Getting thru Dallas

[RSBivings]

my wife and I just went to San Antonio (from Dallas) for a quick weekend with the grandchildren for soccer. We travel this route 6 times a year never gets easier. Its been under construction for the past 20 years an there is still 59 miles that are 2 lane and the rest is 3 lanes each direction. It will be at least 10 more years to complete to 3 lanes then they will start adding a 4 lane in parts so never ending. We prefer to take 281 which is 1 lane each direction but not that much traffic and lots to see and several nice camp grounds along that route

[Gloryhog]

We live north of Dallas and had a ranch south of Waco to which we travelled back and forth regularly for a number of years. It was such a miserable trip getting through Dallas, that we sold the ranch a little over a year ago. The real truth is that there is no good way to do it without driving a 100 extra miles, and you can still get caught if there’s a wreck or pop-up construction. For instance, last weekend they completely closed 75 in Plano to take down a bridge.

My advise—take the direct route down 75-Woodall-Rogers over to 35 on a Sunday. Check for any planned closures and pray for no wrecks.

[banda]

Maybe we got lucky, but last Saturday afternoon we went from Greenville, TX to Austin, TX on the freeways and the only slowdown we encountered was in Round Rock, TX. We took 30 to 635 to 20 to 35E. You can check Texas road conditions here: https://drivetexas.org

By the way, if you do come down 35, Slovacek's in West, TX is a great place to use restroom/walk dog/get food/get gas. The have a large parking lot and lot's of space around the fuel pumps. http://www.slovacekwesttexas.com/

[Iwannacamp]

DW and I took a trip from Texarkana to Waco in Sept....I worried about towing through the DFW area. Mostly the "mix-master" at 30/35...it is a life threatning thing in a car in mild traffic(especially coming N on 35 to 30). We went 59S to Tyler/Longview then ?? 281 over to 35E S. I didn't like the 281? route. Too many stop lights and one place I had to change lanes quickly to avoid a very low limb. The return trip I missed my I-20 turn and came back 35E N to 635 N and then to I30 E. It was on a Sunday afternoon, but it wasn't bad. Good luck with your trip.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

DW and I took a trip from Texarkana to Waco in Sept....I worried about towing through the DFW area. Mostly the "mix-master" at 30/35...it is a life threatning thing in a car in mild traffic(especially coming N on 35 to 30). We went 59S to Tyler/Longview then ?? 281 over to 35E S. I didn't like the 281? route. Too many stop lights and one place I had to change lanes quickly to avoid a very low limb. The return trip I missed my I-20 turn and came back 35E N to 635 N and then to I30 E. It was on a Sunday afternoon, but it wasn't bad. Good luck with your trip.

I'm guessing you took TX 31 to Corsicana. US281 runs from Wichita Falls to San Antonio - on the other side of the DFW Metroplex.

[CedarCreekWoody]

If you want to bypass DFW completely stay on hwy 69 to Emory, South on hwy 19 to Athens, and then west on hwy 31 to Waco. Hwy 31 is 4 lanes all the way to Waco except for the last 10 miles or so.

[petroo]

The 35E construction is mostly completed now. Not much if any bad delays as of this week. Avoid 35W.. it is a mess..

[Rich S]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

I suggest staying on hwy 69 down to Greenville, then I30 to 635, tben down to I20 over to I35 on to Waco. No construction in those areas and multi lanes wide. (Hwy 69 is two lane, but light traffic) I routinely use the hwy 69 route to go around Dallas (I live east of dallas.)

We went this way. Stayed sat night at Dallas NE campground and went I30 to 635 on Sun morning. No problems and very little traffic.
Thanks for the help

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Rich S

We went this way. Stayed sat night at Dallas NE campground and went I30 to 635 on Sun morning. No problems and very little traffic.
Thanks for the help

Glad to hear it worked well for you. It is our preferred route. How was that campground? I'm not familiar with it.

[Rich S]

Campground is a old KOA. It is clean and the people very nice. We were only there about 12 hrs so it is hard to tell much more about it.

[RacerRalph]

Headed to Waco from Tulsa. Could I continue south from Greenville thru Terrell then take 34 to I 35? I have a Class C + toad.

Headed back north from Galveston on New Years day
. See ant traffic issues going straight thru Houston and Dallas on the 1st? Thanks.

[DKRITTER]

Originally Posted by ralphbeacham

Headed to Waco from Tulsa. Could I continue south from Greenville thru Terrell then take 34 to I 35? I have a Class C + toad.

Headed back north from Galveston on New Years day
. See ant traffic issues going straight thru Houston and Dallas on the 1st? Thanks.

Watch your time of day but I'd probably come down 75 all the way to 635 then around it to 20 and 35E.


If it's not rush hour(s) you can skirt DFW on the east, west and south pretty easy.

Rush hours are 6:00 am-9:00am and 4:00pm-7:00pm I don't drive then if there is any way I can avoid it.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by ralphbeacham

Headed to Waco from Tulsa. Could I continue south from Greenville thru Terrell then take 34 to I 35? I have a Class C + toad.

Headed back north from Galveston on New Years day
. See ant traffic issues going straight thru Houston and Dallas on the 1st? Thanks.

You will be fine taking that route, I tow on a portion of it often. All good 2 lane road, usually with light traffic.
But, depending on your timing, taking I-30 out of Greenville to 635 and then around Dallas to I-35 is not a bad choice either if you prefer the interstate hwy.