# U.S. Route 281 in Texas

U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs from Brownsville near the Mexican border in the Rio Grande Valley to the Canadian border near Dunseith, North Dakota. In the state of Texas, the highway is a major south–north corridor, connecting Brownsville to the Oklahoma state line at the Red River in Burkburnett. Several segments of U.S. 281 are concurrent with Interstate routes, including I-69C in the Rio Grande Valley, I-37 in San Antonio, and I-44 north of Wichita Falls.

## Route description

US 281 has two signed segments near its southern terminus in the Rio Grande Valley, both of which are signed west–east. The eastern segment, considered mainline US 281 by TxDOT, begins in Brownsville at an intersection with Business US 77 and SH 48 about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Mexico border, and travels west through several communities along the border to Pharr. The western segment, officially listed as a spur connection by TxDOT and often labeled on maps as US 281 Spur, begins just north of the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge in Hidalgo and travels north along International Boulevard before turning east onto Coma Avenue and entering Pharr. The two segments (along with Spur 600, which provides access to the Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge) meet at Cage Boulevard, where signage changes to south–north, and the highway turns to the north. North of the interchange with I-2, US 281 is concurrent with I-69C to that route's northern terminus (as of December 2015) in Edinburg. US 281 travels through small towns and sparsely-populated areas, alternating between a divided highway and a main street and passing through a Border Patrol checkpoint south of Falfurrias, until joining I-37 north of Three Rivers. The two routes split south of Pleasanton and separately travel northward to San Antonio.
In San Antonio, US 281 overlaps I-410 on the south side of the city until another interchange with I-37. US 281 and I-37 then overlap north into Downtown San Antonio until I-37 ends at I-35. US 281 continues north from Downtown San Antonio as the McAllister Freeway, intersecting I-410 again at a stack interchange in Uptown San Antonio, with access to the San Antonio International Airport. The freeway ends several miles north of Loop 1604. In Central Texas, it serves as the main street of Blanco before beginning a concurrency with US 290 south of Johnson City. As US 290 continues toward Austin, US 281 and US 290 provide a scenic and less congested alternative to I-35 between San Antonio and Austin. The two routes split in the city, with US 281 continuing toward Marble Falls, Burnet, and Lampasas.
North of Stephenville, US 281 crosses I-20 and continues through North Central Texas, passing through Mineral Wells and Jacksboro. Upon reaching Wichita Falls, US 281 becomes a freeway. It begins a concurrency with I-44 at that route's western terminus, and the two routes travel north, crossing the Red River into Oklahoma near Burkburnett.

## History

A project to construct a stack interchange at I-410 (the "San Antonio Web") was completed June 9, 2008; formerly there was no direct access between the two freeways and surface streets were required to travel between the freeways. The reason for this initial lack of direct interchange was due to litigation filed in the late 1960s against the Texas Highway Department over the highway's original construction alignment through portions of Brackenridge Park and Olmos Park that were alleged to be in violation of several Federal laws, ultimately including NEPA. As a result of the Supreme Court decision in a more advanced and very similar case involving the proposed construction of I-40 through Overton Park in Memphis, Tennessee which upheld and affirmed the plaintiffs in that circumstance and precluded that highway's construction through the parkland with Federal funding, the Texas Highway Department chose instead to construct the McAlister Freeway entirely with State funding using a modified design that would increase curvature but limit encroachment into and noise impact on the Sunken Gardens area within Brackenridge Park. Funding of various highway projects from around Texas was re-allocated to the McAlister Freeway project, which was initially completed with only the indirect interchange via existing surface streets to Loop 410 since it required no Federal funding or approval and the Loop 410 overpass of that location where the McAlister Freeway main lanes would pass beneath had already been completed many years earlier.
In 2010, US 281 from Loop 1604 to Bulverde Road in north San Antonio was re-constructed as a superstreet. Groundbreaking was held on March 11, 2010 with construction finishing later that year in September. The re-construction slightly increased travel times but this section of US 281 was still the most congested highway in Bexar County. After nearly two decades of planning an delays, TxDOT upgraded this section of highway from a superstreet to a limited–access freeway, with construction beginning in 2017 and concluding in 2022. Section 1, from Loop 1604 to Stone Oak Parkway, was constructed from 2017 to 2020. Section 2, from Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Drive, was constructed from 2019 to 2022. The estimated cost for the project was $532 million. Ground breaking for the project was held on March 31, 2017 with construction officially beginning on July 17.
The highway was expanded from a two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway from River Crossing to the Comal-Blanco county line at a cost of $30.5 million.

