If you absolutely have to do I95 in the NY Metro area...
...do it on a Sunday. We normally avoid I-95 like the plague, especially the continuing construction area around New Haven. Our alternate route takes us up Rt 9 to Middeltown CT to pick up 691 and I84 to I87. From there we have several routes around various big city traffic problems that are less stressful and scenic.
However, we are headed south late and are picking CGs in the north that are open this time of year, and Timberlane near Philly was the pick. From here we go to Fredricksburg KOA and Carolina Crossroads.
I like to keep the legs to 250 miles so it made sense to do the Garden State Parkway to the Turnpike to get to southern Jersey. So we did I-95 through Conn., across the Tappan Zee Bridge and picked up the parkway on the other side.
Traffic was moderate, but most notable was the absence of trucks. Anyone who frequents I-95 in CT knows that it's 2 lanes and when one 18 wheeler tries to pass another, it forms a rolling roadblock. Along with the lighter Sunday traffic, the construction in New Haven appears to be close to completion (I would hope so after 20 years!) and the new bridge/interchange with I-91 north is in good shape with 4 lanes available.
I've seen people question whether the northern end of the GSP is suitable for tall rigs, and I can say that the shortest underpass I saw was 12'6" and that was in the shoulder lane. The arched overpasses are all 13+ in the middle lane. An added bonus of driving the middle lane is that you don't have to deal with the mergers. Apparently, it's not a skill taught in New Jersey.
However, we are headed south late and are picking CGs in the north that are open this time of year, and Timberlane near Philly was the pick. From here we go to Fredricksburg KOA and Carolina Crossroads.
I like to keep the legs to 250 miles so it made sense to do the Garden State Parkway to the Turnpike to get to southern Jersey. So we did I-95 through Conn., across the Tappan Zee Bridge and picked up the parkway on the other side.
Traffic was moderate, but most notable was the absence of trucks. Anyone who frequents I-95 in CT knows that it's 2 lanes and when one 18 wheeler tries to pass another, it forms a rolling roadblock. Along with the lighter Sunday traffic, the construction in New Haven appears to be close to completion (I would hope so after 20 years!) and the new bridge/interchange with I-91 north is in good shape with 4 lanes available.
I've seen people question whether the northern end of the GSP is suitable for tall rigs, and I can say that the shortest underpass I saw was 12'6" and that was in the shoulder lane. The arched overpasses are all 13+ in the middle lane. An added bonus of driving the middle lane is that you don't have to deal with the mergers. Apparently, it's not a skill taught in New Jersey.
