The vast, isolated central and western areas of the state of Texas prompted the passing of the Colson-Briscoe Act in 1949, which allowed for the creation of an extensive system of secondary roads to provide access to the rural areas of the state and to allow farmers and ranchers to bring their goods to market. The system includes both Farm-to-Market roads and Ranch-to-Market roads and now accounts for over half of the Texas Department of Transportation system.
The system consists primarily of paved, two-lane roads. Roads occurring west of United States Highway 281 are designated Ranch-to-Market roads, while those occurring east of United States highway 281 are designated Farm-to-Market roads, though there are exceptions to this naming system.
Many of these roads are signed "Farm Road" or "Ranch Road," though the proper name is Farm-to-Market and Ranch-to-Market road. The only exception is Ranch Road 1, which runs near the former ranch home of former President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Signs designating a Farm-to-Market or Ranch-to-Market road show a white shape of the state of Texas on a black background with the words "Farm Road" or "Ranch Road" appearing in the background and the road number appearing on the shape of Texas. Guide signs designating these roads show a white rectangle with the abbreviation "F.M." or "R.M." and the road number appearing below the abbreviation.
As a result of population growth and the expansion of urban areas, many of these roads now serve urban areas. An effort was made to rename such roads "Urban Roads" in the 1990s, but residents opposed the effort. Today, such roads have been renamed, but the old signs remain in place.
The longest Ranch-to-Market road is RM 187, at 81.9 miles.
The shortest Ranch-to-Market road is RM 3474, at 0.694 mile.
Texas remains the only state in the United States with a system of roads specifically constructed for extensive access to rural areas.
