US 87 begins at an intersection with
State Highway 238 in
Port Lavaca. It takes a northwesterly route out of the town, and travels to
Victoria, where it intersects
US 59 and
US 77. Its northwesterly path continues to
Cuero, where it merges with (and is briefly co-signed with)
US 77 Alternate and
US 183 before turning back toward the north. US 87 follows a gentle northwesterly route until just before
Smiley, where it takes a more westerly turn. At
Nixon, US 87 merges with
State Highway 97 and continues west as a co-signed route until just west of
Stockdale, where SH 97 leaves the route and US 87 continues to the northwest to
San Antonio. On the southeast side of the city, US 87 merges with
Interstate 10 (I-10); the routes are concurrent for , through San Antonio and the southern part of the
Texas Hill Country until an exit at
Comfort. From here, US 87 travels in an almost due northerly heading to
Fredericksburg before making a slight turn back to the northwest to
Mason, where it merges with
US 377. From Mason, US 87/377 continues north-northwest to
Brady, where US 377 leaves the route and US 87 makes a hard turn to the west before taking yet another slight turn to the north and continuing on to
San Angelo and the northwest. After intersecting with
I-20 at
Big Spring, US 87 continues the same northwesterly path to
Lamesa, where it takes a turn back to the northeast. After making another turn back to the north just outside
O'Donnell, US 87 reaches
Lubbock, where it merges with
I-27 on the south side of the city. US 87 is concurrent with I-27 for a majority of its trek to
Amarillo, deviating from the interstate route to spur into cities such as
Kress,
Tulia, and
Canyon. The I-27 designation ends at
I-40 in Amarillo; here, US 87 splits into the one-way pair of Fillmore Street (northbound) and Taylor Street (southbound, which also carries eastbound
US 60). North of
Amarillo Boulevard, US 87 and
US 287 merge and head due north along a freeway alignment. The two routes separate in
Dumas, with US 87 taking a sharp turn to the west before merging with
US 385 in
Hartley and turning to the northwest. US 385 leaves the route in
Dalhart, and US 87 continues on a slight northwesterly path, crossing into
New Mexico approximately a mile west of
Texline. ==Future==