Will be heading through/around DFW, towards Amarillo via Hwy 287 on Tuesday. Coming from the South(Hwy 45), what do ya'll think is best? Catch 287 South of Ennis towards Ft Worth. Would I be better off going straight thru Ft Worth or 820 loop? Another option is Hwy 45 to Dallas Hwy 20, then West. I'm tryin not to run in to any major construction and I like to drive with both feet flat on the floor! Thanks for any help, TT

20 always flows good either way, and you stay south of D/FW metromess

There shouldnt be any bad traffic anywhere in the metro tomorrow. Nothing stop and go anyway..

Try to go through on the in between hours. From 6 till 9:30 AM and 3:30 till 6:30 its pretty bad and slowdowns are just a matter of luck.

If you can stay out of these time periods I would just stay on 287 all the way.
During the high traffic times I would get on 820 and go around clockwise.

I'm wondering why you're not coming up 175? Thats the way I always drive when I go that way.

don't know about any 175 ? We're coming up 45, Santa Fe is 20 mi N of Galveston

45 to 20w, 20w to 35w north, then 287 to amarillo..

that's the original plan Mr Jim, you didn't like my idea of gettin off 45 South of Ennis on 287 and coming in to Ft Worth?

I like the fact nobody's mentioned any major road work up that way, down here South of Houston is a mess.

287 turns into 20 and takes you right through ft worth on 35 north(if you follow the 287 route). either way sounds about the same, excpet all the stops along 287??? i havent been down 287 in years, so that would be my concern(if theres any stop signs or redlights between ennis and arlington)

you can get 287 there too,..probably easier,..
a good place to take a break is on 35 is cabelas,...just a couple` miles outta your way,..

Appeciate ya'lls input. I have not been on that stretch of 287 in several years either. Most I remember is the Dragstrip, didn't seem like alot of towns or stops but I've had several frosty beverages since then.
We're headed to Colorado to spend our 25th anniversary. It's pretty strange to be packin a jacket. I'll box up some of that cool mountain air and chunk a little out for ya'll on my way back home.

I would travel 287 from Ennis, Since they put the loop around Midlothian its an easy drive and will cut about 20 minutes off the trip.

sounds like a winner!! Thanks Fish Killer

287 only follows I-20 for about a mile or two. Once in blends in to 20 it follows 820 for about the same distance before peeling off to it's own road again (frwy) all the way into downtown Ft.Worth where you can pick up 35w instead of taking i20 all the way to 35w.

There may be one or two lights to deal with on 287 between 45 and 20 right there on the south side of Ennis right after you leave 45 but, its 4 lane non-stop once you get out of Ennis now that the bypass around Midlothian has been put in.

I'm from Houston and my folks live in SW Arlington. If I go 45, I always take 287 from Ennis. However, I haven't taken 45 in a few years. Since I live in NW Houston, I run HWY 6 to Waco and then pickup 35 into Ft. Worth.

+1 on the 45 to 287. Follow the signs and move to the correct lane as early as possible to avoid having to move at the last second and being stuck. 287 is quite fast, and I don't remember any major slowdowns.

I will warn you right now, Fort Worth cops patrol 287 between 20 and downtown, so in that stretch, be careful and watch your speed.... oh, and don't stop for gas. SCARY part of town. Especially for a short, fat, white girl at two in the morning all by herself!

I went the other way last week and 287 was a mess in Decater due to construction on the south bound side, north bound did not seem affected but you might check it when you go through. I thought I was going to be late picking up my daughter at D/FW airport but her plane was quite a bit late.

btw what is up with those camels about 20 or so miles north of Wichita Falls?