of Sinton, turning northeast before intersecting with US 181 and SH 188. After a short overlap with both highways eastward, Bus. US 77-T turns back to the north and continues northeast until its northern terminus at another interchange with US 77 northeast of town.

Robstown business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-U II (Bus. US 77-U II) is a 5.5 mi business loop in Nueces County. The business loop's southern terminus begins at an intersection of I-69E and US 77 in southern [{Robstown, Texas|Robstown]], heading north into town. The business loop then intersects with Bus. SH 44-C, sharing a short overlap with the business loop before Bus. US 77-U splits away from Bus. SH 44-C, heading northeast. The business loop intersects with I-69E and US 77 and ends at its northern terminus north of Robstown after running parallel with the latter two highways on the frontage roads.

Driscoll business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-U (Bus. US 77-U) is a 6.1 mi business loop in Driscoll. The southern terminus of the business loop begins at an interchange with US 77 and travels northeast into town, with the only major intersection being FM 665. The business loop runs mostly parallel with the mainline US 77 and its northern terminus is at another interchange with the latter highway.

Kingsville-Bishop business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-V (Bus. US 77-V) is a 13 mi business loop that runs through Kingsville and Bishop. The business loop's southern terminus begins at an intersection with US 77 and travels northwest and then turns to the north, eventually entering Kingsville. The route then turns to the northeast and then turns left onto S 14th Street, heading north. Bus. US 77-V then turns back to the northeast after leaving Kingsville and eventually enters Bishop after a few miles. After passing through Bishop, Bus. US 77-V then turns to the east and hits its northern terminus at another intersection with US 77.

Sebastian-Lyford-Raymondville business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-W (Bus. US 77-W) is a 14.2 mi business loop that runs through Sebastian, Lyford, and Raymondville. The business loop begins at its southern terminus at an intersection with I-69E and US 77, turning to the northwest before turning north, running parallel with I-69E and US 77. Bus. US 77-W reaches Sebastian, passing through town before exiting, eventually reaching South Lyford and Lyford. Bus. US 77-W continues northward out of town before turning slightly to the northeast and entering Raymondville. The business loop continues northeastward before reaching an intersection with Willacy County Road 3690W. Bus. 77-W then turns to the right and immediately ends at its northern terminus at another intersection with I-69E and US 77.

San Benito-Harlingen-Combes business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-X (Bus. US 77-X) is a 15.9 mi business loop that runs through San Benito, Harlingen, and Combes. The business loop begins at an interchange with I-69E and US 77, heading northwest through San Benito before entering Harlingen. After briefly turning to the north while passing through Harlingen, Bus. US 77-X turns back to the northwest where it intersects with I-69E and US 77 again. The business loop then exits Harlingen and continues northwest into Combes. After leaving Combes, the business loop reaches its northern terminus at another intersection with I-69E and US 77.

Brownsville business loop
Business U.S. Highway 77-Z (Bus. US 77-Z) is a 3.8 mi business loop in Brownsville. The loop's southern terminus begins at an intersection of SH 4 and takes a northwestern direction before turning to the north. The business loop's northern terminus is at an intersection of FM 802, close to an intersection of I-69E, US 77, and US 83.

Auxiliary route
Alternate US Highway 77 (Alt. US 77) is a north-south auxiliary route of US 77, located entirely within the state of Texas. The alternate route was commissioned in 1953 when the mainline US 77 was rerouted through southeast Texas. Alt. US 77 begins at an intersection in Refugio with the mainline US 77, sharing a concurrency with US 183. The two highways share a concurrency through Goliad and Cuero. SH 239 shares a short overlap with Alt. US 77 and US 183 through Goliad, and US 87 shares a concurrency with the two highways in Cuero. Alt. US 77 splits away from US 183, heading northeast through Yoakum, which also has a business loop of the highway. After passing through Yoakum, Alt. US 77 intersects and merges with Alt. US 90 just west of Hallettsville, where the two highways intersect with mainline US 77.

Yoakum auxiliary business loop
Alt. US 77 has one business loop in Yoakum. Officially designated by TxDOT as Business US 77-Q, it is signed with two auxiliary banners as Business Alternate US 77 (Bus. Alt. US 77). The route was originally established as Loop 51 in 1939 and was redesignated in 1991. The loop begins at Alt. US 77 south of Yoakum, then travels northwest into the city along Huck Street. It then turns north along Irvine Street, and has a brief concurrency with SH 111. It then turns northwest along Gonzales Street to an intersection with mainline Alt. US 77.