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Favorite Freeway (or Tollway)

tw2ntyse7en

By tw2ntyse7en,
in Traffic and Transportation

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Which Freeway (or Tollway) Is Your Favorite?  

88 members have voted

  1. 1. Which Freeway (or Tollway) Is Your Favorite?

    • I-10 East "Baytown Freeway'
      2
    • I-10 West "Katy Freeway"
      5
    • I-45 North "North Freeway"
      5
    • I-45 South "Gulf Freeway"
      3
    • I-45 Inner Loop "Pierce Elevated"
      3
    • US-59 North "East-Tex Freeway"
      2
    • US-59 South "Southwest Freeway"
      22
    • US-288 "South Freeway"
      12
    • US-290 "Northwest Freeway"
      3
    • I-610 North "North Loop"
      0
    • I-610 South "South Loop"
      1
    • I-610 East "East Loop"
      1
    • I-610 West "West Loop"
      5
    • Beltway 8 - North (of I-10) "Sam Houston Parkway"
      1
    • Beltway 8 - South (of I-10) "Sam Houston Parkway"
      3
    • Hardy Toll Road
      13
    • Westpark Toll Road
      5
    • Fort Bend Toll Road
      0
    • SH-249 Tomball Parkway
      2
    • US-90 East "Crosby Freeway"
      0

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UrbaNerd

UrbaNerd

Posted
Posted

I like 288, because most of it is undeveloped (south of 610) and the view of the skyline is UBER! The median is nice, too.

In the news, they said that they want to expand 288 to 10 main lanes, with a tollway down the middle.

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tomv

tomv

Posted
Posted

Yes this an unusual question. It's not like we often have a choice of which freeway to use or enjoy like we do with restaurants, tv shows, buildings, etc..

Anyway here are some of my favorites...

I concur with the Hardy north of BW8. With the trees, curves and lack of service roads and billboards it's like a parkway.

249 is kind of cool with the modern design, rolling terrain, and trees. It's kind of like the city meets the country. I'll bet folks up there can't wait for the direct connectors to BW8.

You didn't list the Grand Parkway but the stretch between FM1093 and just south of I10 is very nice. There are three overpasses with exits and they're building a couple more. And trees but no service roads or billboards.

Another you didn't list is Memorial Parkway near Downtown but it's a freeway and an obvious choice.

And of course the new Heights Toll Road will be beautiful. Those little gingerbread houses will be shaking as we roar right past them!

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jm1fd

jm1fd

Posted
Posted

Well....they tore out my favorite stretch of freeway....US-59...I believe it was the stretch just east of downtown...I'm not sure exactly where along 59 because back in the day when it was still around I hadn't yet moved here, and didn't pay the exact location much attention. It was at grade, and there was a whole mess of overpasses and such overhead....it was like driving through the bowels of the city....the support columns for the various overpasses were all over the place, and the overpasses were pretty low...gave kinda a cozy feeling.

I don't have a new favorite stretch of freeway....unless the Allen Parkway qualifies.

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rps324

rps324

Posted
Posted

Hardy Autobahn got my vote. When I lived on 1960 for a couple of years it enabled me to get into town & back easily, even at peak traffic times. Plus, I don't think I ever drove less than 85 on it, never got a ticket. Rarely passed anybody either, they don't call it the Hardy Autobahn for nothing!

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ricco67

ricco67

Posted
Posted

I'd be inclined to agree with you, however, it just seems to me that the proper question should have been "what is your favorite scene route.

in my case it's Allen Parkway, I-45 heading south towards downtown and the pierce elevated.

Ricco

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new major on the block

new major on the block

Posted
Posted

I 45 N for a few reasons:

First, heading south out of the woodlands crossing the first bridge in spring You can see the tops of the chase tower and wells fargo building. It must be an absolute clear day and you must really be looking for them. And I know it is not greens point because they are smaller and off to the side. i woud suggest riding in an SUV of a Pick-up truck to view it.

Second, from Rayford-Sawdust to passed the Beltway both ways, the cops are extinct. So if traffic permits it, its Mario Andreddi time. It is also fun on the HOV north, when all of the traffic is piled up on 45 at the 610 interchange and even a little further north near tidwell when it backs up in that area, I fly by at 90 +. Until I catch up to a stupid bus. But they either exit off or I pass them at the entrance or exits when it goes to two lanes. Hardly any cops on it either. Even so it is a little harder to catch a crotch rocket than it is a regular car. B)

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Hunter

Hunter

Posted
Posted
You're in a car and still scared of a motorcycle? I've worked enough accidents to be able to tell you - the motorcycle will lose - Everytime.

Also, I didn't forget 225. I left it off because it is a state highway, and as I first stated - I excluded all but one state highway.

