U.S. Route 96
Template:Short description Template:About Template:For Template:Use American English Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox road U.S. Highway 96 (US 96) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for about Template:Convert entirely in the U.S state of Texas. Its number is a violation of the standard numbering convention, as even-numbered two-digit highways are east–west routes by rule. As of 2004, the highway's southern terminus (as well as those of US 287 and US 69) is in Port Arthur at an intersection with State Highway 87 (SH 87). Its northern terminus is in Tenaha at an intersection with US 59 (Future I-69)/(Future I-369) and US 84 (Future I-69).
Route description
US 96 begins at SH 87 in Port Arthur, at a southern terminus it also shares with US 69 and US 287. The three highways head in a northwest direction toward Beaumont. In Beaumont, the three highways briefly merge with Interstate 10 (I-10), but then split from that freeway continuing northwest. In Lumberton, US 96 separates from US 287 and US 69, and heads northeast towards Silsbee. In Silsbee, US 96 splits with US 96F, a special route of US 96 that serves downtown Silsbee, while being routed on a bypass freeway. After Silsbee, US 96 heads northeast to Buna, then north to Kirbyville and Jasper. After Jasper. US 96 comes near the Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Pineland. US 96 eventually comes to its northern terminus near Tenaha at a junction with US 59 (Future I-69)/(Future I-369) and US 84 (Future I-69).
History
When commissioned in 1927, US 96 was routed from Rosenberg via Wharton, Victoria, Beeville, Skidmore, Alice, Falfurrias, and San Juan to Brownsville.<ref name="dot.state.tx.us">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1933, the present route of US 96 was originally proposed to be part of US 71. Under this plan, discussed at a meeting of the United States Good Roads Association in Beaumont, US 71 was to be diverted out of Louisiana altogether and instead re-routed from the Texarkana area southward through East Texas.<ref name="US 71 Proposal">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1935, US 96 was rerouted to Laredo instead of Brownsville. 03/01/1935 - Beginning at Rosenburg, Wharton, Victoria, Beeville, Skidmore, Mathis, Alice, Laredo.<ref>03/01/1935 - Beginning at Rosenburg, Wharton, Victoria, Beeville, Skidmore, Mathis, Alice, Laredo.</ref> This is the current route of US 59.
In the 1935, US 59 was initially routed from Teneha to Port Arthur following the basic route of the current US 96.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> US 96 began in Rosenburg (Near Houston) and roughly followed the current route of US 59 to Alice then on to Brownsville and later was rerouted to Laredo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Minute Order 016701, dated 09/26/1939 radically re-aligned US 96 to travel a route formerly used by US 59: From Tenaha via Center, San Augustine, Jasper, Buna, Voth, and Beaumont to Port Arthur (Shelby, San Augustine, Sabine, Jasper, Hardin, and Jefferson Counties).<ref name="dot.state.tx.us"/> This renumbered US 59 and 96 beginning in Teneha to roughly their current paths. SH 35 from Teneha to Houston had become US 59. The entirety of the pre-1939 US 96 had been changed to US 59 and US 59 South of Teneha had been renumbered to US 96.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Future
As part of the I-14 System in Texas project, US 96 between Jasper and Beaumont is proposed to be upgraded to interstate standards. The interstate segment would begin at either US 190/SH 63 (Future I-14) and head southward before terminating at I-10.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:-
Major intersections
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Business routes
Buna business highway
Business U.S. Highway 96-E (US 96 Bus.) is a Template:Convert spur of US 96 in the Jasper County census designated place of Buna. The highway was designated on September 25, 1939 as Texas State Highway Loop 68, going from US 59 through Buna to US 59. On January 18, 1955, Loop 68 became Texas State Highway Spur 68, and the route was moved to the current route. On June 21, 1990, the designation was changed to Business US 96-E, and a concurrency with SH 62 was added.<ref name=TxDOT_96E/> It begins southwest of the community at US 96 and travels northeast paralleling a railroad. Except for one small industry, the highway travels past residential areas before it ends at SH 62 in the center of Buna.<ref name=GM_96E>Template:Google maps</ref> A left turn onto SH 62 can be made to access US 96 again.
Silsbee business highway
Business U.S. Highway 96-F (US 96 Bus.) is a Template:Convert business loop of US 96 serving the Hardin County city of Silsbee. The highway begins at an interchange with US 96 south of the city and travels north to the city limits as a four-lane undivided road. Upon reaching the Silsbee city limits, the name of the road also becomes 5th Street. In the center of the city, US 96 Bus. reaches Avenue N which carries SH 327. At Avenue G, US 96 Bus. turns right while FM 92 continues north through the city. FM 418's eastern terminus occurs at a stop-controlled T intersection east of the city center. At the highway's northern intersection with US 96, US 96 Bus. briefly runs on two frontage roads on either side of US 96 before it terminates at right-in/right-out intersections with the divided US 96.<ref name=GM_96F>Template:Google maps</ref>
The route was originally designated on Texas State Highway Loop 498 on November 30, 1978. The route was changed to Business US 96-F on June 21, 1990.
The number was originally used for Texas State Highway Spur 498, designated on April 29, 1971 from SH 146 to Spur 501 in LaPorte via Wharton Weems Blvd. This was cancelled on July 28, 1977 and mileage was transferred to rerouted Loop 410 (not to be confused with I-410), whose alignment on Fairmont Parkway was cancelled and given to the city of LaPorte. Loop 410 was marked as Business SH 146, and became Business SH 146-D on June 21, 1990. Note that the sections of Business SH 146-D on Broadway Street and Main Street were cancelled on March 26, 2009 and given to the city of LaPorte. Template:-