The Houston Intercontinental area is your connection to the world! Transportation in the Houston Intercontinental region is dominated by Bush Intercontinental Airport, two freeways, two tollways, and an extensive mass transit system. As a result, needs stemming from business, commuting and personal travel are well served.

The Houston Intercontinental area is located adjacent to Houston's primary airport. Most local residents and businesses are within a five or ten-minute drive from the terminal buildings. George Bush Intercontinental Airport is ranked as the 11th busiest airport in the nation — 9th for international passengers. The north Houston airport is situated on about 11,000 acres and is presently served by 24 passenger airlines, which enplaned and depalned 35.2 million passengers in 2000. In addition to the passenger services, 12 airlines offer scheduled all-cargo services. The airlines offer nonstop and idrect service to 100 cities throughout the U.S., and provide international service to 49 cities in 22 countries.

The airport is a city within a city, as it maintains its own water and sanitary sewer systems, incinerator, central heating and air conditioning plant, and has an on-airport double-bay crash, fire rescue station, and structural fire station. City-owned cargo facilities, combined with other private venture warehouse space, provide more than 550,000 square feet of cargo terminal space on the airport. The Houston Airport System is currently undergoing a huge $2.6 billion expansion program. This will provide massive terminal renovations, a new runway, a new central rental car facility, a new parking garage between Terminals A and B, and an expansion of the international terminal. Continental Airlines is headquartered in Houston, and this airport serves as the airline's major hub. Hobby Airport, located in south Houston, is a second major airport available to residents in the local area.

The nation's third largest ocean port is located 15 miles southeast of Houston Intercontinental. As is the case with the airport, this Gulf Coast location is an ideal port of entry for central and southwest destinations in the United States. Automated cargo and rail car handling capabilities are featured at the Port.

Commercial rail lines in the north Houston region include Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. Service is also provided in the Port of Houston and Galveston. Amtrak includes Houston in its national passenger service network.

Two major north-south freeways are found in the local area — U.S. 59 and Interstate 45. These highways serve as the major north-south freeway links to Houston. They are joined by the Hardy Tollway, which provides a third north-south alternative. In addition, the Sam Houston Parkway and Tollway serves as a major east-west highway. FM 1960 and SH 525 (Aldine Bender) also provide good east-west access within the local area.

Twenty-seven Park and Ride routes are provided by Houston's Metropolitan Transit Authority's (METRO) 25 Park and Ride lots. The Eastex, Spring and Kuykendahl Stations combine to offer several commuting alternatives for residents of the Houston Intercontinental area. In addition to bus services at the Park and Ride facilities, METRO operates an extensive system of bus routes in the region, and throughout Houston. In all, more than 1,570 buses carry annual traffic of 120 million passengers. METRO also offers carpooling and vanpooling matching services, and special buses that may be required by disabled persons.

The Texas Department of Transportation conducts periodic traffic flow measurements in the area. In addition to highway planning needs, the resultant data is also valuable to retail planners. The latest available data is for average daily traffic during 2000. Some of the main local counts follow:

I-45 south of Sam Houston Pkwy. — 214,000
I-45 north of Sam Houston Pkwy.- 227,000
Sam Houston Pkwy. w/o I-45 — 143,000
Sam Houston Pkwy. e/o I-45 — 141,000
Sam Houston Pkwy. w/o U.S. 59 — 64,000
Sam Houston Pkwy. e/o U.S. 59 — 44,000
U.S. 59 s/o Sam Houston Pkwy.- 129,000
U.S. 59 n/o Sam Houston Pkwy.- 99,000
Aldine Bender e/o I-45 — 27,000
Aldine Bender w/o I-45 — 11,300
Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce (281) 260-3163