I-45

About I-45

From Galveston, TX (Broadway) to Dallas, TX (I-30)

Interstate 45 is a north-south route entirely within Texas, running about 285 miles from Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico north through Houston to Dallas. The southern end begins on Galveston Island and crosses Galveston Bay before entering the Houston metropolitan area as the Gulf Freeway. From Houston the route continues north through the piney woods and rolling country of east-central Texas to reach Dallas.

The route directly links three of the largest population centers in Texas, connecting the Gulf coast, the Houston metro, and the Dallas metro along a single corridor. Through Houston and Dallas it carries very heavy commuter and freight volumes, while the rural stretch between the two metros passes through smaller cities such as Huntsville and Corsicana. It serves the Port of Houston region and the Galveston cruise and shipping facilities at its southern terminus.

Interstate 45 is unusual in that it lies completely within one state and connects two major metropolitan areas with no intervening Interstate-grade alternative for much of its length. The corridor is among the busiest intercity routes in Texas.

State-by-state mileage

State	Miles
Texas	284.9
Total	284.9

History

Interstate 45 was established in 1957 as a Texas-only route, built in part along the alignment of the earlier Gulf Freeway between Houston and Galveston, which was one of the first urban freeways in the state. The full corridor between Galveston and Dallas was completed over the following years.

Major cities and places

Notable features

• Gulf Freeway
• Galveston Bay crossing

Did you know

• Located entirely within Texas.
• Established in 1957 and incorporates the historic Gulf Freeway in Houston.
• Connects Galveston, Houston, and Dallas in a single corridor.
• I-345 in Dallas is an unsigned elevated auxiliary connecting I-45 with US 75.