Texas State Highway Loop 345

Loop 345 is a 8.238-mile (13.258 km) loop route in the U.S. state of Texas that follows a former route of U.S. Highway 87 (US 87) in San Antonio and Balcones Heights. Loop 345 follows Fredericksburg Road from Interstate 10 (I-10) northwest of downtown San Antonio towards the northwest, passing through Balcones Heights and ending at another point on I-10 near the USAA headquarters. The road is still a major arterial for the city, providing access to USAA as well as to the South Texas Medical Center.

History

Loop 345 follows the original routing of US 87 on the northwest side of San Antonio.^[1] US 87 was first designated along this stretch in 1935 and is the basis of the naming of the road Fredericksburg Road due to US 87 passing through Fredericksburg northwest of San Antonio.^[2] In 1962, when US 87 was rerouted onto the freeway to the north, the old segment was designated as Loop 345.^[1] The route was signed as Business US 87 until 1992, when signage was changed to indicate the Loop 345 designation.

Route description

Loop 345 begins northwest of downtown San Antonio at I-10 and Woodlawn Avenue. The loop heads northwest along Fredericksburg Road, roughly paralleling the interstate for its entire routing. The road continues towards the northwest, passing through Balcones Heights, providing access to Crossroads Mall before a junction with I-410. After passing I-410, Loop 345 passes by the South Texas Medical Center which includes the University of Texas Health Science Center, University Hospital and the Children's Cancer Research Institute. It passes to the south of the USAA financial services headquarters just prior to its northern terminus at I-10 near Huebner Road.^[3]

Junction list

The entire route is in Bexar County.

References