Texas toll roads and BBQ

"My question is can I simply pay the toll at a toll booth without activating the EZ pass system?"

I don't think so. I suppose if it's an issue near and dear to your heart (100% toll mark-up) you could hit the exact change booth and collect your paper receipt, to later argue the final rental bill, if you have the temperament.

Your best bet would to be taking Will Clayton Parkway East to Hwy 59 South and direct connect to Hwy 45 South in the downtown. Or take JFK Blvd. South to the Beltway 8 (the Beltway 8 is FREE between IH45 North Fwy. and Hwy 59) and then East to Hwy. 59 South to IH 45 South direct connect downtown. You could take the Beltway 8 West to IH45 South and not have to leave the highway, but Hwy. 59 is more recently renovated(?) with more lanes and better traffic flow.

"Also from what I hear, the 2 best BBQ’s in Galveston are Leon’s and Queen’s. Any rebuttal?"

I don't know about those two recommendations. Grand Prize BBQ in Texas City is fair.

edit: I hope that makes some sense.

Thanks RJ
That was just the kind of advice I was hoping to get. I had noticed the 59/45 route on Google Earth but didn't know if it would be better to go Hwy 8 and avoid downtown Houston. My plane gets into Houston at 4:30pm and I need to get down to Galveston the quickest easiest way. Hopefully, I'll get to Galveston in time for a dinner of great BBQ.

> Hopefully, I'll get to Galveston in time for a dinner of great BBQ.

I hate to say this, John, but I'll be startled if there is any distinguished barbecue in Galveston at all. I'd opt for Gulf Coast seafood, instead. The odds are better.

"My plane gets into Houston at 4:30pm and I need to get down to Galveston the quickest easiest way."

yeesh, yeah, i didn't take into account the arrival time. That's gonna' be rush hour traffic. At that rate the Beltway8 might be worth the cost in headache. When you get to the Gulf Frwy. (IH45 South) it will be slow for a good while. Here's a link to
Houston Transtar. You can investigate this at your leisure.

> My question is can I simply pay the toll at a toll booth without activating the EZ pass system? The rental company wants to charge me $3 for every time I use the EZ pass.

I would check that. I dont know which Rental Car Company youre going with, but most do not charge for each individual toll but rather a daily charge for using it, something like 7 bucks regardless if you go through one booth or 50 booths.

FWIW I know its more or less extortion, but if they are anything like they are here in Dallas, the Toll roads and toll tags are the only way to go.

Have a safe trip and Welcome to Texas.

I think Kent is rigtht to advise some seafood in Galveston or maybe some real Mexican food. Some of the best Mexican food that I ever had was from a little cafe outside of Houston on the South side.
Save the BBQ urge for the heartland of TX

Houston has two toll road systems and I know at least one of them doesn't accept payment except by EZ pass. You will hit traffic on I45 South after you pass downtown (outbound) but you will have that even if you start off on US59. I would say just get on I-45 at the airport and take it all the way to Galveston.

You could take a 5 minute exit at Dickinson and have some pretty good bar be que at

http://dickinsonbbq.com/

It is spring break right now and the traffic over the causeway and along Seawall Blvd can be pretty tough.

Roadhand
Thanks for the suggestion. I got out my magnifying glass and read the fine print about what Enterprise charges for the use of EZPass. It turns out that it is $2.95/day of use rather than each use like I originally thought. That being the case, I'll probably opt to use HWY 8 and go around Houston rather than through it.

Robert
I live right on the Oregon coast so I get lots of fresh sea food so maybe I'll try the Mexican food in Galveston.

Be prepared to run about 80 mph or so on the toll roads or the locals may just run you over.

What is the posted speed limit or is it like the Autoban where anything goes? I'm used to running 70 on our interstate highways with a posted limit of 65. Going 80 won't be a problem unless I have an opportunity to meet one of your state toopers.

Some toll roads are famous for logging your on ramp time vs. your off ramp time and sending you a ticket if you've covered too many miles in too little time.

It has been too long since I have been on the Houston tollways, I believe they are posted @ 65 mph, could be 70 mph; but there is a section of SH130 (that runs from IH 10 between Luling and Seguin, northerly, east of Austin) that opened with a posted 85 mph. You may not want to run that fast at night, the feral hogs tend to congregate near that stretch of road. There were 4 crashes with feral hogs the night that section of tollroad opened. I blasted down that stretch on my own "hawg" the day after it opened. A lotta fun and kinda scary @ 85.

Texas does not (yet) ticket you for the speeds based upon your ramp entry/exit or toll booth crossing. In many metropolitan areas though, they do have traffic enforcement by Traffic Cameras so be vigilant/careful near intersections.

All of my experiences with the State Troopers have been cordial. Of course, I was not running guns/drugs/foreign exchange students (illegal aliens). I was raised to say Yes Sir and No Sir, and they in turn, have also been polite.

Bryan
Thanks for the heads up. I'll certainly follow your advice.

Interesting that you should mention exchange students because that is what is bringing me to Texas in the first place. My wife is pretty involved with the AFS high school foreign exchange student program and they are having a national conference in San Antonio. I'm just tagging along so I can visit with Kent and have him show me how real surveyors work plus my brother lives in Austin so I guess I'll have to stop and see him too.

I checked out the TXDOT web page this morning and got some good road maps.

I appreciate all the advice and suggetions ya'll have been giving me.

> I live right on the Oregon coast so I get lots of fresh sea food so maybe I'll try the Mexican food in Galveston.

Well, I'm going to guess that fresh Texas Gulf shrimp aren't widely available in Oregon. What did I win?

You're right! You win something of undetermined value- a chance to show me Texas style surveying. 😛

> You're right! You win something of undetermined value- a chance to show me Texas style surveying.

Well, one of the characteristics of a good Texas surveyor is we don't go looking right off the bat for the thing that is most unlikely to be there. I'll bet the odds of finding a decent giro in Galveston are better than of sitting before a plate of Grade-A barbecue. Of course, there is something to be said for sampling inferior fare first so that the truly excellent stands in stark contrast, as it inevitably will.

Boy Howdy!!
Have you got your chest puffed out there a mile. I'm either going to have the greatest treat in my life or a discouraging disappointment.

Either way, I'm looking forward to the experience.