Interstate 35 between Austin and Dallas (San Antonio, Waco: live, vacations, car)

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by hypocore

I live in Fort Worth and have a daughter at UT Austin, so lots of us have made that trip many a time in the last 4 years, most recently 2 weeks ago for me when she was in a nasty wreck. (she's fine, car's totalled-not her fault)

Yes, there's always been construction somewhere or other, but I can say that alot has been completed and things are much better off in many areas than they were before. When they finally added the 'no trucks left lane' we all rejoiced! haha

The only thing that bothers me at this point is the 'tight lanes' as described above that puts you driving up against the concrete barriers. But....driving at night going 80 MPH to reach my gal diminished that worry easily. :-) (75-80 is the normal speed we all go for the most part and no one has ever been stopped for speeding in the whole 4 years.)

On the I35 split....I found it to be signed more this time around than it ever has been since making all these trips. It only took one trip to know to be in the far left lane to insure headed to Fort Worth....however this time there were at least 4 signs indicating which lane to be in for I 35 E and I 35 W, spread out long before the split. I can't imagine missing all of them, and I was driving in the dark back home as well.

Glad your daughters okay. That CAN be scary and I'm NOT ready for that day

I don't know if in some areas it is any better. In some areas where they DO have room for the full 3 lanes AND a shoulder they still only have for 2. Then is some other new areas there is only 2 lanes which bites.

Yep, 75-80 seemed to be the going rate this weekend. I saw two officers radaring each time and they were not going after anyone. Guess they only want the Super Speeders. More dollars I guess

I probably did not see the other signs for the split since I got off the highway in Hillsboro and then got back on after some side trip shopping at the last entrance ramp IN Hillsboro going North by the Wendy's and Taco Bell. There was only 1 bright orange sign ON THE GROUND to the right. It was not even on a pole. Thank goodness I know which way to go but I saw some that sure did not.

[case44]

I'm ready for the construction around Italy to be over with. That's been going on the last few years, but it seems like forever. And forever also happens to be the amount of time it takes to drive about 55 for a twelve-mile stretch down to the Hill County line because you have to slow down or get fined. It's such a beatdown.

[love roses]

We used to joke about the never ending construction in Dallas since I was a kid, so it's just crazy that I'm a grown woman and it's still going on. Also I 10 in Houston was that way for a very long time.

[catman]

I-35W south of Ft Worth (once you get through the construction just south of FtW) to Hillsboro is fine, but from there south, it's a disaster. Hillsboro to Waco and Austin to San Antonio are best avoided. I find it much more pleasant to take the back way to San Antonio from Ft Worth (281). It's not appreciably longer. I pick up 281 in Hico, and it's nice from there on.

[Canine*Castle]

You all really need to be careful on I-35. There are so many fatal wrecks on it and a majority of them are usually between Waco and the Dallas-FW split. Tragic!

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

URGH!!!!!! This is a rant. Sorry folks

But when has I35 between Austin and Dallas at ANY point in the last 20-25 years NOT had some construction going on?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Had to drive it this past week and it is NOT fun. I try to come up w/ any excuse possible to get out of having to travel on 35 south of Dallas to any point between here and Austin because of it. It is PATHETIC!!!!!! In some areas there is NO ROOM FOR ERROR!!! Literally it is two tight lanes w/ no shoulder at all as both sides are lined w/ concrete barriers. Heaven forbid someone breaks down thru there or any other kind of emergency.

Awesome post Momof2dfw, I couldn't have said it better. I think we all have expressed the same sentiments over the years. Ugh! I guess some things just never change.

Blueskies49, I haven't been to the mall at Hillsboro in years, but my sister went just a little before Christmas last year. She said it was bad, half the stores were closed, she wished she hadn't bothered to go.

As far as West and the Czech Stop, ahhh, who can get through there without stopping (except my brother-in-law, of course, he doesn't stop for anything ). There is another little store on the same side (east) of 35 that is just a little south of the Czech Stop that is often overlooked. They have the absolute best pineapple kolache with cream cheese icing you'll ever eat. We always try to have a small ice chest on hand and get extra kolaches (the frozen ones at the Czech Stop) to bring home. No matter how many we get, if they are not frozen, we manage to have them all ate before we get home.

