Current conditions in Houston
 

I am hoping our posters from Houston can answer a couple of questions, please. A guy at my office got a call today from his sister in Houston who said she is having trouble finding a place to fill up the car. She said many of the gas stations are sold out. Has anyone else encountered this problem?

I have also heard the traffic is much worse than usual, and of course, I can believe it. We have a Fodorite whose husband is staying in the port of Houston, buy flying home tomorrow from IAH. This concerns me because that's such a long drive and I was told that I-45 is bumper to bumper. Can anyone make a guess at how long this drive will be? I am tempted to suggest that he should stay tonight at a hotel near IAH, that is, if he can get a room.

You input will be valuable to anyone who is in the process of leaving Houston. To all in Rita's path, I will be thinking of you and please be safe. Thanks.

P_M, Not Houston obviously, but I just came in here in San Antonio, and there are long lines at all the gas stations here! I was astounded. Not that people are thinking of evacuating here, but I believe the thinking is that gas is going to be scarce so they'd better get it while they can! What have you seen around Austin?

Hi, OO. I have not heard of any stations in Austin running out of gas, but many people here have expressed concern that the price of gas will go up after the hurricane, so they are filling up today. My friend's sister eventually did get gas, but she had to check several places first.

My husband was able to get gas, but he said he couldn't believe the lines at the ATM. P_M, he thinks the traffic won't be a problem as much because the airport is in the "other direction" (away from Austin). Now that may just be a "let's not scare her" line. Hope not. No rooms at the airport hotel - no surprise there.

Hmmmm.....I hope he's right.

My family is in Houston (and my Mom is in an Alzheimer's facility there) adn I just heard from my sisters. One of them said it took her four hours to get home from the Medical Center to West Houston at 2 pm this afternoon- it should have been a 45 min. drive at non-rush hour. And she said the gas stations on the hwys. leading out of Houston are running out of gas.

I saw on the news that people without cash on them could not get cash from ATM's as the ATM's had evidently run out of cash.

Again, always try to fill up your gas tank when it gets to 1/2 full. And please, keep cash in your house. Don't count on always being able to get cash at an ATM.

Be prepared!

Oh it has been lot of fun with palpable anxiety. Yes many gas stations seem to be out of gas, although you can get gas if you are willing to wait in line. Traffic by my house was gridlocked all day but has thinned a bit this evening. It was VERY hot today, about 100 degrees at my home. Not fun to think about what it will be like if/when power is lost.

We are resigned to riding out the storm as we at least don't live in an evacuation area/100 year flood plain. The worst part is that even if you do want to leave, there do not seem to be hotel rooms to be found without venturing to Arkansas, Oklahoma, or towards Abilene, and the storms projected path takes it north where flooding may be a problem. Then there is the highway gridlock to contend with. Simply put there is no easy escape and you will have to go long way to get there. I expect this is true for a lot of Floridians when they have a storm too. I have to admit that this storm right on Katrina's heels after Florida's experiences sure makes me wonder what is up with the weather.

My parents are looking to move from Florida after three years there. Winter weather may be drag further north, but the anxiety of recent weather events is taking its toll. If weather patterns change and every year starts to be like the last two it would seem to me that a lot of people will get tired and move on if they can.

Pamela - Sorry for finding this thread late. Well, traffic is indeed terrible. I came home from work at around 3pm, and the West Belt (Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8) was packed going northbound.

Traffic report also says I-45 heading north is horrendous. Like 4-5 hours to hit Conroe. Which is not surprising - even on a regular weeknight, it's bad heading up to Conroe as I-45 squeezes from 5-6 lanes to 2.

US59 Eastex Freeway is better leaving town. I'd think I-10 West Katy Freeway would be bad too, towards Austin/San Anton.

Traffic coming out from Galveston is also bad. They're doing a 3-stage mandatory evaucation, but the number of people need to be moved is a lot. Not just Galveston, but places all the way up to Friendswood near NASA. I-45 North, TX146 are both bad.

I think IAH will be quite a mess tomorrow, as CO and others will likely wind down flights on Friday, so tomorrow is basically the last chance to fly out.

I suggest people to stay off the freeways. There are plenty of secondary roads (the FM farm roads) all over SE Texas that are quite passable, at least for now. This is unlike some parts of the country where secondary roads go nowhere. Not so here.

I wonder if Bellairegirl is going to ride out the storm in her house. She hasn't been posting much since the GTG. I went through Alicia in my home in Bellaire, camped out in the interior hallway with my dog and supplies. WHen the phone and lights went out and it realy started to howl it was very scary. I think we were without power for 3 days and I recall alot of flooding at the underpasses. But this one is more powerful.
Take care, rkkwan, Bellairegirl, and all the other Houstonians.

I am in Dallas, on my home to LA later.The local ABC station interviewed a couple from Clearlake.The drive took 12 hours bumper to bumper.The report also said 20,000 rooms filled up in Dallas overnight.There are none left.My TA is looking for something, anything for a client looking to get out of Houston.All he has found so far was San Angelo.The Front Desk just called to inquire about my departure time.They have an exhausted family waiting for a room.I'm outa here.Strange, looking out over the Dallas skyline,it is eerie.A violet haze,clear blue sky bright sun.They are predicting 101D today.

Our son, who lives in Houston, called last night to say he could not get gas. Most stations were out and the ones that had gas had very long lines.

Thanks, everyone. I just now talked to my dad who is leaving Houston at this very moment. He is bringing some other family members, so we will host 6 relatives this weekend here in Austin. I told him what I read on this thread and suggested they take back roads. They know it will be a long day of driving. Thankfully they got gas yesterday.

A friend just informed me that I-10, I-45, and 290 will become one-way as of 9am. Can anyone confirm?

P_M

Here is the link to TX Department of Transportation with lots of traffic info including evacuation routes and outbound only roads. Hope it helps.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/

Yes:
http://www.txdot.state.tx.us/

Thank you both for the link, it is very helpful.

They're moving the barriers on I-45 right now at FM1488, just south of Conroe. US290 and I-10 will be AFTER they've done with I-45. It's going to be a long day.

The most recent projected path has the hurricane moving east again, and will pass through between Galveston Bay and Port Arthur. Houston will be on the "weak" side of the storm and damage won't be as severe if the current track holds.

People are also finally figuring out US59 South towards Victoria. I've been telling everybody that's a way to go if they want to. But now, it's backed up to Beltway 8. Like other freeways, the problem is that these freeways narrow from 5-6 lanes to 2. For Southwest Freeway, that's in Sugarland just past Highway 6.

One reported "good" route is US90A to head NE. However, Port Arthur and Beaumont will be evacuating, so traffic in E. Texas will be getting worse.

Right now, I'll definitely go SW from Houston to get out. Even go South first, and then SW. That'll be mostly against the traffic for a while.

I just saw on the news, where an evacuee had traveled only 40 miles in 13 hours in the heavy traffic...wow.....not sure which highway it was...

At that rate, people could be stuck in their cars when the storm hits.