Evacuation Routes

Planning ahead is critical to making sure you can evacuate quickly and safely. Coastal residents can take steps to prepare for an evacuation now by becoming familiar with their evacuation zone and the evacuation routes in their community.

If it becomes necessary to evacuate residents during a hurricane, authorities will issue evacuation orders in a phased approach by zip code zone or “zip zone.” Hurricane evacuations are staggered to prevent highway congestion and allow for quicker, safer movement of people. Coastal residents should become familiar with which zip zone they reside in so they can evacuate quickly and safely when necessary.  It will also help you avoid unnecessary evacuation travel, thereby reducing highway congestion, easing overcrowding at local storm shelters, and boosting public safety.

Hurricane Evacuation Zip Zone Map

The Houston-Galveston region has four zip zone areas, classified based on the threat level from storm surge.

Hurricane Evacuation Route Map

Hurricane evacuation routes are specially designated roadways used to provide
the safest and most timely evacuation of coastal areas during a hurricane threat.

Contraflow and Evaculanes

Contraflow is when vehicles travel in the opposite direction of a lane's normal traffic flow. In the event of a hurricane evacuation from low-lying coastal areas, existing highway lanes, both freeway and non-freeway, may be converted into "contraflow lanes."  The reversal will be considered only when the Houston area is threatened by a major hurricane and mandatory evacuations are issued.  Motorists will be notified through local media.

Evaculane is an extra wide shoulder that is converted into an active evacuation lane to increase capacity during an emergency.  The Evaculane may be allowed when the Houston area is threatened by a hurricane and voluntary evacuations are issued. Motorists will be notified through local media and the activation of the Evaculane Signs on the route. The Evaculane may be used with or without the separate Contraflow plan.

The Contraflow and Evaculanes are not guaranteed to be available during an evacuation.