Suppose someone were to move from Boston to Washington DC in a fully loaded small car along with a small dog. All things being equal-ish, with neither time nor distance of the essence, but having no wish to stop in NYC, it feels like a good idea to avoid the area all together. Is this right thinking? Is this a situation where adding an extra 100 highway miles saves 4 hours in city traffic?
Option one is to drive south from Boston across Connecticut then to Scranton, Pa south to, Harrisburg, to DC.
Second is to suck it up and take the 90/95 route through the city.
There must be a preferred way? WDTLD? What do the locals do?
You're life savers thank you so very much.
Toad
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While I am not personally familiar with the area, my strategy is too always avoid the city traffic if possible.Too many crazies per highway mile.
What I usually do is loop around greater NY.
In practice, this means (if you're driving from Boston to DC) getting off 95S and taking 287 as it curves around to the west, south, and finally east back to 95S -- which at that point is the New Jersey Turnpike.
From Scranton to DC is no fun, and a time-waster to boot. Driving through NYC over the GW Bridge is a nightmare always. Driving west through CT one is apt to encounter construction delays, and even if not, it saves no time.
BTW, the best time to do this would probably be early Sunday morning.
Take the Mass Pike to 84 to 684 to 287 (at that point 287 is the Cross Westchester)over the Tappan Zee Bridge and down the Jersey side of the river.
You can also do the Pike to 91 to the Merritt to the Hutchinson River Pkwy to 287 and over the bridge.
The Mass Pike to 84 to 287 and Tappan Zee is wisest methinks. Timing is key...if a weekday, you want to be on NY roads only between 10 am to 2 pm to be assured of minimal traffic. Weekends dont matter so much.
Although I have no clue and am as helpful as an umbrella in Texas, I wanted to wish you and the Mrs. a wonderful, celebratory 4th of July. Sounds like a fun road trip is in your near future. Safe travels to you Toad.
Cheers ~ Deb
Methinks a road trip is in my future, but I haven't given up hope yet.
I've done this trip a billion times. 90W out of Boston, 84W towards Harford. 91S in Hartford. 91S to 95S (the NYC section is not bad at all... seriously... you only go across the GW Bridge). Then the NJ Turnpike S, heavily laden with helpful rest stops and only one toll. Pick up 95S from there out. If it is Toad who is traveling, your first stop is in Boston for a drink as a guest of Yankee-Whisky-Papa the evening before the trip in question.
I would disagree......I have been stuck on too many occassions in bumper to bumper for as much as two hours to get through to the GWB.....if I am not stopping in the City, the Scranton route is in my experience at least less frustrating.
Agree with going over the Tappan Zee Bridge to avoid getting stuck in City traffic. Bring an audiobook to listen to, it's a long trip.
This is probably too little and too late, but as one born and raised in
Scranton, educated in DC, employed these last 30 years in Harrisburg and who vacations regularly in Maine, I cannot recommend the Hartford-Scranton-Harrisburg route too highly. A little long, but rarely any traffic and in some parts at least terrifically scenic.
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