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Kdbrown13's avatar
Kdbrown13
Explorer
Sep 06, 2018

Hartford Ct to Scranton Pa?

Anyone know how I84 is? I’m pulling a travel trailer and am still a rookie. My northbound trip from Ga to Me had some pretty scary stretches and I’m looking for a calmer trip south. Advice?

9 Replies

  • Guess I missed the part where you were already in Hartford - I saw the part about Maine... FYI - just on I-88 3 days ago (in the rain...). 88 has a long stretch of concrete surface, so it's a bit like riding on a train... Traffic is light, so easy to ride in left lane until traffic approaches from behind. Binghampton has a confusing interchange due to road construction, but not too bad. Still avoids the high tolls on I-87! Safe travels!
  • We took that route and did fine. I’m sure it’s no worse than when folks dive 85 south they atlanta which I can just about do with my eyes shut! Thanks for the input. We
    Made it safely to western NY and are nearing 81.
  • I-84 through Connecticut is not, in my opinion, horrible. It's not fun, but it's not that bad either in my experience. There is some urban freeway driving, of course, and traffic. As of about a week ago, I-84 west through New York had some very rough pavement.

    If you're starting in Hartford and heading to Scranton, there aren't a lot of logical alternatives I can see.
  • We travel from Oh to south of Boston on family trips. Consider going around Hartford. Pick up 15 and then south of Hartford and then back to 84. Always avoided thru Hartford if at all possible.

    They have been widening a lot of 84 the last few years so it has gotten better.

    Going thru any large city area any where in the whole US is or can be an issue. We go south thru Atlanta. Time of the day is a serious consideration.
  • Once you get OUT of the problem areas ( Hartford, Waterbury, Danbury ) you should be fine on 84....

    Like stated above, seams like a waste of time to go North to NH just to go South again... especially when Binghampton is a solid hour from Scranton ..
    AND taking 90-88 takes you threw Albany and Schenectady AND Binghampton..

    If starting in NH, YES, Starting in Hartford ,stay on 84

    via 84 - 3 hrs-11 minutes/192 miles
    via 91N-90W-88W-81S -4 hrs-45 minutes/300 miles
  • Loggenrock's route is fine starting from NH, but if you start from Hartford, the time spent in traffic through Waterbury and Danbury on I-84 is nothing compared to going north on I-93 to pick up the Mass Pike or Rt 9. From Hartford, I-84 is the only reasonable route timewise. Also I-88 from Albany to Binghampton was pretty rough, although members who live up that way swear it's been fixed.

    It's been a few years, but the only part of I-84 that was an issue (once west of CT) was the first few miles in PA. They were doing bridge construction and it was down to 1 lane. I'm sure that's over now.
  • I HATE I-84 in CT west of Hartford! Even with family in the area I still avoid it (actually like my family, too...!). When we head to PA from NH I take Rte 9 across southern VT into Troy/Albany, NY, then I-88 to Binghamton, NY, where I pick up I-81 south. MUCH better travelling conditions! Just did that trip again about 2 weeks ago.