## Future

The section of US 281 from I-2/US 83 in Pharr to George West is steadily being upgraded to an interstate-grade freeway as part of the Interstate 69 expansion, and will be signed as Interstate 69C.

## Major intersections

All exits are unnumbered.
| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Cameron | Brownsville | 0.0 | 0.0 | Bus. US 77 (Central Boulevard) / SH 48 east (Boca Chica Boulevard) – Port Brownsville, Port Isabel, Harlingen | Southern terminus; road continues east as SH 48 (Boca Chica Boulevard) |
| Cameron | Brownsville | 2.0 | 3.2 | FM 802 east (Ruben M. Torres Boulevard) | |
| Cameron | Brownsville | 2.5 | 4.0 | FM 3248 east (Alton Gloor Boulevard) | |
| Cameron | Brownsville | 7.7 | 12.4 | FM 1421 north | |
| Cameron | Brownsville | 9.5 | 15.3 | FM 1732 east – Olmito | |
| Cameron | Ranchito | 10.9 | 17.5 | FM 1577 north (Esparza-Domanski Highway) | |
| Cameron | La Paloma | 13.6 | 21.9 | FM 732 north – San Benito | |
| Cameron | Los Indios | 15.6 | 25.1 | FM 2520 north – San Benito | |
| Cameron | Los Indios | 18.0 | 29.0 | FM 509 – Free Trade International Bridge | |
| Cameron | Los Indios | 19.6 | 31.5 | FM 1479 north (Fred Elizondo Highway) – Rangerville, Harlingen | |
| Cameron | Bluetown | 23.7 | 38.1 | FM 506 north – La Feria | |
| Cameron | Santa Maria | 25.6 | 41.2 | FM 2556 north (Jo-Ed Road) | |
| Hidalgo | ​ | 28.9 | 46.5 | FM 491 north – Mercedes | |
| Hidalgo | Progreso–Progreso Lakes line | 32.0 | 51.5 | FM 1015 – Progreso–Nuevo Progreso International Bridge | |
| Hidalgo | Progreso | 32.4 | 52.1 | FM Bus. 1015 north | |
| Hidalgo | Progreso | 34.6 | 55.7 | FM 88 north (Ruben Hinojosa Highway) – Weslaco | |
| Hidalgo | ​ | 38.9 | 62.6 | FM 493 – Donna, Donna–Río Bravo International Bridge | |
| Hidalgo | ​ | 43.9 | 70.7 | FM 907 north – Alamo | |
| Hidalgo | San Juan | 45.4 | 73.1 | FM 2557 north – San Juan | |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 47.5 | 76.4 | US 281 Spur west (West Military Highway) / Spur 600 south – Hidalgo, Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge | Interchange |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 49.7 | 80.0 | FM 3072 (Dicker Road) | |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 54.8 | 88.2 | Bus. US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen | |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 55.6 | 89.5 | I-2 / US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen | |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 55.9 | 90.0 | SH 495 (Ferguson Avenue) | |
| Hidalgo | Pharr | 56.3 | 90.6 | I-2 / US 83 – McAllen, Harlingen I-69C begins | South end of I-69C overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-2 exit 146; I-69C exits 1A-B |
| see I-69C ||||||
| Hidalgo | Edinburg | 72.8 | 117.2 | FM 490 I-69C ends | Interchange; current north end of I-69C overlap |
| Hidalgo | Linn | 79.8 | 128.4 | SH 186 / FM 1017 | Interchange |
| Brooks | Rachal | 103.8 | 167.0 | FM 755 west – La Gloria, Rio Grande City | Interchange |
| Brooks | ​ | 106.0 | 170.6 | Bus. US 281 north – Encino | |
| Brooks | ​ | 108.8 | 175.1 | Bus. US 281 south – Encino | |
| Brooks | ​ | 124.7 | 200.7 | FM 3066 | interchange; south end of freeway |
| Brooks | Falfurrias | 125.2 | 201.5 | Bus. US 281 north | |
| Brooks | Falfurrias | 126.8 | 204.1 | SH 285 – Hebbronville, Riviera | |
| Brooks | Falfurrias | 127.8 | 205.7 | Bus. US 281 south | |
| Brooks | ​ | 128.5 | 206.8 | FM 1418 | interchange; north end of freeway |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 133.4 | 214.7 | FM 1538 west | |
| Jim Wells | Premont | 137.5 | 221.3 | FM 716 west | |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 149.8 | 241.1 | SH 141 / FM 2295 – Kingsville, Benavides | Interchange |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 152.4 | 245.3 | FM 735 west | |
