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Texas State Highway 121

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State Highway 121
SH 121; mainline in red, business routes in blue
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length	85.563 mi[1] (137.700 km)
Existed	by 1939–present
Major junctions
South end	US 67inCleburne
Major intersections	I-35W / US 287 / US 377 / Spur 347inFort Worth I-820 from Richland HillstoNorth Richland Hills I-635inGrapevine I-35E / US 77inLewisville Dallas North TollwayinPlano US 75 from McKinneytoMelissa US 69inTrenton US 82inBonham
North end	SH 78 in Bonham
Location
Country	United States
State	Texas
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec
← SH 120 → SH 122

State Highway 121 (SH 121) is a state highway angling from southwest to northeast through north central Texas. It runs from Cleburne, TexasatUS 67toSH 78inBonham, Texas, just north of a junction with US 82.

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[edit]

Sections between downtown Fort Worth and Grapevine are freeway, including a small segment near Hurst that coincides with I-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 towards Arlington, just to the west of the north entrance to DFW Airport, to which SH 121 gives access. At Grapevine it has interchanges with SH 114 and I-635 before becoming a limited-access tollway that passes between Lewisville and Frisco.

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. 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 I-35E at Lewisville, SH 289 near Frisco, US 75 and US 380 in McKinney, US 69atTrenton, 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 North Texas Tollway Authority and the entire project, from I-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.

Sam Rayburn Tollway[edit]

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[edit]

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 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 North Texas Toll Authority 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]

History[edit]

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 was extended to McKinney.^[10] By 1933, the route had been completed from Ft. Worth northeast through Grapevine to its intersection with SH 40/US 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 LooporSH 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 the Texas Department of Transportation, 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. It was not 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.

The Texas Department of Transportation 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, the SH 121 designation was extended to US 67 in Cleburne. This extension, known as the Chisholm Trail Parkway, was built in stages from 2008 to 2014 and opened to traffic on May 11, 2014. The CTP's frontage roads in southwest Fort Worth are signed as SH 121.

Major intersections[edit]

