Texas governor Rick Perry has asked media to make the following announcement. In the interests of public service, I’m passing it along.

As Texas coastal areas continue to evacuate, many Texans are experiencing traffic delays and gridlock on major routes leaving Houston. Texans are urged to stay calm and patient. Those who are evacuating have done the right thing by leaving well before Hurricane Rita makes landfall.

Working with local officials, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDoT) are taking the following measures:

Southbound lanes of Interstate Highway 45 have been reversed from FM 1488 to Dallas to ensure all lanes are open to traffic headed out of the Houston-Beaumont area. The same measures have been taken on Interstate Highway 10 between Katy and Seguin.

U.S. highways 59 and 290, as well as state highway 146 remain open, although traffic is moving slowly. DPS and TxDoT are working to ensure traffic signals and controls are adjusted to help traffic flow as quickly as possible.

Those who are about to run out of gas should pull to the side of the road. Fuel trucks are being positioned along major evacuation routes, including I-45, I-10 and U.S. 290 to get fuel to those who are low or out.

Again, Texans are urged to stay calm and patient as they evacuate.

Courtesy of Houston Chronicle’s Rita blog.