Through Dallas & Houston. Am I nuts?

[ljr]

In a few weeks I’ll be towing a 30 ft FW from OK to the TX Gulf Coast. Over the years I’ve tried about every route to avoid central Dallas & Houston. None have turned out all that well. This time I’m considering driving straight through the bellies of the beasts. I35 & I45 through Dallas then I45 and 288 through Houston. I understand that I’ll want to go through Dallas after 10:00 am and through Houston before 4:00 pm.

Do I need a shrink for even thinking about this?

[john_bet]

Try about midnite. Worked for us going thru Atlanta back in the early '90's.

[ljr]

Sorry but this has gotten way off topic.

Thanks for all the replies though.

[tatest]

From where in Oklahoma? The state is almost 300 miles wide.

From the eastern part of the state I use US-75 or US-69 and Indian Nation Turnpike and US-271 down to Paris, Texas-19 to Huntsville, when my destination is Houston. This bypasses Dallas area by a wide margin.

Getting to the Texas Gulf Coast without going through Houston depends on your destination. Going to Galveston means going to Houston. But if coming from western Oklahoma and going to Corpus Christi or further south, US-281 out of Wichita Falls bypasses Dallas by a large margin, taking you to San Antonio where I-37 gets you to the coast or I-35 gets you to Laredo. San Antonio is its own traffic problem, but nothing like Dallas or Houston.

[fanrgs]

The Texas Gulf Coast covers quite a few hundred miles, so where on the coast are you going?

If I were headed for anywhere along the central part of the coast, I would take I-35 from OKC through Ft. Worth not Dallas, to Waco, then get off onto US 77. This takes you through lots of old German-Czech farming towns like La Grange, Schulenburg, and Hallettsville with mom-and-pop bakeries and BBQ cafes for delicious breakfasts and lunches. From Victoria, you can then head south to the Port Lavaca-Rockport are or southwest to Corpus Christi-N. Padre Island.

[one_strange_tex]

bucky wrote:
I drove thru Houston once back in the late 80s. At the gas station you could buy a handgun, booze, maps, cigarettes, and gas all at the same counter. A sheriff would help you load it all. 🙂

No booze at a gas station, unless you mean beer. Everything else perhaps. You may have the spot confused with somewhere in Louisiana. 🙂

[padredw]

DoxieMom wrote:
We entered in Texarkana, down to Henderson on the east side, then on a diagonal road over to Waco, took 77 down to Victoria and then I think it was 35 over to the coast. Never saw Dallas or Houston either one.

There are several possible variations on this route, but this is one good example of how to avoid Dallas AND Houston. One variation is to take US 79 from Henderson all the way down to US 77 and avoid Waco. As for the small towns, there are many with bypasses and I find them to make a less stressful trip over all.

Now just another comment: I have never had any trouble going right down US 59 through Houston, or for that matter going east to west around Dallas on I-20. But anything other than that I-20 east/west Dallas/Fort Worth is far more difficult for me that Houston is.

Back to the main point:US 59, TX 155, TX 43, US 79, US 77, US 281 offer many possible combinations and variations on routes that avoid both DFW and Houston.

[bucky]

I drove thru Houston once back in the late 80s. At the gas station you could buy a handgun, booze, maps, cigarettes, and gas all at the same counter. A sheriff would help you load it all. 🙂

[2112]

If NOT towing I prefer 35 > 6 > 290 > 8 > 288. The problem towing is the 290 construction created two narrow lanes with concrete barriers on both sides. Too tight for me. There is construction on 45 but it's not as stressful while towing if you just hug the right shoulder.

If you take 45 straight through Houston you want to get to 288 at 610S by 4pm. If you don't you just suck it up and go slow. It's doable.

I know you didn't ask for alternatives but if towing I take 35 > 6 > 159 at Hempstead > 36.

[doxiemom11]

We entered in Texarkana, down to Henderson on the east side, then on a diagonal road over to Waco, took 77 down to Victoria and then I think it was 35 over to the coast. Never saw Dallas or Houston either one.

[one_strange_tex]

Having been through the area quite a few times, you might consider taking I35W through DFW and jumping over to I45 using US287. As for Houston, the only way to avoid it is to take Beltway 8 around, which is more miles and requires tolls, but much less aggravating. If you are going around to I45 to Galveston, the tolls on the SH8 bridge over the ship channel are quite expensive. Going I610 around doesn't seem to avoid much traffic, though it is not as many more miles since it is a tight loop. It does save on the tolls however.

[randy328]

I do that Houston I-45/288 route frequently heading to a race track. I usually am pretty late though (8-9pm), never had any issues going through downtown.

[Walaby]

I'd make my way around and take 20 instead of 35. Been through Dallas on 20 with trailer and it's not too bad.

You can pick up 45 to Houston off 20. Now, going through Houston is another animal. I did that WITHOUT a trailer, and hated it.

Mike

[Johno02]

I am not familiar with your route, but in my case, I will go a long way around to avoid fly-overs and overpasses in big cities. They usually do not have much in the way of side clearance, and the winds can get really bad on some. Went through Houston one time, will never do it again. Ok for cars, but Class A is a lot different animal. Haven't been driving but about 65 years now, they didn't have such things back when I learned to drive.

[BB_TX]

I am like you. I would rather just grin and bear it and go straight thru than take longer slower roundabout bypasses thru small towns. They have completed a lot of construction on I-35E, but still a lot going on. But barring an accident, traffic typically moves well thru Dallas mid day. Sometimes too fast for my liking. They recently completed the new I35E/I-30 interchange downtown. So watch the signs carefully. But that should improve the transition from I35E to I-45.

Can't speak for Houston.