Galveston Traffic April 15,16,17, 2005

[DannyMac]

If you have a cruise departing from Galveston the weekend of April 15,16,17, plan to arrive a day or two early. This is the weekend for the Kappa Kappa Kappa "Beach Party Weekend" and traffic can and will back up 10-20 miles. It will come to a dead stop and you could be sitting there for several hours. Every college/high school student in Texas is on the way to Galveston to party and cruise around. Traffic will start to back up around 9:00am. Late arrivals will miss the ship.

[yst347]

This has been true many times. Last year it was not so bad. This year "who knows" ? The only backup that is a problem is on the causeway. It really shouldn't be a huge problem for getting to the pier but extra time should be allowed, no question.

[brn2crz]

Actually,the last couple of years,things have really cooled off during this weekend.Last year,traffic was a non-issue.The city,and the organizers have worked to make this a better event.They have instated entrance fees such as Mardis Gras has.Routed traffice through a certain area,one direction.And have increased security,immensely.Also,Kappa,has begun to have bigger and better attended events in other parts of the county.Having supervised several restaurants on the Island.I am very familiar,with the "hell" this week can bring.There was a year,that None of the QSR's opened,and even Wal-mart closed.Now,I suppose at any given year,things can swing back.I also remember taking 3 hours to get to my store one year.But last year,just to check out the traffic on Sat, for friends who were coming down on Sunday,I made the drive...at 930 AM...Me,and about 10 of TDPS finest,and their tow tow trucks,were about the only ones on the road...And weather was beautiful.Its not the best weekend to be in town,as hotel prices are out of this world,and all the restaurants are packed.But most of the activity is isolated to the Seawall.The pier,and Strand area are a lot quieter.

[thefish]

Ah, I remember the good old days. I think Ford had was introducing the Maverick and had a pavilion on the beach. They buried a toy model car in the sand and whoever could find it would win a prize. My high school friends and I watched this from the granite rocks near the seawall happily and thankfully sipping a beer that was easily obtained during this casual period of celebration.

 

The first person to dig up the small plastic car was immediately offered an elbow to his then existing front teeth. The new hopeful winner was, after a short but valiant struggle, succumbed to a tackle, a pounce and many pummels from associated members of the frenzied mob. Each possessor of the treasured plastic car was greeted not by congratutoler slaps on the back but by actions deemed criminal in all states except Utah and in violation of the Geneva Convention and Maritime Laws and are considered mildly inappropriate by the World Wide Wrestling Association.

 

The shocked Ford corporate members tried to call off this mid day attempt at entertainment but only further exasperated the situation. Even to the point that the shiny new Ford Maverick they had exhibited on the beach was turned over by the now over stimulated crowd like a turtle on its back. But before someone came up with a can of gasoline to offer this amazing automotive marvel as a flaming offering to the sun gods a few in the crowd still had enough soberness to remove the brand new tires. This for compensation for the now withdrawn prize for finding the toy plastic car buried in the sand.

 

This and watching the drunks driving off the seawall provided an early spring entertainment to an otherwise boring Gulf Coast juvenile existence.