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Horsedoc's avatar
Horsedoc
Explorer II
Oct 20, 2013

I-81 to Bristol Rhode Island

I posted this on another site, but have not received any answers. Trying to plan route to avoid traffic in major cities:

Ole Southern boy needing some help please. I have to be in Bristol, Rhode Island next Friday 10/25 to deliver an auto. Shortest and most direct route takes me through DC and New York (just to mention a couple of nightmares) I really am trying to avoid I-95 and anything along the coast until I get past New York City. I am looking at running I-81 past DC into Scranton Pa and then I-84 to the northeast. When I get to Waterbury than try to work myself over toward I-95 on state routes, then run 95 into Rhode Island to the Warwick area. From there I guess I will get to Bristol in surface streets and roads.
My main concern is NOT getting stuck in traffic in some major city (it will be Friday) Help me out please guys, is this a viable plan to avoid NYC? How would you do it if you had my concerns with lots of traffic? I really don't worry about an extra 50 or 60 miles, (they pay me by the mile) I am not in a truck, just an SUV. I will need gasoline and a hotel someplace between Atlanta VERY early Thursday morning and a mid-day delivery on Friday in Bristol.
Hope I have not confused you guys. Thanks
Roads and Routes

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  • Horsedoc's avatar
    Horsedoc
    Explorer II
    Oct 28, 2013
    Well we made the delivery to RI with no problems. I81 to I84 and then let the GPS route us over the 95 and then up the Connecticut coast to RI. You guys have some beautiful country up there and the trees were about max color. *we did get some snow in Pennsylvania however. Just some flurries. The customer talked us into 95 south to the Geo Washington bridge then 78 to 81. NOT a good idea on a Friday at 3:00. Cross Bronx Xway was stop and go all the way to the river, traffic was just scary with the trucks jamming their way into your lane. The bridge was interesting and a huge thing - we were on the top deck. Jammed again on the Jersey turn pike at the toll plaza. Jam was with all the lanes to pick up a ticket tried to merge back into three.
    Glad I got to see the city, but will pass on another trip through there if I have to drive.
  • Horsedoc's avatar
    Horsedoc
    Explorer II
    Oct 22, 2013
    You guys are great and I so appreciate all the good info. It reinforces my desire to stay away from NY. If that place is anything like Atlanta on a Friday, then it will be a pain.
  • ct1964ups's avatar
    ct1964ups
    Explorer
    Oct 22, 2013
    Horsedoc,
    If you are leaving out of Atlanta...I would go up 75 to Knoxville to 40 to 81...then 81 all the way to 78 just pass Harrisburgh,Pa Stay on 78 to 287 north to 87 NORTH to Newburgh,NY...pickup 84 east into Ct.....stay on 84 pass Waterbury..then pickup 691 to 91 north..up 91 to RT 9 south...this is a divided 4 lane hwy....to 95 to RI....you should hit absolutely NO traffic....Chuck




    Horsedoc wrote:
    I posted this on another site, but have not received any answers. Trying to plan route to avoid traffic in major cities:

    Ole Southern boy needing some help please. I have to be in Bristol, Rhode Island next Friday 10/25 to deliver an auto. Shortest and most direct route takes me through DC and New York (just to mention a couple of nightmares) I really am trying to avoid I-95 and anything along the coast until I get past New York City. I am looking at running I-81 past DC into Scranton Pa and then I-84 to the northeast. When I get to Waterbury than try to work myself over toward I-95 on state routes, then run 95 into Rhode Island to the Warwick area. From there I guess I will get to Bristol in surface streets and roads.
    My main concern is NOT getting stuck in traffic in some major city (it will be Friday) Help me out please guys, is this a viable plan to avoid NYC? How would you do it if you had my concerns with lots of traffic? I really don't worry about an extra 50 or 60 miles, (they pay me by the mile) I am not in a truck, just an SUV. I will need gasoline and a hotel someplace between Atlanta VERY early Thursday morning and a mid-day delivery on Friday in Bristol.
    Hope I have not confused you guys. Thanks
  • Jarlaxle's avatar
    Jarlaxle
    Explorer II
    Oct 21, 2013
    Horsedoc wrote:
    I posted this on another site, but have not received any answers. Trying to plan route to avoid traffic in major cities:

