Most of the thousands of Gulf Coast residents who sought shelter in Central Texas as Hurricane Rita approached had returned home Monday, but about 200 remained in area facilities.

Waco officials report that 128 evacuees were still staying at the Waco Convention Center Monday and 17 special needs residents were still sheltered at Bledsoe Miller Recreation Center.

The Killeen Community Shelter still housed 78 evacuees Monday.

Gulf Coast evacuees who are preparing to return home can get information about road conditions by calling a Department of Public Safety number, 1-800-452-9292.

Shell Oil Co. and Motiva Enterprises LLC said Sunday that their North Houston and Pasadena distribution terminals were open to provide fuel for service stations in the Houston area, where widespread shortages occurred as residents fled Hurricane Rita.

The companies said the North Houston terminal reopened Saturday and had expected to supply at least 30 tankers or about 270,000 gallons of gasoline to area Shell stations.

The Pasadena terminal opened Saturday night, the companies said.

The companies said they would give priority to supplying fuel to locations used by emergency vehicles and those on main routes for residents returning to evacuated areas, including Interstate 45, Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 290.

Traffic was heavy again Monday on Highway 6 through Waco as residents continued to head home, but officials said traffic was generally moving smoothly in the Houston area.

The wait to go home will be longer for residents of the Beaumont-Port Arthur area, where it could take a month to restore essential services to all neighborhoods.

STAGGERED RETURN SCHEDULE

Monday: Residents may return to communities west of I-45 and south of I-10, including residents of Richmond, Stafford, Rosenberg, Sugarland, Pearland and surrounding communities, plus all Houston residents inside Loop I-610.

Tuesday: Residents may return to all remaining areas east of I-45 and north of I-10 up to the Liberty and Chamber county lines.

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