Farm to Market Road 973 marker

Farm to Market Road 973

Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length34.499 mi[1][nb 1] (55.521 km)
Existed1948–present
Major junctions
South end US 183
Major intersections
North end US 79 in Taylor
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesTravis, Williamson
Highway system
← FM 972→ FM 974

Farm to Market Road 973 (FM 973) is a farm-to-market road in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas.[1]

Route description

FM 973 begins at US 183 southeast of Austin, near Mustang Ridge.[2] The route travels generally to the northeast and enters Austin, where it intersects SH 71 near Austin–Bergstrom International Airport.[3][4] It continues to skirt the eastern city limits of Austin, crossing the SH 130 toll road before entering Manor, where it intersects US 290. FM 973 continues north into Williamson County before reaching its northern terminus at US 79 in Taylor.[1][5]

The segment of FM 973 between US 183 and SH 71 is designated a scenic roadway by the City of Austin.[6]

History

FM 973 was first designated in Williamson County on November 23, 1948; its original routing was from SH 95 north of Coupland to the Travis County line. It was extended southward into Travis County on May 23, 1951, to an intersection with the former SH 20 (present-day US 290) in Manor, replacing FM 1326.[7] On January 21, 1956, the route was extended northward to SH 95 in Taylor, and the eastern leg from Rice's Crossing to SH 95 was redesignated as FM 1660, but was not effective until the 1957 travel map was released.[8] On October 31, 1957, a southern extension from Manor to SH 71 was added. The section from Loop 212 to FM 969 was formerly proposed as FM 2332. Two further extensions, to FM 812 on September 20, 1961 and US 183 on June 12, 1968, brought the route's southern terminus to its current location. In 1987, the northern terminus in Taylor was shifted to a point along US 79; this change took effect in 1992, when the new alignment was opened to traffic. On June 29, 2010, FM 973 was rerouted, with the old route given to the county.[1]

In 2017, TxDOT began studying the possibility of rerouting and expanding FM 973 to bypass downtown Manor and eliminate its concurrency with US 290.[9] As of June 2022, the preferred alignment has been identified, but funding has not yet been secured.[10]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[11][nb 1]kmDestinationsNotes
Travis​0.00.0 US 183 – Lockhart, AustinSouthern terminus
2.54.0
 FM 812 east – Elroy		South end of FM 812 concurrency
Austin3.15.0
 FM 812 west		North end of FM 812 concurrency
7.311.7
 SH 71 east (Bastrop Highway) – Bastrop
7.411.9
 SH 71 west (Bastrop Highway) – Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
​11.618.7 FM 969 (Webberville Road) – Webberville
15.024.1 SH 130 Toll – Pflugerville, Georgetown
Manor19.030.6
 Loop 212 west (Old Highway 20)		South end of Loop 212 concurrency
20.432.8 US 290 – Austin, ElginNorth end of Loop 212 concurrency
WilliamsonRice's Crossing31.150.1 FM 1660 – Hutto, Coupland
Taylor36.658.9 US 79 – Round RockNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

  1. 1 2 The certified length given is shorter than the actual mileage, as the TxDOT description of FM 973 considers it to be discontinuous at rather than concurrent with FM 812, SH 71, and Loop 212.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Farm to Market Road No. 973". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 432. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 462. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 461. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (2012). Texas County Mapbook (PDF) (Map) (2012 ed.). 1:120,000. Texas Department of Transportation. p. 460. OCLC 867856197. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Code of Ordinances § 25-10-7". City of Austin. Retrieved October 31, 2022 – via Municode.
  7. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway No. 20". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  8. ↑ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Farm to Market Road No. 1660". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  9. ↑ Wear, Ben (January 2, 2018). "Manor roots for FM 973 bypass: TxDOT is studying four possible routes that may ease traffic in town". Austin American-Statesman. ProQuest 1980668943. (subscription required)
  10. ↑ "FM 973 Project Update" (PDF). Texas Department of Transportation. June 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  11. ↑ Google (January 7, 2011). "Overview map of Farm to Market Road 973 Distances Between Interchanges" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
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