re: what is early morning traffic like? East side of Houston?

Just get a $10 roll of quarters to take with you. When you drive up there is a sign with the rate. There is a basket you can toss the coins in that funnels into the electronic counter. All the tolls should be in 25c increments. Everyone any Houston has an account with an EZ tag sticker on their window so most of us havent stopped at a toll booth in a decade.