Had a buddy call me from the road today; he was on I-10 heading for Lake Charles for Thanksgiving and said it had taken him an hour and fifty minutes to get through the Beaumont metro area; that I-10 had lane restrictions and the traffic today was horrible (granted, this was 4 pm Wednesday).

That's enough, though, to suggest to me that the quickest way to drive to Ruston from Houston Friday may be via US 59 to Livingston and then across on two-lane blacktop through Woodville -- as opposed to I-10 to Lake Charles and then up 165 through Alexandria.

Anyone have any suggestions on the best driving route from Houston to Ruston?

(BTW I know that 165 has a huge speed trap around Kinder...45 mph zone just pops up on four lane divided highway and the local boys are waiting for you....("Don' worry, boss, just sen' d' money, we won' turn it in to ya inshurnce..." the Prairie Cajun cop told me....))

Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

Google Maps is generally pretty accurate with current traffic conditions.

Right now, it's saying 59/79 to Shreveport and over on 20 is fastest at 4:53 from downtown Houston (4:37 with no traffic). It's showing I-10 as the worst of its 3 suggested routes at 5:36 (5:04 without traffic).

(11-26-2014 08:25 PM)NoodleOwl Wrote:  Google Maps is generally pretty accurate with current traffic conditions.

Right now, it's saying 59/79 to Shreveport and over on 20 is fastest at 4:53 from downtown Houston (4:37 with no traffic). It's showing I-10 as the worst of its 3 suggested routes at 5:36 (5:04 without traffic).

Dumb Question

Saturday plans got cancelled and I/we may be able to drive up for the game.

What's the address for the stadium (I'm looking it up myself, but if someone has something to quickly plug into Google or MapQuest . . . . )?

Also, cheapest way to get tickets? (I may be bringing a group)

(11-26-2014 08:11 PM)75src Wrote:  Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

That's the fastest way to Shreveport for sure . . . .

Looking at Google Maps, the stadium is not more than a mile or so south of I-20. Take the Hwy 544 exit off I-20 and you will drive right by it. The address is 1450 West Alabama Avenue, Ruston, La 77212. Coordinates are 32°31′56″N 92°39′21″W.

(11-26-2014 09:23 PM)TazOwl Wrote:  Looking at Google Maps, the stadium is not more than a mile or so south of I-20. Take the Hwy 544 exit off I-20 and you will drive right by it. The address is 1450 West Alabama Avenue, Ruston, La 77212. Coordinates are 32°31′56″N 92°39′21″W.

thanks

there are still conflicts to iron out, but I've got a hotel reservation if things work out.

(11-26-2014 08:37 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:11 PM)75src Wrote:  Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

That's the fastest way to Shreveport for sure . . . .

Sounds good, thanks; that way can stay on Hwy 59 as long as possible. (My car knows the way to Texarkana and back on its own.)

Oops, only one thing: have reservation Friday night at the team hotel, which is in Monroe, 30 miles EAST of Ruston. So, anybody know whether that skews the map enough to consider a different route? (I'll check Google Maps, but human input is always good to get...)

(11-26-2014 10:24 PM)Ricefootballnet Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:37 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:11 PM)75src Wrote:  Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

That's the fastest way to Shreveport for sure . . . .

Sounds good, thanks; that way can stay on Hwy 59 as long as possible. (My car knows the way to Texarkana and back on its own.)

Oops, only one thing: have reservation Friday night at the team hotel, which is in Monroe, 30 miles EAST of Ruston. So, anybody know whether that skews the map enough to consider a different route? (I'll check Google Maps, but human input is always good to get...)

59 to 79 to 20 to Monroe is the way to go. I do it a couple of times a year.

For anybody going east on I-10, take the exit to Tx-73 at Winnie. Stay on 73, comes back to I-10 at Orange. It's 75 mph most of the way.

(11-26-2014 10:30 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 10:24 PM)Ricefootballnet Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:37 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:11 PM)75src Wrote:  Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

That's the fastest way to Shreveport for sure . . . .

Sounds good, thanks; that way can stay on Hwy 59 as long as possible. (My car knows the way to Texarkana and back on its own.)

Oops, only one thing: have reservation Friday night at the team hotel, which is in Monroe, 30 miles EAST of Ruston. So, anybody know whether that skews the map enough to consider a different route? (I'll check Google Maps, but human input is always good to get...)

59 to 79 to 20 to Monroe is the way to go. I do it a couple of times a year.

OK, thanks, that sounds like a plan. (The suggestion to turn off I-10 at Winnie to Orange also sounds like a good idea, generally speaking.)

And maybe 20 miles north of Nacogdoches, near Garrison IIRC, there is a water well drilling business with the largest confederate flag I have ever seen on a pole out front. Absolutely shocking.

