State Highway 70 (SH 70) is a state highway in Texas. The route runs approximately 315 miles (507 km) from US 277 near Blackwell to US 83 south of Perryton.[1][2][3]

State Highway 70 marker
State Highway 70
Map
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length315.886 mi[1][nb 1] (508.369 km)
Existed1923–present
Major junctions
South end US 277 south of Blackwell
Major intersections
North end US 83 south of Perryton
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesCoke, Nolan, Fisher, Kent, Dickens, Motley, Hall, Briscoe, Donley, Gray, Roberts, Ochiltree
Highway system
US 70 SH 71
State Highway 70 crossing the Little Red River in Hall County, Texas.

Route description

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SH 70 begins in far northeastern Coke County at a junction with US 277 north of Bronte.[2] The highway soon crosses into Nolan County, where it serves as the northern terminus of SH 153.[4] The first large city along SH 70's route is Sweetwater; here, the route is concurrent with Interstate 20 and US 84 along the south side of the city, between I-20's Exits #244 and #247, before it resumes its northward course and enters Fisher County.[5] SH 70 intersects US 180 in Roby and SH 92 in Rotan.[6] Continuing north into Kent County, the route begins a concurrency with US 380 that lasts until Jayton.[7] In Dickens County, SH 70 serves as the northern terminus of SH 208 and passes through the east and north side of Spur before reaching Dickens and an intersection with US 82 / SH 114.[8][9] After heading almost due north from here, the route enters Motley County and passes through the town of Roaring Springs.[10] The next major city along the route is Matador, where SH 70 and US 70 intersect one another (along with US 62).[11] After leaving Matador, SH 70 enters Hall County, where it has a brief concurrency with SH 86 through Turkey.[12] The highway then briefly turns to the northwest and enters Briscoe County, beginning a brief concurrency with SH 256, before turning to the west and reentering Hall County; the two routes separate near the community of South Brice.[13] SH 70 resumes a more northerly path into Donley County, and has a short concurrency with US 287 through Clarendon.[14] After the two routes separate, SH 70 heads due north to a junction with Interstate 40 at its Exit #124, near the Donley–Gray County line.[15] Northbound SH 70 is concurrent with the freeway for about 3.5 mi (5.6 km) before the routes split at I-40 Exit #121. SH 70 continues north into Pampa, where it intersects US 60 and has a half-mile duplex with SH 152. After leaving Pampa, the route turns more to the north-northeast, and enters the sparsely-populated Roberts County, where its only intersections are with a few farm to market roads that connect to the county seat of Miami.[16][17] SH 70 then enters Ochiltree County and reaches its northern terminus at US 83 south of Perryton.[3] While the current official route description of SH 70 indicates a concurrency with US 83 to a junction with SH 15 in Perryton, that roadway is presently signed only as US 83, which agrees with TxDOT's County Map Book, and signage in Perryton at the SH 15 junction with US 83 directs traffic to SH 70 using "TO SH 70" markers.[1][3]

History

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SH 70 was originally designated on August 21, 1923, from Aspermont to San Angelo along a portion of the original SH 4, which had been shifted farther east.[18] On October 13, 1925, it was routed through Robert Lee.[19] On September 18, 1929, SH 70 was rerouted to bypass Robert Lee. Part became SH 70A, but Robert Lee to San Angelo was cancelled, but restored as SH 208 on July 16, 1934.[20] On December 1, 1930, the route had been rerouted north to Jayton, replacing SH 161 and a small portion of SH 84.[21] On September 26, 1939, SH 70 was extended north from Jayton to Dickens, absorbing a portion of SH 18. Significant extension came on October 10, 1947, when SH 70 was extended to Perryton in the northern Panhandle; this was due to the realignment of US 62 between Matador and Ralls, bypassing Dickens, and the cancellation of SH 18 from Matador to Perryton.[22][23] On February 12, 1948, US 277 was rerouted to a more westerly alignment between Abilene, Texas and San Angelo, Texas, and the section from just south of Blackwell to near San Angelo was transferred to that route.[1][24] On September 27, 1957, SH 70 was shifted to a more westerly alignment in Dickens, and Loop 120 was extended along the old route of SH 70 through the city.[25]

A spur, SH 70A, was designated on September 18, 1929, from Robert Lee east to Bronte.[20] This route was renumbered as SH 158 on March 19, 1930.

On September 27, 1985, Texas State Highway Loop 549 was designated as a bypass of SH 70 in Sweetwater and was signed, but not designated, as SH 70, and the old route was signed as a business route. On June 21, 1990, SH 70 was designated on Loop 549, and the old route of SH 70 became a business route, cancelling Loop 549.

