Ranch Road 1 (RR 1) is a 6.587-mile (10.6 km) state road in Gillespie and Blanco counties, in the central region of Texas, United States. It begins at U.S. Route 290 (US 290) in Stonewall, running along the Pedernales River through Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, the late President Lyndon Johnson's former ranch, and through Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site, before terminating at US 290 near Hye. The road, designated in 1963, is the only road in the state that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has designated as a "Ranch Road". In the earliest days of the state highway system, the route was a part of State Highway 20, and was later part of US 290 before that highway was relocated to the south.

Ranch to Market Road 1 marker
Ranch to Market Road 1
Map
RR 1 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length6.587 mi[1] (10.601 km)
Existed1963[1]–present
Major junctions
West end US 290 in Stonewall
Major intersections RM 1623 in Stonewall
East end US 290 near Hye
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesGillespie, Blanco
Highway system
FM 1 PR 1

Route description

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Route sign for Ranch Road 1, September 2005. (Despite RR 1 not being a Ranch to Market Road, it is still signed with the Texas Ranch to Market Road 1 shield.)

RR 1 begins at US 290 on the west side of Stonewall, as a two-lane, paved road. The highway follows along the south bank of the Pedernales River around the town's north side and intersects RM 1623 on the town's east side. The route continues along the river briefly passing through a narrow southwestern portion of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, before entering Lyndon B Johnson State Park and Historic Site.[2] The route crosses the length of the state park at its northern edge along the riverbank and exits the park before intersecting PR 49, which crosses the river accessing the national historic site. After crossing into Blanco County, the route turns away from the riverbank to the southeast returning to US 290 west of Hye.[2][3] Although the road is located in the Texas Hill Country, the road only encounters gentle grades within the channel of the Pedernales River.[4][5]

Classification

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RR 1 is classified by TxDOT as a Ranch Road and is the only highway in the state currently categorized as such.[6] The route is not officially part of the state's Farm and Ranch to Market Road System, although it is considered similar to the Farm to Market Road system.[7] Nothwithstanding, RR 1 is signed with the Ranch to Market Road 1 shield.[8] (Ranch Road 1 should also not be confused with being part of the Recreational Roads, which also use the "RR" abbreviation.)

History

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Ranch Road 1 was designated on December 19, 1963, 27 days after Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president, from its current western terminus at US 290 near Stonewall to a point 1.2 miles (1.9 km) west of the county line between Gillespie and Blanco counties. The following year, the road was extended 2.1 mi (3.4 km) eastward to its present terminus near Hye. The route was originally part of SH 20.[9] In 1935, US 290 was routed over the road,[10] and the SH 20 designation was dropped in the 1939 general redescription of the state highway system.[11] US 290 was rerouted south to its current location sometime between 1941[12][13] and 1961.[14][15]

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[16]kmDestinationsNotes
GillespieStonewall0.0000.000 
 
US 290 east
 
 
US 290 west – Fredericksburg
Western terminus;
T intersection
1.2592.026 
 
RM 1623 north – RM 2721
 
 
RM 1623 south – US 290, Albert, Blanco
3.1745.108 
 
PR 52 south – State Park parking lot, US 290
T intersection
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site
4.7347.619 
 
PR 49 north (Klein Road) – Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
T intersection
Blanco6.58710.601 
 
US 290 east – Johnson City
 
 
US 290 west
Eastern terminus;
T intersection
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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  U.S. Roads portal   Texas portal

References

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  1. ^ a b Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Ranch Road No. 1". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2018). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2018 ed.). 1:72,224. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 1586. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Route of Ranch Road 1" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  4. ^ United States Geological Survey (1961). Stonewall Quadrangle, Texas (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  5. ^ United States Geological Survey (1961). Hye Quadrangle, Texas (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  6. ^ Courtney, David (August 2022). "The Texanist: What's the Difference Between a Farm to Market Road and a Ranch to Market Road?". Texas Monthly. 47 (8). Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. "Highway Designation Glossary". Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  8. ^ Texas Department of Transportation (2012). "Section 3: Small Guide Signs" (PDF). Standard Highway Sign Designs. Austin: Texas Department of Transportation. pp. 3–5.7. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  9. ^ Texas State Highway Commission (1926). Official Highway Map of Texas (Map). 1:1,900,800. Austin: Texas State Highway Commission. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  10. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 290". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  11. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 20". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  12. ^ Texas State Highway Department (February 1, 1941). General Highway Map, Gillespie County, Texas (Map). 1:126,720. Austin: Texas State Highway Commission. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  13. ^ Texas State Highway Department (February 1, 1941). General Highway Map, Blanco County, Texas (Map). 1:126,720. Austin: Texas State Highway Commission. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  14. ^ Texas State Highway Department (January 1, 1961). General Highway Map, Gillespie County, Texas (Map). 1:126,720. Austin: Texas State Highway Commission. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  15. ^ Texas State Highway Department (January 1, 1961). General Highway Map, Blanco County, Texas (Map). 1:126,720. Austin: Texas State Highway Commission. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  16. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division. Statewide Planning Map (Map). Austin: Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
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