Commute Help (Houston, Allen, Katy: taxi, bus, cars)

[amywynn]

Does anyone have any advice on weekday commute paths from Jersey Village (Beltway 8 / West Road) to the America Tower on Allen Parkway?

I am open to riding Metro or finding an alternate route as to avoid the dreaded 290 nightmare.

Thanks for any advice.

[oceangaia]

If Metro can work for you, that's your best option. It won't get you there faster but you won't have to deal with the driving and can read a book or something. There isn't any secret corridor where you can whisk across town and bypass the other million or so cars heading the same way.

Have you tried taking the toll road south to the rebuilt I-10?

[amywynn]

I'm not sure where I'd go that way...

[oceangaia]

Look at a google map. Google Maps

Tollway south to I-10 East. At the point it intersects 610 the path is probably the same as now. How do you go using 290, which terminates at 610?

I don't know where America Tower is on Allen. From I-10 you could take Shepherd exit just after 610 and head south until it intersects Allen, or continue further towards town and take Studemont exit and head south until it intersects Allen.

[Eastender67]

Originally Posted by DiverTodd62

Look at a google map. Google Maps

Tollway south to I-10 East. At the point it intersects 610 the path is probably the same as now. How do you go using 290, which terminates at 610?

I don't know where America Tower is on Allen. From I-10 you could take Shepherd exit just after 610 and head south until it intersects Allen, or continue further towards town and take Studemont exit and head south until it intersects Allen.

For the passengers' sake I hope you don't drive a taxi in Houston.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by amywynn

I'm not sure where I'd go that way...

Yea basically Beltway 8 South to I10 East. Allen Parkway runs parallel to I10 once you're inside of 610 so you'll have to google map an intersection that works for you. It would be a more costly commute because of BW8's tollway but I10 is going to be opening up in a couple of months which, in my opinion, would be faster than 290.

[oceangaia]

Originally Posted by Eastender67

For the passengers' sake I hope you don't drive a taxi in Houston.

What's with the abrasive attitude? Do you have a solution to offer or can you only sit back and throw darts at those who do?

The OP asked for an alternate route and I offered one. I'm not earning any commissions. Maybe it will be faster, maybe not. She can try it and see for herself.

[Eastender67]

Originally Posted by DiverTodd62

What's with the abrasive attitude? Do you have a solution to offer or can you only sit back and throw darts at those who do?

The OP asked for an alternate route and I offered one. I'm not earning any commissions. Maybe it will be faster, maybe not. She can try it and see for herself.

For starters:
I-10 EAST is on the OTHER SIDE OF HOUSTON. I-10 East is East Freeway.

You should have said "I-10 West" or just "I-10", or "Katy Freeway" but NOT "I-10 East". . and "tollway south"? No such thing.

Try this:
"From Jersey Village, take Beltway 8 south to I-10. Then, Take I-10 toward downtown . . . . ."

(P.S. America Tower is located at 2929 Allen Parkway and Heights Blvd. So, despite the traffic, Hwy 290 [Northwest Freeway] is probably the best way in except maybe for Hempstead Hwy).

So, I was not being "abrasive". You just gave really bad directions. AWFUL, actually.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by amywynn

Does anyone have any advice on weekday commute paths from Jersey Village (Beltway 8 / West Road) to the America Tower on Allen Parkway?

I am open to riding Metro or finding an alternate route as to avoid the dreaded 290 nightmare.

Thanks for any advice.

Unfortunately there is no avoiding traffic up there. People will talk all day about "congestion" in the city core but it's got nothing on that mess on the NW side.

You could take West Road through the Beltway which curves around to become Gessner, from which you could take Hempstead Highway. Hempstead used to be a decent "workaround" path in regards to the crush on 290, but everyone takes it now and it's just as bad with traffic lights to boot.

If you want to do the park and ride thing with METRO, then do it. The bus system here works pretty well if A) you don't mind potentially having to walk a bit from the stop to where you're getting to in some cases and B) you're not in a hurry. Leave early. Then again people have to do that anyway because of the traffic.

[EasilyAmused]

Have you bought out there yet? If not, you may want to consider somewhere else in a more NE,S or even SW direct.

NW has become a nightmare outside the Beltway.