You Can Only Drive at the Speed of a Funeral Procession on This Texas Highway

Texas’ Most Unusual Highway

SH 165 is the strangest stretch of pavement in Texas. It only exists to serve one destination: The Texas State Cemetery. Here are some interesting facts about this historic half mile stretch.

Texas’ Shortest Primary Highway

At 0.51 miles (0.82 km), SH 165 is the shortest primary highway in Texas, running from East 7th Street to the Texas State Cemetery entrance.

While SH 168 in Galveston (0.885 miles) holds the title of the shortest signed highway, SH 165 remains the uncontested shortest primary route. Originally stretching 0.9 miles when established in 1932, it was shortened in 1939 to its current length.

The Only Highway That Closes Every Night

SH 165 features hydraulic gates that close every night after the cemetery’s visiting hours (typically 8 AM–5 PM, adjusted seasonally). This protocol is meant to protect 3,000 graves, including those of Governor Ann Richards, Stephen F. Austin, and 2,000+ Confederate veterans buried here.

Isolated Since 1977

SH 165 used to be connected to Texas Highway network view Loop 343. But the loop was decommissioned in 1977, and there’s no highway access to SH 165 anymore despite being just six blocks east of the bustling I-35. Instead, you can reach it by driving through Austin’s local streets.

Funeral Procession Speed Limit

There’s a strict 10 MPH speed limit along the entire length of SH 165, which is the slowest posted limit in Texas’ highway system. The goal is to keep cemetery visitors safe and accommodate funeral processions.

Built During the Great Depression

Built during the 1930’s economic crisis, this road rescued the then-neglected cemetery. Funded as a hybrid infrastructure/history project, it became known as the “Lou Kemp Highway” after the historian who championed its creation. The original route included downtown Austin segments which have since been removed.

Almost No Road Signs on this Highway

If it’s your first time going to the cemetery, it can be quite confusing. The cemetery portion gets official markers, while the Comal Street approach stays incognito. This partial designation lets TxDOT claim maintenance duties without cluttering maps. Locals joke that it’s “the highway that forgets it’s a highway.”

Resting Place of Texas Icons

SH 165 leads to gravesites of some of the most revered figures in the Lone Star State. This is where Texas’ founding father Stephen F. Austin is buried. It’s also the final resting place of legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, plus relocated graves of 22 Texas Rangers. Governor Ann Richards was also buried here in 2006.

Urban archaeology under asphalt

A 2017 widening project uncovered 19th-century artifacts, confirming the area’s pre-cemetery history as farmland. No graves were disturbed, but archaeologists found tools and ceramics now displayed at the Texas State History Museum (15min drive west).

Resting Place of both Union and Confederate Soldiers

Originally built to serve 2,000+ Confederate graves, the highway now threads past newer memorials to Union soldier Antonio Briones and Buffalo Soldiers.

Urban Oasis Near I-35

Six blocks east of I-35’s chaos, SH 165 offers serenity under mature live oaks planted in the 1930s. Benches added in 2015 invite visitors to reflect amid the rustling leaves. There’s also a designated meditation area inside the cemetery itself.

The Path is Especially Engineered for the Cemetery’s Needs

The limestone curbs match 1930s cemetery walls, and extra-wide lanes accommodate funeral processions. The storm water management is also designed to protect the graves. Curbs and gutters have sloped profiles to direct runoff away from burial plots.

Even the asphalt-paved roads were engineered to withstand heavy loads, including hearses and vehicles transporting headstones or soil.

SH 165 Led to Official Texas Historic Cemetery Designation

Before SH 165’s construction, the cemetery was overgrown and rarely visited. The paved road enabled its 1997 designation as a Texas Historic Cemetery and facilitated annual events like Memorial Day’s Avenue of Flags, where 2,500 banners line the route.