Houston Freeway Blogging for Peace

Tired of attending protests where the only people who see you are your fellow protestors?

Want to let the average Houstonian know that there are others who also want the US and Israel to stop their invasions and occupations in the Middle East?

Here's and easy and fun way for you and your signs to be seen by THOUSANDS of people during a weekday rush hour.  Join us as we hold up large signs and banners on one of the bridges over the Southwest Freeway and Gulf Freeway.  Short Videos   Photos   Photos on Indymedia   Houston Chronicle article

Please join us on one of the bridges over US-59 (Southwest Freeway) and I-45 (Gulf Freeway) in Houston:

• TUESDAY's and FRIDAY's, on the Montrose Blvd. bridge over the SW Freeway Map
• Tuesday and Friday evenings starting about an hour before sundown

Theme: Support peace . Protest the occupation of Iraq.

• Park on Woodrow St., just north of the bridge.
• If you have questions about the Tuesday or Friday protests, call Don Cook at 713-705-5594. 

• WEDNESDAY's, on the Mandell St. bridge over the SW Freeway   Map
  
• Wednesday evenings starting about an hour before sundown
• Themes:  Israel out of Palestine, Stop Israeli Cruelty, No war with Iran.
• Park on side streets Vasser and Castle Court ONLY.
• For more information about the Wednesday protests, contact Bob Carter at or 713-771-9439.

• Varying days, on the pedestrian bridge over the Gulf Freeway, just south of the south 610 loop:

• varying evenings 4:30 until 6:30 PM, plus occasional mornings 7:00-8:00 AM
• Theme:  End the Iraq occupation, bring the troops home 
• For more information about these protests, contact Cheryl Crosier at or 713-515-6370.
• Location: Gulf Freeway at Southern St. (from the west) or Gulf Freeway at Auburn St. (from the east)  Map

Bring your enthusiasm and any relevant signs or banners that you'd like to display, and clothing suitable for standing in the weather for an hour or so. Remember that lettering on signs should be LARGE (min. 10 inches high), with only a few words per sign, so drivers can read them easily.

About 70-80% of the folks in the cars below who respond do so positively -- even better than we had hoped. 
We always have a great time and it feels really good to speak out and stand up for your beliefs!
Those who want to eat and visit with others frequently go out to eat at a nearby restaurant afterwards.

Suggestions for signs:

• Anything related to peace is fine: "Peace Now", "Honk for Peace", "Bring 'em Home Now", "End Operation Iraq Quagmire", "______ (group name) for Peace", "Call Congress - Troops Home Now", etc.
• Keep the signs large but simple, with only a few words per sign.
• Be sure lettering on signs is LARGE -- letters should be at least 10-12 inches high, with the ink or paint strokes 1 to 1.5 inches wide, so drivers can see them easily. For traffic moving westbound in the evening, it helps to make the lettering even bigger, because the sun won't be shining on the sign and drivers will be looking towards the sun. This is why we generally only hold up signs for the eastbound traffic in the afternoon/evening.
• Most of the bridges on the SW freeway have vertical posts spaced about 8 ft apart for the fences, although the distance varies some. So either make your signs a maximum of 7 ft wide, or allow for a vertical gap in the middle where the fence support can be.
• The height of your sign should be about 4.5 ft high or less, so the upper horizontal fence pole doesn't block it.
• Also for the SW fwy bridges, leave a gap of about 8 inches at the bottom. The bottom part of your sign will be blocked when you set it down on the bridge by the bottom horizontal pole of the fence, and you want to make sure drivers can see the bottom of your sign.
• Fold the signs in a zig-zag/accordion style with the folds VERTICAL - important!, so they'll fit in your car easily but not collapse when you stand them up on the bridge.
• For more ideas for signs, and photos, see the national freeway blogger web site. (Note that in Houston, though, most people hold the signs up during rush hour rather than attaching the signs to freeway overpasses.)