It is my opinion the pit stop at West is the ONLY bright spot in that entire stretch between Dallas and Austin. So much for my two cents worth.

[car957]

Lonestar

You need to slow down. Try the Elite Cafe in Waco. It's really good food and a nice rest spot in the road when driving I-35.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

Blueskies49, I haven't been to the mall at Hillsboro in years, but my sister went just a little before Christmas last year. She said it was bad, half the stores were closed, she wished she hadn't bothered to go.

As far as West and the Czech Stop, ahhh, who can get through there without stopping (except my brother-in-law, of course, he doesn't stop for anything ). There is another little store on the same side (east) of 35 that is just a little south of the Czech Stop that is often overlooked. They have the absolute best pineapple kolache with cream cheese icing you'll ever eat. We always try to have a small ice chest on hand and get extra kolaches (the frozen ones at the Czech Stop) to bring home. No matter how many we get, if they are not frozen, we manage to have them all ate before we get home.

It is my opinion the pit stop at West is the ONLY bright spot in that entire stretch between Dallas and Austin. So much for my two cents worth.

Yep, I second your sister. The Hillsboro Outlet Mall USED to be something many people from the DFW area made a special trek to on weekends. Not any more. I'd say an easy HALF of it is shut down. The "regular" stores, you know the ones that you can find in a real mall here, are just that. A "regular" store and NOT "outlet" at all. The Aeropostle there has the same stuff the one here has at the same price. Big woo.

Oh gawd, those kolaches.............. YUM!!!!!!!! I swear evertime we got back in the car in Hillsboro that smell hit ya. It was all I could do to resist. I had two large boxes of kolaches. We made sure we purchases our ones to eat on the road in a small bag so it would be harder to get to those in that big bag in those boxes. LOL!!!

[blueskies49]

Originally Posted by catman

I-35W south of Ft Worth (once you get through the construction just south of FtW) to Hillsboro is fine, but from there south, it's a disaster. Hillsboro to Waco and Austin to San Antonio are best avoided. I find it much more pleasant to take the back way to San Antonio from Ft Worth (281). It's not appreciably longer. I pick up 281 in Hico, and it's nice from there on.

Geez, like I said before, it's been many years since travelled down that way. I'm planning to go to Fredericksburg for their Crawfish Festival on Memorial Day weekend. What do you suggest is the best route there? Can I get there from taking 281? Does it go through Hillsboro?

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

Awesome post Momof2dfw, I couldn't have said it better. I think we all have expressed the same sentiments over the years. Ugh! I guess some things just never change.

Blueskies49, I haven't been to the mall at Hillsboro in years, but my sister went just a little before Christmas last year. She said it was bad, half the stores were closed, she wished she hadn't bothered to go.

As far as West and the Czech Stop, ahhh, who can get through there without stopping (except my brother-in-law, of course, he doesn't stop for anything ). There is another little store on the same side (east) of 35 that is just a little south of the Czech Stop that is often overlooked. They have the absolute best pineapple kolache with cream cheese icing you'll ever eat. We always try to have a small ice chest on hand and get extra kolaches (the frozen ones at the Czech Stop) to bring home. No matter how many we get, if they are not frozen, we manage to have them all ate before we get home.

It is my opinion the pit stop at West is the ONLY bright spot in that entire stretch between Dallas and Austin. So much for my two cents worth.

Okay, I won't be making THAT trip anytime soon except to drive past it. That's a great idea about bringing a cooler! I will definitely have to try and remember that!

[Spade]

Seems like whenever someone rants about 35 between Dallas and Austin. The first thing city that pops up in everyone's mind is Hillsboro. That area was suppose to finish construction in 1999 and the last time I was up there was 2005 and they STILL was not finished.

I35 is terrible between Dallas and the Williamson County Line. I have expressed my rants on different forums.