New Southwest Freeway Lanes Open!

[T 2 THA C]

I wish Tx Dot would finish 59 from the Spur to I-45. They have 59 finished everywhere else. While on I-10 they are tearing down buisness and houses left and right for that freeway, why start on that when the buissiest freeway still needs to be finished.

[stolitx]

Now that the spur is open, idiot drivers will use those two left lanes as a way to zoom all the way to the front of the back up then, cut in line at the front where it turns off from 59.

Exactly. They did it before the construction too. During the construction many still did it using the extra wide shoulder area as their personal lane.

[texas911]

Finally drove the new north bound lanes and just as I thought, major, major traffic jam because those *******s that use the left two spur exit lanes are zooming to the front of the backup and cutting in line! Same with the ******s on the right lane for exiting Main Street! TXDOT wake up and do something! Make a wall so those jerks can't cut in line right at the end. Make the spur entrance start at Shephard! IT WILL NEVER LET UP the way its designed now. Do people at TXDOT even watch how the traffic developes? Or are they typical government employees that dont' give a crap?

*A reminder - please watch the vulgarities*

[texas911]

So I've used the new spur a few times now and it is a total fiasco. They ruin the look of the 4 bridges by putting big ugly signs on them, that no one reads. As if those signs are going to do anything. How much did we waste on this project? I don't see traffic being alleviated anytime soon. Also the Milam entrance to the spur is a death trap! Totally blind merging into the spur, its so ridiculous that they post 35 mile per hour limits on the spur! How idiotic is that? Its and extention of the freeway. Shows how poorly designed the whole project was. Heads should roll. I'm sick of Jeane Burr or whatever her name is that is head of that project (she used to work for Metro under crooked Bob Lanier). All just a bunch of state workers that are inept and have absolutely no accountability.

[YakuzaIce]

So I've used the new spur a few times now and it is a total fiasco. They ruin the look of the 4 bridges by putting big ugly signs on them, that no one reads. As if those signs are going to do anything. How much did we waste on this project?

I am pretty sure those things jutting out of the side of the highway will be used for signs when construction is completely finished.

[Rehan]

They ruin the look of the 4 bridges by putting big ugly signs on them, that no one reads. As if those signs are going to do anything.

Those orange signs will come down once the project is complete.

How much did we waste on this project? I don't see traffic being alleviated anytime soon.

It's not done yet. There is still one more right lane and the HOV left.

Also the Milam entrance to the spur is a death trap! Totally blind merging into the spur, its so ridiculous that they post 35 mile per hour limits on the spur! How idiotic is that? Its and extention of the freeway. Shows how poorly designed the whole project was.

Yes that entrance is a death trap, but the speed limit is 35 mph. I drove it at lunch and set my cruise control for 38 mph. It's hilarious that people will honk at you, roll down their windows and scream, and even cut in front of you and slam on their brakes just because you made them slow down 10 mph. Sure it's an extension of the freeway, but speed limits are there for a reason. Live with it people.

As for the design, the whole purpose was to depress the freeway below grade at Montrose, not to 'solve' the traffic problem over there.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Yes that entrance is a death trap

Yeah, it's not a well-designed entrance. I don't know what the overall thinking was there but construction on the entire project isn't done, and the orange construction signs, as has been mentioned already by others, will come down once overall construction is done.

Right now, though, the opening of the Spur's entrance is not nearly the positive for overall traffic on 59 that the reopening of the far right lane will apparently be.

Also, the day drivers become less selfish and stop waiting until the very last second to merge out of the Spur exit lanes and back onto the 59 main lanes will be the day that traffic flow improves as its configured today.

[westguy]

They definitely need a barrier instead of a solid white line. Those things they put up near Chimney Rock might work. No one knows what a solid line mean these days. I've seen people nearly collide with the concrete wall right where the highway forks, but I think they were merely being selfish and trying to cut in line.

[713 To 214]

Now that the spur is open, idiot drivers will use those two left lanes as a way to zoom all the way to the front of the back up then, cut in line at the front where it turns off from 59.

I know that's what I do. There's no use idling in line with those

[desirous]

They definitely need a barrier instead of a solid white line. Those things they put up near Chimney Rock might work. No one knows what a solid line mean these days. I've seen people nearly collide with the concrete wall right where the highway forks, but I think they were merely being selfish and trying to cut in line.

They may put white pole barriers all the way back to Mandell. We'll see.

[stolitx]

As for the design, the whole purpose was to depress the freeway below grade at Montrose, not to 'solve' the traffic problem over there.

The purpose of this construction was to ensure that as much of 59 will flood as possible.

[texas911]

Are you serious? Its a flood control project? On the busiest highway in Houston? That's a bunch of stuff. Also if you're one who cuts in line, you actually cause the back up because everyone has to stop and let you in. Its a visious cycle.

And is the reason we have traffic jams at places where jerks cut in line. I see it everytime. Just post a traffic camera there and they'll make tons of money and hopefully fix the back ups.

[Subdude]

It's not a flood control project, but the depressed portion can function as a retention pond after heavy storms.

Without some barrier it's hard to stop the jerks that cut to the front of a line. In those situations I will NEVER let one of them cut in front of me.

[stolitx]

It's not a flood control project, but the depressed portion can function as a retention pond after heavy storms.

Without some barrier it's hard to stop the jerks that cut to the front of a line. In those situations I will NEVER let one of them cut in front of me.

Sorry didn't mean to imply it was a planned flood control project. Just my smarta$$ way of saying that when a city that floods regularly builds a freeway under street level, it's going to flood.

I don't let anyone in either Subdude.

[MiDTOWNeR]

Someone or several folks should definately be fired and not be allowed to design anything remotely concerning vehicular travel for the Milam AND Richmond entrances. They are completely ridiculous...but certainly are in line with many other funky freeway crap in this town.

The W 610 rebuild does not seem to be shaping up much better...I especially like when travelling south through Uptown, one must keep moving to the left lane to avoid exiting into uptown.

Oh well, I guess i just have to realize that nothing will be "quite right" in this town.