We're Number 11!

The US59/I610 interchange is no longer one of the worst ten traffic interchanges in America, at least according to AAA.

Houston drivers may not notice much difference, but the city no longer holds a place on AAA's national list of 10 really annoying traffic bottlenecks.

When it last came out in 2000, the list included the epic confluence of the Southwest Freeway and West Loop near the Galleria, which holds the unofficial title of Texas' busiest interchange.

It is being rebuilt, with continuous frontage roads and redesigned connector ramps that will give some relief. But that's not why it missed the cut.

"The only reason you weren't on the list is that we had to cite something in Los Angeles that was a lot worse," said AAA spokesman Montill Williams. Texas' best candidate was bumped by the interchange of U.S. 101 (Ventura Freeway) and Interstate 405 in the San Fernando Valley north of downtown LA.

"That one is a monster," Williams said. The evening rush lasts about five hours.

Hey, whatever the reason, we'll take it. I will say, as annoying as the recent work on 610 has been, the redone offramps and Richmond and Westheimer have made a difference. There's a lot less backup at those locations, and it's made overall traffic better. Kudos to whoever at TxDOT did the redesign.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 21, 2005 to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | TrackBack