Where do you stop calling a freeway by it's "Houston Given" name?

[westguy76]

I have lived in Houston, Pearland, or the Katy area my entire life. I currently live in the Katy area. I call I-10 just that I-10 (east or west)

The only names I think I use are "the Loop" for 610 and usually with a direction. And "the beltway" for belt-8. Also the Grand Parkway for 99.

I have never used Eastex or North freeway. And 99% of the time I say I-45 north or south instead of the Gulf freeway. The only time I hear the gulf freeway and Katy freeway used is for advertisment or address distinctions.

[westguy76]

There are people that live their entire lives in Houston without ever even knowing where Katy is. Why should we name one of our roads after it?

I find this hard to believe. You would have to live under a rock or not speak the language.

[samagon]

Then that's an even worse reason for calling it the Katy Freeway. Do they really call the section of I-10 to the West of Katy the Katy Freeway? Why would they do that? Every street or road should have only one name to avoid confusion.

What about the Gulf Freeway? What is that named after? I'm assuming it's because it leads to the Gulf Of Mexico. Maybe it was name after Gulf Oil, who knows? It's called I-45, it doesn't need a nickname.

heh, don't drive down alief-clodine to clodine, cause they call the road clodine-alief out there.

There's a bunch of examples.

[gonzo1976]

I just call the freeways by their numbers, unless I'm trying to be real specific in regards to directions or locations.

I've never heard anyone call 288 the South Freeway, or 59 the Eastex Freeway, or I-10 East the Baytown East Freeway (though I like the BEast nickname).

Edited June 10, 2009 by gonzo1976

[sevfiv]

Numbers and cardinal directions! Only!

Reminds me of when I was in Austin a couple weeks ago and had to remember the doubled names for their numbered streets...alas.

[totheskies]

I'm not a native Houstonian... but have been here nearly four years. For the most part I like the alternate names. The only problem is when you start direction piling. "12315 East Loop South just past the Baytown East." What the fcuk does that mean??? If you were giving someone directions and you said that to them, they'd probably pull out a bowie knife.

But for locals who know where everything is, it's not that big of a deal. I am confused at a couple though...

If I-45 through downtown is the Pierce Elevated, does that make the curved section immediately before it the Bagby/Dallas Reach-Around?

And then what about 59 on the east side of downtown? The Chartres Depressed????

[rsb320]

Too funny, Skies.

It varys what I call them.

288 is always just that. The same goes for 290. With 59, I call it 59N/Cleveland or 59S/Victoria, but sometimes refer to it as the Southwest Freeway if the destination is before the Beltway. For I-10, I say I-10E or 'The Katy'. 45 is the Gulf Freeway and 45N.

I've never really given this topic much thought.

[MaggieMay]

I'm not a native Houstonian... but have been here nearly four years. For the most part I like the alternate names. The only problem is when you start direction piling. "12315 East Loop South just past the Baytown East." What the fcuk does that mean??? If you were giving someone directions and you said that to them, they'd probably pull out a bowie knife.

But for locals who know where everything is, it's not that big of a deal. I am confused at a couple though...

If I-45 through downtown is the Pierce Elevated, does that make the curved section immediately before it the Bagby/Dallas Reach-Around?

And then what about 59 on the east side of downtown? The Chartres Depressed????

We like using the alternate names because it's fun to confuse newcomers. The smart ones figure out what we mean. (Mostly--some of us remain enigmatic.)

The really good ones even demonstrate senses of humor. Welcome!

[Specwriter]

The Katy Freeway is not named after the town of Katy. It is named after the railroad that it paralleled, the "Katy" railroad. "Katy is a familar, or shortened name for MK&T (Missouri, Kansas and Topeka). So people in Katy do call the Katy Freeway, the Katy Freeway!

Actually, I believe it was named for the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/heritage/katy.shtml Topeka is in Kansas and why would someone name a railroad after two states and a city? Yes, the M-K-T rail line was there before the freeway so it must have made sense to someone to name the automobile route after the nickname of the railroad.

