U.S. Route 281

U.S. Route 281
US 281 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 81
Length	1,875 mi[1] (3,018 km)
Existed	1931[2]–present
Major junctions
South end	Bus. US 77 / SH 48 at Brownsville, TX
Major intersections	I-2 / I-69C at Pharr, TX I-37 at Three Rivers, TX I-10 / I-35 at San Antonio, TX I-20 near Brazos, TX I-44 from Wichita Falls, TX to Randlett, OK I-40 at Hinton, OK I-70 at Russell, KS I-80 at Grand Island, NE I-90 at Plankinton, SD I-94 at Jamestown, ND
North end	ND 3 / PTH 10 at the U.S.–Canada border
Location
Country	United States
States	Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided

U.S. Route 281 (US 281) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway. At 1,875 miles (3,018 km)^[3] it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route.

The highway's northern terminus is at the International Peace Garden, north of Dunseith, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 10. The route between Dunseith and the border is shared with North Dakota Highway 3. US 281 has two southern termini. The western terminus, known as International Blvd. in Hidalgo, begins from the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge. The southern eastern terminus of US 281 is in Brownsville, Texas, just short of the Mexican border ending on Bus. 77. The two spurs come together at South Cage Blvd in Las Milpas, Texas going north into Pharr, Texas. Thus, US 281 is the only continuous three-digit US route to extend from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.

The original Military Telegraph Road was incorporated into the US-281 route.^[4]

US 281 is a "child" of US 81. As a result of decommissioning portions of the parent route that have been superseded by concurrent Interstate Highways, the length of US 281 is 672 miles (1,081 km) greater than that of its parent. US 281 no longer connects to its "parent", US 81.