Battle of Backbone Mountain

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U.S. Route 271 (US 271, US-271) is a north–south United States highway. Never a long highway, it went from bi-state route (Arkansas and Oklahoma) to a tri-state route (Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas). Its southern terminus is in Tyler, Texas, at an intersection with State Highway 31 and SH 155. The highway's northern terminus is in Fort Smith, Arkansas, at an intersection with Business U.S. Route 71 and Highway 255. It enters Arkansas from Oklahoma as a controlled-access highway, but the highway continues as Interstate 540 when US 271 exits toward downtown after one-half mile (800 m) in Arkansas.

Route description

Texas

US 271 begins in Tyler at an intersection with SH 31 (Front Street) and SH 155, and thus runs northward concurrent with SH 155. At 1 mile, there is an intersection with Spur 147 which runs across the north side of the city to connect with Broadway and then US 69.

At 3.2 miles is the intersection with Loop 323. The site of Camp Ford, a Confederate POW camp during the Civil War, is encompassed by a former TxDOT picnic area now maintained by Smith County at this junction. The SH 155 concurrency ends at 8 miles, near the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. SH 155 goes to Gilmer via Winona and Big Sandy. The easier route between Tyler and Gilmer is US 271.

At 12.7 miles is the interchange with Interstate 20, signed for Dallas (west) and Longview (east). North of the interstate, US 271 passes through Gladewater where there are junctions with SH 135 and US 80. Trucks are required to use Loop 485, a bypass around the east side of town, if they are following US 271 through the area or if they want to turn onto US 80.

North of Gladewater, US 271 passes through Gilmer, where there are junctions with SH 300 and SH 154. There is also another concurrency (only 1.5 miles) with SH 155 which then veers to the northeast toward Linden. North of Gilmer is Pittsburg, where US 271 intersects with SH 11. Then the highway crosses Big Cypress Creek just below the dam that forms Lake Bob Sandlin. In Mount Pleasant, there are junctions with SH 49 and US 67 and then the interchange with Interstate 30. Beyond IH 30 are the small towns of Talco, Bogata (junction with SH 37), Deport, and Pattonville.

In Paris, US 271 runs concurrently with Loop 286 and US 82 around the east and northeast sides of the city. After splitting northward from the loop, US 271 is a four-lane divided highway into Oklahoma, crossing the Red River 15 miles north of Paris and 10 miles south of Hugo.

Oklahoma

North of the Red River, US 271 continues as a four-lane highway. The Choctaw Nation operates a casino on the west side of the highway where US 271 is concurrent with SH 109. North of the junction with SH 109 west is the intersection with SH 271A, the only lettered spur along US 271, which runs westward to the Goodland Academy.

From Hugo westward eight miles, US 271 runs in a concurrency with U.S. 70. The southern terminus of the Indian Nation Turnpike is an interchange on this concurrency. The ODOT roadside park at the west end of the concurrency is the only one on the entire route of US 271 in Oklahoma.

Northward, US 271 is a two-lane road. It goes under the turnpike without an interchange before entering Antlers, where there is a concurrency with SH 3 through town. Leaving Antlers, US 271 crosses the Kiamichi River. The road to Clayton is sinuous and scenic, passing through hilly woodlands. The route passes through the communities of Snow and Finley, followed by the western terminus of SH 144 before passing the Clayton Lake State Park and then crossing the Kiamichi again. There are weight limits of 15 tons (depending on vehicle length) posted between SH 144 and Clayton.

In Clayton, there is a concurrency with SH 2, which to the south is the better through travel route from Antlers. The town has a monument that indicates that the highway was built by convict labor in 1925. From Clayton, US 271 takes on an easterly trajectory, passing Tuskahoma and Albion, before turning northward prior to Talihina. In Talihina, there is a brief concurrency with SH 63. From Talihina eastward eight miles, US 271 runs concurrently with SH 1 until the beginning of the Talimena Scenic Drive. North and south of this intersection there are scenic overlooks. US 271 thus continues northward for another 15 miles to a T intersection with US 270, with which it runs concurrently for six miles into Wister. From Wister, US 271 runs northeasterly to Poteau. From Poteau via Panama to SH 9, the highway is co-signed with U.S. 59. Then, US 271 runs concurrently with SH 9 through Spiro to the Arkansas line near Pocola. Almost all of the route between Poteau and the state line is four-lane divided highway.

Arkansas

The route runs for 3 miles (4.8 km) in Arkansas, all within Fort Smith. Its northern terminus is at Business U.S. 71 and Highway 255 in Fort Smith.

History

In 1926, US 271 was commissioned between Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Mena, Arkansas, by way of Spiro and Poteau, Oklahoma, but the route south of Poteau was turned over to U.S. Route 270 (and later, U.S. Route 59) in 1930. US 271 was then re-routed through Talihina and Hugo, Oklahoma, as well as Paris and Tyler, Texas, towards Beaumont near the Gulf of Mexico. The Tyler-to-Beaumont leg was taken over by U.S. Route 69 in 1934.

