Driving Around Loop 820 (Fort Worth, Arlington, West: live, cost, mall)

[beowulf7]

This may appear to be a silly question, but I'm being serious. Has anyone made a complete lap around Loop 820 (in either direction)? I see it as one huge NASCAR lap. I'd like to make it one day, preferably in a sports car. I estimate the loop to be 60 mi. in circu****ence. Any thoughts, other than I'm crazy?

Speaking of Loop 820 (and loops in general), I don't like how it's labeled N, E, S, and W. It keeps changing on you as you drive. The direction should be labeled CW (clockwise) and CCW (counterclockwise).

[loves2read]

have done it before
the southeast corner is little tight and gets quite a bit of traffic coming in from 287 and I 20

[beowulf7]

That's one part of Loop 820 that I haven't been on yet - the SE part where I-20 meets Loop 820. I've only taken I-20 east or west, but not get on Loop 820 from there. I'll try that one day when I'm returning from Arlington Parks Mall and heading back to NW FW.

[blueskies49]

Originally Posted by beowulf7

That's one part of Loop 820 that I haven't been on yet - the SE part where I-20 meets Loop 820. I've only taken I-20 east or west, but not get on Loop 820 from there. I'll try that one day when I'm returning from Arlington Parks Mall and heading back to NW FW.

Yeesh, there's alot of traffic in that area, I don't like it! But I have made the entire loop once. By mistake! Years ago, coming from Arlington to somewhere over by NW Loop 820 I missed my exit but didn't realize it at first and continued on the loop hoping to find it. Soon I saw downtown Fort Worth to the east of me and not being familiar at all with that part of town I just continued making my way in a loop until I got back to Arlington. Took me well over an hour!

[beowulf7]

Originally Posted by blueskies49

Yeesh, there's alot of traffic in that area, I don't like it! But I have made the entire loop once. By mistake! Years ago, coming from Arlington to somewhere over by NW Loop 820 I missed my exit but didn't realize it at first and continued on the loop hoping to find it. Soon I saw downtown Fort Worth to the east of me and not being familiar at all with that part of town I just continued making my way in a loop until I got back to Arlington. Took me well over an hour!

Sorry about your dizzying tour around FW, but you got to see a good view from it from all angles. Do you feel the urge to drive around the loop again, but in the opposite direction?

If gas didn't cost so much and if I had an hour to kill, I'd like to drive fully around the loop just for the heck of it. Esp., in an exotic car.

[blueskies49]

Actually, it was kind of cool because it was at night and the lights of downtown were pretty. I could see myself slowly rounding the city on the loop. But it would have been more enjoyable if I hadn't been so frustrated in missing what I came out there for in the first place and with my little daughter at the time fallen asleep in the back seat! I want to say it was closer to two hours driving time from where I lived in Arlington at the time.

I never thought about driving it in the opposite direction.

[drjones96]

He he....Yeah I've done that. Did it a few years back when I moved here. Was trying to get a feel for the city.

[elizabeth_cali]

I've never driven around loop 820 before all at once...but over time..I have completed the loop. I agree that the directions should be labeled Clockwise or Counterclockwise. Some people will tell me go North on 820 (for example)....I have to ask them from which part of the circle are you referring...the side near Arlington or the side near W. Fort Worth. You can go north at either point. Maybe they should just say go North from Eastern side or go North from the Western side. Who knows...I dont like how the city is encircled and they couldn't just come up with another number the highway at the different points. Not a bad idea, Beowulf, to just get in a sports car and race around the NASCAR track!!

[beowulf7]

Originally Posted by blueskies49

Actually, it was kind of cool because it was at night and the lights of downtown were pretty. I could see myself slowly rounding the city on the loop. But it would have been more enjoyable if I hadn't been so frustrated in missing what I came out there for in the first place and with my little daughter at the time fallen asleep in the back seat! I want to say it was closer to two hours driving time from where I lived in Arlington at the time.

I never thought about driving it in the opposite direction.

It does help that downtown FW has those Christmas lights. It would be a little more visible if going CW since the lights would be to your right and you wouldn't have other cars obstructing the view.

Originally Posted by drjones96

He he....Yeah I've done that. Did it a few years back when I moved here. Was trying to get a feel for the city.

That's classic! And I thought I was the only silly person in FW that has the urge to do this.

Originally Posted by elizabeth_cali

I've never driven around loop 820 before all at once...but over time..I have completed the loop. I agree that the directions should be labeled Clockwise or Counterclockwise. Some people will tell me go North on 820 (for example)....I have to ask them from which part of the circle are you referring...the side near Arlington or the side near W. Fort Worth. You can go north at either point. Maybe they should just say go North from Eastern side or go North from the Western side. Who knows...I dont like how the city is encircled and they couldn't just come up with another number the highway at the different points. Not a bad idea, Beowulf, to just get in a sports car and race around the NASCAR track!!

Thanks, another person who agrees! It does make a lot of sense to call it CW or CCW. Sure, there'd be a learning curve, but it'd be a lot more logical. Yes, it is confusing when someone says go north on Loop 820 ... which side, west or east?

[beowulf7]

BTW, in my very first post, the censored word I was trying to type was:
c-i-r-c-u-m-f-e-r-e-n-c-e