Comments on: Blogging Rita- part 8

By: jk

jk — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 11:04:33 +0000

The city of Houston enacted a grandiose plan yesterday to do just what Davey suggested, taking the inbound lanes of the three major freeways and making them contra-flow lanes. As expected this took most of a day to implement due to the sheer miles of freeway that had to have all inramps closed and traffic diverted. They were unable to get Highway 290 converted at all due to manpower shortages. Once the other two freeways were converted it had little effect on those already gridlocked as there were few crossover points to get traffic diverted.

By: Davey A

Davey A — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:58:50 +0000

Been watching on News in UK and reading your Blogs which really push the situation home.
Eye in sky cameras show all freeway lanes going out blocked and the inward lanes empty. Why the hell can’t the inward lanes be adapted to divert traffic away?
Is there something I am missing?
I Hope you and your family get together soon and stay safe.

By: prolurkr

prolurkr — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:33:34 +0000

The evacutation problems show that there was never a real expectation that so many people would leave. It goes to show that folks in harms way have learned a thing or two from Hurricane Katrina..this time many are trying to leave.

Stay safe James we are all sending you good thoughts.

By: jk

jk — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:14:21 +0000

Due to the expected gas shortages on the evacuation route officials should have mandated no trailer towing and no big belongings. It might have helped but it’s easy to Monday morning quarterback something like this.

By: AliceH

AliceH — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 10:02:34 +0000

I just heard an official in Texas say on Fox News that they didn’t figure into their evacuation plans people packing up most of their belongings and using two or more cars to get out of town. They figured on families traveling together in one car.

What were they drinking/thinking when they figured that into their evacuation plans?!

Ditto on the stay safe

By: Colin Walker

Colin Walker — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 09:42:21 +0000

I quite agree, if you’re not going to stick to the plan then there’s no point having one.

I’ve been reading the reports coming out of the area and it’s crazy that there are already problems due to people with heat stroke etc. from the jams. If the emergency services are already having problems coping I hate to think what it will be like when the storm actually hits.

Stay safe.