{{short description|State highway in Texas}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=TX |type=SH |route=73 |map={{maplink-road|from=Texas State Highway 73.map}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=SH 73 highlighted in red |length_mi=42.02 |length_ref=<ref name="State Highway 73">{{TxDOT|SH|73|accessdate= April 4, 2012}}</ref><ref name="73-concur" group=lower-alpha>The certified mileage given is shorter than the actual mileage as TxDOT considers SH 73 to be discontinuous at rather than concurrent with SH 62.</ref> |established=1923 |direction_a=West |terminus_a={{jct|state=TX|I|10}} in Winnie |junction={{jct|state=TX|US|69|US|96|US|287}} in Port Arthur |direction_b=East |terminus_b={{jct|state=TX|I|10}} near Orange |counties=Chambers, Jefferson, Orange |previous_type=SH |previous_route=72 |next_type=SH |next_route=74 }}
'''State Highway 73''' ('''SH 73''') is a Texas state highway that runs {{convert|42|mi|km}} from Winnie through Port Arthur to near Orange.
In September 2008, Hurricane Ike forced the closure of SH 73. Among other road debris left by the storm were two 200-ton barges. The storm surge pushed the barges inland before they came to rest on the highway.<ref>{{cite news |first= Ryan |last= Myers |date= September 21, 2008 |url= http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/demolition_team_works_to_clear_barges_from_texas_73_09-21-2008.html |title= Demolition team works to clear barges from Texas 73 |work= Beaumont Enterprise |accessdate= April 4, 2012}}</ref>
==History== The original SH 73 was designated on August 21, 1923, from Oldenburg to Houston, absorbing the eastern half of SH 3A.<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=October 26, 2017 |date=August 21, 1923 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026054040/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676878.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676878.pdf}}</ref> On October 26, 1932, it was rerouted southwest from Katy to Alleyton, with the portion from Oldenburg to Industry being another section (FM 109 would connect the two sections later).<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=January 29, 2018 |date=October 24, 1932 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129141933/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673818.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673818.pdf}}</ref> On November 30, 1932, the section from Katy to Sealy was taken over for maintenance, and plans to construct the section from Sealy to Alleyton were underway.<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=January 29, 2018 |date=November 28, 1932 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129140852/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673821.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673821.pdf}}</ref> On December 8, 1932, the section from Industry to Oldenburg was transferred to SH 159. On July 15, 1935, the section from Sealy to Alleyton was cancelled (as it was not built yet).<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=October 20, 2017 |date=July 15, 1935 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020091156/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673871.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673871.pdf}}</ref> This section was restored on May 19, 1936.<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=October 21, 2017 |date=May 18, 1936 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021005125/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673884.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673884.pdf}}</ref> On September 26, 1939, SH 73 was extended east to Port Arthur, replacing SH 228, and the stretch from Winnie to Anahuac replaced part of SH 125. On November 24, 1941, the section from Columbus to Houston was canceled and transferred to rerouted US 90. Construction was slow, with only small portions outside Houston, Port Arthur, and the stretch from Winnie to Anahuac (signed as 73-T) completed by 1954. On November 30, 1961, the route was shortened from Port Arthur to Winnie, with the western portions having been replaced by Interstate 10 (I-10). SH 73-T was renumbered as SH 65. On July 29, 1982, the route was extended along its current route to Orange, along a concurrent route with SH 87 and SH 62.
SH 73A was designated on July 18, 1924, from SH 73 in Fayetteville to Hempstead as a restoration of canceled SH 3C.<ref>{{cite web |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |date=July 28, 1924 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107014744/https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676889.pdf |title=Minutes |website=publicdocs.txdot.gov |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |access-date=3 May 2023 |language=en-us |url-status=live |url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676889.pdf}}</ref> On March 19, 1930, this route was renumbered SH 159.
