Loop 20, also known as the Bob Bullock Loop and Cuatro Vientos Road, is a highway loop that runs to the north and east of the city of Laredo, Texas. Loop20 extends from the World Trade International Bridge at its northern point to Mangana-Hein Road at its southern point. The current route varies in construction from a two-lane road (at its southernmost end) to a freeway with frontage roads (near the World Trade Bridge).

In recent years, much of Laredo's growth has been along Loop20, with the construction of a new passenger terminal at Laredo International Airport, the Sames Auto Arena, the Uni-Trade Stadium, the new campus of Texas A&M International University, and Doctors Hospital being the most prominent projects.

History

Loop 20 was designated on September 26, 1939 from US Highway 96 (US96, later US59, and now SH 359) to US83 in Laredo as a renumbering of SH 12 Loop. On September 27, 1985, Loop20 was extended from SH359 to US59. On August 29, 1996, it was extended north to FM3464 east of I-35. On May 28, 1998, Loop20 was extended west and southwest to the Mexico border, concurrently with part of FM 3464. On May 29, 2008, Loop20 was to be rerouted south of SH359 to US83, with the old route (the original portion) to become Spur 260. The section from SH359 to Mangana-Hein Road () opened in 2011, and as a result, the old route was officially signed as Spur260. On August 29, 2013, a shortcut opened south of SH359, with the old route becoming Spur 259. On February 27, 2014 the section from the entrance to the World Trade Bridge (0.6 miles west of FM 1472) to the intersection with US59 was redesignated as US59, but on July 31, 2014 the Loop20 designation was restored on this section as a concurrency with US59.

Future expansion

The Texas Department of Transportation's Laredo District is preparing for future growth with plans to upgrade Loop20 into a freeway by building overpasses at major intersections and constructing frontage roads. A short freeway section, which is co-signed with both Interstate 69W (I-69W) and US 59, currently exists from the World Trade International Bridge east to I-35 and TxDOT recently constructed a diamond interchange at Loop20's intersection with US59 in eastern Laredo; the stack interchange with I-35, locally known as the Milo Interchange, is partially complete. As of 2008, TxDOT planned to complete interchanges and overpasses at all of Loop20's major intersections within the next ten years.

As of 2011, TxDOT is currently constructing an interchange at SH359. An additional interchange at Clark Boulevard, Spur 400, has been announced by the City of Laredo.

The Cuatro Vientos Road portion of the route is designed for future expansion to a freeway throughout, as well as an extension to the south to US83 in the vicinity of Rio Bravo, possibly connecting to a future international bridge.

Loop20 may be part of I-2 extension. It would terminate at US59.

Previous routes

The northwest section of Loop20 west of I-35 to FM 1472 was originally part of FM 3464, a road designated on October 26, 1983, to connect I-35 to FM1472 in northern Laredo. On April 1, 1988, the route was extended east over FM 3488, which was cancelled. On June 27, 1995, FM3464 became Urban Road3464. On June 29, 2000, FM3464 was cancelled, as the section west of I-35 was removed from the state highway system, and the section east of I-35 was already part of Loop20.

Junction list

See also

• List of state highway loops in Texas

Notes

References

External links