GALVESTON, Texas – As the Atlantic basin hurricane season begins, Galveston officials are alerting residents to a key change they may notice if a tropical cyclone threatens the region. Instead of issuing evacuation orders 36 hours before the arrival of damaging winds and flooding, authorities now plan to extend that window to 60 hours in advance of a hurricane’s projected impacts.

The change, while not permanent, is being instituted due to an extensive construction project along the region’s primary evacuation route – Interstate 45. 

According to the city’s emergency management, the enhanced timeline is designed to ensure a more efficient evacuation process, given the potential for delays along the interstate.

The region’s main thoroughfare is undergoing a multi-billion-dollar enhancement that aims to not only widen the interstate and make it more flood-resistant. 

Though the roadway remains open, Emergency Management Coordinator Byron Frankland is concerned that a stalled vehicle or accident during a mass evacuation could bring traffic to a near standstill, potentially adding hours to the process of moving tens of thousands of people inland.

KNOW YOUR ZONE: TEXAS HURRICANE EVACUATION ZONES

Evacuations from the threat of a direct strike of a hurricane are rare, with locals only remembering a handful of times that notices have been issued.

A significant threat to the Southeast Texas coastline means not only do the 52,000 permanent residents of Galveston Island have to leave, but also millions of others in the country’s second-most populous state.

Large hurricanes such as Rita, Ike and Harvey forced millions of Texans to seek higher ground, resulting in hours of backups and delays along highways – a scene that Frankland wants to try to avoid with the 60-hour notice.

HURRICANE SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS SURPRISING RESULTS FOR THOSE IN IMPACT ZONES

To assist vulnerable populations, Texas offers the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, a free program that allows residents who may require extra help during a disaster to register in advance. 

While enrollment in the STEAR program does not guarantee services during an emergency, it gives planners an idea of the needs for specialized resources, such as wheelchair-accessible buses and medical transports.

Residents can sign up for the STEAR program online or by dialing 211 and officials encourage those with needs to do so now, before a storm hits.

Frankland anticipates the expanded 60-hour evacuation window will remain in effect through at least 2026, when the Interstate 45 upgrades are expected to reach a point where the route can better handle a mass exodus.