Texas State Highway 121

State Highway 121 (SH 121) is a state highway angling from southwest to northeast through north central Texas. It runs from downtown Fort Worth, Texas at the junction of Interstate 35W to Bonham, Texas, just north of a junction with U.S. Highway 82.

State Highway 121
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length85.563 mi[1] (137.700 km)
Existedby 1939–present
Major junctions
Southwest end I-35W / US 287 / US 377 / Spur 347 in Fort Worth
 
Northeast end SH 78 in Bonham
Highway system
SH 120 SH 122

Between Fort Worth and Euless, SH 121 is known as Airport Freeway (east of Euless, this name applies to SH 183). East of Coppell, the highway functions as the frontage road for the Sam Rayburn Tollway, a toll road that runs northeast to McKinney. From McKinney to Melissa, the state highway is concurrent with US 75 and the North Central Expressway. Northeast of Melissa, SH 121 is a less-traveled roadway often referred to as the Sam Rayburn Highway.

Route description

SH 121 Business west from I-35E towards Grapevine

Sections between downtown Fort Worth and Grapevine are freeway, including a small segment near Hurst that coincides with Interstate 820. At Bedford, Texas it has an interchange with SH 183, the Irving freeway that leads toward Dallas; it has an interchange with SH 360, which leads toward Arlington, just to the west of the north entrance to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, to which State Highway 121 gives access. At Grapevine it has interchanges with SH 114 and Interstate 635 before becoming a limited-access tollway that passes between Lewisville and Frisco.

Signage originally used on the tolled mainlanes of SH 121 (now the Sam Rayburn Tollway) from 2006 to 2009.

It is very heavily traveled south and west of McKinney and has become an urban highway due to the rapid growth of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Service roads extending southwest to northeast along the corridor from Lewisville to McKinney are free of charge; however the main lanes within the right-of-way are tolled as part of the Sam Rayburn Tollway operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). The highway's northeastern section between Melissa and Bonham carries less traffic and until recently was a two-lane rural highway. However, in recent years with an increase in traffic, the 19 mile section between the Collin-Fannin County line and its junction with SH 56 in Bonham has been upgraded to a "Super Two" highway system. This allows for alternating passing lanes. Beginning in 2016, the segment between Melissa and the Collin-Fannin County line is being upgraded to a four-lane divided highway system. In addition, a two mile stretch between SH 56 and US 82 within Bonham city limits, was upgraded to a four-lane highway system with a continuous left-hand turn lane. Long term planning calls for upgrading the 19 mile stretch, from the Collin-Fannin County line to SH 56 in Bonham, into a four-lane divided highway system.

It meets Interstate 35E at Lewisville, SH 289 near Frisco, US 75 and US 380 in McKinney, US 69 at Trenton, and SH 78 just north of Bonham.

Construction began in 2009 on the extension of 121 south from Fort Worth to Cleburne, as a toll road called Chisholm Trail Parkway in Tarrant and Johnson Counties. This section is operated by the NTTA and the entire project, from IH 30 to U.S. 67 opened to traffic in 2013.[2]

In March 2009, work was completed on the eventual southbound lanes on a short stretch of 121 northeast of DFW Airport, which currently shares southbound and northbound traffic. This work upgraded two signalized at-grade intersections to a freeway, with overpasses at both intersections, improving traffic in that area.[3] The northbound freeway lanes are currently under construction, which also include new, separate exits and entrances for Freeport Parkway and Grapevine Mills Boulevard/Sandy Lake Road.

Interchange between SH 121 and SH 121 Business Route

Sam Rayburn Tollway

From McKinney to Coppell, State Highway 121 acts as a frontage road to Sam Rayburn Tollway, contrary to the popular misconception that the Sam Rayburn Tollway was the new SH 121.