| Jim Wells | Ben Bolt | 156.6 | 252.0 | FM 2508 – Ben Bolt | Interchange |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 159.8 | 257.2 | FM 625 west | |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 160.0 | 257.5 | Bus. US 281 north / FM 1930 – Alice | Interchange |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 163.4 | 263.0 | FM 1554 | |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 164.4 | 264.6 | SH 44 / SH 359 – Alice, San Diego | Interchange |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 167.7 | 269.9 | Bus. US 281 south – Alice | Interchange |
| Jim Wells | ​ | 171.9 | 276.6 | FM 2044 east – Alfred | |
| Jim Wells | Midway | 183.5 | 295.3 | FM 624 – Orange Grove, Cotulla | Interchange |
| Live Oak | ​ | 190.0 | 305.8 | FM 3162 east – Lagarto | |
| Live Oak | George West | 205.1 | 330.1 | US 59 – Freer, Laredo, Beeville, Houston | South end of Bus. US 59 overlap |
| Live Oak | George West | 205.6 | 330.9 | Bus. US 59 north (Houston Street) to I-37 – truck route to US 59 north | North end of Bus. US 59 overlap |
| Live Oak | ​ | 207.5 | 333.9 | FM 889 west | |
| Live Oak | ​ | 212.5 | 342.0 | FM 1042 west – Simmons City | |
| Live Oak | Three Rivers | 215.5 | 346.8 | SH 72 west (Thornton Street) – Choke Canyon State Park, Calliham, Tilden, Federal Prison | South end of SH 72 overlap |
| Live Oak | Three Rivers | 216.2 | 347.9 | SH 72 east (King David Drive) – Kenedy | North end of SH 72 overlap |
| Live Oak | ​ | 219.9 | 353.9 | I-37 south – Corpus Christi | South end of I-37 overlap; US 281 south follows exit 72 |
| see I-37 ||||||
| Atascosa | ​ | 251.1 | 404.1 | I-37 north – San Antonio | North end of I-37 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance; US 281 north follows exit 103 |
| Atascosa | ​ | 252.3 | 406.0 | Spur 199 east (Leal Road) / Jim Brite Road | |
| Atascosa | Pleasanton | 255.9 | 411.8 | FM 1334 east – Coughran | |
| Atascosa | Pleasanton | 256.2 | 412.3 | SH 97 west – Jourdanton | South end of SH 97 overlap |
| Atascosa | Pleasanton | 257.0 | 413.6 | SH 97 east to I-37 – Floresville | North end of SH 97 overlap |
| Atascosa | Pleasanton | 257.3 | 414.1 | Spur 242 to SH 97 – Poteet, Coastal Bend College | |
| Atascosa | ​ | 260.1 | 418.6 | FM 3006 east to I-37 | |
| Atascosa | Leming | 264.0 | 424.9 | FM 1470 south – Poteet | |
| Atascosa | Las Gallinas | 267.2 | 430.0 | FM 536 east – Floresville | |
| Bexar | ​ | 274.7 | 442.1 | Loop 1604 (Anderson Loop) – Elmendorf, Somerset | Interchange |
| Bexar | ​ | 276.2 | 444.5 | FM 2537 west / Martinez-Losoya Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 280.7 | 451.7 | FM 1937 south / Del Lago Parkway – Losoya | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 281.8 | 453.5 | I-410 west / SH 130 south / Spur 536 north (Roosevelt Avenue) – Stinson Airport | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 283.0 | 455.4 | Espada Road – San Antonio Missions National Historical Park | interchange |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 283.2 | 455.8 | I-410 west / SH 130 south | South end of I-410 / SH 130 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance; US 281 south follows exit 44 |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 284.3 | 457.5 | Spur 122 (South Presa Street) / Southton Road | I-410 exit 42 |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 285.3 | 459.1 | I-37 south / I-410 north / SH 130 north to US 181 south – Corpus Christi, Floresville | North end of I-410 / SH 130 overlap; south end of I-37 overlap; US 281 north follows exit 41; US 281 south follows exit 133 |
| see I-37 ||||||
