Texas state highway system

Sample highway markers for Interstate Highways, U.S. Highways, and state highways
System information
Notes:	All classes of state-numbered highways are generally state-maintained.
Highway names
Interstates:	Interstate X (I-X) Interstate Highway X (IH-X)
US Highways:	U.S. Highway X (US X)
State:	State Highway X (SH X)
Loops:	Loop X
Spurs:	Spur X
Recreational:	Recreational Road X (RE X)
Farm or Ranch to Market Roads:	Farm-to-Market Road X (FM X) Ranch-to-Market Road X (RM X)
Park Roads:	Park Road X (PR X)
System links
Highways in Texas Interstate US State Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec

Texas state highways are a network of highways owned and maintained by the U.S. state of Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is the state agency responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the system. Texas has the second-largest state highway system next to North Carolina's state highway system. In addition to the nationally numbered Interstate Highways and U.S. Highways, the highway system consists of a main network of state highways, loops, spurs, and beltways that provide local access to the other highways. The system also includes a large network of farm to market roads that connect rural areas of the state with urban areas and the rest of the state highway system. The state also owns and maintains some park and recreational roads located near and within state and national parks, as well as recreational areas. All state highways, regardless of classification, are paved roads. The Old San Antonio Road, also known as the El Camino Real, is the oldest highway in the United States, first being blazed in 1691. The length of the highways varies from I-10's 878.6 miles (1,414.0 km) inside the state borders to Spur 200 at just 0.05 miles (260 ft; 80 m) long.

The Texas State Highway System can trace its roots to the establishment of the Texas Highway Department on April 4, 1917. Administrative control of the department was given to a three-member commission appointed by the governor for two-year terms. On June 21, 1917, the commission conducted its first public hearing to solicit input on potential highway routes. The committee also divided the state into six divisions to be headquartered in Amarillo, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Angelo, and San Antonio. Later that year, the commission designated 26 state highways covering 8,865 miles (14,267 km) which were to be readily accessible to 89% of the state's population.