I'm comin down for the Arkansas St. game from Michigan but I'm lookin at the map and there really doesn't appear to be a good way (ie: freeway) to get to College Station from Texarkana? Any suggestions?

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&ct=NA&1y=US&1a=&1p=&1c=texarkana&1s=tx&1z=&1ah=yVbbn1KmuQsl7FsbRy1WbHdKjJZ3rD8PSdHRBfE5NNzvTfYroWRPLw%253d%253d&2y=US&2a=&2p=&2c=&2s=&2z=&2ah=jcPArQIC1rRFP%252bSDRMQTnWXNTLHXSqVuiPWpySqiOZMpiTncqBbOjXP4h8mPEbZz&lr=2&x=98&y=16

That makes it simple doesn't it!

last time i did that i drove through construction for 2 hours

From Michigan? Buy a damn plane ticket...

BANA Class of '89

There are about 5 routes that don't have much difference in time/mileage (the mapquest one isn't one of them). But this one is my favorite:

59 south to Marshall
43 south to Henderson
79 south to Jewett
39 south to North Zulch
21 south to Bryan

[This message has been edited by double aught (edited 8/12/2003 9:33a).]

I drove from texarkana to college station for five years. this is the route i always took (although there really aren't any "good" ways to get there)

59 south to marshall
43 south to henderson
79 south to buffalo
I-45 south to madisonville
21 south to bryan/college station

there are some little shortcuts along the way, but most of them were under construction the last time i drove this in june.

There are no good ways to drive from Texarkana to CS. Some of the routes listed by the others are acceptable.

I'll tell you how I get to BCS from Shreveport.. maybe that will be slightly helpful.. If you take 59 and get on 21 it will be around a 4-5 hour drive from Shreveport. If you go this way and don't speed you can make it in 3.5 hours. (Carthage is about 30-45 minutes from Shreveport). So it's probably about a 3 hour drive from Carthage.


Get on 315 In Carthage.
Take 315 To Mount Enterprise.
Take 259 South in Mount Enterprise and then quickly turn right (at the light) to take 84 East all the way to Rusk.
Rusk get on 69 South to Alto.
Alto get on 21 and take 21 to 6..

This is by far the fastest way to get to BCS from the Northwest Louisiana, and should be the fastest way to BCS from Texarkana if you take 59 to Carthage.

All the other ways are much slower...

[This message has been edited by SportAggie (edited 8/12/2003 2:23a).]

59 S to Atlanta
77 S to 43 S
43 S to Henderson
79 S to Jewett
39 S to North Zulch
21 S to Bryan
6 S to College Station

The way I go is:
IH-30 to Mt.Pleasant.
Highway 271 south to Tyler.
Tyler take loop 323 west/south to 155
155 to Palestine.
Palestine take 79 west to Buffalo.
At Buffalo take IH-45 to Madisonville
Madisonville take Highway 21 to Bryan.
This route has pretty good roads. Only two lane roads Highway 79 from Palestine to Buffalo, about 14 miles of two lane of 155 south of Frankston, and about 6 miles of two lane south of Gladewater on 271. Madisonville to outside Bryan is 2 lane also.
Also there is road construction in Buffalo,Gilmer, and on 21 east of Bryan .
This route it is about 300 miles or so from Texarkana to College Station. Takes about 5 hours.


[This message has been edited by Earthquake McGoon (edited 8/12/2003 8:37a).]

I agree with SportAggie (I am from Waskom, the tourist bureau on I-20 by Shreveport) I drove all the routes listed coming from Carthage on to BCS and the one he listed is by far the shortest with the best roads. For you take 59 to Carthage, turn RIGHT on the loop and go to 315 to Mt. Enterprise and continue on with his directions. Actually the shortest route is, after Mt. Enterprise, to turn and go to Cushing on a farm road, and then hit 21 and continue on to Alto but that farm road is pretty narrow in some places.

I'll agree with Earthquake. I've driven all the routes and some are faster (e.g. via Alto or Mt. Enterprise) but most require driving on 2 lane roads. This can be a problem if you get stuck behind something slow (think farm machinery). Doesn't happen often, but if your driving down Saturday it may not be worth the risk.

Also, Mt. Enterprise has been a well known speed trap for as long as I have been alive.

See you on Saturday. I'll be the guy in the maroon shirt.

There's a lot of construction on 39 north of north zulch, all the way past normangee. If you get on 79, I would recommend taking it all the way to hearne instead, and taking 6 south.

Lots of good suggestions, and as I think you can see, which route is the best route probably depends to a large degree on your driving preferences. I lived in Marshall for 6 years, so I've tried variations on most of the above.

Going through Tyler affords you the most 4 lane roads, but Tyler will really slow you down.

I found going through Rusk, Alto, and Madisonville not to be a time-saving route (at least for my driving), and inferior roads to boot. If you do want to go that way, I think there is a farm road off US 79 outside New Summerfield that will get you there quicker than going all the way down to Mt. Enterprise to catch US 84. Again, it's largely personal preference.

I also try to avoid going through Madisonville, especially if you are approaching from the North. It is simply an unecessary, time consuming detour.

My suggestion would be to take US 59 to Marshall, and from there:

Texas 43 to Henderson.
US 79 to Buffalo.

79 is an OK road--the only problem being the trucks from the Wal-Mart distribution center outside Buffalo will slow you down.

From Buffalo, there are several options, two of which I would take, depending upon driving conditions (time of day, weather, traffic).

1. The backroads route:

US 79 from Buffalo to Jewett
FM 39 to North Zulch
Texas 21 to Bryan

Although it is a farm road, FM 39 is a great time saver with little traffic that, for the most part, runs along the Santa Fe RR tracks--meaning its fairly flat and has few curves. It is an alternative to I-45.

2. The interstate route

I-45 to OSR
OSR to Normangee
FM 39 to North Zulch
Texas 21 to Bryan

OSR is not a very good road, but it's only 10 miles from I-45 to Normangee. This saves you going through Madisonville, and also shaves about 5 or 6 miles off the trip. Taking this route is a few miles longer than going through Jewett, but you might make the time up by not being slowed by traffic (and a lower speed limit in town) in Jewett.

OSR AND 39 HAVE CONSTRUCTION. THey will make you stop. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

Here's how i go:

Take 59 to Marshall
then 43 Marshall to Henderson
79 from Henderson to 110 in New Summerfield
110 from New Summerfield to 84 in Rusk
69 from Rusk to Alto
then 21 from Alto to Bryan

Should be around 265 miles.

[This message has been edited by txaggie05 (edited 8/12/2003 8:59a).]

There's construction on 39 in north zulch, but if you dont mind gettin your truck dirty, its still a good way to go.

txaggie05 has the best route.

after looking over this thread, all i can say is i'm glad i dont live in texarkana....good lord...

It's faster to take 43 from Atlanta to Marshall than it is to take 59. I grew up there and drove it way too many times. 59 takes you through Linden and Jefferson. Lots of little stops. No such thing on 43.

Ditto TxAggie05. I have commuted from BCS to Little Rock for the last 5 years and that has been the best route by far.

wow, thanks for the help everyone