Interstate 45 existed before The Woodlands (excuse me I almost forgot to capitalize the "T") but in keeping with the tradition of naming freeways in Houston one has to wonder why it wasn't called the Conroe Freeway. As a Houston native I can understand why it wasn't called the Dallas Freeway. I have also heard State 225 referred to as "The Laporte Freeway."

It also seems to me that I've heard the freeways in Los Angeles referred to by destination names like the Harbor Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway and the Santa Ana Freeway. I guess Interstate 10 going west from Houston must cease being the Katy Freeway when it becomes the Santa Monica Freeway at the west edge of downtown Los Angeles.

Remember also, even though terms like "Gulf Fwy" appear on the street signs of the feeder (access) roads those are not the official names of the limited access roads which they "feed." I guess one could say a freeway ceases to be known by its trivial or nick name when the access road identifying signs no longer read "Gulf" or "Southwest." I love the way some people say "guff" for "gulf."

Finally, many roads in Houston were named for the places to which they lead or connected. Off the top of my head I recall Richmond, Washington Avenue, San Felipe, Old Humble, Almeda-Genoa, and Addicks-Satsuma. Some of those roads could have become "freeways" and retained their old names. As FM 1960 is sure to become a "freeway" someday I think we should call it Jackrabbit Freeway. No doubt many people will drive like jackrabbits on it.

[plumber2]

Actually, I believe it was named for the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/history/heritage/katy.shtml Topeka is in Kansas and why would someone name a railroad after two states and a city? Yes, the M-K-T rail line was there before the freeway so it must have made sense to someone to name the automobile route after the nickname of the railroad.

Interstate 45 existed before The Woodlands (excuse me I almost forgot to capitalize the "T") but in keeping with the tradition of naming freeways in Houston one has to wonder why it wasn't called the Conroe Freeway. As a Houston native I can understand why it wasn't called the Dallas Freeway. I have also heard State 225 referred to as "The Laporte Freeway."

It also seems to me that I've heard the freeways in Los Angeles referred to by destination names like the Harbor Freeway, the San Bernardino Freeway and the Santa Ana Freeway. I guess Interstate 10 going west from Houston must cease being the Katy Freeway when it becomes the Santa Monica Freeway at the west edge of downtown Los Angeles.

Remember also, even though terms like "Gulf Fwy" appear on the street signs of the feeder (access) roads those are not the official names of the limited access roads which they "feed." I guess one could say a freeway ceases to be known by its trivial or nick name when the access road identifying signs no longer read "Gulf" or "Southwest." I love the way some people say "guff" for "gulf."

Finally, many roads in Houston were named for the places to which they lead or connected. Off the top of my head I recall Richmond, Washington Avenue, San Felipe, Old Humble, Almeda-Genoa, and Addicks-Satsuma. Some of those roads could have become "freeways" and retained their old names. As FM 1960 is sure to become a "freeway" someday I think we should call it Jackrabbit Freeway. No doubt many people will drive like jackrabbits on it.

"TEXAS" yes, and thank you for the correction Spec. I got my railroad "T"'s confused between MK&T and AT&SF which has no freeway named after it.

[JLWM8609]

If I-45 through downtown is the Pierce Elevated, does that make the curved section immediately before it the Bagby/Dallas Reach-Around?

And then what about 59 on the east side of downtown? The Chartres Depressed????

LOL.

On a slightly related note, when people refer to our highways by cardinal direction, a lot of times they'll call a freeway an interstate, whether it's actually an interstate or not. I've heard radio ads saying "Near I-59." What is this, Birmingham Alabama? Don't even get me started on the "US 288" signs I've seen installed by TxDOT and the TMC.

[Specwriter]

"TEXAS" yes, and thank you for the correction Spec. I got my railroad "T"'s confused between MK&T and AT&SF which has no freeway named after it.

but the AT&SF does have it's own catchy tune sung by Judy Garland in the 1946 move The Harvey Girls. The only tune I can remember specifically about the "Katy" in question is an old car dealer jingle for Katy Road Chrysler-Plymouth. I believe the first line was "K-K-K-Katy, K-K-K-Katy, Katy Road Chrysler-Plymouth bargain store." Do any other old HAIFers remember that one?

