Texas State Highway Loop 1

State Highway Loop 1 marker State Highway Loop 1 marker
State Highway Loop 1
MoPac Expressway
Map
Loop 1 highlighted in red
Route information
Length25.698 mi[1] (41.357 km)
Existed1967–present
Major junctions
South end SH 45
Major intersections
North end SH 45 Toll
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesTravis, Williamson
Highway system
← SH 1→ FM 1

Loop 1 is a freeway 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"). Local residents almost always use the name "MoPac" rather than calling the road by its number,[2][3] which can cause much confusion, for few signs along the road use this name.[4][5]

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.

  1. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "State Highway Loop No. 1". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  2. ^ "Confusing Road Names in Austin". Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  3. ^ "Austin Slang - AOL Travel News". Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  4. ^ "Decipher Austin streets | Always Austin". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  5. ^ "MoPac Expressway. Just wondering | Austin | Yelp". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2012.