| Bexar | San Antonio | 294.5 | 474.0 | I-35 – Laredo, Austin I-37 ends | North end of I-37 overlap; I-37 exits 142A (north) and 142B (south); I-35 exits 158A-B |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 295.4 | 475.4 | Josephine Street / Grayson Street | Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 295.9 | 476.2 | St. Mary's Street / Mulberry Avenue / Stadium Drive | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 297.0 | 478.0 | Hildebrand Avenue | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 298.8 | 480.9 | Basse Road | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 299.5 | 482.0 | Jones-Maltsberger Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 300.3 | 483.3 | Sunset Road | Southbound exit only |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 300.4 | 483.4 | I-410 | I-410 exit 21A |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 300.7 | 483.9 | Airport Boulevard | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 301.0 | 484.4 | San Antonio International Airport Terminals | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 301.3 | 484.9 | Jones-Maltsberger Road / Isom Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 302.9 | 487.5 | San Pedro Avenue | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; former Spur 537 |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 302.2 | 486.3 | Nakoma Drive | no direct southbound exit (signed at Wurzbach Parkway) |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 303.4 | 488.3 | PA 1502 (Wurzbach Parkway) | signed with Nakoma Drive southbound; additional signage southbound for Sandau Road and Rhapsody Drive |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 304.0 | 489.2 | Bitters Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 304.7 | 490.4 | Oak Shadows Drive / Winding Way Drive | no direct southbound exit (signed at Brook Hollow Boulevard) |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 305.4 | 491.5 | Brook Hollow Boulevard | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 305.8 | 492.1 | Thousand Oaks Drive / Mecca Drive | No direct southbound exit (signed at Donella Drive) |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 306.7 | 493.6 | Donella Drive | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 307.3 | 494.6 | Loop 1604 / Frontage Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 307.9 | 495.5 | Sonterra Boulevard / Redland Road / Encino Rio Road | access to North Central Baptist Hospital and Methodist Stone Oak Hospital; Encino Rio Road signed at Evans Road southbound |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 309.5 | 498.1 | Evans Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | | | VIA Stone Oak Park & Ride | HOV only |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 310.0 | 498.9 | Stone Oak Parkway / TPC Parkway | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | 310.9 | 500.3 | Marshall Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | | | Overlook Parkway | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | | | Bulverde Road | |
| Bexar | San Antonio | | | Borgfeld Drive | Interchange; north end of freeway |
| Comal | Bulverde | 317.3 | 510.6 | FM 1863 – Bulverde | Interchange |
| Comal | Bulverde | 321.2 | 516.9 | SH 46 – Boerne, New Braunfels | Interchange |
| Comal | Spring Branch | 327.0 | 526.3 | FM 311 east – Smithson Valley | |
| Comal | ​ | 331.3 | 533.2 | FM 306 east – Canyon Lake North | |
| Blanco | ​ | 334.0 | 537.5 | RM 473 west – Kendalia | South end of RM 473 overlap |
| Blanco | Twin Sisters | 335.8 | 540.4 | RM 473 east | North end of RM 473 overlap |
| Blanco | ​ | 340.6 | 548.1 | RM 32 east – San Marcos, Canyon Dam | |
| Blanco | ​ | 340.9 | 548.6 | Loop 163 north to RM 165 – Wimberley | |
| Blanco | Blanco | 342.2 | 550.7 | PR 23 – Blanco State Park | interchange |
| Blanco | Blanco | 342.7 | 551.5 | Loop 163 south / RM 1623 west (4th Street) to RM 165 – Stonewall, Henly, Wimberley | |
| Blanco | ​ | 350.4 | 563.9 | US 290 east – Austin | South end of US 290 overlap |
| Blanco | Johnson City | 355.8 | 572.6 | RM 2766 east – Pedernales Falls State Park | |
| Blanco | Johnson City | 356.0 | 572.9 | US 290 west – Fredericksburg, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park | North end of US 290 overlap |
| Blanco | Johnson City | 356.8 | 574.2 | Spur 356 south – Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park | |
