Below are historical photos of US 281 North from I‑35 to Loop 1604 along with a brief history of the route. The photos were sourced from the TxDOT photo library, the San Antonio TxDOT district office, San Antonio-Bexar County Urban Transportation Study (SABCUTS) planning documents, and the author of this website.

Locations are given using the present-day roadway names. The photos are arranged generally from south to north. Click on each photo for an enlarged view.

Click here to return to the historical photo galleries page.

Route history

US 281 North (also known as "McAllister Freeway") was one of the most controversial freeways in US history and it took a literal act of Congress to get it built. As a result, it was the last spoke of San Antonio's 1956 freeway plan to be completed.

When planning for the North Expressway (US 281) was going on in the late '50s and early '60s, there were heated debates and lawsuits over the route that the new freeway should take. After evaluating several routes including San Pedro, McCullough, and Broadway, a route skirting Brackenridge Park, slipping between the Zoo and Alamo Stadium, and continuing north over the Olmos Basin was chosen. This route also caused great protest, but construction on the northern and southern thirds of the freeway was allowed to start while the controversial middle section was re-evaluated and re-litigated.

Opponents of the route then won a federal ruling halting construction on the grounds that the freeway violated a then-new federal rule prohibiting freeways from crossing parklands. At this point, the project appeared dead. Finally, after more than a decade of court battles — including cases that went all the way to the US Supreme Court — Congress passed a law that allowed the city and state to build the freeway without federal funding, and the section from I‑35 to Sandau Rd. opened to traffic in 1978. That was followed a couple of years later by the section from there to Bitters Rd. A decade later, as suburban growth continued its march northward, the section from Bitters Rd. to Loop 1604 was upgraded to a freeway.

More details on the history of US 281 is available here.