Added 6/15/09: Further research indicates that the song with the line "K-K-K-Katy" was a popular WW I song written by Geoffrey O'Hara. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/K-K-K-Katy

So it wasn't about the railroad or the town but the Chrylser dealer's jingle writer cleverly adapted it.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Specwriter

[plumber2]

but the AT&SF does have it's own catchy tune sung by Judy Garland in the 1946 move The Harvey Girls. The only tune I can remember specifically about the "Katy" in question is an old car dealer jingle for Katy Road Chrysler-Plymouth. I believe the first line was "K-K-K-Katy, K-K-K-Katy, Katy Road Chrysler-Plymouth bargain store." Do any other old HAIFers remember that one?

Added 6/15/09: Further research indicates that the song with the line "K-K-K-Katy" was a popular WW I song written by Geoffrey O'Hara. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/K-K-K-Katy

So it wasn't about the railroad or the town but the Chrylser dealer's jingle writer cleverly adapted it.

Who are you calling old?

[Specwriter]

Who are you calling old?

I'm only 48 my self. I didn't feel old until I realized we are discussing things I remember well (restaurants, car dealers, department stores, amusement parks) that have been gone for more than 30 years in some cases.

Maybe I'm old because I remember when the North Freeway had no overpasses. To get to our house coming from Houston one would cross the median at a patch of gravel and continue west on Farm-to-Market Road 149.

[IronTiger]

The Katy Freeway is not named after the town of Katy. It is named after the railroad that it paralleled, the "Katy" railroad. "Katy is a familar, or shortened name for MK&T (Missouri, Kansas and Topeka). So people in Katy do call the Katy Freeway, the Katy Freeway!

If you look on old (2002) aerial photography, you can see (like, say, at Memorial City Mall) that there was the abandoned MKT Right-of-Way. Of course, it was all obliterated for the Katy Freeway expansion.

[foxmulder]

I tend not to call the freeways by there names. Too many people ask "Where is...?" Where i work. They always happen to "Not be from the area." When i was in LA, I got confused hearing "The San Diego Freeway,"

[ChannelTwoNews]

On 6/5/2009 at 9:43 PM, JLWM8609 said:

Now, as for the Southwest, Northwest, and Eastex Freeways, what's the general area where folks stop referring to them by the name and simply refer to their federal designation number? In the past, I'd hear folks say things like "take 59 past the Brazos", but now, I'm hearing folks say "The Southwest Freeway past the Brazos River." Maybe it has to do with the outward progression of the metro area?

Hey, it's a thread that hasn't been touched in over ten years... Let's change that.

I'd thought I had made mention of it elsewhere before, but I don't think the anecdote about the Southwest Freeway past the Brazos River is new (or definitely isn't now, of course), but even then either. The "freeway" grade expansion of 59/69 was extended to Rosenberg in the 70s and the signage and business addresses have generally followed that naming convention since then. It's been that way all my life. 

If I believe Google, the term peters out around Beasley/Kendleton since that's where it appears to revert to US 59 on the signage and addresses. Even after the upgrades.

I wonder if that will continue as the land is developed that far out given there are new subdivisions being planned in that part of Fort Bend County.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

clockwise.... Hardy Toll Road is the Hardy Toll road.
59, which technically the Lloyd Bentsen (remember him?) freeway, is Eastex out to Porter. I-10 East is The Beast to Baytown, then it's I-10
225 is 225. Does it have an official name?

45 South is The Gulf Freeway up until it's end at 61st St
288 is 288. Is The Nolan Ryan Expressway the official name? 

59 South is the SWF until Rosenberg, then it's 59.
I-10 West is The Katy Freeway from downtown to The Brazos River, then it's I-10 to the Santa Monica Pier.

fun note.... Texas mile marker 333 is 1/3 of the way from Houston to Los Angeles. Arizona mile marker 333 is 2/3 of the way to LA. I checked the last time I made that drive.