| Blanco | ​ | 358.8 | 577.4 | RM 1323 west – Sandy | |
| Blanco | Round Mountain | 367.3 | 591.1 | RM 962 east – Cypress Mill | South end of RM 962 overlap |
| Blanco | Round Mountain | 367.5 | 591.4 | RM 962 west – Llano | North end of RM 962 overlap |
| Burnet | Marble Falls | 373.3 | 600.8 | SH 71 – Llano, Austin | Interchange |
| Burnet | Marble Falls | 376.1 | 605.3 | RM 2147 east | South end of RM 2147 overlap |
| Burnet | Marble Falls | 377.7 | 607.8 | RM 2147 west – Wirtz Dam, Horseshoe Bay, Lake LBJ | North end of RM 2147 overlap |
| Burnet | Marble Falls | 378.8 | 609.6 | RM 1431 – Granite Shoals, Kingsland, Lago Vista, Cedar Park | |
| Burnet | ​ | 383.2 | 616.7 | RM 1855 west – Fairland | |
| Burnet | Demarco | 386.7 | 622.3 | PR 4 west – Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake State Park, Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery | |
| Burnet | Burnet | 391.7 | 630.4 | SH 29 – Buchanan Dam, Llano, Georgetown | |
| Burnet | Burnet | 392.4 | 631.5 | RM 963 east – Watson, Oakalla | |
| Burnet | ​ | 401.2 | 645.7 | RM 2340 east – Lake Victor | |
| Lampasas | Lampasas | 413.0 | 664.7 | US 281 Truck north (E.E. Ohnmeiss Drive) to US 190 east – Copperas Cove, Killeen | |
| Lampasas | Lampasas | 413.4 | 665.3 | US 183 south / US 190 east / US 281 Truck south – Belton, Austin | South end of US 183 / US 190 overlap |
| Lampasas | Lampasas | 413.7 | 665.8 | Loop 257 east (4th Street) – Lampasas Downtown Historic District | |
| Lampasas | Lampasas | 414.0 | 666.3 | FM 580 west (North Avenue) – Colorado Bend State Park | South end of FM 580 overlap |
| Lampasas | Lampasas | 414.6 | 667.2 | FM 580 east (East Avenue J) | North end of FM 580 overlap |
| Lampasas | ​ | 415.2 | 668.2 | US 183 north / US 190 west – Goldthwaite, Brownwood, San Saba, Lometa | North end of US 183 / US 190 overlap |
| Lampasas | ​ | 425.2 | 684.3 | FM 1690 north | |
| Lampasas | ​ | 429.9 | 691.9 | FM 581 west – Lometa | South end of FM 581 overlap |
| Lampasas | Adamsville | 430.5 | 692.8 | FM 581 east | North end of FM 581 overlap |
| Coryell | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions | No major junctions |
| Hamilton | Evant | 443.2 | 713.3 | US 84 – Gatesville, Goldthwaite | Interchange |
| Hamilton | ​ | 451.3 | 726.3 | FM 221 west – Shive | |
| Hamilton | Hamilton | 459.3 | 739.2 | SH 22 east / SH 36 (Main Street) – Comanche, Gatesville, Meridian | |
| Hamilton | Hamilton | 460.1 | 740.5 | FM 2905 east | |
| Hamilton | Olin | 471.3 | 758.5 | FM 219 – Dublin, Cranfills Gap | |
| Hamilton | ​ | 478.8 | 770.6 | FM 1744 south – Carlton | |
| Hamilton | ​ | 479.2 | 771.2 | FM 1602 south – Fairy, Jonesboro | |
| Hamilton | Hico | 480.1 | 772.6 | SH 6 south (2nd Street) to SH 220 – Meridian, Downtown Historic District | South end of SH 6 overlap |
| Erath | ​ | 484.5 | 779.7 | SH 6 north – Dublin, Eastland | North end of SH 6 overlap |
| Erath | ​ | 486.0 | 782.1 | FM 1824 east – Duffau | |
| Erath | ​ | 492.4 | 792.4 | FM 913 east – Selden | |
| Erath | ​ | 497.8 | 801.1 | SH 108 north – Stephenville | |
| Erath | Stephenville | 498.5 | 802.3 | US 67 – Dublin, Glen Rose | |
| Erath | Stephenville | 498.8 | 802.7 | US 377 – Dublin, Granbury | |
| Erath | Stephenville | 499.1 | 803.2 | FM 205 east | |
| Erath | Stephenville | 499.6 | 804.0 | Bus. US 377 – Stephenville, Fort Worth | |
| Erath | Stephenville | 500.8 | 806.0 | FM 8 west – Tarleton Agricultural Center | |
| Erath | ​ | 501.8 | 807.6 | FM 3025 west | |
| Erath | Morgan Mill | 511.0 | 822.4 | FM 1188 / FM 1189 north – Lipan | |
| Erath | ​ | 519.5 | 836.1 | FM 2803 north – Patillo | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 521.1 | 838.6 | FM 4 – Santo, Lipan | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 527.0 | 848.1 | I-20 – Abilene, Fort Worth | I-20 exit 386 |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 527.3 | 848.6 | FM 2201 west – Santo | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 528.1 | 849.9 | FM 129 west – Brazos | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 537.6 | 865.2 | FM 1195 east – Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Municipal Airport | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 539.6 | 868.4 | FM 2256 south | |