Controversy

In early 2007, the Spanish firm Cintra agreed to a $2.8 billion, 50-year deal where they would lease the highway from TxDOT, finish building and maintain it, and collect the tolls.[4] However, critics of the deal questioned both its length—the contract allowed Cintra to collect tolls for 50 years—and the fact that the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) was prevented from bidding on the contract. In addition, general opposition to the toll plan organized, pointing out that the segment through Denton County had already been paid for by taxpayer money.[5]

To answer some of these complaints, Texas legislators pressed the Texas Department of Transportation to allow the NTTA to bid.[6] The Authority announced their proposed bid in early May 2007, which would provide approximately $3.3 billion in road funding, but is based on traffic counts that differ from those used by Cintra.[7]

On June 28, 2007, the Texas Transportation Commission announced it would pursue the proposal from the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA).[8]

Route history

SH 121 was originally numbered on March 17, 1927 as a direct routing between Fort Worth and SH 40 near the Dallas-Denton County line.[9] On April 24, 1928, it extended to McKinney.[10] By 1933, the route had been completed from Ft. Worth northeast through Grapevine to its intersection with SH 40/U.S. Route 77 in far southern Denton County. On July 15, 1935, the east end was truncated to the Denton-Dallas county line.[11] On January 6, 1939, the section from the Dallas-Denton County line to SH 40/US 77 was restored.[12] A road was designated on February 21, 1938, from SH 114 to SH 121; either SH 114 Loop or SH 121 Loop. This was renumbered as Loop 10 on September 26, 1939.[13]

On November 24, 1941, SH 121 was extended from old US 77 to new US 77. On December 16, 1943, the section of SH 121 from US 77 (former SH 40) to McKinney was restored, and the ambitious plan to extend SH 121 northeast beyond McKinney to Bonham was approved by TxDOT, a part of which absorbed Farm to Market Road 82 between Bonham and Trenton. The section from Bonham to Randolph was designated as SH 263 until March 21, 1939. But it wasn't until 1954 that the next section of this highway was completed between U.S. 77 at Lewisville and U.S. Route 75 near McKinney. The final section between McKinney and Trenton was not completed until November 20, 1963, including an extension around the western side of Bonham. In 1965, the section from downtown Fort Worth to Interstate 820 was transferred to newly completed freeway sections. On November 31, 1969, SH 121 was rerouted over Spur 459, which was cancelled. The old route of SH 121 was given to the city of Grapevine.

TxDOT proposed extending SH 121 to FM 1187, via a route to be known as the Northside–Southwest Freeway, on October 4, 1973.[14] This proposed extension was canceled on August 29, 1985.[15]

On April 14, 1980, SH 121 was relocated in Bedford and Grapevine. On November 18, 1999, SH 121 was rerouted over Spur 553, which was cancelled. The old route of SH 121 became Business SH 121. On February 27, 2003, SH 121 was extended to US 67 in Cleburne.

