Louisiana to Amarillo through Dallas (Fort Worth, Plano: construction, tornadoes, camping)

[figment7]

I know you guys get asked this all the time, but since there are so many highways in and out of Dallas couldn't find the answer I was looking for. I will be moving from Florida to Colorado and driving through Dallas with a Penske 22 foot truck. Since I am driving a truck I am not used to driving I am trying to avoid loads of traffic. I was wondering if the proposed route is the best chance at avoiding traffic. I will be driving through Dallas on a Tuesday around 2-4pm (can change a little if that is too close to peak traffic).

I-20 West to US Hwy 80 around Terrell
US Hwy 80 to 635 North
635 North to NW Parkway (114/121)
Take the NW Parkway until I get to US 287 and head towards Wichita Falls, TX

What do you guys think? Thanks for the input, just trying not to add to the "jam factor" on your highways!

Thanks!

[Pooua]

Originally Posted by figment7

I know you guys get asked this all the time, but since there are so many highways in and out of Dallas couldn't find the answer I was looking for. I will be moving from Florida to Colorado and driving through Dallas with a Penske 22 foot truck. Since I am driving a truck I am not used to driving I am trying to avoid loads of traffic. I was wondering if the proposed route is the best chance at avoiding traffic. I will be driving through Dallas on a Tuesday around 2-4pm (can change a little if that is too close to peak traffic).

I-20 West to US Hwy 80 around Terrell
US Hwy 80 to 635 North
635 North to NW Parkway (114/121)
Take the NW Parkway until I get to US 287 and head towards Wichita Falls, TX

What do you guys think? Thanks for the input, just trying not to add to the "jam factor" on your highways!

Thanks!

You could do that, if you hate yourself that much.

635 is a bad word, especially right now. Avoid it if at all possible (and, for you, it is possible). The East end of it isn't too bad (rather light traffic in some places, some times), but it becomes the most congested road in all the D/FW Metroplex along your proposed route.

I think you might be best off avoiding Dallas entirely, unless you really want to sight-see (which, I would recommend, if you weren't driving that truck).

There are several solutions to this problem, but one that eliminates most entanglements with Dallas traffic is:

I-20 to MM 556

Head North at Exit 556 on Hwy 69 to Greenville (note that I have never traveled this road, so I can't say what it is like)

In Greenville, loop around the South end of town on 69/380.
At Lee Street, hang a left, onto 380 (Lee Street)
Take 380 to Decatur
Exit at Hwy 81 for Wichita Falls
Pick up Hwy 287 just before you get to Bowie
Follow 287/281/I-44 through Wichita Falls
Stay on 287 to Amarillo
Get on I-40 in Amarillo

This is mostly country, with lots of green, tree-filled fields, farming and small towns. Decatur can be congested at rush hour, but that's mostly North-South, and you are traveling East-West.

Rush hour begins about 3 P.M. and hits its peak around 4:30. It is mostly gone by 7 P.M., except on 635, which is in more-or-less permanent congestion (except maybe a 5-hour window each day). Hwy 380 will also be congested by the time you get to Frisco, until you get out of Decatur, but not nearly as badly as 635. Expect this route to take you about 6 or 7 hours from Greenville to Amarillo.

[kenshi]

That's probably among the worse routes you could take. I-635 between US-75 and I-35 is terrible. I've driven it after midnight and been in a traffic jam because of the construction going on. I'd go by Downtown before I'd go that route.

Not sure about the Fort Worth side, but I'd say just stick to I-20 going through Dallas. If you're determined to go through Wichita Falls, it may be difficult avoiding some dense traffic but if you're not, you may consider going through Lubbock instead. Alternatively, you could take I-20 to 408/Walton Walker which merges with I-35 and go through Oklahoma City. With that route, you will go through some traffic on I-35 around I-635 if you pass through during rush hour, but it's better than your route.

[Pooua]

Originally Posted by kenshi

That's probably among the worse routes you could take. I-635 between US-75 and I-35 is terrible. I've driven it after midnight and been in a traffic jam because of the construction going on. I'd go by Downtown before I'd go that route.

Not sure about the Fort Worth side, but I'd say just stick to I-20 going through Dallas. If you're determined to go through Wichita Falls, it may be difficult avoiding some dense traffic but if you're not, you may consider going through Lubbock instead. Alternatively, you could take I-20 to 408/Walton Walker which merges with I-35 and go through Oklahoma City. With that route, you will go through some traffic on I-35 around I-635 if you pass through during rush hour, but it's better than your route.

Yeah, anything is better than his proposed route!

Another option to my proposed route is simply to head North to I-40. This could be at I-35E, or any number of other places between Florida and Dallas. Driving through downtown Dallas reveals impressive architecture, but this is best appreciated under more leisurely circumstances.

