# Texas State Highway Loop 360

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Highway in Texas

Not to be confused with [Texas State Highway 360](/source/Texas_State_Highway_360).

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State Highway Loop 360 Capital of Texas Highway Route information Maintained by TxDOT Length 13.99 mi[1] (22.51 km) Existed 1962–present Major junctions South end US 290 / SH 71 / Loop 343 in Austin Major intersections Loop 1 RM 2244 RM 2222 North end US 183 in Austin Location Country United States State Texas Highway system Highways in Texas Interstate US State Former Toll Loops Spurs FM/RM Park Rec ← Spur 359 → Loop 361

**Loop 360** is a 13.99-mile (22.51 km) [loop route](/source/Loop_route) in [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas) in the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Texas](/source/Texas). Loop 360, also known as the **Capital of Texas Highway**,[2] is a scenic [highway](/source/Highway) winding through the hills of West Austin. The road is described by the [Texas Department of Transportation](/source/Texas_Department_of_Transportation) (TxDOT) as "a 4-lane depressed median arterial with at-grade signalized intersections". In 2021, the average daily traffic was 58,497 vehicles at the most traveled point, north of [RM 2222](/source/Ranch_to_Market_Road_2222).

## History

Loop 360 was designated on March 29, 1962, on its current route from US 290 to US 183. On September 30, 1969, Loop 360 was extended north to Loop 1. On April 25, 1996, the section from US 183 to Loop 1 was canceled and removed from the state highway system. The south section of Loop 360 from US 290 to RM 2244 was opened on February 11, 1970. The last section of roadway for Loop 360 (excepting the bridge) between RM 2244 and FM 2222 was approved on September 30, 1976. The north and south sections of Loop 360 were connected when the [Pennybacker Bridge](/source/Pennybacker_Bridge) was opened for traffic on December 3, 1982. On February 19, 1980, the [Travis County](/source/Travis_County%2C_Texas) commissioners voted to designate it the "Capital of Texas Highway".

On July 14, 2004, the [Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization](/source/Capital_Area_Metropolitan_Planning_Organization) (CAMPO) changed segments of the future designation to a [toll road](/source/Toll_road), despite popular outcry. However, toll conversion of the road is unfunded so plans to toll Loop 360 are delayed indefinitely and there remains substantial opposition to any toll conversion of the road from residents and environmentalists. CAMPO has begun to reexamine the toll roll designation. The road should remain tollless for at least the near future. On December 6, 2006, the *Mobility Alternatives Finance Study* [final report](https://web.archive.org/web/20070620214407/http://www.campotexas.org/pdfs/MAFS_final_report.pdf), commissioned by the City of Austin and other central Texas municipalities, noted the poor financial feasibility of toll conversion by stating "Loop 360's toll revenue funds the smallest share of its construction cost (7%)" given a construction cost of $741 million with revenue bonds backed by future tolling of Loop 360 contributing just $51.8 million (in 2006 dollars).

### Historical markers

There are three historical markers along Loop 360:

- "The Johnson Smokehouse" marker is at the entrance to the Woods of Westlake Heights subdivision, just south of Westbank Drive. The marker commemorates the Johnson Ranch. Charles Johnson, a native of [Sweden](/source/Sweden), procured the original 124 acre (0.5 km2) ranch on the south side of present-day Loop 360 in 1867. The [smokehouse](/source/Smokehouse) beside the marker was relocated from the original ranch house site. According to the marker, the smokehouse was painstakingly catalogued, stone by stone, disassembled and restored to its original state." The smokehouse's tin roof is built with tin salvaged from the temporary Texas capitol building, which burned down in 1899.

- The "Eanes-Marshall Ranch" marker is at the Loop 360 entrance to Saint John Neumann Catholic Church. Alexander Eanes (1806–1888) acquired the property for the ranch by 1857. Alexander later sold the ranch to his brother, Robert Eanes (1805–1895) after the [Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). Robert sold the ranch to his son-in-law, Hudson Boatner Marshall (1862–1951) in 1883. A log cabin built on the ranch was the first Eanes school and the surrounding community assumed the Eanes name.

- The "Balcones Fault Aids Colonization of Texas" historical marker is north of Bull Creek on the west side of Loop 360. It commemorates the role that the [Balcones Fault](/source/Balcones_Fault) played in the Anglo-American settlement of Texas.

## Route description

The Pennybacker Bridge.

The road runs roughly north–south, arcing slightly out to the west. Listing the major intersections going south to north, Loop 360 begins at [US 290](/source/U.S._Highway_290_(Texas))/[SH 71](/source/State_Highway_71_(Texas)), then crosses [Loop 1](/source/State_Highway_Loop_1_(Texas)) (Mopac Expressway), then crosses [RM 2244](/source/Ranch_to_Market_Road_2244) (a.k.a. Bee Cave Road), then bridges the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River_(Texas)) at the [Pennybacker Bridge](/source/Pennybacker_Bridge), then crosses [RM 2222](/source/Ranch_to_Market_Road_2222), then terminates at [US 183](/source/U.S._Highway_183_(Texas)). The entire length of Loop 360 is 13.8 miles (22.2 km). An extension of 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to connect the northern end of Loop 360 with [Loop 1](/source/State_Highway_Loop_1_(Texas)) was once considered part of the Loop, but has since been removed from the state highway system.

