Thanks. A co-worker was saying how it is unbelievable to him why they didn't make texas roads all northbound earlier like they do here in florida. I told him he was full of it becuz it never happened here ......
How long before landfall does FL start contraflow? Rita is still many hours away from the TX coast.
They're doing it in Texas within a few hours, actually.
Your co-worker is not really that full of it.
Florida IS prepared to do a Contra-Flow in event of need due to last year.
(But it is not happening now, ekwd.)
See
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/spenews/contraflow.htm
and see
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/turnpikepio/ContraFlow/Contraflow_FAQ.pdf
You can't make them all northbound so early in the game. People have to be able to get to their homes and board them up, gather their family, buy supplies, get to the airport, whatever. We are still 36 - 48 hours from landfall. That's about the ETA that Alabama starts the contraflow when they are in the projected path. Houston is changing them over today one at a time. I-45 has already been reversed. I know there are U.S. and state routes in Texas that would have been better to take. The freeways there are bumper to bumper at midnight on a good day! You could not have dragged me onto the freeway yesterday!