Routes around Houston TX

[michael_tee]

I'll be driving (pulling 28' TT) from I-10 east of Houston going towards South TX, so down I-69. I've done this once before in reverse direction, ended up going thru downtown. Not fun, but at least I did that on early Sat morning.
For this trip, I'm curious about the quality of the ring roads (I-610, Sam Houston tollway). What in your opinion would be the best route to take? Also best times/days to travel thru? How much would the tollway cost?

[TxGearhead]

one_strange_texan wrote:

TxGearhead wrote:
Straight through downtown, just not at rush hour. Be on your A game and don't get rattled. If you want some country scenery take the 105 north route but you will see some traffic around Conroe, especially Lake Conroe area. The south route will give you the Gulf of Mexico scenery but the Galveston seawall traffic.

^ What he said, but I don't think I've ever seen a time when the traffic didn't back up on US59/I69 South going through downtown after you leave I10 until a ways past downtown on the southwest side. There currently is construction at US59 and I610 southwest of town near the Galleria (as there often seems to be).

I just did the I-10 to 59 to 288 to Med Center. As usual it gets all gummed up right at Minute Maid Stadium.
The OP may be making laps around 610. Would like to hear what he did. I considered recommending he take 90 to 2100 to New Caney to 99. But I'm not sure how they deal with someone with no EZ TAG.

[dedmiston]

This thread is three weeks old now. Hopefully the OP has made his trip already and isn't still stuck doing laps around Houston.

[one_strange_tex]

TxGearhead wrote:
Straight through downtown, just not at rush hour. Be on your A game and don't get rattled. If you want some country scenery take the 105 north route but you will see some traffic around Conroe, especially Lake Conroe area. The south route will give you the Gulf of Mexico scenery but the Galveston seawall traffic.

^ What he said, but I don't think I've ever seen a time when the traffic didn't back up on US59/I69 South going through downtown after you leave I10 until a ways past downtown on the southwest side. There currently is construction at US59 and I610 southwest of town near the Galleria (as there often seems to be).

[TxGearhead]

Straight through downtown, just not at rush hour. Be on your A game and don't get rattled. If you want some country scenery take the 105 north route but you will see some traffic around Conroe, especially Lake Conroe area. The south route will give you the Gulf of Mexico scenery but the Galveston seawall traffic.

[olfarmer]

2112 wrote:
The SE section of Beltway 8 is under construction. The lanes are so narrow I hate doing it in my car. The bright side is the tolls have been waved. The West 610 loop to I69 exchange is always a mess but doable.

If you're not in a big hurry and want to avoid Houston all together, I suggest turn South at Winnie, take the ferry to Galveston, Freeport and pick up I69 (59) at Edna

I agree, that is how we have done it several times with a 30 MH pulling a Jeep GC. It is an enjoyable and scenic trip.

[johnhicks]

Navasota has approved a new rv park, I think on the northwest side. If it's open it would be a welcome stop on a long stretch.

[one_strange_tex]

If time is your motivator, straight through Houston or around I-610 on the southeast side is your choice. Check and make sure they haven't closed the 610 bridge over the ship channel if it's a weekend . They've done that a couple of times to me.

However, if reduced stress and lower chance of an incident motivates you, consider the Galveston/Freeport option (south) or the TX 105 (north) option that others have suggested. Both would be more interesting, if you have the time.

Since I am retired, time is not my primary priority when travelling, so I tend to go around big cities.

If you take the TX 105 option, be sure to NOT take the exit for FM105 in Vidor on I-10. Stay on I-10 and take the US 69/96/287 exit north in Beaumont to the TX105 exit. Check it out on the map, especially if you need to plan your route south after getting to the other side of Houston.

[prichardson]

Best route time wise is strait thru on the weekend. The Galveston route is about the same mileage wise but you spend time with the ferry crossing. The TX105 route is substantially longer.

[johnhicks]

You could take TX-105 out of Beaumont around to Brenham and work your way southward.

[MikeDupont]

I lived outside of Houston and worked downtown for some years. As you probably suspect, avoid rush hour at all costs, even to the point of stopping somewhere for a few hours (better stopped there than on the interstate!). But swinging wide of town on the back roads would be my advice as thats what we usually do to large cities when its possible. But everyone has their own preferences.
And fwiw, i did the Houston - south TX drive many times along the major road before there was an interstate below SA. Peaceful drive until you got near Houston.

[Scottiemom]

OUr route of choice going through Houston was always straight through downtown. I did all the driving, while DH navigated. But we also lived there for 3 months while he was undergoing cancer treatment and we really got to like the city. . . except for rush hour. We avoided rush hour like the plague. Best time for us was between 10 and noon.

We sometimes took the bypasses, but only once or twice, preferring to go straight through.

Dale

[2112]

The SE section of Beltway 8 is under construction. The lanes are so narrow I hate doing it in my car. The bright side is the tolls have been waved. The West 610 loop to I69 exchange is always a mess but doable.

If you're not in a big hurry and want to avoid Houston all together, I suggest turn South at Winnie, take the ferry to Galveston, Freeport and pick up I69 (59) at Edna

[dedmiston]

The loops serve a good purpose. They're the best way to avoid downtown.