Texas State Highway Loop 1

State Highway Loop 1
Route information
Length:	25.698 mi[1] (41.357 km)
Existed:	1967 – present
Major junctions
South end:	SH 45
	US 290 SH 71 US 183
North end:	SH 45
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate • U.S. • TX (Loops – Spurs – Rec – FM) ← Loop 1604 Loop 2 →

Loop 1 is a controlled-access highway which provides access to the west side of Austin in the U.S. state of Texas. It is named Mopac Expressway (or, according to some highway signs, Mopac Boulevard) after the Missouri Pacific Railroad (or "MoPac"). The original section of the highway was built in the 1970s along the right-of-way of the Missouri Pacific Railroad (now owned by Union Pacific), with the railroad tracks running in the highway median between West 8th Street and Northland Drive. To the north, the tracks run along the east side of newer sections of the highway from Northland Drive to Braker Lane.

History

The first mention of Loop 1 came to public record in 1929. In 1944, the C.M.A.C (City of Austin Planning Commission) proposed the highway be built in parts of under-utilized right of way owned by the MoPac railroad. The highway was eventually given the nickname "MoPac" for its proximity to the railroad. The number was originally used for Texas State Highway Spur 1 designated by 1939 from US 90 to the Uvalde fish hatchery. This route was cancelled in 1943. In 1958, a new route was designated, also called Spur 1, from US 80A to IH 10. This route became Loop 16 in 1964.^[1] Loop 1 was first designated in October 1967 from U.S. Highway 290 (US 290) northward to Farm to Market Road 1325 (FM 1325). In October 1985, the designation was extended southward from US 290 to SH 45.^[1] In the year 1982 construction on the highway was completed from Research Boulevard to Texas State Highway Loop 360. The northern extension of Loop 1 started construction in 1986 and completed 3 years later in 1989. Construction of the extension from US 290 to SH 45 was completed in 1994. Only minor changes have taken place to Loop 1 after the extension that was completed in 1994. The MoPac 1 Project will study feasibility of managed lanes for Loop 1, and included in the Mobility 2030 Plan that was adopted by CAMPO in June 2005.^[2]

Route description

Loop 1's southern terminus is at the beginning of the State Highway 45 stub south of Austin. It intersects SH 71/US 290 (Ben White Boulevard) and Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway). It crosses the Colorado River near downtown Austin and intersects US 183 (Research Boulevard) northwest of downtown. Loop 1 travels concurrently with Farm to Market Road 1325 for several miles before the non-tolled freeway ends at Parmer Lane, spanning a distance of 22.061 miles (35.504 km).

A stretch of Loop 1 in Austin. The Union Pacific railway is visible in the foreground.

North of Parmer Lane, Loop 1 continues as a limited-access toll road to the SH 45 North/Loop 1 interchange, spanning 3 miles (4.8 km). Frontage roads flank either side of the toll road to Shoreline Drive.

The Texas Department of Transportation completed construction of the tollway as part of the 2002 Central Texas Turnpike Project (CTTP). SH 45 North, also part of the project, provides freeway access to Interstate 35 from Loop 1. The 2002 CTTP was scheduled to be completed in September 2007. However, certain sections of the project, including Loop 1 opened early and more than $100 Million under budget.

If and when SH 45 is completed to the south of Austin, Loop 1 will effectively serve as a true loop to the west of the city, being directly connected to SH 45, and indirectly to I-35, at both ends.

Since 1994, TxDOT has proposed the addition of managed lanes to portions of Loop 1. The MoPac Improvement Project^[3] was relaunched in July 2010. In December 2010, four alternative proposals were presented to the public, each of which would add one or more lanes; the "no-build" alternative was also presented. The additions would not increase the right-of-way of the highway, but would be created by reducing the width of existing lanes and reducing and/or eliminating shoulders.

Exit list

There are no mileposts associated with this highway.

County	Location	Destinations	Notes
Travis	Austin	SH 45
		La Crosse Avenue
		Slaughter Lane
		South end of freeway
		Davis Lane	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		William Cannon Drive
		US 290 / SH 71 / Southwest Parkway – Johnson City, Llano, Sunset Valley
		Frontage Road	Southbound exit only
		Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway)	Left hand exit
		Barton Skyway
		RM 2244 – West Lake Hills, Rollingwood
		Cesar Chavez Street
		5th Street, Lake Austin Boulevard
		Enfield Road
		Windsor Road
		Westover Road, Northwood Road
		35th Street
		45th Street
		RM 2222 (Northland Drive)
		Far West Boulevard
		Anderson Lane, Spicewood Springs Road	Southbound exit is via Steck Avenue exit
		Steck Avenue
		(Frontage Road)	Unsigned exit
		US 183 (Research Boulevard)	Southbound exit to US 183 north is via Capital of Texas Hwy
		Capital of Texas Highway	To Loop 360
		Braker Lane
		FM 1325 south (Burnet Road) / Duval Road	South end of FM 1325 overlap
		Waters Park Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		FM 734 (Parmer Lane)
		Scofield Ridge Parkway	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. Last free exit.
		FM 1325 north / Wells Branch Parkway, Howard Lane	North end of FM 1325 overlap
		Shoreline Drive	No southbound exit
Williamson		SH 45	Northbound exit and southbound entrance

References

Austin portal

1. ^ ^{a b c} Texas Department of Transportation, [1]
2. ^ "What Native American tribe was most common in the area?". TxDot. City of Austin. http://www.txdot.gov/project_information/projects/austin/mopac1/history.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-24. 
3. ^ MoPac Improvement Project

• "Construction contract for Loop 1 extension awarded" (Press release). Texas Tollways. June 26, 2003. http://www.texastollways.com/tta/article.asp?itemID=25. 
• "Loop 1 History". Expressway. Texas Department of Transportation. http://www.txdot.gov/project_information/projects/austin/mopac1/history.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-03. 
• "State Highway Loop 1". Expressway. Texas Department of Transportation. http://www.txdot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/sl/sl0001.htm. Retrieved 2006-04-18. 
• "Austin toll roads will open November 1" (PDF) (Press release). Central Texas Turnpike System. September 18, 2006. http://www.centraltexasturnpike.org/pdf/NR-opening%20date%20announcementI.pdf.