MAJOR CONGESTION, THOUSANDS PARKED BY INTERSTATE DUE TO LACK OF GAS NEAR COLUMBUS, TEXAS

KLBJ Radio Station -- South Central Texas | 23 September 2005

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

KLBJ radio reporting up to 5,000 cars parked along I-10 in Colorado County (near Columbus, TX) due to lack of gasoline or breakdowns. Also reporting trashcans at all quick stops/gasoline stations are overflowing. The exit ramps from I-10 into Columbus are closed and people are NOT allowed into the city from I-10.

[cynicom]

Mary

I cringe at every one of the Bush fault posts.

If the posters have nothing original to offer, just go away.

AMEN.....

[frankjr]

Why is traffic during a major evacuation news? Is it a surprise?

The media should focus on showing the best routes out of the city and making timely updates instead of showing clips of traffic jams that were taped 24 hours earlier.

[listenhillary]

Also reporting trashcans at all quick stops/gasoline stations are overflowing.

This should NOT be allowed to happen. We had better have an independent investigation. When trash cans are full.... uhmm

[loreldan]

Amen.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Why is traffic during a major evacuation news? Is it a surprise?

People have slept in parking lots and on the shoulder of the interstate last night. Gas stations in almost all small towns along I-10 have run out of gas. Gas stations along Hwy. 77 North from Schulenburg are running out of gas. I believe that is news. If not, you let me know.

[montag813]

Trash cans? Why are they whining about trash cans? Nagin killed 400 by leaving his buses to drown, and all the media can complain about in Texas is traffic jams and trash cans.

[Virginia Queen]

You know, if I were there, I would get a map out and use country roads to get where I want to go. May not be as fancy, but it beats sitting on the interstate. I do this kind of thing whenever I come upon gridlock, no matter what city I am driving through.

[montag813]

What the leadership realizes and the average American and the press don't is that it is virtually impossible to effectively evacuate a major city. Always has been always will be.

God forbid we get a WMD attack, or simultaneous attack. The resulting chaos will be beyond anyone's nightmares. There will be shootouts as gas stations. "The Road Warrior" will be a better guide than the FEMA Manual.

[padfoot_lover]

I-10 does have grass medians, and most people know now that the contraflow is open all the way to Seguin (close to San Antonio) so I am not sure what the problem is unless it's the sheer numbers of cars.

I'm more worried about I-45, it's always had major gridlock even in daily traffic and they do have concrete medians.

[frankjr]

" I believe that is news. If not, you let me know."

Great, now what are the alternate routes for evacuation. Instead of focusing on taking pics of cars stopped, maybe focusing on solutions would be better. I want people to provide solutions not recite known problems.

And no, I do not think showing taped traffic jams where there is no longer traffic is "news".

Anything else you want to know?

[Terabitten]

I-10 does have grass medians, and most people know now that the contraflow is open all the way to Seguin (close to San Antonio) so I am not sure what the problem is unless it's the sheer numbers of cars.

That's good to know. I have friends and family in Houston, so I hope the congestion eases.

[handy]

if there is any silver lining at all in this mess, it's to see just what needs to be done in our own states in the event of a catastrophic event whether it's a storm, earthquake or a terrorist attack

Can you imagine trying to evacuate Los Angeles?

[AmericanDave]

-virtually impossible to effectively evacuate a major city-

A very good point. Greater Houston area is 4 million, I think. The freeways become stop and go on a normal day at rush hours! One of the reasons I left was Houston trafic....

[Paisan]

Are they saying that these people know where the trash is supposed to go?
Contrast this with the cleanliness of the NO Superdome...

[proudofthesouth]

Exactly. I would have had at least a couple of alternative routes mapped out.

[Leatherneck_MT]

"God forbid we get a WMD attack, or simultaneous attack. The resulting chaos will be beyond anyone's nightmares. There will be shootouts as gas stations. "The Road Warrior" will be a better guide than the FEMA Manual."

This is the Only real failure of our society at this point. We entered a war and the government told us to sit back and be happy "The Government will take care of you.".

I'm sorry, but as a Voting Citizen of this Nation, I AM THE GOVERNMENT!

We should not be seeing this kind of mass confusion, if the "government" really took this war, and the threats to our Cities seriously, there would be a comprehensive Civil Defense organization in place that could rapidly assist in everything from Earthquakes and Hurricanes to Terrorist attacks on Major Cities.

No, it would not be perfect, but it would be one damn sight better than this Keystone Kops situation we have seen in the last month.

Our "Leaders" had better get a GD clue soon.

[handy]

The media should focus on showing the best routes out of the city and making timely updates instead of showing clips of traffic jams that were taped 24 hours earlier.

AMEN. They don't seem capable of helping, just bitching. They could have been offering ways out via the back roads. My BIL made it from Sugarland to Dallas in 12 hours yesterday (4am to 4pm). How he did that is not a story I guess. The dummy that left @ 8am with 1/4 tank of gas and no water in the car who insists I-45 is the only way to Dallas and has gone 60 miles in 24 hours is a better story to them.

[houeto]

Let's stop the "Bush's Fault" comment. Can I get an "Amen!" ?

I've been sick of it for months.

[1rudeboy]

Amen.

[Rebelbase]

AMEN!