Texas State Highway Loop 1

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State Highway Loop 1

Length:

22.06^[1] mi (35.50 km)

Formed:

1967

Southwest end:

SH 45

Major
junctions:

US 290

US 183

Northeast end:

SH 45 at Austin

Highways in Texas
< Loop 1604		Loop 2 >

State Highway Loop 1 is a controlled-access highway which provides access to the west side of Austin, Texas. It is named Mopac Expressway (or, according to some highway signs, Mopac Boulevard) after the Missouri Pacific Railroad (or "MoPac"), and sometimes jokingly referred to as "More Packed" by locals. 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.

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

Loop 1's current 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).

North of Parmer Lane, Loop 1 continues as a limited-access toll road to the SH 45 North/Loop 1 interchange, spanning 3 miles. 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 and parts of SH 45, are now open, over $100 Million under budget.

[edit] Planned extensions

This article contains information about a planned or expected future road.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the road's construction and/or completion approaches and more information becomes available.

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.