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johnhicks · 05-04-2016, 11:04 AM

If you don't want to deal with the Houston insanity, take TX 105 out of Beaumont and then connect with US 290 at Brenham.

scottandanna · 05-04-2016, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnhicks

If you don't want to deal with the Houston insanity, take TX 105 out of Beaumont and then connect with US 290 at Brenham.

This is a very nice drive, but there are several small towns you will need to go through with 35 and 45 mph speed limits, and lots of red lights.

Very low stress, though, and pretty...lots of wildflowers in bloom right now.

halftimer · 05-04-2016, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottandanna

This is a very nice drive, but there are several small towns you will need to go through with 35 and 45 mph speed limits, and lots of red lights.

Very low stress, though, and pretty...lots of wildflowers in bloom right now.

we went that way the week after Easter wasn't bad we got on 290 off of 610 in Houston .

Acker1 · 05-04-2016, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnhicks

If you don't want to deal with the Houston insanity, take TX 105 out of Beaumont and then connect with US 290 at Brenham.

Is 290 good all the way to I-10 west of Austin?

Thanks
DICK

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acker1

Is 290 good all the way to I-10 west of Austin?

Thanks
DICK

290 runs parallel to I-10, not connecting to 10 until way west of Austin. But it will take you thru Austin, and several beautiful hill country towns, including Fredericksburg.

Johnson City is nice, and Marble Falls just north of there.

plasma800 · 05-05-2016, 06:34 AM

105 out of Beaumont is a good suggestion. I hate the section of i-10 from Beaumont to Houston, even HWY 90 is better than staying on I-10 between Beaumont and Houston.

But the good thing about 105 is, correctly stated, will take you right into the heart of Texas. Once you hit Brehnam, Texas hill country is your oyster.

290 is good all the way to Austin once you get out of Houston, it's a nice drive. keep an eye for signs, to stay on 290 a right turn is required, but i can't remember where.

And Aker1 asked if 290 West was good past Austin back to i-10.. yes it is, it's a smooth drive, but there is NOTHING on that stretch of road.. make sure you have gas or fuel.

plasma800 · 05-05-2016, 06:48 AM

another idea.. if you wanted... take I-10 straight through Houston and out the other side to Sealy, then hit 36 north. Or to Columbus, and 71 north through La grange.

These routes might be faster than 105. 105 is a nice road. The Conroe area is congested and slow, from Cut N Shoot to Montgomery. Best to hit that area at off peak hours, like at 5pm it will be probably 40 minutes to make that span with a lot of stop and go.

I live about 3 miles south of Lake Conroe, just off 105. Most other times of the day, it's not bad. But of course it would be WAY worse to hit I-10 at drive time.... If you came straight through Houston, 10:30 to 2pm would be best, at that time you can sail right through.

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plasma800

105 out of Beaumont is a good suggestion. I hate the section of i-10 from Beaumont to Houston, even HWY 90 is better than staying on I-10 between Beaumont and Houston.

But the good thing about 105 is, correctly stated, will take you right into the heart of Texas. Once you hit Brehnam, Texas hill country is your oyster.

290 is good all the way to Austin once you get out of Houston, it's a nice drive. keep an eye for signs, to stay on 290 a right turn is required, but i can't remember where.

And Aker1 asked if 290 West was good past Austin back to i-10.. yes it is, it's a smooth drive, but there is NOTHING on that stretch of road.. make sure you have gas or fuel.

That turn in 290 is just south of Johnson City at 281. In fact, it seems like 290 just dead-ends there. And FWIW...right there is an AWESOME place to rent a ranch-house at Lighthouse Ranch. We stayed in the house right by the road at that intersection for a week a couple years ago...

290 merges with 281 and splits back off after you go north toward Johnson City, maybe 4 or 5 miles up. Then 290 resumes its westward direction toward Fredericksburg, etc.

traveler of california · 05-05-2016, 08:32 AM

Thanks for all the options.

Acker1 · 05-05-2016, 08:36 PM

Thanks for the replies. I'll check them out.

DICK

johnhicks · 05-05-2016, 09:48 PM

BTW, if you come into Brenham on TX 105, turn south on 577/Blue Bell Rd. and stay on it about 2.5 miles to US 290 and turn west on US 290. It's a bit out of the way but there's no traffic and it's lots better than going through town.

Also, about two miles west of that intersection to the right there's an HEB Supermarket (parking lot is rather tight) and to the left is a Walmart Supercenter. Careful with the turn into Walmart by the gas station; you can bottom out there.

Road_King · 05-05-2016, 10:58 PM

...if you have an out-of-state tag (non Texas), accordingly the EZ Tag toll roads (Harris County) are free. I got this info from another thread and the poster confirmed it with the toll management folks.

Long story short, I went thru Sam Houston Tollway and Hardy Toll Road three months ago and have not received any notices from anyone. The camera flashed and did take pictures of me.

Drive safe.

~George

RichR · 05-06-2016, 08:46 AM

I had to pay!

b17drvr · 05-06-2016, 10:46 PM

All vehicles are required to pay, including those from out if state.
Persuant to the Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 284, the vehicle owner or renter of record (not necessarily the driver) of a vehicle that passes through a toll facility is responsible for payment of all tolls. Failure to pay tolls is against the law and results in a violation invoice and/or referral to a collection firm. Toll violations may also result in issuance of a traffic citation, independent of an invoice, which carries a significant fine plus court costs.