| Palo Pinto | Mineral Wells | 541.3 | 871.1 | US 180 east (South 1st Street) | One-way couplet |
| Palo Pinto | Mineral Wells | 541.4 | 871.3 | US 180 west (Hubbard Street) | One-way couplet |
| Palo Pinto | Mineral Wells | 542.5 | 873.1 | FM 3027 east (Northeast 23rd Street) | South end of FM 3027 overlap |
| Palo Pinto | Mineral Wells | 543.1 | 874.0 | FM 3027 west – Union Hill | North end of FM 3027 overlap |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 544.8 | 876.8 | FM 1821 east – Weatherford, Lake Mineral Wells State Park | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 548.8 | 883.2 | FM 2270 west | |
| Palo Pinto | Peadenville | 549.5 | 884.3 | SH 254 west / FM 1885 east – Graford, Possum Kingdom Lake, Weatherford | |
| Palo Pinto | ​ | 551.8 | 888.0 | FM 52 – Oran, Whitt | |
| Jack | Perrin | 557.6 | 897.4 | FM 2210 – Gibtown | |
| Jack | ​ | 564.8 | 909.0 | SH 199 east – Fort Worth | south end of SH 199 overlap |
| Jack | ​ | 568.2 | 914.4 | FM 3324 south | |
| Jack | ​ | 569.8 | 917.0 | US 380 east / SH 114 east – Runaway Bay, Bridgeport, Dallas | South end of US 380 / SH 114 overlap |
| Jack | Jacksboro | 571.4 | 919.6 | PR 61 – Fort Richardson State Park | |
| Jack | Jacksboro | 572.3 | 921.0 | US 380 west / SH 59 north (Belknap Street) | North end of US 380 / SH 199 overlap |
| Jack | Jacksboro | 572.9 | 922.0 | FM 3344 north (Post Oak Road) | |
| Jack | Jacksboro | 573.0 | 922.2 | SH 148 north – Henrietta | |
| Jack | ​ | 579.6 | 932.8 | SH 114 west – Olney | North end of SH 114 overlap |
| Jack | ​ | 588.4 | 946.9 | FM 1191 south – Jermyn | |
| Jack | ​ | 589.7 | 949.0 | FM 2190 east – Squaw Mountain | |
| Jack | ​ | 592.6 | 953.7 | Loop 187 north – Antelope | |
| Jack | ​ | 595.4 | 958.2 | Loop 187 south – Antelope | |
| Archer | ​ | 599.2 | 964.3 | SH 16 south – Graham | |
| Archer | ​ | 603.2 | 970.8 | FM 2581 north | |
| Archer | Windthorst | 605.9 | 975.1 | SH 25 north / FM 174 east – Archer City, Bowie | |
| Archer | Scotland | 611.9 | 984.8 | FM 172 – Bluegrove | |
| Archer | ​ | 622.5 | 1,001.8 | FM 1954 – Holliday, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Arrowhead State Park | |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 624.8 | 1,005.5 | Loop 473 / Rathgeber Road | interchange; south end of freeway |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 625.5 | 1,006.6 | FM 369 west (Southwest Parkway) / SH 79 south – Archer City | South end of SH 79 overlap; no direct southbound entrance |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 626.5 | 1,008.3 | Hatton Road | |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 627.1 | 1,009.2 | Midwestern Parkway – Midwestern State University | |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 627.6 | 1,010.0 | US 82 east / US 287 south / SH 79 north – Texarkana, Fort Worth | North end of SH 79 overlap; south end of US 82 / US 287 overlap |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 628.2 | 1,011.0 | Loop 473 (Old Jacksboro Highway) / Spur 447 / Galveston Street | |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 628.7 | 1,011.8 | US 82 west / US 277 south – Lubbock, Abilene | North end of US 82 overlap; south end of US 277 overlap |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 629.2 | 1,012.6 | Broad Street – Business District | northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Wichita | Wichita Falls | 630.0 | 1,013.9 | 6th Street – MPEC | no direct southbound exit |
| overlap; see I-44 ||||||
| Wichita | ​ | 645.1 | 1,038.2 | I-44 east / US 277 north / US 281 north – Lawton | Oklahoma state line (bridge over the Red River) |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus HOV only Incomplete access ||||||