US 271's original northern terminus was at an intersection with U.S. Route 64 and U.S. Route 71 in Fort Smith. It has since been realigned twice: once beginning at U.S. 71 and Y Street then crossing into Oklahoma at Arkoma, the second time to its current terminus in southern Fort Smith. The Arkansas State Highway Commission ordered for US 271 to be extended along Highway 59 to the Missouri state line (pending AASHTO approval) in 1960.[2] Approval was not given by the national organization.

Special routes

Major intersections

StateCountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
TexasSmithTyler0.00.0
SH 31 (Front Street) / SH 155 south (Beckham Avenue south)
Southern terminus; south end of SH 155 overlap; road continues as SH 155 south (Beckham Ave.)
1.01.6
Spur 147 west (Gentry Parkway) – Downtown Tyler
1.72.7
FM 14 north (East M.L. King Jr. Boulevard) – Texas College, Caldwell Zoo
3.25.1 Loop 323Serves Tyler Pounds Regional Airport
3.96.3

To Loop 323 south / Camp Ford Memorial Parkway – UT of Tyler
4.67.4
FM 2015 north
8.012.9
SH 155 north – Big Sandy
North end of SH 155 overlap
9.014.5 FM 3270
10.316.6
FM 2908 south
12.420.0 I-20 – Dallas, LongviewI-20 exit 571A
13.421.6 FM 757 – Starrville
17.828.6
FM 16 west – Starrville, Winona
GreggGladewater23.537.8
SH 135 south – Kilgore
24.639.6
Loop 485 north – truck route to US 80 / US 271
25.541.0 US 80 (Upshur Street) – Big Sandy, Longview
26.342.3
Loop 485 south – truck route to US 80 / US 271
26.743.0
FM 2275 east – Warren City
Upshur28.445.7
FM 1844 east – East Mountain
West Mountain31.150.1
FM 726 east – Glenwood
Gilmer38.461.8
SH 155 south – Big Sandy, Tyler
interchange; south end of SH 155 overlap
38.962.6
SH 300 south – Longview
39.663.7 SH 154 (Marshall Street) – Gilmer Business District
40.064.4
SH 155 north – Linden
North end of SH 155 overlap
Bettie45.372.9
FM 2088 west – Simpsonville
Midway48.678.2
FM 593 east – Ewell
Camp52.584.5
FM 1522 west – Pine
52.684.7
FM 3384 north
57.292.1
FM 3384 south
Pittsburg57.792.9
Loop 238 north (Rusk Street)
58.193.5 FM 993 (Lafayette Street)
58.393.8 FM 557 (Jefferson Street) – Lone Star
58.694.3 SH 11 (Daingerfield Street) – Daingerfield, Northeast Texas Community College
59.695.9
Loop 238 south (Mount Pleasant Street) – Business District
59.796.1


Loop 179 west (truck route) to SH 11 west – Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
62.7100.9 Loop 255interchange
TitusMount Pleasant65.7105.7
FM 3417 west / Mike Hall Parkway – Mt. Pleasant Regional Airport
66.3106.7

Bus. US 271 north – Mount Pleasant
interchange; south end of freeway; northbound exit and southbound entrance
67.5108.6 FM 4000 (Marvin Priefert Highway)
68.9110.9 FM 127 (Monticello Road)
70.1112.8 FM 899 (West 1st Street)interchange; north end of freeway
Mount Pleasant70.8113.9
SH 49 east (West Ferguson Road)
70.9114.1 US 67 (West 16th Street) – Winfield, Omaha
71.2114.6 I-30 – Dallas, TexarkanaI-30 exit 160
71.8115.6 FM 1734
74.4119.7

Bus. US 271 south – Mount Pleasant
82.4132.6
FM 1896 south
Talco86.3138.9 FM 71
86.6139.4
Loop 96 east (Broad Street)
Franklin
No major junctions
Red RiverBogata96.3155.0

Bus. US 271 north (South Main Street)
96.4155.1
FM 909 north (Halesboro Street)
south end of FM 909 overlap
96.5155.3
FM 909 south (Halesboro Street)
north end of FM 909 overlap
96.7155.6 SH 37 – Mount Vernon, Clarksville
97.5156.9

Bus. US 271 south
Rugby99.8160.6
FM 410 south – Cunningham
south end of FM 410 overlap
99.9160.8
FM 410 north – Detroit
north end of FM 410 overlap
LamarDeport103.1165.9
FM 1149 east (East Ruth Street)
103.3166.2

