1. The Hurricane Brett Experience Ismael Soto, P.E. Texas Dept. of Transportation Corpus Christi District

2. Texas Coastal Bend Population: 400,000 Evacuation time: ~ 29 hrs ---(Category 5 Hurricane) Background

3. Pre-Hurricane Brett Hurricane Allen - 1980 –TxDOT in process of completing IH-37 connecting Corpus Christi and San Antonio Interstate completed Hurricane Gilbert- 1989 IH-37 / US 77 Interchange completed –Included $1.7 m Contra-flow Transition Area

4. Hurricane Brett Landfall 4:00 p.m., Sunday, August 22, 1999 Saturday morning –Category 2 –Destination: Central Mexico Saturday evening –Category 4 –Destination: Texas Coastal Bend 3-5 hour average delay exiting Corpus Christi to San Antonio (normal drive 2-1/2 hours) Population evacuated was 28% Contra-flow was not implemented

5. Post Hurricane Brett Development of region wide Hurricane Evacuation Committee to study the IH-37 Contra- flow issue Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) modeled 14 alternatives using CORSIM Consensus was plan to Contra-flow 90 miles of IH-37 Estimates show Contra-flow would increase capacity by 50% (Equivalent capacity of adding one additional lane at a cost of $75-100 million)

6. Questions ?