## Special routes
### Hidalgo spur route

Spur US Route 281 begins at the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge in Hidalgo, runs north along International Boulevard, then turns east along Military Highway before ending at the main route of US 281 in Pharr.

#### Junction list

The entire route is in Hidalgo County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Hidalgo | 0.0 | 0.0 | Bridge Street | Western terminus; road continues as South International Boulevard to the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge |
| Hidalgo | 0.7 | 1.1 | Spur 115 (North International Boulevard) – McAllen | |
| Hidalgo | 1.2 | 1.9 | SH 336 – McAllen | Interchange |
| ​ | 3.5 | 5.6 | FM 2061 (Jackson Road) – McAllen | |
| Pharr | 4.9 | 7.9 | US 281 (Military Highway) / Spur 600 (Cage Boulevard) – Edinburg, Harlingen, Pharr–Reynosa International Bridge | Eastern terminus; interchange |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |||||

### Edinburg business route

Bus. US 281-W is a business route of US 281 that serves the central business district of Edinburg where it is known locally as Closner Boulevard. The highway was created in 1990 as a re-designation of Loop 113.

#### Junction list

The entire route is in Hidalgo County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Pharr–Edinburg line | 0.0 | 0.0 | I-69C / US 281 / Owassa Road | I-69C exit 2 |
| Edinburg | 4.0 | 6.4 | SH 107 west (Cano Street) | South end of SH 107 overlap |
| Edinburg | 4.1 | 6.6 | SH 107 east (University Drive) | North end of SH 107 overlap |
| Edinburg | 7.2 | 11.6 | I-69C / US 281 | I-69C exit 10 |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus |||||

### Encino business route

Bus. US 281-U is from US 281 north of Encino southward to US 281 south of Encino, a distance of approximately 2.8 miles.

### Falfurrias business route

Bus. US 281-T is from 15th St, north of SH 285, to Taylor Rd, south of SH 285, a distance of approximately 1.84 miles.

### Alice business route

Bus. US 281-R is from the new location of US 281, approximately 1.0 mile north of FM 3376, southward to US 281 at FM 625, a distance of approximately 7.8 miles.

### Lampasas business route

Bus. US 281-L is from a segment of US 281 was redesignated on the state highway system as Bus. US 281-J from the intersection of US 183 southwestward to the intersection of US 190, a distance of approximately 0.4 miles.

### Whitsett–Campbellton loop

Alternate U.S. Route 281 is an alternate routing of US 281 that serves the small communities of Whitsett and Campbellton. The highway was designated in 1982 when the main highway was re-routed east along I-37.

### Lampasas truck route

Truck U.S. Route 281 is a truck route of US 281 located in Lampasas.
Truck US 281 begins at the intersection of US 281 and E. E. Ohnmeiss Drive near Hancock Springs Park. The highway travels for 0.2 miles (0.32 km) east along E. E. Ohnmeiss Drive before reaching an intersection with US 183 (Key Avenue) / US 190 (Central Texas Expressway). Truck US 281 then turns north onto Key Avenue, running concurrent with US 183 and US 190. After running for 0.4 miles (0.64 km) along Key Avenue, the highways then intersect the main route of US 281, which is the northern terminus of Truck US 281.
The truck route provides a more direct routing to US 183 south and US 190 east over the main US 281. Truck US 281 also provides a wider crossing over the Sulphur Creek, with the Key Avenue bridge having five lanes (two travel lanes in each direction plus a bi-directional center lane), whereas the older crossing on the original US 281 is only two lanes.

#### Junction list

The entire route is in Lampasas, Lampasas County.
| mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | US 281 – Burnet | |
| 0.2 | 0.32 | US 183 south (Key Avenue) / US 190 east (Central Texas Highway) – Fort Cavazos, Killeen, Belton | South end of US 183 / US 190 overlap |
| 0.6 | 0.97 | US 183 north / US 190 west / US 281 | Access to AdventHealth Rollins Brook |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi ||||