FYI: Houston Evacuation is going...bad?

[KeepItReal]

My friend took 14 hours to get from Houston proper to the Woodlands(!) on I-45. That is still just the suburbs of Houston.

Gas stations are running out of gas in Houston.

They are saying you're gonna be on the road at least 24 hours trying to clear Houston.

They just reopened HOV lanes on I-45 and 290 after closing them because of some screw-up.

I looks like they still are not forcing Southbound interstate lanes to go "contra-flow" and use them all for evacuation.

I guess Bush & Co. and their boy Rick Perry are still asleep or on vacation.

Alot of folks are gonna end up *NOT* evacuating Houston.

Check out Houston local news feed:
http://www.click2houston.com/index.html?refresh=1200

[strategery blunder]

1. Well, you know Bush can't blame Governor Perry...

He'll blame the mayor of Houston (my understanding that the mayor is Dem) for not ordering the gas stations to order/take delivery of extra "evacuation gas" a week before the storm.:puke:

[KeepItReal]

2. They still have not pointed *all* lanes of I-45 and 290 outbound!

Can't blame the mayor for that...I think.

[strategery blunder]

3. Will KKKarl Rove actually BLAME A REPUBLICAN????

This I gotta see...:popcorn:

*please, please, don't turn this evacuation into another clusterf*ck; I don't want the same mistakes repeated x(*

[Pirate Smile]

4. Well, just imagine if there was a mandatory evacuation for the entire

city then. I believe most of Houston is NOT under the mandatory evacuation. I thought it was primarily the coast and south east areas.

We are just not particularly good at this. There are just too many people and too many cars.

I would be worried about those school buses full of special needs and elderly evacuees without air and bathrooms. Where did they put the animals in their cages on the buses?

They will blame the Mayor I'm sure.

I certainly hope everything is going well as could be expected.

[gasperc]

5. it's a city of 5 million, they'll get about 1 mill out

of the low lying areas, that's the best they can hope for. and they rip on Nagin for getting 80% out of new orleans through like two bridges

[DaveColorado]

6. Words of Wisdom:

"We hope and pray that Hurricane Rita will not be a devastating storm, but we got to be ready for the worst," President Bush said in Washington.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050918114309990001&ncid=NWS00010000000001

[Skittles]

8. it sucks, "dudn'" t it Dave?

it has always been a sore point with me that our so-called "president" does not appear to know how to speak proper English

[txindy]

13. It certainly puts that 80% figure in perspective, doesn't it?

That was quite a feat Nagin managed to pull off.

[tx_dem41]

16. THANK you for acknowledging that.

Also note, that there are many many more routes out of Houston than there are for NOLA.

[halobeam]

7. I heard on the weather channel this morning that at least one of the main

roads are almost dead locked.. taking 9 hours to go 25 miles. He looked a bit concerned while reporting this and adding his comment that this could be a "disaster within a disaster" if they don't free up the roads, many (thousands) could be caught on the roads while conditions deteriorate.

They'd better open all lanes for outgoing only, or we may see another nightmare emerge.

[GoldenOldie]

11. Apparently the political advertisement of FEMA convoy of semi-trucks

with lights a-flashing, headed into rescue and re-claim Houston/Galveston, etc., was just that, a frame of an old FEMA teaching movie to let the public know that GOV. Perry and CON's are more capable than LA in dealing with disasters.

Having visited family in Houston from the late 50's thru my last visit in 2000, the population growth and the layout of their transportation system along with the super-structure skyline of today, I just knew that Perry/Homeland Security/FEMA, Bush, were and are talking out their ass. They are dealing with Mother Nature and she doesn't suffer fools.

Still waiting to hear from my Niece who lives in Kennard, TX and I am sure she is busy with her horse trailers, pickups helping her family and friends evacuate Houston/Galveston. Not sure where they will go but the path of Rita will pass over her ranch to the North East. She is a gal who has plans for everything, so I am sure, she has become her own appointed FEMA director for the entire family and town.

[gasperc]

15. and people are running out of gas ON THE FREEWAY

AND THE GAS STATIONS ALONG THE WAY ARE OUT OF GAS

This is shaping up to be a whole 'nother cluster fuck

[lastliberalintexas]

9. They are about to open all lanes north

You won't be able to travel south on I45 or Hwys 59, 69 and 96, along with the smaller FMs that head north. And they'll likely close east bound lanes of I10, since Beaumont isn't exactly th eplace to be right now either.

[DUgosh]

10. It's forecast to be over 100 degrees today n/t

[Mugsy]

12. They are about to open the South lanes to go North. Yikes!

They have NEVER done this before, but the traffic is so bad, they are being left with no choice.

They are planning on opening up the South bound freeway lanes to NORTHBOUND traffic.

Yet the airport on the North side (Bush Intercontinental) is still open and those headed home will have to go South.

Should be interesting.

[Pirate Smile]

17. Could people still be going into the city to pick up relatives or

friends to evacuate? How much time is there to leave - what would be the latest time someone could take off from Houston v. when do they say it is too late so you need to hunker down?

I just saw on TV someone who was planing on evacuating his entire family but now they aren't leaving because of the traffic. I would bet a lot of people are doing that.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

18. Good. That means you can evacuate now. GO!!! n/t

[Squatch]

14. It's a huge city with one of the worst traffic problems in the US...

a forced evacuation will not magically make the traffic flow more smoothly.

[halobeam]

19. At this point in time, there really isn't one place worse than the other

by very much... as far as traffic disasters. We are so over populated, haven't poured any money into building second story highways, increased mass transit, or ANYTHING. We are not even maintaining the highways/bridges we have now. It's a disaster all around this country and if this doesn't become a focus by the political parties, we will only hear of more people dying on parkways in storms. We can't control the damn weather, but we need to work with what we can control.