Katie Kian writes:
I'm pretty sure it was the summer of 1969. I was about 10. My aunt and two cousins from Virginia Beach were staying the summer with us because my uncle was stationed in Vietnam. My mom was trying to figure out how to entertain six kids, so she told us she was taking us to a new theme park called Astroworld.
She and my aunt piled us all into the Buick station wagon. We left our Meadowcreek Village neighborhood and got onto I-45 North at Monroe, headed toward downtown. Right about that time Mom mentioned she knew about a new freeway and wanted to try taking it because she thought the new route would shorten our trip.
She found the new 45/610 connector ramp. There was an orange and white barricade partially blocking the entrance, but she drove around it. Some of us older kids began to notice and told her, "Mom, I don't think this road is open yet!"
She responded with something like, "It's okay, we won't be going very far."
Workers started waving at her and saying, "Lady, the road is closed!" But she kept driving. It was as if she didn't see them, which was uncharacteristic of her. She and my aunt were just talking like everything was normal.
Soon we were passing more construction areas. Workers were waving arms and flags and yelling, "Hey lady, get off the road!," etc., but she continued.
I was in the way-back of the station wagon and mortified they were yelling at us but couldn't duck out of sight. I was also petrified she would drive over an incomplete overpass and we'd all plunge to our deaths.
Between construction areas there were stretches of wide-open freeway and no other vehicles in sight. That part of the ride was cool. The concrete was pristine white and the road was so wide, we were all kind of in awe.
No one ever chased or stopped her. Thank goodness the Kirby exit ramp was complete. We made it to Astroworld in very quick time.
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