Community Forums

Wayne M · 01-11-2016, 11:27 AM

For those traveling and are thinking of using the Houston Ship Channel Bridge you will need an EZ Tag (TX style). No more cash booths.

Houston Ship Channel Bridge EZ Tag Only

scottandanna · 01-11-2016, 01:15 PM

610 is still free. And not too far out of the way, if you are trying to get from one side of town to the other

Arch Hoagland · 01-11-2016, 01:38 PM

So I show up from California on a cross country trip and want to use the bridge.

What do I do?

scenic route · 01-11-2016, 03:23 PM

When we were in Dallas on toll roads, they took pics of our plate and sent a bill to the house, in Florida.

TomandGloria · 01-11-2016, 03:35 PM

EZ Tag, EZ Pass, Pike pass, sunshine pass. Man I wish we could go to one type toll pass, or make them compatible. What a nuisance.

Ok, rant over. Sorry.......

F4Gary · 01-11-2016, 06:14 PM

There are no toll booths in Texas. It's all done with cameras or toll tags.

Pigman1 · 01-11-2016, 06:25 PM

The Fed's have required all toll roads be able to read all passes. I think this was supposed to happen this year, but you know how this sort of thing goes. I believe Florida Sun Pass system went to EZ Pass compatible just recently.

A couple of years ago we got on one of the Texas roads and hit the toll booths without attendants. We didn't have the $5-6 in change and couldn't back up for the change machine, so we threw about a buck and a half into the basket and drove on. Never heard a thing from them, but we never tried to use their toll roads again.

scottandanna · 01-12-2016, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

So I show up from California on a cross country trip and want to use the bridge.

What do I do?

This bridge is only to go North/South over the ship channel on the East side of Houston. Coming through East/West is still no problem, if you just stay on I-10. If you want to loop around Houston, take Tollroad Beltway 8 North and it will dump you back on I-10 just north of the toll bridge, and you will miss all the city traffic and interchanges.

BUT!!! Beltway 8 North can often be as congested or more than just going straight through on I-10, especially on morning and afternoon "rush hour".

I would not take any trailer or RV on IH-610 loop north. South is OK, but north is under lots of construction, very narrow lanes, with drop-offs and walls on the sides, and lots of turns and lane merges. It would be very scary...

As for toll booths, there are still some in Houston, but I think all that are left are when you exit the toll road. Most of those are rarely occupied, and they are trying to make it all automated without booths.

Wayne M · 01-12-2016, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottandanna

610 is still free. And not too far out of the way, if you are trying to get from one side of town to the other

Lived in Texas City, TX since 1984 and have used all the toll roads in this area, and all the loops. I-610 and Beltway 8 are still loops around the city, I-610 is the smaller inner loop and not bad depending on construction, but still not a straight shot. Ship Channel Bridge is part of Beltway 8.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

So I show up from California on a cross country trip and want to use the bridge.

What do I do?

Depends on what your stops are. If you go to Galveston, take the Ferry across to Bolivar and then on acorss to I-10. Much more interesting then the freeway. As stated the Ship Channel Bridge is part of the Beltway and the EZ-Tag has to be used.

If you are not diverting off of I-10, just take it through Houston to your destination. Just try to go between 0900-1100 hours and 1300-1530 hours as that is when the traffic is at it's least during the work week. Saturday and Sunday are typically good.

Here is the rule of traffic in Houston. The difference in heavy traffic is a 15 minute more to the commute, unless there is a major accident - then all bets are off. I traveled 40 miles for 6 years to a work place around the Astrodome. I had several different routes that I could take and during the work hours it was 1 hour driving time no matter what route I took - go figure. Without traffic it was 45-50 minutes. Houston is not any worse than any other city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomandGloria

EZ Tag, EZ Pass, Pike pass, sunshine pass. Man I wish we could go to one type toll pass, or make them compatible. What a nuisance.

Ok, rant over. Sorry.......

I so agree with you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by F4Gary

There are no toll booths in Texas. It's all done with cameras or toll tags.

Beltway 8, Houston, still has toll booths on the major thru-fare. Some of the off ramps have toll booths but many are unmanned and EZ-Tag is required

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottandanna

This bridge is only to go North/South over the ship channel on the East side of Houston. Coming through East/West is still no problem, if you just stay on I-10. If you want to loop around Houston, take Tollroad Beltway 8 North and it will dump you back on I-10 just north of the toll bridge, and you will miss all the city traffic and interchanges.

BUT!!! Beltway 8 North can often be as congested or more than just going straight through on I-10, especially on morning and afternoon "rush hour".

I would not take any trailer or RV on IH-610 loop north. South is OK, but north is under lots of construction, very narrow lanes, with drop-offs and walls on the sides, and lots of turns and lane merges. It would be very scary...

As for toll booths, there are still some in Houston, but I think all that are left are when you exit the toll road. Most of those are rarely occupied, and they are trying to make it all automated without booths.

Good one Scott.
===========================================

p.s., even in Texas, EZ-Tag does not give access to all toll roads.

SarahW · 01-21-2016, 07:12 PM

How timely. The Nomadic Fanatic just posted a video about Texas tollroads and EZ Tag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCPRAdz_9fM

scottandanna · 01-22-2016, 06:29 AM

OK, after driving the new EZ-TAG-only toll bridge, I have to say...

NICE!!! A couple weeks ago, traffic would stop about 2 miles back before we even got to I-10, and it would be creeping, stop-and-go traffic for about 15 or 20 minutes just to get to the bridge. Who wants to pay a toll for that kind of traffic???

Well, now traffic doesn't hardly even slow down as we approach and go over it.

Glad Houston did SOMETHING to ease up at least a little bit of our congested roadways!

Wayne M · 01-22-2016, 08:41 AM

Nice video Sarah.

I just got off the phone with the Harris County Tollroad Authority (HTCRA) and here is what they said.

If you do not have an EZ Tag and go through the toll booth and you are out of state you need to call them. If you call them before they do an invoice you will be charged the toll plus $1.50 processing fee. The invoice takes about 3 days to generate.

If you do not have an EZ Tag and go through the booth and do not call them you will be invoiced $13 for each incident.

Don't shoot the messenger

Medic57 · 01-22-2016, 10:28 AM

I despise toll roads. I thought the gasoline taxes and registration fees were for building and maintaining roads.

Good to hear the change to the Ship Channel bridge has had a positive effect. That trip was always a pain in the butt.

scottandanna · 01-22-2016, 10:36 AM

Our previous governor LOVED toll roads...

Only cool thing is one of them has the fastest legal speed limit in the US. 85 mph!

I am scared to go that fast in most of my vehicles.