Driving at rush hour may cost more in Houston Options

[Inferia]

Sorry, I guess not everyone gets married, makes sure their spouse works right next door to their work, then has a perfect neighborhood with great schools right across the street from those two workplaces . This perfect couple also surely never gets tired of their job and looks for another one.
"suck it up" is exactly what we do. I still think you mistake me for someone who's complaining. All I was doing was explaining that with the layout of the city and how insanely spread out it is, a public transportation system wouldn't really work all that well.

How come you've all of sudden become so understanding? I was half way expecting you to say something along the line of people should not get married, and looked for the perfect school, in the perfect neighborhood, with this perfect jobs because they are effecting my ability to drive down the street without having to sit in traffic for half an hour. You know, like immigrants should just learn English. Oh I kid.

Anyway, on the subject of traffic. I don't really see this problem going away unless we restructure our cities. I feel like for most established cities this is pretty much out of the question. The newer cities I've been to more resemble urban sprawl than the cities I'm used to (ie NYC, Chicago). People like their space too much, everyone wants a big house, with their big back yard, and a swimming pool if they can afford it. I remember once seeing on CNN or something about a planned community, where restaurants, stores, and schools are all with in walking or biking distance. It was some what of an integrated community, it seemed like it was marketed towards yuppies who would like their space, but still want that "city feel". Don't get me wrong, I like the idea. Driving a less as possible. On the other hand unless we do this on a massive scale, not too much will change traffic patterns.

On a side note, and I apologize for bring this back to climate change and sustainability, but to some degree, I feel like at the rate we're going (as human beings) there's no way this world can sustain human "desires" for more. I know I pretty much attribute this on the rise of the middle class (that I too fall in), and it scares a little seeing the more populous countries trying to achieve this "middle class" status, which leads me to think that more people will want more space and more stuff for their 2.5 kids. Sorry, I digress.

[impala454]

Ya just don't really have much choice. If you want to live in a big city, you'll either pay out the nose to live in the city and near your job, or you'll drive a lot. Sometimes you'll get lucky and get a job in the burbs or land a nice place downtown for cheap, but not often.

It's probably why cities like Austin are getting so popular, but then again isn't Austin's traffic really bad now? I know nothing of Austin, but have a few friends there that work and say it takes them around 25-30 mins to get to work... /shrug.

[chook]

LA has this in place on their 91. LA/Orange co. is too spread out and people pay.

[Testm0nkey]

impala nothing in my post was referring to you. thats just my pet peeve and apparently something you also believe!

[Mommy]

Ya just don't really have much choice. If you want to live in a big city, you'll either pay out the nose to live in the city and near your job, or you'll drive a lot. Sometimes you'll get lucky and get a job in the burbs or land a nice place downtown for cheap, but not often.

It's probably why cities like Austin are getting so popular, but then again isn't Austin's traffic really bad now? I know nothing of Austin, but have a few friends there that work and say it takes them around 25-30 mins to get to work... /shrug.

depends on where in Austin you live and where you work. When I went to UT, if I left any later than 6 a.m. for my 8 a.m., I got fucked in traffic. It would take me about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to class if I left late. The same with my 9 a.m. class. Literally, I had to leave at 7 for that because traffic on 35 was so bad. It sucks only having 4 highways in a city that size, and only 2 highways go downtown.

[Hartmann]

I think there are different takes on traffic in Austin, Houston, and Dallas.

Austin traffic never seems that bad to me but I think it has to do with the fact that they are so laid back. It's like a mentality of "well, we're all out here together, might as well not get mad".

[jwttu]

LA has this in place on their 91. LA/Orange co. is too spread out and people pay.

ya well the main reason is that there is a mountain range between the OC and the IE so the 91 is only route through that are. The things i didnt like about the 91 express lanes was that you could only use them if you had a tag (similar to westpark) so people like me who lived out there for short periods of time were kind of SOL.

[theIncredibleEdi...]

Meh....I dunno.....

Right now I live in Katy (edge of, not Katy-proper)....and I work in an area between katy and Houston itself....So, for those who know around here....I live off I-10 and Fry Rd, and I work off of I-10 and Eldridge Parkway.......it takes me an hour to get to work in the mornings, and about a half hour to get home in the afternoons (I leave for work at 6am, and leave work at 4 pm).

Now, I am getting ready to move to Montrose, and will still be working at the same place.....EVERYONE is telling me that my commute will be shorter in the mornings, but longer in the evenings. So, I think there's a whole slew of factors involved.

I personally think I will use the main roadways in the mornings, and then use the Westpark tollway in the evenings.

[impala454]

Now, I am getting ready to move to Montrose,

why does that not surprise me

just messin with ya man heheh

[theIncredibleEdi...]

why does that not surprise me

just messin with ya man heheh

Hey man! the rent is cheap for a townhouse! And I spend all my weekends in midtown anyway! LOL

[Testm0nkey]

if i could afford to live in midtown i would!

looking at houses there you can get a beat up shit one that should be in foreclosure for $400,000

[Hartmann]

why does that not surprise me

just messin with ya man heheh

My fiancee and I are thinking of moving to the Montrose area after we get married.

Oh and Duane, the commute into town in the evenings on I-10 is no better. We've been doing it everyday for the past few weeks and it's been bad everyday.

[theIncredibleEdi...]

My fiancee and I are thinking of moving to the Montrose area after we get married.

Oh and Duane, the commute into town in the evenings on I-10 is no better. We've been doing it everyday for the past few weeks and it's been bad everyday.

Yeah, it sucks...its NASTY on 59 and 610 heading downtown.....

and I-10 is patchy during evening rush hour.....

thats why I figure I would take I-10 in the mornings when its supposed to be more clear (except days there are wrecks), and then take WestPark Tollway in the evenings.

[Mommy]

I think there are different takes on traffic in Austin, Houston, and Dallas.

Austin traffic never seems that bad to me but I think it has to do with the fact that they are so laid back. It's like a mentality of "well, we're all out here together, might as well not get mad".

yeah, agreed.... cuz if you are on 35 and get to that split and take the upper half (no exits and entrances) you can be stuck up there for on that 2 mile stretch for 45 minutes. A friend once told me there was an accident on 35 and it took her 6 hours to get through traffic because they had the entire freeway closed and she was on that top part so couldnt exit. She turned her engine off, rolled down her windows, did homework, and occassionally got out of the car to walk around and stretch her legs. I think its not so bad (takes about an hour and a half to get from north to south austin on a good day during rush hour) unless there is an accident

[Mommy]

Yeah, it sucks...its NASTY on 59 and 610 heading downtown.....

and I-10 is patchy during evening rush hour.....

thats why I figure I would take I-10 in the mornings when its supposed to be more clear (except days there are wrecks), and then take WestPark Tollway in the evenings.

I was in Houston once for business. Traffic wasn't so bad the day I was there... granted, I was driving at pretty convenient times. Oh, but it did take me nearly 2 hours to get from my hotel in the Galleria area to a restaraunt that was 2.1 miles away. God, I have never seen traffic like that in regular streets that weren't highway. Fucking insane. It was fun though because I like experiences like that. Oh, and I said it once and I'll say it again... Houston drivers fucking rule (except the ones that are from Houston and now live in Lubbock... they try to drive in Lubbock like it's Houston and you just can't do that). Seriously, everyone fends for themselves in Houston. None of this bullshit slowing down to let people in... People SPEED UP to get on the freeway. People just move so much better there because everyone is in a hurry.