Beginning in 2021, TxDOT started construction on the interchange with US 69. The project will replace the old cloverleaf interchange with a new turbine interchange, while also widening the lanes on both SH 73 and US 69.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Texas Department of Transportation |url=https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/beaumont/us69-sh73-interchange.html |title=US 69/SH 73 Interchange |access-date=February 13, 2025}}</ref> Construction is expected to last until late 2027.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Beaumont Enterprise |last=Brent |first=Kim |url=https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/tracking-progress-txdot-s-turbine-project-19594548.php |title=Tracking the progress on TxDOT's Turbine Project |date=August 3, 2024 |access-date=February 13, 2025}}</ref>
==In popular culture== SH 73 in Texas is shown as a road sign in the opening 10 seconds of the 1941 movie ''Moon Over Miami'' immediately following the opening credits. There is no mention of the city in that film. A similar road sign of SH 73 is also depicted on the set of ''The Partridge Family''.{{Clear}}
==Major intersections== {{mileposts}} {{jcttop|length_ref=}} {{TXint |county=Chambers |cspan=4 |location=none |mile=0.0 |road={{jct|state=TX|I|10|dir1=west|FM|1406|city1=Houston}} |notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-10 exit 828 }} {{TXint |type=concur |location=none |mile=0.4 |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|124|dir1=south|FM|1663|city1=Winnie|city2=Galveston}} |notes=West end of SH 124 concurrency; FM 1663 was former Spur 5 }} {{TXint |type=closed |location=none |road=Broussard Road |notes=Former eastbound exit only }} {{TXint |location=none |mile=1.8 |type=incomplete |road={{jct|state=TX|FM|1406|city1=Winnie}} |notes=Eastbound exit only }} {{TXint |county=Jefferson |cspan=13 |location=none |type=concur |mile=2.1 |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|124|dir1=north|city1=Hamshire|city2=Fannett}} |notes=Interchange; east end of freeway; east end of SH 124 concurrency}} {{TXint |location=Port Arthur |lspan=6 |mile=24.4 |road={{jct|state=TX|Spur|93|dir1=north}} }} {{TXint |mile=24.8 |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|82|dir1=south|location1=Cameron}} |notes=interchange; west end of freeway }} {{TXint |mile=27.3 |road={{jct|state=TX|Spur|215|name1=Savannah Avenue}} }} {{TXint<!--as of February 2025, you can only directly go from SH 73 east to US 69/US 96/US 287 south and SH 73 west to US 69/US 96/US 287 north due to construction--> |mile=28.4 |road={{jct|state=TX|US|69|US|96|US|287|name3=Memorial Boulevard|city1=Beaumont|extra=airport|location2=Airport}} }} {{TXint |mile=29.1 |road=9th Avenue }} {{TXint |mile=30.1 |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|347|city1=Nederland}} }} {{TXint |location=Groves |lspan=3 |mile=30.7 |road=39th Street – Groves |notes=no direct westbound exit (signed at 32nd Street) }} {{TXint |mile=31.2 |road=32nd Street / Main Avenue }} {{TXint |mile=31.8 |road=25th Street – Groves }} {{TXint |location=Port Arthur |lspan=3 |type=concur |mile=32.8 |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|87|dir1=south|city1=Port Arthur}} |notes=West end of SH 87 concurrency; no direct eastbound exit (signed at 25th Street)}} {{TXint |mile=32.9 |road=Taft Avenue / Procter Street }} {{TXint |mile=33.6 |road={{jct|state=TX|FM|366|city1=Groves|city2=Port Neches}} |notes=interchange; east end of freeway; no direct eastbound exit (signed at Taft Avenue / Procter Street) }} {{jctbridge |mile=35.1 |mile2=37.0 |river=Neches River |bridge=Veterans Memorial Bridge (eastbound) / Rainbow Bridge (westbound) }} {{TXint |county=Orange |cspan=5 |location=Bridge City |mile=40.4 |road={{jct|state=TX|FM|1442|dir1=north}} }} {{TXint |location=none |mile=41.5 |mile2=41.7 |bridge=Cow Bayou Swing Bridge over Cow Bayou }} {{TXint |location=none |mile=42.1 |type=concur |road={{jct|state=TX|SH|87|dir1=north|SH|62|dir2=begins}} |notes=East end of SH 87 concurrency; west end of SH 62 concurrency}} {{TXint |location=Orange |lspan=2 |mile=44.2 |road={{jct|state=TX|FM|105|city1=Orangefield|city2=Orange}} }}<!--two unsigned interchanges in here--> {{TXint |mile=46.7 |type=concur |road={{jct|state=TX|I|10|name1=US 90<!--not signed here-->|SH|62|dir2=north|city1=Beaumont|location2=Lake Charles}} |notes=I-10 exit 873; east end of SH 62 overlap }} {{jctbtm|keys=concur,incomplete,closed}}
==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==See also== *{{portal-inline|Texas}} *{{portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
==References== {{reflist|22em}}
==External links== {{Attached KML|display=title,inline}} {{commons category-inline|Texas State Highway 73}}
073 Category:Transportation in Chambers County, Texas Category:Transportation in Jefferson County, Texas Category:Transportation in Orange County, Texas Category:Interstate 10
{{Texas-road-stub}}