County	Location	mi[16]	km	Destinations	Notes
See Chisholm Trail Parkway, I-30, and I-35W
Tarrant	Fort Worth	0.0	0.0	I-35W / US 287 / US 377 south – Waco, Denton Spur 347 west (Belknap St) – Downtown	Exit 52B (I-35W), access to Fort Worth Central Station
		0.8	1.3	Sylvania Ave
		1.2	1.9	Riverside Dr
		2.1	3.4	Beach St
		2.7	4.3	Maxine St	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Haltom City	3.1	5.0	Haltom Rd
		4.2	6.8	Carson St
		4.9	7.9	Minnis Dr
	Richland Hills	6.4	10.3	Handley-Ederville Rd	Access to Richland Hills Station
	Hurst	7.3	11.7	I-820 south	South end of the overlap with I-820; SH 121 south follows exit 24B
				SH 10 east / SH 183 west	South end of the overlap with SH 183; Exit 24A (I-820)
		8.4	13.5	Pipeline Rd/Glenview Dr	Exit 23 (I-820), access to North Hills Hospital
				SH 121 Express north / SH 183 Express east to FM 157	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; Exit 23A (I-820)
		8.5	13.7	SH 26 / FM 1938 north (Davis Blvd) / Bedford-Euless Rd – Colleyville, TCC NE Campus	Exit 22B (I-820)
		8.9	14.3	I-820 west	North end of the overlap with I-820; SH 121 north follows exit 22A
		10.1	16.3	FM 3029 north (Precinct Line Rd) / Hurstview Dr
	Hurst–Bedford line	11.5	18.5	Norwood Dr, Brown Trail
	Bedford	12.5	20.1	Bedford Rd,Forest Ridge Dr
		13.0	20.9	Central Dr, Forest Ridge Dr	Access to Texas Health HEB
		13.6	21.9	SH 183 east – DFW Airport SOUTH ENTRY, Irving	North end of the overlap with SH 183; no direct southbound exit (signed at Murphy Drive)
		14.0	22.5	Westpark Way/Murphy Dr
		15.0	24.1	Harwood Rd
				SH 121 Express south / SH 183 Express west to I-820	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Bedford–Euless line	16.7	26.9	FM 157 south / Cheek-Sparger Rd
	Euless–Grapevine line	17.2	27.7	Glade Rd
	Grapevine	18.1	29.1	Hall-Johnson Rd
		18.7	30.1	SH 360 south / Stone Myers Pkwy	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		19.3	31.1	SH 360 south – Arlington, Grand Prairie	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		20.8	33.5	SH 114 west to FM 1709 / William D Tate Ave / Mustang Dr – Southlake	South end of the overlap with SH 114
		21.9	35.2	SH 26 north / Bus. SH 114 west (Texan Trail) / Main St – Grapevine Historic District	No northbound entrance
		22.4	36.0	SH 114 east – Dallas	North end of the overlap with SH 114
		22.9	36.9	DFW Airport
		24.3	39.1	I-635 east	Exit 36 (I-635); western terminus of I-635
		24.7	39.8	Bass Pro Dr/Bethel Rd / Grapevine Mills Tr
		25.3	40.7	FM 2499 north (Grapevine Mills Pkwy) / Star and Stripes Way – Flower Mound	Northbound exit and southbound entrance, access to Grapevine Mills Mall
Dallas	Coppell–Grapevine line	26.2	42.2	Grapevine Mills Blvd/Sandy Lake Rd, Freeport Pkwy
Denton	Lewisville	27.6	44.4	Bus. SH 121 north – Lewisville
Dallas	Coppell–Lewisville line	28.8	46.3	Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Denton Tap Rd – McKinney	North end of the freeway; south end of the Sam Rayburn Tollway
Denton	Lewisville	30.0	48.3	Sam Rayburn Tollway / MacArthur Blvd
		31.1	50.1	Sam Rayburn Tollway south / I-35E – Denton, Dallas	South end of the overlap with the Sam Rayburn Tollway; south end of the freeway; Exits 447A-447B-448A (I-35E)
	Carrollton	32.3	52.0	Marchant Blvd /Huffines Blvd
		33.2	53.4	Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Hebron Pkwy	North end of the overlap with the Sam Rayburn Tollway; north end of the freeway
		34.3	55.2	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Carrollton Pkwy
	Lewisville	35.1	56.5	Sam Rayburn Tollway south / FM 544 (Parker Rd)
		35.7	57.5	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Bus. SH 121 south – Lewisville FM 2281 (Old Denton Rd)
		36.6	58.9	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Standridge Dr/Castle Hills Dr
		36.9	59.4	Sam Rayburn Tollway / FM 423 (Main St) / Josey Ln – Little Elm
	The Colony	38.3	61.6	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Paige Rd/Plano Pkwy
				Sam Rayburn Tollway south	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		39.9	64.2	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Spring Creek Pkwy
Collin	Plano–Frisco line	40.7	65.5	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Legacy Dr
		41.7	67.1	ToDallas North Tollway / Dallas Pkwy
				Sam Rayburn Tollway / Parkwood Blvd
		42.8	68.9	Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Dallas North Tollway / SH 289 (Preston Rd)
				Sam Rayburn Tollway / Ohio Dr	interchange
		43.9	70.7	Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Hillcrest Rd /Rasor Blvd
		45.2	72.7	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Coit Rd
		46.3	74.5	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Independence Pkwy
	Plano–Frisco– Allen–McKinney quadripoint	47.2	76.0	Sam Rayburn Tollway south / FM 2478 (Custer Rd)
	Allen–McKinney line	48.1	77.4	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Exchange Pkwy
		49.0	78.9	Sam Rayburn Tollway north / Alma Dr
		50.0	80.5	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Stacy Rd
		50.8	81.8	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Watters Rd/Lake Forest Dr
		51.8	83.4	Sam Rayburn Tollway / Chelsea Blvd/Hardin Blvd
		52.9	85.1	US 75 south – Dallas ToSH 5	South end of the overlap with US 75; SH 121 south follows exit 38C
	see US 75
	Melissa	61.2	98.5	US 75 north – Sherman	North end of US 75 overlap; SH 121 north follows exit 44
				SH 5 south	South end of the overlap with SH 5
		62.2	100.1	SH 5 north – Melissa, Anna	Interchange; North end of the overlap with SH 5
		63.7	102.5	FM 545 (E Melissa Rd) – Melissa, Blue Ridge
		64.9	104.4	FM 2933 south – New Hope
	Anna			Outer Loop Rd
				FM 455 west – Anna	South end of the overlap with FM 455
				FM 455 east to FM 2862	North end of the overlap with FM 455
	​	71.6	115.2	FM 2862 – Westminster
	Desert	75.4	121.3	SH 160 – Whitewright, Blue Ridge
Fannin	Trenton			FM 814 west	South end of the overlap with FM 814
				FM 814 east – Trenton	North end of the overlap with FM 814
		80.7	129.9	US 69 / Bus. US 69 – Whitewright, Leonard	Interchange
	​	86.0	138.4	Bus. SH 121 north
	​	86.5	139.2	SH 11 – Sherman, Commerce	Interchange
	​	87.7	141.1	Bus. SH 121 south – Randolph
	​	90.5	145.6	FM 1629 east – Edhube
	​	93.0	149.7	Spur 311 north to SH 56 west – Sherman, Sam Rayburn House
	Bonham	93.7	150.8	SH 56 west – Sherman	South end of the overlap with SH 56
		94.2	151.6	SH 56 east – Bonham, Sam Rayburn Library	North end of the overlap with SH 56
		96.1	154.7	US 82 – Sherman, Paris	Exit 670 (US 82)
		96.9	155.9	FM 898 west – Ector
	​	98.3	158.2	SH 78 – Durant, Bonham
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Electronic toll collection       Incomplete access

Business routes[edit]

Randolph[edit]

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.

Location	mi[19]	km	Destinations	Notes
​	0.0	0.0	SH 121
Randolph	0.5	0.80	FM 896 south – Leonard
	0.6	0.97	SH 11 west – Whitewright, Bonham	South end of the overlap with SH 11
	0.7	1.1	SH 11 east – Bailey	North end of the overlap with SH 11
​	1.7	2.7	SH 121
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Lewisville[edit]

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.

Business SH 121-H begins at an interchange with SH 121/Sam Rayburn TollwayinCoppell. The highway runs northeast through industrial areas of Lewisville and turns to the north at an interchange with Round Grove Road/Denton Tap Road (FM 3040). Business 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

County	Location	mi[21]	km	Destinations	Notes
Dallas	Coppell	0.0	0.0	SH 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway north	Interchange
Denton	Lewisville	1.0	1.6	FM 3040 (Round Grove Rd) / Denton Tap Rd	Interchange
		3.3	5.3	I-35E	Exit 450 (I-35E)
		4.5	7.2	Main Street	Former FM 1171
		5.7	9.2	Bridge over the Elm Fork Trinity River
		7.7	12.4	FM 544 east – Carrollton
		8.4	13.5	SH 121 / Sam Rayburn Tollway north	Interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also[edit]

• Chisholm Trail Parkway
• Sam Rayburn Tollway

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Texas State Highway 121.

• Denton & Collin County section of SH 121 - from dfwfreeways.info