Bus. US 271 north
103.9167.2
FM 1503 south – Minter
104.0167.4

Bus. US 271 south
Pattonville109.1175.6
FM 196 south – Cunningham
south end of FM 196 overlap
109.2175.7
FM 196 north
north end of FM 196 overlap
Paris115.4185.7
FM 1508 north – Reno, Airport
117.0188.3


Loop 286 south to SH 19 / SH 24 – Commerce
Interchange; south end of Loop 286 overlap
117.2188.6

Bus. US 271 north – Paris, Paris Junior College
Interchange
118.0189.9
US 82 east (US 82 Bus. west) – Clarksville
Interchange; south end of US 82 overlap
118.5190.7Pine Mill Roadno direct northbound exit (signed at US 82 east)
119.6192.5 FM 195Interchange
120.2193.4
Spur 139 east
120.7194.2 Stillhouse RoadInterchange, access to Paris Regional Medical Center
121.2195.1





US 82 west / Loop 286 south / Bus. US 271 south to SH 19 / SH 24 – Bonham
Interchange; north end of US 82 / Loop 286 overlap
Hinckley125.0201.2
FM 1499 west – Caviness, Lamar Point
Camp Maxey128.3206.5
FM 2648 east – Novice
Powderly130.4209.9
FM 3298 east
Midcity132.4213.1 FM 906 – Pat Mayse Lake, Chicota, Slate Shoals
Arthur City134.5216.5
FM 197 west – Chicota
134.8216.9Texas–Oklahoma line
OklahomaRed River0.000.00Bridge
Choctaw2.03.2
SH-109 east – Frogville, Shoals
South end of SH-109 overlap
6.210.0
SH-109 west – Gay, Bluff
North end of SH-109 overlap
8.313.4
SH-271A west – Goodland Academy
9.114.6
US 70 east / F Street north – Idabel, Hugo
Interchange; south end of US-70 overlap; former southern terminus of US-271 Bus.
Hugo12.620.3

Indian Nation Turnpike north / Jackson Street east – Antlers, McAlester, Tulsa, Hugo, Idabel, Airport
Interchange; Indian Nation Tpk. exit 1; southern terminus of the Indian Nation Tpk.; former western terminus of US-70 Bus.; former northern terminus of US-271 Bus.
17.828.6
US 70 west – Durant, Soper
North end of US-70 overlap
PushmatahaAntlers31.150.1


SH-3 west (Main Street) to Indian Nation Turnpike – Atoka, Ada
South end of SH-3 overlap
31.951.3
SH-3 east (Main Street) – Broken Bow
North end of SH-3 overlap
59.395.4
SH-144 east – Nashoba
Clayton68.4110.1
SH-2 south
South end of SH-2 overlap
71.5115.1
SH-2 north – Wilburton
North end of SH-2 overlap
Le FloreTalihina92.8149.3
SH-63 east – Mena, AR
South end of SH-63 overlap
93.4150.3

SH-1 west / SH-63 west (Dallas Street) – Hartshorne
North end of SH-63 overlap; south end of SH-1 overlap
101.5163.3
SH-1 east (Talimena Scenic Drive) – Mena, AR
North end of SH-1 overlap
Fanshawe116.6187.6
US 270 west – Wilburton
South end of US-270 overlap
Wister122.9197.8
US 270 east – Wister Lake and Park
North end of US-270 overlap
Poteau129.2207.9
US 59 Byp. north (Cavanal Expressway) / US 59 south – Heavener, Sallisaw, Fort Smith
Parclo interchange; south end of US-59 overlap; southern terminus of US-59 Byp.
134.0215.7


US 59 Byp. south (Cavanal Expressway) / SH-112 north
Parclo interchange; northern terminus of US-59 Byp.; southern terminus of SH-112
Panama141.6227.9
SH-31 west – Bokoshe
144.8233.0


US 59 north / SH-9 west to I-40 – Sallisaw, Stigler
North end of US-59 overlap; south end of SH-9 overlap
154.3248.3
SH-9A east – Arkoma
Pocola156.5251.9
SH-112 south (Pocola Boulevard) – Poteau
South end of SH-112 overlap
158.2254.6
SH-112 north – Arkoma
Interchange; north end of SH-112 overlap
 159.3
0.00
256.4
0.00

SH-9 ends
Oklahoma–Arkansas line
ArkansasSebastianFort Smith0.40.64


I-540 north / AR 253 south to I-40 – Hackett
Interchange; I-540 exit 14; southern terminus of I-540; northern terminus of AR 253
3.15.0
AR 255 north (Zero Street) – Port of Fort Smith
West end of AR 255 overlap
3.25.1
AR 255 south / US 71B – Downtown Fort Smith
Northern terminus; east end of AR 255 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Related routes

References

External links

KML is from Wikidata
Browse numbered routes
SH 261TX SH 273
SH-270OK US 277
US 270AR AR 272