The segment of Loop 360 south of US 183 is designated a scenic roadway by the City of Austin.[2]

The road is popular with cyclists because of the road's hills, wide shoulders for biking, and bike access across the Pennybacker Bridge. Because of the hilly terrain on the east side of the road, with right timing and clear weather, a traveler on loop 360 in early morning can enjoy multiple sunrise scenes; the most spectacular of which can be seen from the [Pennybacker Bridge](/source/Pennybacker_Bridge) over [Lake Austin](/source/Lake_Austin).

The road has [rock cut-throughs](/source/Cut_(earthmoving)) as well as steep fills and has steep roadway grades, 6% to 7% in some areas.

The road cuts through environmentally sensitive [watersheds](/source/Drainage_basin). It bridges Barton Creek just south of Loop 1 and runs along the east side of the [Barton Creek Greenbelt](/source/Barton_Creek_Greenbelt). Northward, it passes to the west of [Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve](/source/Wild_Basin_Wilderness_Preserve). Just after the Wild Basin entrance, drivers and bikers can pull into a scenic vista and take in a view of downtown Austin including the [state capitol building](/source/Texas_State_Capitol) and [University of Texas](/source/University_of_Texas_at_Austin) Tower. Further north, Loop 360 crosses the Colorado River and enters the Bull Creek Watershed and crosses Bull Creek.

Land use restrictions along Loop 360 help preserve Loop 360's Hill Country aesthetic.

## Proposed modifications

In an attempt to alleviate traffic along Loop 360 TxDOT has considered turning the road into a toll road, making it a highway with an overpass or adding [Michigan left turns](/source/Michigan_left). The latter is favored by TxDOT but opposed by nearby residents.[3]

## Junction list

The entire route is in [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), [Travis County](/source/Travis_County%2C_Texas). All exits are unnumbered.

mi[4] km Destinations Notes 0.0 0.0 US 290 / SH 71 / Loop 343 (Lamar Boulevard) Southern terminus; interchange 1.2 1.9 Loop 1 (Mopac Expressway) Interchange 4.8 7.7 RM 2244 (Bee Caves Road) Interchange Westlake Drive / Cedar Street Interchange expected to open in 2025[5] 9.3– 9.5 15.0– 15.3 Pennybacker Bridge over the Colorado River 9.9 15.9 RM 2222 Interchange 14.0 22.5 US 183 (Research Boulevard) Northern terminus; interchange 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Unopened

## References

- [U.S. roads portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:U.S._roads)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Loop_360_1-0)** Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). ["State Highway Loop No. 360"](https://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/SL/SL0360.htm). *Highway Designation Files*. [Texas Department of Transportation](/source/Texas_Department_of_Transportation). Retrieved March 7, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Austin_Code_25-10-7_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Austin_Code_25-10-7_2-1) ["Code of Ordinances § 25-10-7"](https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT25LADE_CH25-10SIRE_ART1GEPR_S25-10-7SCRODE). City of Austin. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Municode.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["TxDOT abandons plan to add Michigan left turns to Loop 360 | Community Impact"](https://communityimpact.com/austin/news/2012/05/09/txdot-abandons-plan-to-add-michigan-left-turns-to-loop-360/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Overview Map of Loop 360"](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/30.2326933,-97.7936568/30.3896822,-97.7444482/@30.3163274,-97.8431462,11.17z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m25!3m4!1m2!1d-97.8040393!2d30.2476992!3s0x865b4b20f4fac117:0xd2cebc02bd324292!3m4!1m2!1d-97.8281536!2d30.293016!3s0x865b357ffcf14759:0xe06f55980692d2be!3m4!1m2!1d-97.7980339!2d30.3480789!3s0x865b34da2ef3b559:0xa36ba079876584b1!3m4!1m2!1d-97.7962699!2d30.3508468!3s0x865b34da9dc76441:0xeb337f7234d32822!3m4!1m2!1d-97.7931439!2d30.3555868!3s0x865b34cfb2eba3b9:0x9b963d678eae511c!1m0!3e0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) (Map). *[Google Maps](/source/Google_Maps)*. Retrieved December 4, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Loop 360 Program - Westlake Drive/Cedar Street"](https://www.loop360project.com/westlakedr.htm). Retrieved May 20, 2023.

v t e Austin streets Streets Airport Boulevard Bee Cave Road Burnet Road Comal Street Congress Avenue Decker Lane Guadalupe Street Koenig Lane Lamar Boulevard North Lamar Boulevard South Lamar Boulevard Menchaca Road Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Parmer Lane Rainey Street Historic District Red River Street Sixth Street West Gate Boulevard University Boulevard Bridges Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge Barton Springs Bridge Lamar Boulevard Bridge Larry Monroe Forever Bridge Montopolis Bridge Pennybacker Bridge West Fifth Street Bridge West Sixth Street Bridge Routes Loop 1 I-35 SH 45 SH 71 US 79 SH 130 US 183 Bergstrom Expressway 183A Toll Road US 290 Manor Expressway Loop 360 FM/RM RM 620 FM 812 FM 973 FM 1327 FM 1625 FM 1626 FM 1825 RM 1826 RM 2222

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Texas State Highway Loop 360](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_State_Highway_Loop_360) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_State_Highway_Loop_360?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.