    Ole Southern boy needing some help please. I have to be in Bristol, Rhode Island next Friday 10/25 to deliver an auto. Shortest and most direct route takes me through DC and New York (just to mention a couple of nightmares) I really am trying to avoid I-95 and anything along the coast until I get past New York City. I am looking at running I-81 past DC into Scranton Pa and then I-84 to the northeast. When I get to Waterbury than try to work myself over toward I-95 on state routes, then run 95 into Rhode Island to the Warwick area. From there I guess I will get to Bristol in surface streets and roads.
    My main concern is NOT getting stuck in traffic in some major city (it will be Friday) Help me out please guys, is this a viable plan to avoid NYC? How would you do it if you had my concerns with lots of traffic? I really don't worry about an extra 50 or 60 miles, (they pay me by the mile) I am not in a truck, just an SUV. I will need gasoline and a hotel someplace between Atlanta VERY early Thursday morning and a mid-day delivery on Friday in Bristol.
    Hope I have not confused you guys. Thanks


    Go 84 to 91 to I-90 (Mass Pike). Take state highway 146 south from the Pike, to I-195 in Providence. Take 195 into Massachusetts, Bristol is on that side of the bay.
  • bigdaddogg1's avatar
    bigdaddogg1
    Explorer
    Oct 20, 2013
    K Charles wrote:
    I don't see anyhing wrong with the Tapan Zee and 95 but if you must take 84 get on 691 east then 91 north then 84 east of Hartford then 684 and 6 to Providence. I still think there is nothing wrong with 95 east of NY. 81 78 287 then the Tapan Zee and 95 to Providence is the way I would go.


    X2 on this route. There shouldn't be a problem here unless the Tappan Zee has traffic. Once you get on 95 after 287, you're practically in Connecticut and the traffic will thin out pretty quickly.

    Have a safe trip!
  • Horsedoc's avatar
    Horsedoc
    Explorer II
    Oct 20, 2013
    paulj wrote:
    You might get more answers if you specify the start and ending points in the subject line. We all know you want the 'best route'. What we don't know is 'where to'. The shorter, more succinct the question, the quicker the answers.



    Took your advice. Thanks for the suggestion
  • TheGrinch's avatar
    TheGrinch
    Explorer
    Oct 20, 2013
    I'm kinda like you, Horsedoc.... I had to make a trip to NE a couple of years ago and took pretty much the same route... I-81 to I-84 and stayed the heck away from NYC. Was in NYC in '08 and what a mess.
    I made the comment to my parents, who lived in the PNW, "I'd rather drive the DC Beltway on Friday during rush-hour than drive I-5 in the Everett to Olympia area ANY time of the day." I feel the same way about I-95 going through NYC. I avoid it like the plague.
  • K_Charles's avatar
    K_Charles
    Explorer
    Oct 20, 2013
    I don't see anyhing wrong with the Tapan Zee and 95 but if you must take 84 get on 691 east then 91 north then 84 east of Hartford then 684 and 6 to Providence. I still think there is nothing wrong with 95 east of NY. 81 78 287 then the Tapan Zee and 95 to Providence is the way I would go.
  • deleted-2's avatar
    deleted-2
    Explorer
    Oct 20, 2013
    Doesn't Google Earth show routes to avoid traffic and even update tie-ups and slowdowns on the fly?

    Worth a try maybe anyhoo.
  • paulj's avatar
    paulj
    Explorer II
    Oct 20, 2013
    You might get more answers if you specify the start and ending points in the subject line. We all know you want the 'best route'. What we don't know is 'where to'. The shorter, more succinct the question, the quicker the answers.

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