290 is the NWF from The Loop to the Beltway, then it's 290 to Austin.

249 is 249 no matter where it is.

45 North is the North Freeway from I-10 to The Woodlands, then it's 45. 
It's already 3 lanes to Walker County, it's going to be 3 lanes all the way to that large city on the wrong end of I-45.

[cspwal]

21 hours ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

288 is 288. Is The Nolan Ryan Expressway the official name? 

The feeders are labeled "South freeway" I think

[august948]

On 10/5/2023 at 12:08 AM, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

clockwise.... Hardy Toll Road is the Hardy Toll road.
59, which technically the Lloyd Bentsen (remember him?) freeway, is Eastex out to Porter. I-10 East is The Beast to Baytown, then it's I-10
225 is 225. Does it have an official name?

45 South is The Gulf Freeway up until it's end at 61st St
288 is 288. Is The Nolan Ryan Expressway the official name?

I remember Lloyd Bentsen.  He was no Nolan Ryan.  😜

[Houston19514]

On 10/5/2023 at 12:08 AM, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

clockwise.... Hardy Toll Road is the Hardy Toll road.
59, which technically the Lloyd Bentsen (remember him?) freeway, is Eastex out to Porter. I-10 East is The Beast to Baytown, then it's I-10
225 is 225. Does it have an official name?

45 South is The Gulf Freeway up until it's end at 61st St
288 is 288. Is The Nolan Ryan Expressway the official name? 

59 South is the SWF until Rosenberg, then it's 59.
I-10 West is The Katy Freeway from downtown to The Brazos River, then it's I-10 to the Santa Monica Pier.

fun note.... Texas mile marker 333 is 1/3 of the way from Houston to Los Angeles. Arizona mile marker 333 is 2/3 of the way to LA. I checked the last time I made that drive.

290 is the NWF from The Loop to the Beltway, then it's 290 to Austin.

249 is 249 no matter where it is.

45 North is the North Freeway from I-10 to The Woodlands, then it's 45. 
It's already 3 lanes to Walker County, it's going to be 3 lanes all the way to that large city on the wrong end of I-45.

The Lloyd Bentsen Highway moniker only applies to the Southwest Freeway portion of I69/US59 (starting at the intersection with I-45, and actually extending all the way to the intersection of US59 with IH35 at Laredo.) As you said, no one calls it that.  It's Southwest Freeway in the Houston metro.

225 is the LaPorte Freeway.

288 is the South Freeway; not sure where that name drops off.  It is the Nolan Ryan Expressway only from the Brazoria County Line to Freeport.

290 is also the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway. I think from Beltway 8 to the Waller County Line.

Various sections of 249 are also known as Tomball Parkway, Tomball Tollway and Aggie Expressway.

Also, US90 is the Crosby Freeway.

 

[mkultra25]

8 hours ago, august948 said:

I remember Lloyd Bentsen.  He was no Nolan Ryan.  😜

Stalin: How many divisions does the Pope have?

HAIF: How many no-hitters did Lloyd Bentsen have?

[august948]

1 hour ago, mkultra25 said:

Stalin: How many divisions does the Pope have?

HAIF: How many no-hitters did Lloyd Bentsen have?

And neither one really knew Dan Quayle.

[samagon]

with Spur 5 (which is just called Spur 5), when it is built out to 610, will it still be called Spur 5? how long will it have to be to no longer be called Spur 5, but maybe the Friendswood freeway?

I think there's already a Pearland Parkway.

maybe the Alvin Avenue?

[august948]

On 10/12/2023 at 4:34 PM, samagon said:

with Spur 5 (which is just called Spur 5), when it is built out to 610, will it still be called Spur 5? how long will it have to be to no longer be called Spur 5, but maybe the Friendswood freeway?

I think there's already a Pearland Parkway.

maybe the Alvin Avenue?

How about the UH expressway?