Highway in Texas
Loop 12
is a
state highway
that runs mostly within the city limits of
Dallas
,
Texas
. The western segment of the loop is named after General
Walton Walker
, who served and died in
South Korea
. During the 1950s and 1960s, Loop 12 was the outer
beltway
in the Dallas area, having since been supplanted by
Interstate 635
(I-635), which is itself being supplanted by the
President George Bush Turnpike
(SH 190). Loop 12 is, however, the only state highway in Dallas that forms a complete loop (
Belt Line Road
is also a complete loop but is not a state road except for a stretch as part of
Farm to Market Road 1382
).
Route description
[
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]
Starting in the east at
I-30
, Loop 12 goes north as
Buckner Boulevard
, following surface streets past
White Rock Lake
. Just north of White Rock Lake, it intersects
Spur 244
[2]
and becomes Northwest Highway to the west; because there is an eastern and a western segment to this part of the road, at certain points the road signs read "East Northwest Highway". It continues west along surface streets over
Central Expressway
(
U.S. Highway 75 (Texas)
, US 75) and the
Dallas North Tollway
and moves north of
Bachman Lake
and
Dallas Love Field
.
After crossing
I-35E
, Loop 12 moves south as a
freeway
, locally known as
Walton Walker Boulevard
, passing where
Texas Stadium
once sat at the interchanges with
State Highway 114
(SH 114) and
SH 183
. The segment between I-35E (Stemmons Freeway) and Spur 408 is the only portion of Loop 12 that is freeway. It is also the only portion that leaves the Dallas city limits, as it runs through the eastern portion of
Irving
between where the road crosses the Elm Fork of the
Trinity River
(northern boundary, just north of the former site of
Texas Stadium
) and where it crosses the West Fork Trinity River (southern boundary).
Between I-35E and SH 183, Loop 12 has two
tolled express lanes
, one in each direction. These lanes connect the express lanes on SH 183 to those on I-35E and
I-635
.
[3]
After intersecting I-30 for the second time, Loop 12 continues south, joining surface streets again east of
Mountain Creek Lake
at Mountain Creek Parkway and
Patriot Parkway
(or Spur 408, which provides a southwesterly freeway link to
I-20
). It continues to the southeast, turning east along Ledbetter Drive, just north of
Dallas Executive Airport
(formerly Red Bird Airport). It continues east, crossing
US 67
, I-35E for the second time, and
I-45
. At the intersection with
US 175
and Murdock Road, Loop 12 turns north again as Buckner Boulevard all the way back to I-30. The portion between Bonnie View Rd. and US 175 is also known as Great Trinity Forest Way, as it passes across an undeveloped portion of the Trinity River and the
Trinity River Audubon Center
.
History
[
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]
Loop 12
was designated on September 26, 1939, from US 175 across
US 80
to the Buckner Orphans Home, and across US 67 to SH 114 at White Rock Lake as a renumbering of
SH 40 Bypass
. On April 23, 1942, Loop 12 was extended from US 175 to US 75. On August 3, 1943, Loop 12 was extended westward and northward to SH 183. On October 6, 1943, Loop 12 was extended northward and eastward back to SH 114 at White Rock Lake. On January 7, 1971, Loop 12 was rerouted on
Spur 348
and part of the old location of SH 114; the rest of the old location of SH 114 became new
Spur 348
, and the old route of Loop 12 became
Spur 482
.
Major intersections
[
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]
The entire route is in
Dallas County
.
Gallery
[
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]
See also
[
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]
References
[
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External links
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