# Texas State Highway 35

State Highway 35 (SH 35) is a 206.5-mile (332.3 km) state highway near the southeastern edge of Texas, United States, that is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It runs primarily south–north, paralleling the Gulf of Mexico for much of its length, from a junction with Interstate 37 in Corpus Christi to Interstate 45 in southeastern Houston.

## Route description

The southern terminus of SH 35 is at an interchange with Interstate 37 (I-37) near downtown Corpus Christi, concurrent with U.S. Route 181 (US 181). The two highways run as a freeway near Corpus Christi Bay before crossing Nueces Bay on the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge and entering Portland. In Gregory, the two routes separate, with US 181 traveling towards Sinton, and the freeway segment of SH 35 ends shortly thereafter. After crossing FM 136, SH 35 runs eastward to Aransas Pass before turning towards the northeast. In Rockport, SH 35 runs as a divided expressway. After passing through Fulton, the highway crosses Copano Bay. SH 35 runs along the western edge of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge before entering Refugio County. In Calhoun County, SH 35 has a junction with US 87 in Port Lavaca before crossing Lavaca Bay. The route then runs east to Palacios before turning north toward Blessing, where it resumes its northeasterly trajectory toward Bay City and Angleton. From here, SH 35 takes a turn to the north-northwest toward Alvin before heading north through Pearland and crossing the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) into Houston. SH 35 then crosses I-610 before reaching its northern terminus at I-45.

## History

SH 35 was originally proposed on November 19, 1917 as a route from Paris to Houston. On September 17, 1918, the section of the road from Liberty to Houston was cancelled (as it overlapped SH 12), and the road was rerouted south to Anahuac. On January 20, 1919, the highway was rerouted through Coldspring, Cleveland, and Humble to end in Houston, while the old route was replaced by the new SH 35A. On August 21, 1923, the northern half of the highway had been renumbered as SH 49, with the new northern end now going east to the Louisiana state line. On November 14, 1927, it was extended to Alvin. On April 10, 1934, it had been extended southwest along cancelled SH 58 and SH 57, ending in Gregory. SH 35 Spur was designated from 35 to the Retrieve Prison Farm. This SH 35 Spur was cancelled on July 15, 1935. On February 21, 1938, a new SH 35 Spur was designated to Danbury, as SH 35 was rerouted to bypass Danbury. On September 26, 1939, the section north of Houston was removed when it was renumbered as U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 84. SH 35 Spur was renumbered as Spur 28. On October 5, 1972, SH 35 was extended to Corpus Christi along US 181. On January 15, 1986, an Angleton bypass opened, with the old route becoming Loop 558. On February 25, 1987, SH 35 was rerouted back over Loop 558, and the bypass became Loop 558 instead (now FM 523). On April 27, 1995, another bypass opened, so that SH 35 no longer goes through Aransas Pass or Rockport. On March 29, 2007, an Old Ocean bypass opened, with the old route becoming Loop 419 (now Spur 419).
SH 35A was a proposed spur route off SH 35 designated on March 18, 1918, with a route splitting off at Livingston, and travelling west to New Waverly. On January 20, 1919, the section of SH 35A south of Coldspring was cancelled, and the section north of Coldspring became the main route. The section of SH 35 from Livingston via Liberty to Anahuac was routed through Devers and was renamed SH 35A. On August 21, 1923, the section from Anahuac to Devers was renumbered as SH 61, and the section north of Devers was cancelled. By 1928, the Livingston to Liberty section was restored as SH 132. By 1933, that became a portion of SH 146.
SH 35B was a spur of SH 35 designated on November 27, 1922 from Jefferson to the Louisiana state line. On August 21, 1923, this was renumbered as SH 49.
An overlap of SH 35 with the Gulf Freeway was constructed in the 1980s. This portion extends from Spur 5 to Dowling Street (now Emancipation Avenue), a distance of about 1.6 miles (2.6 km). This section contains three elevated lanes in each direction (briefly four southbound lanes near the southern terminus). This overlap section is 22 lanes wide, including mainlanes, feeder roads, and a reversible HOV lane.

## Future

In Houston, SH 35 is Telephone Road and Reveille Street from its northern terminus at I-45. An upgrade of the facility (in a slightly different corridor) to freeway standards is planned, tentatively named the Alvin Freeway. As of 2006, only 1.3 miles (2.1 km) had been built, under the sign Spur 5 (constructed between 1996–99; officially opened September 1999; designated 1998). However, the mainlanes extend less than half a mile south of Interstate 45 adjacent to the University of Houston campus.
In early 2023, TxDOT unveiled construction bids for the first phase of the project, which will extend Spur 5 from its current southern terminus at US 90 Alt (Old Spanish Trail) to Griggs Road, just north of I-610. Phase 2 of the project will extend the freeway from Griggs Road to Dixie Drive. The estimated cost for the entire project is $366 million.

