Loop 360 is a loop route in Austin in the U.S. state of Texas. Loop 360, also known as the Capital of Texas Highway,
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 over Lake Austin.
<!-- Deleted image removed: thumb|left|Loop 360 near Barton Creek. -->The road has rock cut-throughs as well as steep fills and has steep roadway grades, 6% to 7% in some areas.
The road cuts through environmentally sensitive watersheds. It bridges Barton Creek just south of Loop 1 and runs along the east side of the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Northward, it passes to the west of 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 and University of Texas 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. The latter is favored by TxDOT but opposed by nearby residents.