	US 281 at Pearl Pkwy. Looking east (ca. 1978) The freeway is under construction at this time. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Pearl Pkwy. Looking east (ca. 1978) The freeway is under construction at this time. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Grayson St./The Pearl looking east (ca. 1978) The freeway is under construction at this time. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Grayson St./The Pearl looking east (ca. 1978) The freeway is under construction at this time. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Josephine St./The Pearl looking south (ca. 1978) This was shortly after the freeway opened. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Josephine St./The Pearl looking south (ca. 1978) This was shortly after the freeway opened. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at the San Antonio River looking northeast (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at the San Antonio River looking northeast (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at the San Antonio River looking east (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at the San Antonio River looking east (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at St. Mary's St. looking east (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at St. Mary's St. looking east (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	Future path of US 281 at Mulberry Ave./Stadium Dr. looking northwest (1960) US 281 today runs roughly left-to-right across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
Future path of US 281 at Mulberry Ave./Stadium Dr. looking northwest (1960) US 281 today runs roughly left-to-right across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking northeast (ca. 1979) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking northeast (ca. 1979) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking southwest (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking southwest (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking north (2001) (Brian Purcell)
US 281 at Stadium Dr. looking north (2001) (Brian Purcell)
	Future path of US 281 at Alamo Stadium/Sunken Gardens looking northwest (1960) US 281 today runs between the stadium at left and the ampitheater at the bottom center. (TxDOT)
Future path of US 281 at Alamo Stadium/Sunken Gardens looking northwest (1960) US 281 today runs between the stadium at left and the ampitheater at the bottom center. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Hildebrand Ave. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Hildebrand Ave. looking south (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Hildebrand Ave. looking north (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Hildebrand Ave. looking north (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Olmos Dr. looking north (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Olmos Dr. looking north (ca. 1978) (TxDOT)
	Future path of US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking northwest (1960) US 281 today parallels the railroad tracks running diagonally across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
Future path of US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking northwest (1960) US 281 today parallels the railroad tracks running diagonally across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
	Future path of US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking east (1960) US 281 today runs roughly left-to-right across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
Future path of US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking east (1960) US 281 today runs roughly left-to-right across the center of this photo. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Basse Rd. looking northeast (ca. 1993) This was before the quarry was converted to a shopping center. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Basse Rd. looking northeast (ca. 1993) This was before the quarry was converted to a shopping center. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking southeast (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking southeast (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking east (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking east (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking southeast (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Jones-Maltsberger Rd./The Quarry looking southeast (ca. 1996) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Sunset Rd. looking north-northwest (ca. 1996) This was before the interchange with Loop 410 was built. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Sunset Rd. looking north-northwest (ca. 1996) This was before the interchange with Loop 410 was built. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Airport Blvd. looking northwest (ca. 1990) This was before the interchange with Loop 410 was built. Notice the Loop 410 shield on the exit to Airport Blvd.; traffic headed to Loop 410 had to exit here and go through the signalized intersections to reach Loop 410. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Airport Blvd. looking northwest (ca. 1990) This was before the interchange with Loop 410 was built. Notice the Loop 410 shield on the exit to Airport Blvd.; traffic headed to Loop 410 had to exit here and go through the signalized intersections to reach Loop 410. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Terminal Dr. looking north (1987) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Terminal Dr. looking north (1987) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Isom Rd. looking southeast (2001) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Isom Rd. looking southeast (2001) (TxDOT)
	Future path of US 281 at San Pedro Ave./Sandau Rd. looking southwest (1960) US 281 ran along San Pedro Ave. at this time, which is the roadway running roughly left-to-right across the top portion of this photo. The neighborhood at the top is Harmony Hills. (TxDOT)
Future path of US 281 at San Pedro Ave./Sandau Rd. looking southwest (1960) US 281 ran along San Pedro Ave. at this time, which is the roadway running roughly left-to-right across the top portion of this photo. The neighborhood at the top is Harmony Hills. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Nakoma Dr. looking south (2001) (Brian Purcell)
US 281 at Nakoma Dr. looking south (2001) (Brian Purcell)
	US 281 at Salado Creek looking northwest (1960) This was when US 281 was a four-lane, undivided highway in this area. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Salado Creek looking northwest (1960) This was when US 281 was a four-lane, undivided highway in this area. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Salado Creek looking north (1979) During construction of the freeway here. (SABCUTS)
US 281 at Salado Creek looking north (1979) During construction of the freeway here. (SABCUTS)
	US 281 at Salado Creek looking north (2001) Wurzbach Parkway crosses left-to-right across the center of this photo today. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Salado Creek looking north (2001) Wurzbach Parkway crosses left-to-right across the center of this photo today. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Bitters Rd. looking northwest (1960) This was when US 281 was a four-lane, undivided highway in this area. (TxDOT)
US 281 at Bitters Rd. looking northwest (1960) This was when US 281 was a four-lane, undivided highway in this area. (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Bitters Rd. looking northwest (1985) (Courtesy of Jared Maurtua)
US 281 at Bitters Rd. looking northwest (1985) (Courtesy of Jared Maurtua)
	US 281 at Central Pkwy. looking east (1987) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Central Pkwy. looking east (1987) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Winding Way looking north (1986) The freeway ended here at this time and continued north as a four-lane divided highway with signalized intersections. (Courtesy of Jared Maurtua)
US 281 at Winding Way looking north (1986) The freeway ended here at this time and continued north as a four-lane divided highway with signalized intersections. (Courtesy of Jared Maurtua)
	US 281 at Winding Way looking south (2001) This was prior to this section being restriped to four lanes in each direction. (Brian Purcell)
US 281 at Winding Way looking south (2001) This was prior to this section being restriped to four lanes in each direction. (Brian Purcell)
	US 281 at Winding Way looking north (2001) (Brian Purcell)
US 281 at Winding Way looking north (2001) (Brian Purcell)
	US 281 at Winding Way looking east (1987) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Winding Way looking east (1987) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Brook Hollow Dr. looking east (2001) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Brook Hollow Dr. looking east (2001) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Henderson Pass looking northeast (ca. 1998) (TxDOT)
US 281 at Henderson Pass looking northeast (ca. 1998) (TxDOT)
	US 281 at Henderson Pass looking north (ca. 2001) This was prior to construction of the full interchange. (Brian Purcell)
US 281 at Henderson Pass looking north (ca. 2001) This was prior to construction of the full interchange. (Brian Purcell)