Houston traffic... exponentially worse? (Dallas, Katy: home, construction, schools)

[OducksFTW!]

I know Houston has got some bad traffic, but lately it has gotten downright ridiculous. Every major highway has turned into a parking lot in the morning hours.

Back in July/August it took me 20 mins. to get from Sweetwater to Beltway8 and Westpark tollway. Now it is taking me almost an hour!

On the radio it seems like every major highway is taking an hour to get into town from every direction!

I had no idea schools had such a high impact on rush hour traffic!

[TVC15]

Harris leads nation's other counties in growth - Houston Chronicle

Houston leading southern city for population growth - Houston Business Journal

[Glossa]

I know. Growth is good, but wow. Some mornings I just want to scream out HOUSTON IS FULL!! STOP MOVING HERE!!

[houston-nomad]

That is school starting that you're seeing. Morning traffic always gets worse once school starts. July/August is a vacation for everyone, as far as commuting goes.

[testmo]

you'd think half of houston doesn't work over the summer comparing rush hour traffic in the morning. every day now it's like everyone in houston is simultaneously driving 3 cars

[ethanw]

Yes 59 South is absolute madness for the past few weeks. Even the HOV line is majorly screwed UP since now they're allowing single occupancy cars in exchange for a $$$ toll. Biggest and stupidest decision ever. Greedy effing bastards. Actually the HOV line now is slower than the freeway, consistently for the past 2 weeks.

Originally Posted by OducksFTW!

I know Houston has got some bad traffic, but lately it has gotten downright ridiculous. Every major highway has turned into a parking lot in the morning hours.

Back in July/August it took me 20 mins. to get from Sweetwater to Beltway8 and Westpark tollway. Now it is taking me almost an hour!

On the radio it seems like every major highway is taking an hour to get into town from every direction!

I had no idea schools had such a high impact on rush hour traffic!

[texas7]

Yeah I notice a huge difference in my commute once school begins, so I love the summer commute.

[houstonfan]

Every year, when school starts, it's like this. I tell friends this when they want to move the suburb and do their test drive in the summer. But they all think i'm exaggerating.
LOL!!!
What's been noticeably worse, however, are the accidents or stalled cars. It seems to me there's at least one major traffic accident on every route everyday.

[KerrTown]

I only had one class today, so I left UH at 2:35 PM. This trip took 1 hour and 45 minutes! I arrived home about 4:15 PM. There was a truck accident on the outbound Katy Freeway at Houston Avenue (according to KUHF radio) and had to go around it. The North Loop construction blocked the way to the Katy Freeway all the way back to Ella, so had to go back downtown and through the Galleria to get on the Katy Freeway. There were alot of cars than would be expected going outbound at the 3:00 PM hour.

Amazing what showers, construction, and population growth can do to traffic in the mid-Afternoon! I can definitely believe the population growth. On my way to school this morning, the I-10 E to I-45 S merge was backed up at 11:50 AM and stayed that way through the Dallas Street underpass.

[soletaire]

You've got a point OP. I was just thinking the same thing today sitting on 45....I sat forever on 45 North in the middle of the frickin day (not lunch time, not rush hour, but mid day), and then sat forever on the trip back. Its gotten to where no matter which major thoroughfare you take (aside from maybe I-10), at some point, you're going to be sitting for a good 20 - 30 minutes for no apparent reason. It really has gotten ridiculous, and Houston city planners have a major issue to address in this department. It doesnt make any sense for traffic to be this bad and congested, nearly ALL the time, in every direction.