Bas Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Hi Everybody,As some of you might remember, I started posting on this board few weeks ago about moving to Houston from the Portland, Oregon are. Well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 My brother lives very near HP. Whenever he comes to visit me in the Heights, or go to a baseball game downtown, he takes 249 all the way to I-45. However, he seldom, if ever, drives during rush hour. I-10/610/290/Beltway 8 seems like a shorter distance, if you stay on the highways, but I know 290 is far worse than I-45.You will probably have to just test it out yourself. My secretary says the Park & Ride from 290 is nice. Is there one for 249? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 If you work from 6a-4p, then you need to hit the road by 5am. The traffic is almost non-existant at about that time. I agree with red scare, with his route selections and when I lived off of Windfern@BW8, I took the BW to 290 by 6am and was in the Gallera by 6:30! If I left 5 minutes later, then I'd be lucky to be in by 7. what intersection DT are you going to? P&R might be a better option for you, otherwise, you're going to spend approx $150-200 a month on tolls and fuel (like I did). Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 for the morning, you should have no problems that early with traffic. the fastest route (depending on exactly where you live) will most likely be 290 to 10. the afternoon could be bad, leaving at 3:45 would probably help a lot. when i leave downtown at 4:30, i can get to 290 and beltway 8 by 5, but i take the HOV on 290 and fly by the horrible traffic. you're just going to have to try a few routes and see what works for you. if your timings are set and you can find the right one, vanpools are really great. vanpoolmetro rideshareand you can check traffic trends and historical data for rush hour here:transtar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Also, if you have an issue about flexibility about suddenly having to leave work in the middle of a day on an emergency, Metro will provide you with help transportation out to the P&R either in the form of a voucher for a cab, or a rental car. (the details are on the metro website). Also, depending on who you work for, they will probably help pay for your transit for the buses. It's far cheaper for them to help pay for your parking. Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 If you need your vehicle, you can pick up riders at the park & rides so that you can use the HOV. I believe they call it 'body snatching'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 ^interesting, i never thought about that. i guess safety isn't that big of an issue if you're picking up commuters at a park & ride huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Having spent five years at HP/Compaq, I don't think I'd buy a house TOO close to work.Nobody last there very long nowdays. Good luck to your wife, but the commute stinks. I did the reverse commute up 45 to 249 to HP. The new connector to BW8 should help somewhat, but be prepared to sit and wait.My brother in law works in Westchase and lives in Champions. He said it takes as much time to get to the Beltway as it does from the Beltway to Westchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 If you need your vehicle, you can pick up riders at the park & rides so that you can use the HOV. I believe they call it 'body snatching'.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>In LA in the 80s there were inflatable dolls being sold at flea markets, "Johnny Commuter", had your pick of business man, female, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 In LA in the 80s there were inflatable dolls being sold at flea markets, "Johnny Commuter", had your pick of business man, female, etc.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>a few years back i remember seeing in the news, a lady who had a blow-up doll to ride in the HOV here in houston. she got into an accident and got a ticket for the accident and for illegally using the HOV. that must have been embarassing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 skwatra sez: interesting, i never thought about that. i guess safety isn't that big of an issue if you're picking up commuters at a park & ride huh? Actually, I have a sign in the back that says, "Free ride to Downtown". I usually get 2 or 3 people. and it's not really that much of a safety issue. Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnet Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 a few years back i remember seeing in the news, a lady who had a blow-up doll to ride in the HOV here in houston. she got into an accident and got a ticket for the accident and for illegally using the HOV. that must have been embarassing...<{POST_SNAPBACK}>My wife and use the 290 HOV and saw a guy busted with a mannequin in his pickup. The Metro police had it proudly displayed propped up on the toolbox of the guy's pickup while they wrote his ticket as the cars filed by at slow speeds in the Northwest transit center. Pretty funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 i had a freind who stole a clothing dummy from Dillards in Greenspoint to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bas Posted June 27, 2005 Author Share Posted June 27, 2005 A follow up:I got the keys to my new house (rental), off of 249 and a little north of 1960, on Wednesday. My wife did not fly in till Friday so I didn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 glad see it isn't that bad for you. I'm also happy that you have business hours off from the typical. If more businesses do this, it will help moderate traffic.I guess after a while you will both decide where to buy a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casual Observer Posted June 27, 2005 Share Posted June 27, 2005 Today was my first morning commute and even though I was stunned at the amount of vehicles at 5:30 in the morning, with stopping for gas and again for coffee I was at my work at 6:10 pm. <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I know its a typo - but it sounds accurate if you're coming into the city on US290! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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