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[16]kmDestinationsNotes
TarrantFort Worth0.00.0 I-35W / US 287 / US 377 south Waco, Denton
Spur 347 west (Belknap Street) Downtown Fort Worth
I-35W exit 52B, access to Fort Worth Central Station
0.81.3Sylvania Avenue
1.21.9Riverside Drive
2.13.4Beach Street
2.74.3Maxine StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Haltom City3.15.0Haltom Road
4.26.8Carson Street
4.97.9Minnis Drive
Richland Hills6.410.3 Handley-Ederville RoadAccess to Richland Hills Station
Hurst7.311.7 I-820 southsouth end of I-820 overlap; SH 121 south follows exit 24B
SH 10 east / SH 183 west Richland Hillssouth end of SH 183 overlap; I-820 exit 24A
8.413.5 Pipeline Road / Glenview DriveI-820 exit 23, access to North Hills Hospital
SH 121 Express north / SH 183 Express east to FM 157northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-820 exit 23A
8.513.7 SH 26 / FM 1938 north (Davis Boulevard) / Bedford-Euless Road Colleyville, TCC Northeast CampusI-820 exit 22B
8.914.3 I-820 westnorth end of I-820 overlap; SH 121 north follows exit 22A
10.116.3 FM 3029 north (Precinct Line Road) / Hurstview Drive
HurstBedford line11.518.5Norwood Drive / Brown Trail
Bedford12.520.1Bedford Road / Forest Ridge Drive
13.020.9 Central Drive / Forest Ridge DriveAccess to Texas Health HEB
13.621.9 SH 183 east DFW Airport South Entry, Irvingnorth end of SH 183 overlap; no direct southbound exit (signed at Murphy Drive)
14.022.5Westpark Way / Murphy Drive
15.024.1Harwood Road
SH 121 Express south / SH 183 Express west to I-820southbound exit and northbound entrance
BedfordEuless line16.726.9 FM 157 south / Cheek-Sparger Road
EulessGrapevine line17.227.7Glade Road
Grapevine18.129.1Hall-Johnson Road
18.730.1 To SH 360 / Stone Myers ParkwayNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
19.331.1 SH 360 south ArlingtonSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
20.833.5 SH 114 west (SH 26 south) to FM 1709 / William D. Tate Avenue Bridgeportsouth end of SH 114 overlap
21.935.2
SH 26 north / Bus. SH 114 west (Texan Trail) / Main Street Grapevine Historic District
no northbound entrance
22.436.0 SH 114 east DallasNorth end of SH 114 overlap
22.936.9DFW Airport (International Parkway)
24.339.1 I-635 eastI-635 exit 36
24.739.8Bass Pro Drive / Bethel Road / Grapevine Mills Trail
25.340.7 FM 2499 north (Grapevine Mills Parkway) Flower Moundnorthbound exit and southbound entrance, access to Grapevine Mills Mall
DallasCoppellGrapevine line26.242.2Grapevine Mills Boulevard / Sandy Lake Road / Freeport Parkway
DentonLewisville27.644.4
Bus. SH 121 north Lewisville
DallasCoppellLewisville line28.846.3 Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Denton Tap Road McKinneynorth end of freeway
DentonLewisville30.048.3 Sam Rayburn Tollway / MacArthur Boulevard
31.150.1 Sam Rayburn Tollway south / I-35E (US 77) Denton, Dallas, D/FW Airport, Fort Worthsouth end of Sam Rayburn Tollway overlap; south end of freeway; I-35E exits 447A-447B-448A
Carrollton32.352.0Marchant Boulevard / Huffines Boulevard
33.253.4 Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Hebron Parkwaynorth end of Sam Rayburn Tollway overlap; north end of freeway
34.355.2 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Carrollton Parkway
Lewisville35.156.5 Sam Rayburn Tollway south / FM 544
35.757.5
Sam Rayburn Tollway / Bus. SH 121 south / FM 2281 south Lewisville
36.658.9 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Standridge Drive / Castle Hills Drive
36.959.4 Sam Rayburn Tollway / FM 423 north (Main Street) / Josey Lane Little Elm
The Colony38.361.6 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Paige Road / Plano Parkway
Sam Rayburn Tollway southsouthbound exit and northbound entrance
39.964.2 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Spring Creek Parkway
CollinPlanoFrisco line40.765.5 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Legacy Drive
41.767.1 To Dallas North Tollway / Dallas Parkway
Sam Rayburn Tollway / Parkwood Boulevard
42.868.9 Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Dallas North Tollway / SH 289 (Preston Road)
Sam Rayburn Tollway / Ohio Driveinterchange
43.970.7 Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Hillcrest Road / Rasor Boulevard
45.272.7 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Coit Road
46.374.5 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Independence Parkway
PlanoFrisco
AllenMcKinney quadripoint
47.276.0 Sam Rayburn Tollway south / FM 2478 north (Custer Road)
AllenMcKinney line48.177.4 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Exchange Parkway
49.078.9 Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Alma Drive
50.080.5 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Stacy Road
50.881.8 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Watters Road / Lake Forest Drive
51.883.4 Sam Rayburn Tollway / Chelsea Boulevard / Hardin Boulevard
52.985.1 US 75 south to SH 5 (via Spur 399 east) Dallassouth end of US 75 overlap; SH 121 south follows exit 39
see US 75
Melissa61.298.5 US 75 north Shermannorth end of US 75 overlap; SH 121 north follows exit 45
SH 5 southsouth end of SH 5 overlap
62.2100.1 SH 5 north Melissa, AnnaInterchange; north end of SH 5 overlap
63.7102.5 FM 545 (East Melissa Road) Melissa, Blue Ridge
64.9104.4 FM 2933 south New Hope
AnnaOuter Loop Road
FM 455 west Annasouth end of FM 455 overlap
FM 455 east to FM 2862north end of FM 455 overlap
71.6115.2 FM 2862 Westminster
Desert75.4121.3 SH 160 Whitewright, Blue Ridge
FanninTrenton FM 814 westsouth end of FM 814 overlap
FM 814 east Trentonnorth end of FM 814 overlap
80.7129.9
US 69 / Bus. US 69 Whitewright, Leonard
Interchange
86.0138.4
Bus. SH 121 north
86.5139.2 SH 11 Sherman, CommerceInterchange
87.7141.1
Bus. SH 121 south Randolph
90.5145.6 FM 1629 east Edhube
93.0149.7 Spur 311 north to SH 56 west Sherman, Sam Rayburn House
Bonham93.7150.8 SH 56 west ShermanSouth end of SH 56 overlap
94.2151.6 SH 56 east Bonham, Sam Rayburn LibraryNorth end of SH 56 overlap
96.1154.7 US 82 Sherman, ParisUS 82 exit 670
96.9155.9 FM 898 west Ector
98.3158.2 SH 78 Durant, Bonham
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Business routes