### Exit list (State Highway Spur 5)

The entire route is in Houston, Harris County.
| mi | Destinations | Notes |
| | US 90 Alt. (Old Spanish Trail) | Current southern terminus; at-grade intersection |
| | Wheeler Street | Current at-grade intersection |
| | University Drive | Current at-grade intersection |
| | I-45 south / Elgin Street – Galveston, Hobby Airport | Current southern terminus of freeway; no northbound entrance |
| | I-45 north – Dallas | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; freeway begins to run parallel to I-45; I-45 exit 44B southbound |
| | Scott Street – Texas Southern University | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| | I-69 / US 59 / SH 288 south – Victoria, Cleveland, Lake Jackson, Freeport | Northern terminus; northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-69 exits 129A-B |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access |||||

## Junction list

All exits are unnumbered.
| County | Location | Destinations | Notes |
| Nueces | Corpus Christi | I-37 north / Spur 544 west – San Antonio | I-37 exit 0 southbound; southern end of US 181 concurrency; continues south as Spur 544. |
| Nueces | Corpus Christi | Belden Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Nueces | Corpus Christi | Burleson Street, Causeway Boulevard | No northbound entrance |
| Nueces | Corpus Christi | Beach Avenue | No southbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Portland | Nueces Bay | |
| San Patricio | Portland | Frontage Road | Southbound exit and entrance |
| San Patricio | Portland | FM 893 (Moore Avenue) – Taft | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Portland | FM 2986 (Wildcat Drive) | |
| San Patricio | Portland | Frontage Road | No northbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Portland | FM 3239 (Buddy Ganem Drive) / Broadway Boulevard | |
| San Patricio | Portland | Frontage Road | Northbound exit only |
| San Patricio | Gregory | US 181 north – Sinton | Northern end of US 181 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Gregory | FM 3284 (Gregory Street) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Gregory | SH 361 south / Spur 202 west – Aransas Pass, Port Aransas, Gregory | No northbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Gregory | FM 136 – Bayside | No northbound exit; north end of freeway |
| San Patricio | ​ | FM 3512 south – Ingleside | |
| San Patricio | ​ | Bus. SH 35-L north – Aransas Pass | Interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| San Patricio | Aransas Pass | FM 1069 – Ingleside | Interchange; no northbound exit |
| Aransas | ​ | SH 188 – Sinton | Interchange |
| Aransas | Rockport | FM 1069 (Market Street) – Rockport | Interchange |
| Aransas | Rockport | FM 2165 – Rockport | Interchange |
| Aransas | Rockport | FM 3036 west | Southern end of FM 3036 concurrency |
| Aransas | Rockport | Bus. SH 35-L south / FM 3036 east – Rockport | Northern end of FM 3036 concurrency |
| Aransas | ​ | Loop 1781 south | Prior to 2011, FM 1781 |
| Aransas | Lamar | PR 13 east – Goose Island State Park | |
| Refugio | ​ | FM 774 – Refugio, Austwell | |
| Refugio | ​ | FM 1684 east | |
| Refugio | ​ | SH 239 south – Austwell | Southern end of SH 239 concurrency |
| Refugio | Tivoli | SH 239 north – Goliad | Northern end of SH 239 concurrency |
| Calhoun | ​ | SH 185 south – Seadrift, Port O'Connor | Southern end of SH 185 concurrency |
| Calhoun | ​ | SH 185 north – Victoria | Northern end of SH 185 concurrency |
| Calhoun | ​ | FM 1679 north | |
| Calhoun | ​ | FM 2235 south | |
| Calhoun | ​ | FM 2541 south | |
| Calhoun | ​ | FM 2433 – Victoria, Indianola | |
| Calhoun | Port Lavaca | US 87 – Victoria, Port Lavaca | |
| Calhoun | Port Lavaca | FM 3084 west (Half League Road) | |
| Calhoun | Port Lavaca | FM 1090 (Virginia Street) | |
| Calhoun | Port Lavaca | SH 238 south – Port Lavaca, Seadrift | |
| Calhoun | Point Comfort | FM 1593 – Lolita, Matagorda Bay | |
| Calhoun | ​ | FM 2143 east | |
| Jackson | ​ | SH 172 – La Ward | |
| Jackson | ​ | FM 1862 north – Blessing | |
| Jackson | ​ | FM 3280 south | |
| Matagorda | Palacios | Bus. SH 35-H north – Palacios | |
| Matagorda | Palacios | Bus. SH 35-H south – Palacios | |
| Matagorda | ​ | FM 2853 north | |
| Matagorda | ​ | FM 521 north – Simpsonville | |
| Matagorda | Blessing | FM 2853 south | |
| Matagorda | Blessing | FM 616 west – La Ward | |
| Matagorda | Blessing | SH 71 west – El Campo | |
| Matagorda | Elmaton | FM 1095 south – Simpsonville | |
| Matagorda | Markham | FM 1468 south | Southern end of FM 1468 concurrency |
| Matagorda | Markham | FM 1468 north – Markham | Northern end of FM 1468 concurrency |
| Matagorda | ​ | Colorado River Turnaround | Interchange |
| Matagorda | Bay City | SH 60 – Wharton, Matagorda | |
| Matagorda | Bay City | FM 2668 south | |
| Matagorda | Bay City | FM 457 east – Cedar Lane | |
| Matagorda | Van Vleck | FM 2540 south | |
| Matagorda | ​ | FM 1728 north – Pledger | |
| Brazoria | ​ | Loop 419 east – Old Ocean | |
| Brazoria | Old Ocean | FM 524 north – Danciger | Southern end of FM 524 concurrency |
| Brazoria | ​ | Loop 419 west – Old Ocean | |
| Brazoria | ​ | FM 524 south – Sweeny | Northern end of FM 524 concurrency |
| Brazoria | ​ | FM 1459 – Sweeny | |
| Brazoria | ​ | Bus. SH 35-E north – West Columbia | |
| Brazoria | West Columbia | SH 36 – Rosenberg, Freeport | |
| Brazoria | West Columbia | Bus. SH 35-E south (17th Street) | |
| Brazoria | West Columbia | FM 2851 north – Varner-Hogg Plantation | |
| Brazoria | Bailey's Prairie | FM 521 south – Brazoria | Southern end of FM 521 concurrency |
| Brazoria | Bailey's Prairie | FM 521 north – Rosharon | Northern end of FM 521 concurrency |
| Brazoria | Angleton | SH 288 (Nolan Ryan Expressway) – Houston, Freeport | |
| Brazoria | Angleton | Loop 274 (Hancock Street) | |
| Brazoria | Angleton | Bus. SH 288-B – Houston, Lake Jackson | |
| Brazoria | Angleton | FM 523 (Highway 35 Bypass) – Freeport | |
| Brazoria | ​ | Spur 28 south – Danbury | |
| Brazoria | ​ | FM 2917 south | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | FM 2403 south | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | Bus. SH 35-C north – Alvin | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | FM 1462 west | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | SH 6 – Sugar Land, Galveston | Interchange |
| Brazoria | Alvin | FM 517 (Dickinson Road) – League City | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | FM 528 (Friendswood Road) – Friendswood, Webster | |
| Brazoria | Alvin | Bus. SH 35-C south – Alvin | Interchange |
| Brazoria | ​ | FM 2351 north – Friendswood | |
| Brazoria | Pearland | FM 518 – Friendswood | |
| Harris | Houston | Beltway 8 (Frontage Road) / Sam Houston Tollway | |
| Harris | Houston | I-610 (South Loop Freeway) to I-45 south (Gulf Freeway) – Galveston | I-610 exit 32B; interchange; northbound entrance from I-45 closed until April 2018 |
| Harris | Houston | I-45 north (Gulf Freeway) – Downtown Houston | I-45 exit 40 southbound; interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access ||||||