Business route

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Business State Highway 70
LocationSweetwater
Length3.788 mi[26][nb 2] (6.096 km)
Existed1990–present[26]

SH 70 has one business route, Business SH 70-G in Sweetwater, which is a former alignment of the state highway through that city. The route was designated in 1990, when SH 70 was rerouted along the south and east side of the city to use the I-20 freeway. The business route is also concurrent with BL I-20 through downtown Sweetwater.[26][27]

Junction list

The entire route is in Sweetwater, Nolan County.

mi[28]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0    I-20 / US 84 / SH 70 – Abilene, Roscoe, San AngeloI-20 exit 244
1.52.4 
 
 
 
I-20 BL west (Broadway Avenue) / FM 419 north (Elm Street)
South end of BL I-20 overlap
2.03.2 
 
I-20 BL east (Broadway Avenue) – Abilene
North end of BL I-20 overlap
4.36.9  SH 70 – Roby, Abilene, Big Spring
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Coke0.00.0  US 277 – San Angelo, AbileneSouthern terminus; interchange
1.62.6  FM 3399
NolanBlackwell5.89.3  FM 1170
20.733.3  SH 153 – Winters
21.334.3  FM 608 – Maryneal
27.744.6  FM 1809
28.646.0  FM 1856 – Lake Sweetwater
Sweetwater31.851.2 
 
 
 
I-20 west / US 84 west – Big Spring, Snyder
 
 
Bus. SH 70 – Downtown Sweetwater
South end of I-20/US 84 concurrency, exit 244.
34.856.0 
 
 
 
  I-20 east / US 84 east / I-20 BL – Abilene
North end of I-20/US 84 concurrency, exit 247; south end of I-20 Bus. concurrency.
36.057.9  I-20 BLNorth end of I-20 Bus. concurrency
37.259.9 
 
Bus. SH 70
Fisher42.167.8  FM 2744
47.175.8  FM 57 – Busby, Sylvester
Roby54.487.5  US 180 – Snyder, Anson
Rotan63.9102.8   SH 92 / FM 611 – Hamlin
70.8113.9  FM 610 – Aspermont
Kent90.0144.8 
 
US 380 west – Post
South end of US 380 concurrency
92.3148.5  FM 1083
Jayton97.5156.9 
 
US 380 east – Aspermont
North end of US 380 concurrency
98.3158.2  FM 1083
99.0159.3  FM 1228
Girard  FM 643
Dickens  FM 3294
Steele Hill  SH 208
Spur  
 
Spur 21 (6th St.) to FM 261
  
 
Spur 21 (Burlington Ave.) to FM 836
  FM 1868
  FM 1868
Dickens  Loop 120
   US 82 / SH 114 – Ralls, Guthrie
  Loop 120
  FM 193 – McAdoo, Afton
Motley  FM 3203
Roaring Springs   Loop 42 (Poplar St.) / FM 684
  Loop 42 (Second St.)
  FM 1045
Matador   US 62 / US 70 – Floydada, Paducah
  Spur 196 (Dundee St.)
  
 
FM Spur 94 to FM 94
  FM 2999
  FM 2009
  FM 97 – Flomot
HallTurkey 
 
SH 86 west (Main St.) – Quitaque, Tulia
South end of SH 86 concurrency
 
 
SH 86 east – Estelline
North end of SH 86 concurrency
Briscoe 
 
SH 256 west – Silverton
South end of SH 256 concurrency
HallSouth Brice 
 
SH 256 east – Memphis
North end of SH 256 concurrency
DonleyClarendon 
 
US 287 south – Childress
South end of US 287 concurrency
  
 
FM 2162 to FM 2362
 
 
US 287 north – Amarillo
North end of US 287 concurrency
 
 
I-40 east – Oklahoma City
South end of I-40 concurrency, exit 124.
 
 
I-40 west – Amarillo
North end of I-40 concurrency, exit 121.
Gray  FM 2477 – Lake McClellan
  FM 293
  FM 749 – Bowers City
  Loop 171
Pampa  FM 750 (McCullough St.)
  
 
US 60 / SH 152 east – Panhandle, Canadian, Wheeler
South end of SH 152 concurrency
 
 
SH 152 west – Borger
North end of SH 152 concurrency
  Loop 171
Roberts  FM 282 – Miami
  FM 283 – Miami
Ochiltree  FM 281
  FM 759 – Spearman
Ochiltree  FM 3045 – Farnsworth
  US 83 – Perryton, CanadianNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

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  1. ^ The certified length given is shorter than the actual mileage, as the TxDOT description of SH 70 considers it to be discontinuous at rather than concurrent with all Interstates and US highways.
  2. ^ The certified length given is shorter than the actual mileage, as the TxDOT description of Bus. SH 70 considers it to be discontinuous at rather than concurrent with BL I-20 in Sweeywater.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 70". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 278. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 233. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  4. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 277. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  5. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 276. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  6. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 275. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  7. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 245. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  8. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 244. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  9. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 243. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  10. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 242. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  11. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 241. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  12. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 240. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  13. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 239. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  14. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 238. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  15. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 237. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  16. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 235. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  17. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 234. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved April 17, 2011.[dead link]
  18. ^ "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. August 21, 1923. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. October 12, 1925. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. September 17, 1929. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Minutes" (PDF). publicdocs.txdot.gov. Texas Department of Transportation. November 29, 1930. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  22. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 62". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  23. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 18". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  24. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "U.S. Highway No. 277". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  25. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 120". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  26. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 70-G". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  27. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business Interstate Highway No. 20-M". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  28. ^ "Overview Map of SH 70-G" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 3, 2017.