Fat Lazy Americans...stop whining - You have A/C, cable TV, 2 car families, minimum wage, social security, medicaid & medicare, fast food for every ethnic food type, and a supermarket every 10 blocks that restocks it shelves nightly. I'm sick of seeing people not understand the value of a dollar - 100 pennies...

just a rant - in one of those moods...

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2112

2112

Posted
Posted

I have to add another favourite, althought it is not a freeway: The Washburn tunnel. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the old-1920's or 1940's tiled walls and cieling in the tunnel. I just wish we had another old-tunnel somewhere closer to downtown. But, being in the heart of the port of Houston, I guess it's kinda cool in its own way.

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The Great Hizzy!

The Great Hizzy!

Posted
Posted

^

^

^

^

^

Weirdo! :P

For me, I'd have to say that I like the trenched portion of the West Sam Houston Tollway. I also think the 59 Eastex is a very solidly built road that's virtually hassle free. I also like the completed section of the new West Loop from Braeswood to Westpark. Very clean looking and provides awesome views of Uptown from the south.

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2112

2112

Posted
Posted

One of my favorite views of downtown, is when you are going northbound on 59 coming from the 288 area...as you take the "Dallas" (I45N) ramp....that view right there...downtown right in front of you for that 5 seconds as you curve left onto the pierce elevated. For some reason, downtown looks massive from that perspective. It's always better when youre not driving so you can enjoy that view.

but then again, I always like the view when going south :huh:

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N8TIV

N8TIV

Posted
Posted

Definitely the Stretch on I45 Southbound from 610 to downtown...

The buildings seem to present themselves like they are posing for papparazi. It is a very balanced skyline setting, condensed together. I like how the Bank of America building sits oblique to southbound traffic. It is very impressive coming in town at night.

A lot of my out of town friends are always impressed with the view.

As for favorite drives.. Allen Parkway or Memorial Dr. either way.

Memorial park is almost 2 times larger than Central Park, NYC and is a very valuable asset for Houston to have a stretch of nature between two of the largest business districts in the country. I love it.

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HOUCAJUN

HOUCAJUN

Posted
Posted
Definitely the Stretch on I45 Southbound from 610 to downtown...

The buildings seem to present themselves like they are posing for papparazi.  It is a very balanced skyline setting, condensed together.  I like how the Bank of America building sits oblique to southbound traffic.  It is very impressive coming in town at night.

A lot of my out of town friends are always impressed with the view.

As for favorite drives..  Allen Parkway or Memorial Dr.  either way. 

Memorial park is almost 2 times larger than Central Park, NYC and is a very valuable asset for Houston to have a stretch of nature between two of the largest business districts in the country.  I love it.

i like the same two views also. ialso can't wait for the buffalo bayou plan to be implemented in that strech you were talking about.

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DaTrain

DaTrain

Posted
Posted

My favorite freeways are:

- Katy Freeway inside the Loop. Going east of West Loop it is a scenic drive from there past the zigzag railroad bridge. Moment I pass TC Jester and Durham/Shepard, downtown just jumps right at you!!

- Southwest Freeway between Spur 527 and Kirby. Up till 2000, this was just another freeway to me, but I like it now with the four arches of bridges over it. Gives Houston a piece of art to what was once another ugly freeway.

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ricco67

ricco67

Posted
Posted

I don't think we're talking about the same tunnel, Hunter. I think I drove by it several years ago and the entrance is quite obvious, but I don't recall it being backfilled.

As far as it being closed after the Navigation/Franklin tunnel, I'm not sure about that. I remember using it from the time I was about 8 or so.

Maybe I'll drive by it in a few days refresh my memory.

Ricco

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  • 2 weeks later...
tony

tony

Posted
Posted
i like the same two views also. ialso can't wait for the buffalo bayou plan to be implemented in that strech you were talking about.

I like the view from the WLoop610S bridge over 59S looking north into the City Post Oak area. Looking east is nice too.

The Pierce elevated view looking south and west is interesting as well.

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  • 1 month later...
fewellman

fewellman

Posted
Posted

my favorite freeway is the westpark toll way. it is awsome i can get from hwy 6 to the Gallaria in like 10 min with no traffic at all. I like 59 from sugar land to down town because it is all developed and you get great views of the gallaria and you pass right by down town. and the view of down town going south on 45 is breathtaking. i really dont like 288 because it is so undeveloped and if you had never been to Houston you would think Houston sucked. or at least i would. but you do get a great view of the entire skyline.

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ssullivan

ssullivan

Posted
Posted

The San Jacinto monument is closer to 225 than it is to 10 - and is technically in Deer Park (I think - if not it's in Pasadena). On the map you posted above it's at the north end of Hwy. 134. Anyway I know what you meant.

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