## Business routes

SH 35 has four business routes and one former business route.

### Alvin business loop

Business State Highway 35-C (Bus. SH 35-C), formerly Loop 409, is a 4.146-mile-long (6.672 km) business loop that runs through Alvin. The road was bypassed on April 1, 1965, by SH 35 and designated Loop 409. The road was redesignated as Business SH 35-C on June 21, 1990.

### West Columbia business loop

Business State Highway 35-E (Bus. SH 35-E) is a 2.011-mile-long (3.236 km) business loop that runs through West Columbia. The route was created in 1998 when SH 35 was rerouted north and west of town.

### Palacios business loop

Business State Highway 35-H (Bus SH 35-H), formerly Loop 141, is a 3.648-mile-long (5.871 km) business loop that runs through Palacios. The road was bypassed on September 21, 1944 by SH 35 and designated Loop 141. The road was redesignated as Business SH 35-H on June 21, 1990.

### Rockport–Aransas Pass business loop

Business State Highway 35-L (Bus. SH 35-L), formerly Loop 70, is a 16.083-mile-long (25.883 km) business loop that runs through Rockport. The road was created in 1939 when SH 35 was rerouted south and east of town. The route was redesignated as Business SH 35-L on June 21, 1990. On April 27, 1995 the route was extended north to SH 35 and FM 3036 and south to SH 35 in Aransas Pass over former SH 35 and was also rerouted in Rockport with the old route redesignated as Loop 70.

### Former Aransas Pass business loop

Business State Highway 35-M (Bus. SH 35-M), formerly Loop 81, was a 1.387-mile-long (2.232 km) business loop that ran through Aransas Pass. The route was created in 1939 when SH 35 was rerouted in the city. The route was redesignated as Business SH 35-M on June 21, 1990, but was redesignated as Loop 90 on April 27, 1995.