Interstate 45 (I-45) runs between the cities of Dallas and Houston. When people (usually sports fans) from one of those cities hurl insults at the other city, a popular phrase is: “The best thing to come out of Dallas (or Houston) is I-45.”
The phrase dates from the early 1990s. Infrequently, “the best thing to come out of Houston” is also said to be I-10.
Wikipedia: Interstate 45
Interstate 45 (I-45) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico.
I-45 replaced U.S. 75 over its entire length, although portions of U.S. 75 remained parallel to I-45 until its elimination south of downtown Dallas in 1987. At the south end of I-45, State Highway 87 (formerly part of U.S. 75) continues into downtown Galveston. The north end is at Interstate 30 in downtown Dallas, where U.S. 75 used the Good-Latimer Expressway. A short continuation, known by traffic reporters as the “I-45 overhead”, signed as part of US 75, and officially Interstate 345, continues north to the merge with former U.S. 75. Traffic can use Spur 366 to connect to Interstate 35E at the north end of I-345.
The portion of I-45 between Galveston and downtown Houston is known as the Gulf Freeway. The short Pierce Elevated connects this to the North Freeway, which leads to Conroe. I-45 and I-345 in the Dallas area, north of the interchanges with Interstate 20 and State Highway 310 (old U.S. 75), is the Julius Schepps Freeway. The Gulf Freeway and North Freeway both include reversible High-occupancy vehicle lanes for buses and other high-occupancy vehicles to and from downtown Houston.
Wikipedia: Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (abbreviated I-10) is the southernmost east-west, coast-to-coast interstate highway in the United States. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) in Santa Monica, California to Interstate 95 in Jacksonville, Florida.
30 May 1995, Washington (DC) Post:
When a San Antonio guy wrote that the best thing to come out of Houston was Interstate 10, someone from Space City responded: “Does Paris even acknowledge Marseille?” He then spent around 800 words acknowledging.
3 June 1995, Dallas (TX) Morning News:
Anyone who still believes the best thing to come out of Houston is I-45 North has not been paying attention.
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Robert R. Ramirez)
Date: 1995/06/05
Subject: Re: BB frogs
“The best thing to come out of Dallas is I-45.”
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Patrick L. Humphrey)
Date: 1996/05/10
Subject: Re: Texas’ Team
—Patrick L. “good Houstonians know the only good thing to come out of Dallas is I-45” Humphrey
Sports Illustrated
September 9, 2002
Letters
Your interview with several Texans fans once again validates the old Texas saying, The best thing to ever come out of Houston? Interstate 45 to DALLAS! Win five Super Bowls and let’s talk in 30 years.
KENT DOUGLAS, Piano, Texas
Atlas Model Railroad Forum Archive
FullScalePilot
Posted - 02/25/2004 : 00:31:31
The best thing to come out of Dallas is I-45 South (To Houston)
Fade In/Fade Out Productions MySpace Blog
Sunday, August 21, 2005
You Know You’re A Texan
(...)
If you think the best thing to come out of Dallas is I-45 South to Houston, baby!
BaadAssGremlins
From: “Eddie Stakes”
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 18:36:31 -0500
The only good thing to come out of Dallas is I-45.
Pre-Game Thread—Dynamo v FCD—BigSoccer
18 Aug 2007, 07:13 PM
The Only Good Thing To Come Out Of Dallas Is I-45.
Houston (TX) Chronicle—NFL Blog
Always remember, the best thing to come out of Dallas is 45 southbound to Houston.
(...)
Posted by: Texan Steve at August 29, 2007 12:16 PM
Houston (TX) Chronicle—NFL Blog
THE BEST THINGS TO COME OUT OF DALLAS ARE I-45 AND THE CHEERLEADERS
Posted by: JOE at November 30, 2007 11:47 AM