"It just can't happen, and if you tried, 10,000's would be on the road in gridlock as the storm struck."
Which is precisely what happened during the evacuation from Rita. Luckily, everyone evacuated north and Rita curved east. But, hurricanes being what they are, there was no way to predict that. If Rita had broken north instead, it would have been a bigger disaster than it was.
Galveston is one place at extreme risk. There are 3 ways off island. Two of them, the ferry and the bridge at San Luis Pass, lead to beach roads. In both cases, you have to drive for a half an hour or more before you can turn inland. The other way out, I45, gives an option once you get to the mainland. You can continue on I45 or take Hwy 6. Which skirts the bay. I45 goes through an area which has been impacted by subsidence. The main aquifer is house of cards clay. So, around Dickinson bayou, it becomes impassible up to 48 hours before landfall. Needless to saw, the other routes have a similar or even worse problem. |
