Marty Blaise

John - I run a Facebook page for Abandoned Highways, Bridges and Streets. I have taken pictures of abandoned highways all across Texas and a few abandoned streets in Houston. Really enjoyed your webpage. Sounds like we have some common interests and I live in Houston. - Marty

As part of my search for abandoned highways and roads, I look on maps for all kinds of information. I also use historicaerials.com to see how things were in the Houston area in 1957 compared to today. Something I found that is really unusual is that a subdivision appears to have been platted and laid out with dirt roads circa 1957, but does not exit today, except for a handful of streets. If you know your maps, go the area just north of Pinemont Street, and follow Bingle up to Tidwell. Then, go to Historic Aerials and look at that area for Houston in 1957, you will see rectangle squares of roads laid out. Zooming in is inconclusive, but it certainly looks like the layout of a subdivision. If you can find a Houston street map from the late 50s or early 60s, sometimes they have these "streets" on the map. You can still see some of the lines when you view 1964, but as you progress through the aerials, you will see less and less streets as the "subdivision" vanishes. A couple of streets do exist today, and a few are simply stubs, but it seems to me that someone had plans of some sort way back when and apparently things did not go as planned. If anyone has any information on this area of streets, I'm all ears.

I have been trying to locate old photos of where State Highway 225 would have connected in downtown Houston. I remember years ago there were stub outs on U.S. 59 for what would have been exits to and from 59 to 225. I regret that I never took any photos of those stub outs since 59 was completely redesigned a few years back. The best I can place the stub outs is just to the east of where Minute Maid Park rests. Apparently 225 was to follow Harrisburg and then tie into 59 somewhere about the old train station location. Anyone have any photos? I am interested in abandoned highways and roads and this one has me wondering. The aerial photos are not conclusive. I also know there was a stub out not related to 225, but farther up on 59 near Buffalo Bayou. I wonder what that would have been for as well.

I wonder if anyone has noticed that Bellfort is complete all the way now. A small section from Buffalo Speedway to South Main was recently opened. I actually found it quite useful for work as a way to get around the South Main traffic jams at 610. I had a work project in the area and just happened to notice it was there. One interesting thing is that there are barricades where Old Main St. Loop Road once ran. Glad to see someone remembered that road. With Bellfort complete, I can now realize that those old dashed lines on the map can now be filled in. Looks like Buffalo Speedway is also under construction. What other dashed roads of the old maps of 50 years ago are now under construction?

Anyone drive the new section of U.S. Highway 90? What's up with that? There are two gaps where there are no main lanes. It's a full freeway most of the way, but when you get closer to BW 8 is where the main lanes disappear. Just curious.