By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-752172.mp3
Dallas, TX – Texas big-city Mayors are gearing up for Hurricane Gustav. KERA's BJ Austin says a day-long meeting in Fort Worth Friday was about legislative issues, but possible evacuation ahead of Gustav was a hot topic, too.
Houston's Mayor Bill White expects any evacuation of the Texas Coast to be MUCH better than three years ago when Hurricane Rita evacuees created 200 miles of gridlock on the northbound Interstate. He says there are plans for gasoline supplies to be provided along the route: and, southbound lanes will be quickly switched to northbound - unlike three years ago.
White: The County Judge and I had requested that there be contra flow lanes. It took 14 hours for the state to open up those contra flow lanes.
White says they've practiced a new plan and can get them open in four hours.
Tarrant County has opened a reception center for evacuees in Burleson - where they will be directed to shelters. Some 250 continuous care medical patients are to arrive at DFW Airport Saturday from the Beaumont-Port Arthur area.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert says North Texas is ready.
Leppert: We have our emergency operations center that's prepared to deal with that. Clearly communication is strong. I think it's going to be better than it was last time between cities like Houston and other cities that are in the key areas.
Mayor Leppert says everyone learned important lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.