Talk:Texas State Highway Beltway 8

Sam Houston Tollway

I think it would be nice if a detailed article specifically about the Sam Houston Tollway was also created. (Dustimagic 01:36, 1 December 2005 (UTC))

• Perhaps a section on this page for the Sam Houston Tollway would work once this page becomes detailed enough, but the two follow the same route and their past and futures are intertwined... the difference is just that the part on one side of the concrete dividers is a state road and the other is county run. Souperman 05:10, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

• Ok, sounds good. Dustimagic 01:28, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Do people normally call the road as a whole "Beltway 8" or "Sam Houston Tollway"? News stories suggest "Beltway 8". --SPUI (T - C - RFC - Curpsbot problems) 09:13, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

• A little of both, though "the Beltway" is the term I typically hear (and use) in casual conversation. Souperman 17:57, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

• • It gets shortened even further sometimes to "The Belt", usually with a direction (e.g., "The West Belt"). Of course, I expect most people couldn't tell you the difference between Beltway 8 and the Sam Houston Tollway.Rockhopper10r 20:28, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

• • • True, though use of the "West Belt" convention has fallen a bit out of favor except by some longtime residents since it stopped being an official name (I know of exactly one official street sign marked "West Belt Drive, Next Intersection" leftover from probably about 20 years ago, and if I mention it too loud, I fear TxDOT may come out and get rid of it). Souperman 22:15, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

• My understanding is that the free frontage roads, plus the free portions of the main lanes, are properly called Beltway 8, and the tolled sections are properly called the Sam Houston Tollway. I often refer to "the Belt" myself. Shawn K. Quinn (talk) 02:22, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

Exactly how does Beltway 8 go?

Counterclockwise

• Beltway 8 begins on the main lanes at Jacinto Port Boulevard, just south of I-10 (East Freeway) [1] and follows them to the end; exits on I-10 for both the frontage roads and main lanes are signed as Beltway 8 [2] [3]
• Beltway 8 rejoins the main lanes where they begin before US 59 (Eastex Freeway) [4] [5] [6]
• Beltway 8 exits at Ella Boulevard (just past I-45) [7]; at I-45 the main lanes are signed as Beltway 8 CW and the tollway CCW [8]
• SH 249: only the frontage roads are Beltway 8
• US 290 (Northwest Freeway): only the frontage roads are Beltway 8
• I-10 (Katy Freeway): only the frontage roads are Beltway 8
• The exit just before US 59 (Southwest Freeway) is signed Beltway 8, probably just because that's the frontage road there [9]
• US 59 (Southwest Freeway): only the frontage roads are Beltway 8
• I-45 (Gulf Freeway): only the frontage roads are Beltway 8 [10] [11]

Clockwise

Presumably enters the main lanes just before Ella Boulevard, and uses the main lanes to east of US 59 and again to past I-10; the rest is on the frontage roads

Presumably at US 290, the US 290 frontage roads are used for a bit. --NE2 02:49, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Why Beltway and not Loop?

From what I can tell, this is the only State-maintained loop road in Texas that is called a Beltway. Why is that? It would be interesting to have that naming history in the article. Lbbzman (talk) 22:47, 19 June 2010 (UTC)

Yes it would be interesting, but I don't know if any documentation of the reason for that difference exists...LoveCowboy2024 (talk) 13:03, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

Updating page for new section

I've fixed the old statement in the paragraph for "free sections" so that it no longer mentions the "current end of the freeway."

I can't update the section on lane counts to account for the new section because I don't know what the lane count over there is, but someone needs to do that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by LoveCowboy2024 (talk • contribs) 13:05, 8 March 2011 (UTC)

• Why thank you whoever it was, who followed my suggestion. Also, I have now updated the lane count section to account for the completion of the widening between the Southwest Freeway and 288 LoveCowboy2024 (talk) 11:23, 2 May 2014 (UTC)

65mph are?

65mp/h = 107 km/h ??!?!!?!? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.249.37.133 (talk) 09:34, 14 April 2012 (UTC)

Reciprical Agreements

Does Beltway 8 and other toll roads in TX have reciprical agreements with Fast Pass of FL? Can I pay my tolls with my Fast Pass tag? Aconsr (talk) 01:26, 30 November 2015 (UTC)aconsr

Not yet. There have been discussions that may eventually lead to interoperability. -- Gridlock Joe (talk) 13:05, 30 November 2015 (UTC)