| State: | TX |
| Type: | Both |
| Route: | 288 |
| Map Custom: | yes |
| Map Notes: | SH 288; mainline in red, business route in blue |
| Length Mi: | 60.01 |
| Length Ref: | [1] |
| Length Round: | 2 |
| Established: | 1939 |
| Direction A: | South |
| Direction B: | North |
| Terminus A: | in Freeport |
| Junction: | |
| Terminus B: | in Houston |
| Counties: | Brazoria, Harris |
| Previous Type: | SH |
| Previous Route: | 287 |
| Next Type: | SH |
| Next Route: | 289 |
State Highway 288 (SH 288) is a north - south highway in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Texas, between I-45 in downtown Houston and Freeport, where it terminates on FM 1495. The route was originally designated by 1939, replacing the southern portion of SH 19.
SH 288 begins in Freeport at the intersection with Farm to Market Road 1495, running concurrent with SH 36. It runs northwesterly along the Nolan Ryan Expressway up to an interchange south of Freeport where it separates from SH 36. It runs north along Brazosport Boulevard and becomes a freeway approaching the west end of SH 332 and SH 288 Business. It runs through Lake Jackson and up to the west side of Angleton, near the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport. It then continues north, intersecting SH 6 near Iowa Colony and then enters Harris County, interchanging with the Sam Houston Tollway and then I-610. It enters Houston running next to Interstate 69/U.S. Route 59 before it reaches its northern terminus at Interstate 45. From Freeport to the Harris–Brazoria county line, it is referred to as the Nolan Ryan Expressway, in recognition of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan who grew up in Alvin, Texas, which is not directly on this road. Brazoria County will be calling the tolled portion of the highway, located within the county, the Brazoria County Expressway.[2]
To help alleviate congestion on SH 288, four toll lanes (two in each direction) were constructed in the median of the freeway. The lanes begin at County Road 58 in Manvel and terminate at I-69/US 59 in Houston for a total length of 15miles. The lanes utilize open road tolling through the EZ TAG system. Construction of the lanes began on November 15, 2016,[3] and they were opened on November 16, 2020.[4]
The 10.7miles of express lanes in Harris County, dubbed Drive288, were constructed via a public–private partnership between the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Blueridge Transportation Group, a consortium of six construction companies later purchased by ACS Group. As part of the partnership, Blueridge was permitted to collect toll revenue on their segment until 2068, as well as set toll rates. However, in 2024, TxDOT exercised an option to terminate the partnership early and revert the segment to state control.[5]
The 5.21NaN1 of express lanes in Brazoria County, dubbed the Brazoria County Expressway, are operated by the county government through the Brazoria County Toll Road Authority (BCTRA). BCTRA has proposed a second phase of the project, which will stretch about 10miles south to a planned extension of Grand Parkway (SH 99) in Rosharon.[6]
State Highway 288 was designated on September 26, 1939 as the renumbering of the portion of State Highway 19 south of downtown Houston. On August 1, 1962, SH 288 was extended to FM 1495. On June 25, 1981, SH 288 was rerouted from I-45 to MacGregor Way in Houston on the new freeway. The original routing ran southward along Almeda Road in Houston. The route traveled southward through Fresno, past the Houston Southwest Airport, before reaching Bonney. This entire portion of the route from US 90 Alt. southward was transferred to Farm to Market Road 521 and Spur 300 on December 14, 1981, as SH 288 was rerouted onto the new freeway from US 90 Alt. to Spur 300. The route then traveled east through downtown Angleton, continuing southeast before reaching Freeport. This original section is now part of County Road 543 and Farm to Market Road 523. SH 288 was redirected southward from Angleton when the city of Clute became more populated, then continued southward to a new intersection with State Highway 36 west of Freeport. On November 18, 1983, SH 288 was rerouted on the new freeway from MacGregor Way to US 90 Alt. The entire remaining section from FM 521 north of Angleton to Clute was transferred first to Texas State Highway 227 on September 26, 1986, and later Business Highway 288 on October 25, 1990 when the bypass around the western side of Lake Jackson opened. The section from Clute south to Freeport was transferred to SH 227, and the section concurrent with SH 36 became SH 36 on February 23, 1989. On August 15, 1989, SH 288 was extended south over part of SH 227 and concurrent with SH 36, restoring the lost section from Clute to Freeport.
| State: | TX |
| Type: | SH-Bus |
| Route: | 288-B |
| Length Mi: | 20.271 |
| Location: | Lake Jackson-Bonney |
| Formed: | 1990 |
SH 288 has one business route.
Business State Highway 288-B (Bus. SH 288) is a bypass of SH 288 through Angleton, Richwood and Clute. The route was created in 1987 as SH 227, which was redesignated as Business SH 288-B on October 25, 1990.