[1] Loop 494 begins at I-69/US 59 just south of the Harris–Montgomery county line.

[2] The route travels northward, paralleling the freeway to its west.

It passes the community of Kingwood and the unincorporated area of Porter before reaching New Caney, where it has a brief concurrency with FM 1485.

Shortly thereafter, it connects once again with I-69/US 59, where the Loop 494 designation ends.

[1][3] Loop 494 was designated on October 2, 1970, after US 59 was moved to the extension of the Eastex Freeway into Montgomery County.