Randolph


Business State Highway 121-D
LocationRandolph
Length1.734 mi[17] (2.791 km)
Existed1990[17]–present

Business State Highway 121-D (Bus. SH 121-D) is a business route of SH 121 that serves the town of Randolph. The highway was designated in 1990 with the mileage being transferred from Loop 451.[18]

Bus. SH 121-D begins at an intersection with SH 121 and travels northeast before intersecting with FM 896. After intersecting with FM 896, the highway runs north and has a brief overlap with SH 11 through the town. After leaving the concurrency with SH 11, Bus. SH 121-D runs north and northeast before ending at an intersection with SH 121.

Junction list

The entire route is in Fannin County.

Locationmi[19]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0 SH 121
Randolph0.50.80 FM 896 south Leonard
0.60.97 SH 11 west Whitewright, BonhamSouth end of SH 11 overlap
0.71.1 SH 11 east BaileyNorth end of SH 11 overlap
1.72.7 SH 121
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Lewisville


Business State Highway 121-H
LocationDallas and Denton counties
Length8.486 mi[20] (13.657 km)
Existed1999[20]–present

Business State Highway 121-H (Bus. SH 121-H) is a business route of SH 121 that serves the town of Lewisville. The highway was designated in 1999 when SH 121 was re-routed around the city.

Bus. SH 121-H begins at an interchange with SH 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway in Coppell. The highway runs northeast through industrial areas of Lewisville and turns to the north at an interchange with FM 3040 (Round Grove Road)/Denton Tap Road. Bus. North of here, SH 121-H runs by many residential areas before meeting I-35E. North of I-35E, the highway runs just south of the city's central business district and turns in a northeast direction. At Main Street, Bus. SH 121-H turns in a more eastern direction and crosses over the Elm Fork Trinity River. The highway continues to run east and meets FM 544 at an intersection before ending at an interchange with SH 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway.

Junction list
CountyLocationmi[21]kmDestinationsNotes
DallasCoppell0.00.0 SH 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway northInterchange
DentonLewisville1.01.6 FM 3040 (Round Grove Road) / Denton Tap RoadInterchange
3.35.3 I-35E (Stemmons Freeway)I-35E exit 450
4.57.2Main StreetFormer FM 1171
5.79.2Bridge over the Elm Fork Trinity River
7.712.4 FM 544 east Carrollton
8.413.5 SH 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway northInterchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 121". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  2. http://www.ntta.org/NR/rdonlyres/3FFA8F0C-1525-445F-A169-8B47A341B396/0/NTTA_SWPCT_Brief.pdf", Southwest Parkway/Chisholm Trail Project Status Report March 2009 from the NTTA.
  3. http://www.wfaa.com/video/?z=y&nvid=344241 "Overpasses give non-stop route between Frisco and D/FW", WFAA-TV report, March 20, 2009.
  4. Archived 2007-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
  5. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676970.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676991.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673871.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676256.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676241.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. Texas State Highway Department. "Minute Orders of the October 4, 1973 Meeting of the Texas State Highway Department" (PDF). Austin, TX. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  11. Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation. "Minute Orders of the August 29, 1985 Meeting of the Texas State Highway and Public Transportation Commission" (PDF). Austin, TX. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  12. Google (September 30, 2013). "SH 121" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  13. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 121-D". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  14. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 451". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  15. Google (July 11, 2017). "Overview Map of Bus. SH 121-D" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  16. Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Business State Highway No. 121-H". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  17. Google (July 11, 2017). "Overview Map of Bus. SH 121-H" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
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