[RockyJoe817]

Taking 635 all the way to the airport/grapvine are seems to be the longest and tiresome leg. I have done it numerous times. You may consider my shortcut I noted down below to cutover straight to Fort Worth.
Then North on 35W to 287.
287 to Wichita.


Tuesday between 2-4 pm. you should be good on traffic. The occasional slow down if your not in the
correct lane. On 635 move onto the center lane. I say this because people in the on ramp or exits tend to slow down or backup traffic. Watch the road construction around the airport/grapevine/southlake area.




If you choose to want to bypass the construction and need a straight shot backup plan to 287:
just continue straight on 80 merge I-30 past downtown dallas.
Follow I-30 another 25 miles to East Fort Worth 35W.
North on 35W approx 10 miles is I-820
an additional 3 miles is the exit for Hwy 287 (exit on right)to Wichita.

If you miss the exit continue another 10 miles to the 114 exit and go westbound
till 114 meets 287 in Rhome.

(Note: My way has slow traffic at downtown dallas and slow traffic north of downtown Fort Worth)

Good Luck

[RockyJoe817]

The other guys suggestions to take I-20 is almost the same as taking i-635. Just the scenic route takes you on the south side not the North of Dallas.

The one through greenville to Decatur is a two lane Hwy, country and you may end up
stuck behind a slow moving vehicle for miles until you have a bypass lane to get by them.


The shortest route to two points is a straight line.
I think the one directly through dallas to FW and
then North to 287 towards Decatur/Wichita Falls is just that.

[figment7]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I like the Greenville one so far. I would love to avoid Dallas and go up through Kansas but just have to wait to see how the weather looks for the end of March. I was worried about icing in Kansas so wanted to stay south as long as possible hence me going through Dallas and then turning north after Amarillo. Again thank you for the help and the suggestions. I am glad I posted otherwise I would have been stuck for a while on 635 not understanding the local roads!

[kenshi]

Originally Posted by RockyJoe817

The other guys suggestions to take I-20 is almost the same as taking i-635. Just the scenic route takes you on the south side not the North of Dallas.

I haven't been on I-20 in South Dallas a hell of a lot, but I've never encountered a traffic jam. Google Maps shows the traffic as almost entirely green throughout the day. North I-635 and the Mixmaster are far worse.

[Pooua]

Originally Posted by figment7

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I like the Greenville one so far. I would love to avoid Dallas and go up through Kansas but just have to wait to see how the weather looks for the end of March. I was worried about icing in Kansas so wanted to stay south as long as possible hence me going through Dallas and then turning north after Amarillo. Again thank you for the help and the suggestions. I am glad I posted otherwise I would have been stuck for a while on 635 not understanding the local roads!

The worst snow/ice storms in Dallas generally take place at the end of February. By mid-March, Winter is pretty much in retreat, though with some re-visits.

Another possible route might be Memphis to Oklahoma City and Amarillo. You probably would see some snow and ice on that route at that time of year, though, particularly in Arkansas. However, I've gone camping in Arkansas in January, and the weather wasn't too severe (except for the tornadoes that decimated a few towns, and the river flash flooding that killed a few dozen campers).

Going through Oklahoma in March really isn't such a bad plan. The weather should be OK, if you keep your eyes out and tuned into weather reports. You might see some beautiful nature at that time.

[xS☺B☺s]

I take 20 to and from Louisiana all the time. I live in Lake Highlands at the Walnut Hill / 635 exit.

When i go to LA my favored route is Belt Line to 20 then 20 to LA. If I'm in a hurry, I will do 635 to either 80 (in a real hurry) or 20 if not so much a hurry, but only after 10am.

635 is the most suckless filthy dangerous sewer in DFW. Right around 75 the lanes narrow down about as wide as a VW. The scenery from 80 in Terrell all the way to 35 looks about like the decor in the Texas Chain Saw Massacre series. Half the highway is dug up, the other half is littered with wrecked vehicles packed with the freshly deceased which arrive every day. It is the ugliest mess in Dallas, and the most dangerous.

I drive all over Dallas, Plano, DFW for work. I am quite conscious of the fact that every minute I am not on 635 or 75 is a much better day. I regularly prefer to add 50% time to my commute traveling on the 40 mph highways than sweating out crashed vehicles, burning trucks, and people asleep at the wheel on 75 and 635.

The dumbest and most reckless morons in DFW are the ones commuting on these highways. They are the ones as I drive by I see them stuck in an hour long jam cuz they they are too stupid to look at Google Maps before they get on the highway. Now if they can't do that, how well do you think they can drive a car? These are the playgrounds for people who are so stupid they have no clue they are overconfident yet incompetent.

On the other hand, if you want an interesting ride, c'mon through. Otherwise, 20 all the way past FTW might be advisable. Personally I think the open plains of 287 west is beautiful. Nice country.