Alternate route from Plano to Austin

[Plazamazda]

Originally Posted by car957

The only other route I can think of is to get access I-45 from Central Expressway and take I-45 to Madisonville to Texas 21. This takes you through Bryan, Hutto and into Round Rock. From there they could take FM 620 to FM 2222 to get to Capital of Texas.

It will add about 100 miles but it keeps them off IH-35.

And when will Texdot ever finish that exchange at Hillsboro? They've been working on that thing for years it seems like.

Uhh..yeah because Texas 21 goes through Bryan, Bastrop, and San Macros lol

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by yam

My parents in Plano have begun complaining (loudly!) about the traffic on I-35 and asked if there is an easier way to get to Austin (specifically, 360 and Bee Caves) for their periodic visits. Flying is not an option; they're looking for some less busy roads, even if it adds a few miles to the trip. I've been trying to find alternate routes on the map but I just keep coming to the conclusion that I-35 is the ideal route. Any suggestions?

My experience has been that I-35 is still the fastest. The toll rd going into austin helps a bit if you get onto mopac from I35 (Exit 251 I think). Mopac to bee caves to 360 is probably faster than any of the other choices.

Google maps lets you drag waypoints now so you can test out alternate routes. It is very handy. Get the normal driving directions and then drag segments.

[hiero66]

atxcio,
Do you think highway 67 would be good to bike? I'm looking to bike from dallas to austin. Does it have a shoulder? How much traffic is there?

[CptnRn]

Go West to Hwy 281 at Mineral Wells and take it south then take Hwy 71 just after Marble Falls into Bee Cave. It is a pretty and peaceful drive to Austin. We took 281 all the way from Oklahoma to Austin several years ago during that bad ice storm. Its a good wide road most of the way with far less traffic then I-35. The last place I wanted to be during that ice storm was in traffic on I-35.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by hiero66

atxcio,
Do you think highway 67 would be good to bike? I'm looking to bike from dallas to austin. Does it have a shoulder? How much traffic is there?

I couldn't tell you whether it is good to bike... I don't recall how the shoulder is the whole way, but most (if not all) of the route is in Google Streetview, so you could take a look there. Good shoulder on this part: hwy 67 cleburne - Google Maps

But, as you know, even a short distance without a shoulder or with heavy traffic/bad intersection can sometimes nix the whole route wrt cyclists. I don't recall a lot of traffic that way, but it will get bad on 183 as you approach Austin.

[HappyTexan]

I've taken Amtrak before and it was a pleasant trip. Took about 4 hours up to Ft Worth.
Coming home though took longer as there was a freight train problem and Amtrak had to wait on the tracks til it got fixed.

I would do it again..no hassle and we had lunch in the dining car going up and dinner in the dining car coming home.

I left from Taylor and left my truck in their lot overnight.

[hiero66]

I won't be going all the way to Austin. Just down to Copperas Cove, near Killeen. If there's no shoulder as long as there is not much traffic it shouldn't be too bad.

[Danbo1957]

Just for the record, Plano to Westlake (Austin) without using IH35 for the whole trip takes FOREVER.