Texas State Highway Loop 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 will invariably use the name "MoPac" rather than calling the road by its number which can cause much confusion as few signs along the road use this name.

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

Route designation

The first mention of Loop 1 came to public record in 1929. In 1944, the City of Austin Planning Commission (CMAC) proposed the highway be built in parts of under-utilized right of way owned by the MoPac railroad. Thus, the highway was eventually given the nickname "MoPac" for its proximity to the railroad. The number was originally used for Spur 1 designated by 1939 from US Highway 90 (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 I-10. This route became Loop 16 in 1964, which itself got cancelled in 1974 when it was transferred to rerouted US 62 and US 85. Loop 1 was first designated in October 1967 from 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.