We are going from Phx to Mission TX and then from Mission to Dallas area. What is the traffic like around San Antonio? Should we consider ways to miss San Antonio?
Unfortunately there is lots of road construction around San Antonio, but it is a nice place to visit with lots to do in the surrounding areas, so I would not want to discourage you from visiting SA just because of the traffic. However, since you asked specifically about the traffic, here is some information: I know I-10 on the west side of SA, Loop 1604 on the north side, and I-35 on the northeast side all have construction zones. So here are some alternate routes to consider: Going east on I-10 toward SA, you could take Hwy 173 south out of Kerrville. It will take you to Jourdanton south of SA where you will have to zig zag just a bit to get on I-37 south which will take you to Mission. Going to Dallas from Mission, you could take I-37 north to Loop 1604 on the southeast side of SA. Take the loop up to I-10 and go on it to the east toward Segiun. A few miles past Seguin, take Hwy 130 to the north. This is a toll road, but it lets you avoid the traffic in SA and on I-35 all the way up to Georgetown, north of Austin. I can't speak to the construction north of there because if we are going anywhere north of SA, we avoid I-35 by using Hwy 281 up to I-20. That road is also a good alternative, but it takes you to the west of side of Fort Worth, about 80 mi from Dallas. If you don't have to be right in Dallas, this route might work for you. I hope this information is helpful, but feel free to ask other questions if you need to.
Thx for the great info. Our actual destination is Waxahachi, so we will probably have to deal with 35 from 130 north. I see 77 is alternate from Three Rivers to Waco. Any experience on that route?
I don't think Hwy 77 goes through Three Rivers. You may be thinking of Hwy 72 which means you could take 281 out of the valley up to Three Rivers and then get on 72. That will take you northeast to Halletsville where you will meet up with 77 and take it on into Waco. You could even drive over to Harlingen and get on 77 there and then take it up through Victoria and on to Waco. If you don't mind taking the scenic, back roads there are many alternate routes from Mission to Waxahachi (do you know how to pronounce it?). We have driven many of these back roads, but it was years ago, so I cannot speak to their condition these days. You may have already found it, but this website https://www.txdot.gov/ may be able to give you more information. By the way, what time of year will you be traveling in Texas. Our Bluebonnets are usually in bloom from around mid to late February through April, depending on the weather. Any route south and east of SA goes through/near major Bluebonnet areas and they are usually spectacular. Hope you get to see them.