Disappointing to hear the congestion issues on the I-10 to US 165 route. Going back through Houston to get to US 59 just leaves me cold. Using the ferry across to Bolivar then to High Island and up to I 10 makes it a whole lot easier and at this time of year very low stress. We plan on heading over about 9 a.m. in the morning so guessing the construction work will be on holiday or at the least scaled down and most travelers will still be sleeping off the turkey from the day before. Probably won't make a decision until late tonight or even just before leaving tomorrow.

Has anyone eaten at Cotton in Monroe? We have reservations for tomorrow and the reviews from OpenTable folks are amazingly very consistently high.

(11-27-2014 10:00 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Disappointing to hear the congestion issues on the I-10 to US 165 route. Going back through Houston to get to US 59 just leaves me cold. Using the ferry across to Bolivar then to High Island and up to I 10 makes it a whole lot easier and at this time of year very low stress. We plan on heading over about 9 a.m. in the morning so guessing the construction work will be on holiday or at the least scaled down and most travelers will still be sleeping off the turkey from the day before. Probably won't make a decision until late tonight or even just before leaving tomorrow.

Has anyone eaten at Cotton in Monroe? We have reservations for tomorrow and the reviews from OpenTable folks are amazingly very consistently high.

You can just go to 73 and be fine.

I assume 73 becoming 87 at Groves and continuing to Orange is what you mean about 73 joining I 10 at Orange. Do you take it to Bus 90 and then up to I 10 or stay on 87 and go due north when it swings that way?

(11-27-2014 10:00 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Disappointing to hear the congestion issues on the I-10 to US 165 route. Going back through Houston to get to US 59 just leaves me cold. Using the ferry across to Bolivar then to High Island and up to I 10 makes it a whole lot easier and at this time of year very low stress. We plan on heading over about 9 a.m. in the morning so guessing the construction work will be on holiday or at the least scaled down and most travelers will still be sleeping off the turkey from the day before. Probably won't make a decision until late tonight or even just before leaving tomorrow.

Has anyone eaten at Cotton in Monroe? We have reservations for tomorrow and the reviews from OpenTable folks are amazingly very consistently high.

Tiki, funny I was going to call you on this. Barnum and I have reservations there at 7:30....will p.m. to attempt to coordinate, will change if possible.

(11-27-2014 11:18 AM)Ricefootballnet Wrote:  

(11-27-2014 10:00 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Disappointing to hear the congestion issues on the I-10 to US 165 route. Going back through Houston to get to US 59 just leaves me cold. Using the ferry across to Bolivar then to High Island and up to I 10 makes it a whole lot easier and at this time of year very low stress. We plan on heading over about 9 a.m. in the morning so guessing the construction work will be on holiday or at the least scaled down and most travelers will still be sleeping off the turkey from the day before. Probably won't make a decision until late tonight or even just before leaving tomorrow.

Has anyone eaten at Cotton in Monroe? We have reservations for tomorrow and the reviews from OpenTable folks are amazingly very consistently high.

Tiki, funny I was going to call you on this. Barnum and I have reservations there at 7:30....will p.m. to attempt to coordinate, will change if possible.

When I made our reservations a couple of days ago there was nothing later that 5:45 for Friday or Saturday.

(11-26-2014 08:37 PM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(11-26-2014 08:11 PM)75src Wrote:  Maybe 59 to Cathage, then use US79 as a diagonal to I20.

That's the fastest way to Shreveport for sure . . . .

"Furthermore, Carthage must be destroyed."

(11-27-2014 11:17 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  I assume 73 becoming 87 at Groves and continuing to Orange is what you mean about 73 joining I 10 at Orange. Do you take it to Bus 90 and then up to I 10 or stay on 87 and go due north when it swings that way?

Pick up 73 at Winnie, it merges with 87 and runs concurrently all the way to Orange. It's all marked as I-10 detour or something like that. Only tricky part is making sure you don't take the Cameron, LA, exit. You make one turn left when 87 breaks off to go up to 10. That's marked, but not far in advance.

(11-27-2014 02:42 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-27-2014 11:17 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  I assume 73 becoming 87 at Groves and continuing to Orange is what you mean about 73 joining I 10 at Orange. Do you take it to Bus 90 and then up to I 10 or stay on 87 and go due north when it swings that way?

Pick up 73 at Winnie, it merges with 87 and runs concurrently all the way to Orange. It's all marked as I-10 detour or something like that. Only tricky part is making sure you don't take the Cameron, LA, exit. You make one turn left when 87 breaks off to go up to 10. That's marked, but not far in advance.

For me, the highlight of this route would be traversing the Veteran Memorial (north-bound) and Rainbow (south-bound) bridges south of Orange.