End of US highway 181

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info below is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Stephen Taylor; Kevin Trinkle; Mike Wiley

Originally, before I-37 was built, US 181 used to extend a few miles further northwest from its current terminus on the outskirts of San Antonio: it continued along Presa Street and into downtown. You can view photos and maps on this page.

Today the north end of US 181 is on the edge of San Antonio, at its junction with I-37, just outside the I-410 loop:

Taylor, June 2005

To the left is a connection with southbound I-37. Straight ahead is an interchange with northbound I-37, but you can also continue beyond that onto Presa, which (as I said above) is historic US 181. The photo below is looking south on I-37:

Wiley, 2000

That exit marks the north beginning of US 181 - traffic exits to the right and then crosses the freeway via the overpass visible in the distance.

The south end of US 181 is in Corpus Christi TX... also at its junction with I-37. Although there was no "End" sign, the shot below shows where the US 181 designation ends:

Trinkle, July 2005

The shot below is basically at the south end of I-37, and it shows the exit that takes you to the south beginning of US 181:

Trinkle, July 2005

That's Corpus Christi Bay straight ahead. About 15 miles in that direction is Mustang Island, which separates Corpus Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. The photo below shows a 181 sign as you approach its southern terminus from the opposite direction:

Wiley, 2000

The green sign pointing right says "Harbor Bridge"; US 181 takes traffic over a strait that connects Corpus Bay to Nueces Bay.

Before all these freeways and the Harbor Bridge were built, US 181 ended at a different location in Corpus; you can view this page for more info.