Driving to Galveston

[Sunshine4061]

Hi Everyone,

I live in the Houston area, and just wanted anyone who is planning to drive to Galveston to know there is road contruction on I-45, south of Houston, that will last several months. Today, a Saturday, it took me over an hour to get from just south of Hobby Airport to Baybrook BLVD. which is about one third of the way to Galveston. Normally it would take about 15 minutes. And, yes, I was so jealous to see people with luggage piled up in their cars on their way to Galveston. I just knew they were on their way to cruise, and I wasn't.

Patti

[ssb]

Hi Everyone,

I live in the Houston area, and just wanted anyone who is planning to drive to Galveston to know there is road contruction on I-45, south of Houston, that will last several months. Today, a Saturday, it took me over an hour to get from just south of Hobby Airport to Baybrook BLVD. which is about one third of the way to Galveston. Normally it would take about 15 minutes. And, yes, I was so jealous to see people with luggage piled up in their cars on their way to Galveston. I just knew they were on their way to cruise, and I wasn't.

Patti

 

Yes that stretch between beltway 8 to clearlake blvd can slow down

and is under construction presently for great improvements.

 

 

 

However, 6 lanes will always be open going and coming

during this construction according to Texas Highways Department.

Not like before with Nasa Rd One fly over,

when highway narrowed down sometimes

to 4 or 2 lanes at times during construction!

 

Also just try not to come thru Houston

7 to 9 am or 4 to 6 pm monday thru friday commuting times!

Saturday can be bad with normal traffic and And the

The Clearlake and Galveston traffic

Especially if there is any kind accident to

o slow down to start this situation off!

[Galveston Cruiser]

Going south on 45 from Houston to NASA Rd 1 area is always backed up due to Baybrook Mall and the numbers of shoppers. Once past this area, the road opens up and is smooth sailing (pardon the pun) to Galveston.

I have to admit there are horrible drivers who have to come to almost a complete stop for a curve in the road:confused:

Wish 45 was expanded as I10 has. Hwy. is too old for all the growth south of Houston.

[Rudyard]

I almost ran into the new construction a couple of weeks ago. We had family visiting who wanted to go to Galveston and have lunch at Rainforest Cafe. I live off of Scarsdale not far from 45. Right before I got on the freeway I saw it was little better than a parking lot so I crossed the freeway and took Hwy 3 for a bit until I I knew I was in an area where the freeway would be moving again, then crossed back over to 45.

 

Getting around the mess isn't bad if you know the area, but I feel for the people coming from out of town. If I was flying in for a cruise, or driving from another city, I'd definitely come in the night before and wouldn't stay any farther north than the League City/Webster area to avoid the traffic the next day.

[carpeperdiem]

Thanks for the local knowledge! Unfortunately, I have to fly in to IAH the night before our cruise (in about 3 weeks) -- and because our arrival is kinda late for our kids - we elected to book hotel at IAH - to get the kids sleeping as soon as possible.

 

So leaving IAH on a Sunday morning (driving a rental car):

 

1. How much time would you allow (to arrive Galveston no later than 10am)?
   
2. Is there a better route than Beltway8 to I-45?
   
3. Is there a toll-road dongle/tag/transponder box (in the northeast, we have EZPass, in Florida it's SunPass) that I can acquire to speed up the trip?
   

Thanks again for the local knowledge!

 

J

[carpeperdiem]

PS -- looks like Enterprise car has the "TollPass" program in TX... For only $2.00 per day that toll roads are used, you only have to pay the actual toll -- and avoid all cash lines. That's gotta speed things up. Hopefully Enterprise TX offers this. Need to confirm with them.

[Galveston Cruiser]

Please be aware there is no rental car agency open on Sunday in Texas City (Hertz) or Galveston (Enterprise) and I believe they both have a drop off fee, I know Enterprise charges $100, you drop the keys in a box then arrange a taxi to get to the port. Not an easy fete on the day the ships are at the port.

 

Unless you plan to keep the car all week, park at one of the cruise parking lots (not expensive) then have the car for your return to the airport, you will need to arrange transportation through the cruise line to pick you up at the airport or private transportation through a limo service.

 

To answer your initial question, there is little traffic on Sunday morning. I suggest Hwy 59 south from the airport to Hwy 45 south. 1-1/2 hours at the most. I usually drive it in an hour, but we live here.

The toll road will not save you any time and will cost you. It is also longer from point A to point B.

[carpeperdiem]

Thanks for the local knowledge!

We will be keeping the rental car for the week -- at the time of our reservation, it was much, much cheaper to keep the car and pay for parking vs. limos -- and since our return flight post-cruise is not until 5:30pm, we were hoping (if things are on time) to sneak in a few hrs at the Space Center -- my kids will love that! Having the car will give us the flexibility.

 

And yes, we learned immediately that the rental car situation at Galveston is less than perfect. And IAH taxes and fees are pretty insane too! We were lucky to book our car when we did, since the price of a full size is now up to more than $400 for 8 days. Yikes! My res is for "only" $200 (including all taxes). With $50 parking in Galveston + fuel, we are still saving considerable vs. the limo and we get flexibility.

