End of US highway 377

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info on this page is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Martin McMahon; Eric Stuve; Stephen Taylor

Note: this page contains photos of US 377's current endpoints only. All historic endpoint photos can be viewed on this page.

In 1951 the US 377 designation was extended to its current terminus in Del Rio TX. This first shot was taken heading south on Avenue F; it's the last southbound US 377 sign:

Taylor, 2000

As you can see, the designation is co-signed with US 90 and US 277. There was no "End" sign, but the photo below shows the intersection where 377 ends:

Taylor, 2000

Again, we're looking south on Ave F. Eastbound US 90 and southbound US 277 are directed left at the intersection (Gibbs Street), but 377 ends there. That's TX state highway Spur 297 straight ahead. It flies over some railyards and connects with Garfield Avenue (or Business Spur US 277), which serves the Mexico border crossing. Personally, I think the US 377 designation should continue over that viaduct, turn right (west) on Garfield, and end at the port of entry. To me, that makes more sense than the awkward and confusing "Business Spur 277" designation.

Taylor, 2000

The shot above is approaching the same intersection, eastbound on Gibbs. When you get to the intersection itself, additional signs are posted. Some of them are barely visible past the "Left lane closed" sign; one of those assemblies is shown below:

Taylor, 2000

Straight ahead is also eastbound US 90; westbound US 90 is to the left. (There is a sign that indicates this, just behind the camera. I can understand why they would want to use more than one sign to relay all that info.) When you make that left turn onto the beginning of US 377, you see the sign shown below:

Taylor, 2000

In 1991 OK DoT extended the US 377 designation further north, to its present terminus at Stroud... however, signage there makes it difficult to know exactly where. The photo below is looking north on US 377/OK hwy. 99 (8th Avenue) at historic US 66/modern OK 66 (3rd Street):

McMahon, Dec. 2002

(Yes, you'll note that sign goofs abound at this intersection). Here, you'd get the impression that the US 377 designation continues ahead about a half-mile to the I-44 interchange. Same thing heading east on 3rd...

McMahon, Dec. 2002

...and that is correct, based on OK DoT route logs: US 377 does end at I-44. Funny thing is, though, Martin reports that north of here there was absolutely no mention of US 377. Even the signage on I-44 mentions only OK 99:

Stuve, Mar. 2003

Below is the first southbound sign:

McMahon, Dec. 2002

You can view the full versions of these photos - and read Martin's report - on his page. This approx. 120-mile extension of US 377 north of Madill to Stroud was apparently done without AASHTO's approval. That makes it perhaps the single most blatant example of an AASHTO policy violation. And it's not a good precedent: the uniformity and integrity of the US route system depends on the voluntary cooperation of the state highway departments. But don't be too quick to place all the blame on OK DoT. From what I've been able to tell, they had been trying to get a US route designation approved for the Madill-Ada corridor for literally decades. Starting in 1952, OK DoT had at least a dozen different proposals rejected by AASHTO. They tried all kinds of approaches, attempting to extend US 177, US 377, and even US 169, such that they would pass through Ada. So what is it about this corridor that AASHTO keeps rejecting it as a US route?