 

The reason I mentioned toll road was that's what Google Maps is suggesting. But local knowledge is always better! Google says tollroad is 2.5 miles longer than 59, and 3 minutes faster. I guess I can check traffic before we leave and compare. Good to know how a local would go. Thanks. Appreciate the advice.

J

[nonna5]

Hi Everyone,

I live in the Houston area, and just wanted anyone who is planning to drive to Galveston to know there is road contruction on I-45, south of Houston, that will last several months.

 

I have lived in Houston all my life and go to Galveston almost every weekend and they have been working on the Gulf Freeway all my life. Don't think it will every change.:rolleyes:

[Host Kat]

Carpeperdiem,

 

To help y'all go through or around Houston down to Galveston, save this site:

 

http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/layers/

 

It is a real time traffic map showing incidents, road closures, construction and speeds of traffic.

 

And yes, there is always construction on the Gulf Freeway (I-45 South). Construction workers have retired after an entire career of working on it. The only things certain in life around here - death, taxes, and Gulf Freeway construction!

 

Have a safe trip!

 

Kat

[carpeperdiem]

http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/layers/

 

It is a real time traffic map showing incidents' date=' road closures, construction and speeds of traffic.[/quote']

 

Great link! Thanks!

J

[dforeigner]

Awesome, thanks Kat. We will need this for next year's cruise out of Galveston.

[Host Kat]

Glad to be of service,

 

Kat

[Rudyard]

Just in case you do decide to take the toll road, what we use around here to pay tolls without stopping is the EZ Tag. Last time I checked, Enterprise offered cars with it but I don't recall the cost. Also, you would need it as the North West corner of the beltway (the newest section, IAH to I-10 East) is EZ Tag only. No cash.

[Galveston Cruiser]

Be vary careful of using EZ tag lane in a rent car. Many have received exhorbitant charges because the tag was not funded. The rental agencies charge back fees and fines to the driver.

 

Driving to Galveston from IAH on Sunday morning will be a breeze. OP says he wants to leave before 10AM, so there will be little traffic, if any.

[carpeperdiem]

Thanks for the local knowledge! I sure appreciate it.

 

I will triple-check with Enterprise if the car has an EZ tag...

 

in NYC, I have accounts with zipcar and hertzondemand, and all of the "car sharing" vehicles have the EZPASS tag. Zipcar post-bills for the actual toll - if the George Washington Bridge cash toll is $12, but the EZpass off-peak toll is $9, Zipcar will bill the exact toll paid, $9, without a surcharge or fee. HOWEVER, Hertz will bill $12 regardless if there is a discount or not. Greedy. :-(

 

I got burned a few years ago in Ontario, Canada -- in a Hertz car -- we wound up on a toll road that only cost $2.00 - but hertz added $25 in admin fees. Yikes. Non negotiable. My own fault for not asking in advance.

 

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

J

[Rudyard]

Sorry. I meant to say the North East corner of the beltway, not North West. For some reason I'm not getting an option to edit.

 

 

Be vary careful of using EZ tag lane in a rent car. Many have received exhorbitant charges because the tag was not funded. The rental agencies charge back fees and fines to the driver.

 

Now that you mention it, I do recall reading something about this a few months ago. OP, if you run three toll plazas without the tag registering they charge for all three plus a fee of around $30. On top of that, if the rental company doesn't notify you of the charges in time, after about ten days the county sends the bill to a collection agency which then adds another admin fee of about $40. It adds up quick.

 

I found out the hard way when I had to get a new debit card after I lost the one originally tied to my account and forgot to add the new one to my account a couple of years ago.

[Host Kat]

Sorry. I meant to say the North East corner of the beltway, not North West. For some reason I'm not getting an option to edit...

The Edit button will appear on your post for about 20 minutes. After the time-limit expires, you no longer have the ability to edit one of your posts.

 

Kat

[Galveston Cruiser]

It is still faster, less distance and easier to take 59 south to 45 south.

There is no traffic on Sunday mornings.

The shortest distance between two points is a staight line:)

Where the beltway intersects 45S is still 35 miles from Galveston.

Why circle the city?

[Stevesan]

It is still faster, less distance and easier to take 59 south to 45 south.

There is no traffic on Sunday mornings.

The shortest distance between two points is a staight line:)

Where the beltway intersects 45S is still 35 miles from Galveston.

Why circle the city?

 

You speak true. I live in SW Houston and take Hwy 6 to Galveston.

The shortest distance between two point is....!:p

[Rudyard]

The Edit button will appear on your post for about 20 minutes. After the time-limit expires' date=' you no longer have the ability to edit one of your posts.

 

Kat [img']http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/50.gif[/img]

 

Thanks. Usually I catch my mistakes quicker than that. :)

[ssb]

6 lanes will always be open going and coming

during this construction according to Texas Highways Department.

[ssb]

This may help someone!

 

Houston Map PDF

Download Houston-area map in PDF Format:

Houston Metro

 

 

Galveston Island Map PDF

Download Galveston-area map in PDF Format:

 

Galveston (Color Hi-Resolution)

[jonbgd]

6 lanes will always be open going and coming

during this construction according to Texas Highways Department.

It sucked this weekend :rolleyes:

[Galveston Cruiser]

It sucked this weekend :rolleyes:

 

That is due to a lot of traffic and bad drivers:mad: