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allbrandauto's avatar
allbrandauto
Explorer
Jun 20, 2016

baltimore to maine

going from Baltimore to maine in july looking for best way to avoid traffic and tolls
  • 83 to Harrisburg
    81 to Scranton
    84 to Sturbridge
    90 to 495 around Boston
    You are now in Maine.
    This avoids the majority of traffic in the DC and NY corridors.

    Enjoy!
    We are now near Boston (left DC in April), plan to be in Maine in August. There are some great things to see along the way.
  • dahkota wrote:
    83 to Harrisburg
    81 to Scranton
    84 to Sturbridge
    90 to 495 around Boston
    You are now in Maine.
    This avoids the majority of traffic in the DC and NY corridors.

    Enjoy!
    We are now near Boston (left DC in April), plan to be in Maine in August. There are some great things to see along the way.
    X2
  • dahkota wrote:
    83 to Harrisburg
    81 to Scranton
    84 to Sturbridge
    90 to 495 around Boston
    You are now in Maine.
    This avoids the majority of traffic in the DC and NY corridors.


    Yep. X2
  • Dahkota's route, except I did I-81 to Scranton last year and it was construction and rough road between Harrisburg and Scranton. Maybe some local will chime in and update the road conditions there, but if not, I recommend either I-78 to I-287 over the Tappan Zee to I-684 to I-84 or I-80 to US209 to I-84.

    Also the eastern end of I-84 in PA had some bridge construction.
  • dahkota wrote:
    83 to Harrisburg
    81 to Scranton
    84 to Sturbridge
    90 to 495 around Boston
    You are now in Maine.
    This avoids the majority of traffic in the DC and NY corridors.

    Enjoy!
    We are now near Boston (left DC in April), plan to be in Maine in August. There are some great things to see along the way.


    Well, not quite. you forgot about I95... You have to go through the great state of NH to get to ME.

    Actually, that is the best route by far. It's further, but quicker. The only tuff sport is the Harford CT area. Plan your time there to avoid rush hours or weekend traffic. Also I95 in NH & ME, don't be on this road on weekends, super busy going into ME, all the way up to Portland.
  • jplante4 wrote:
    Dahkota's route, except I did I-81 to Scranton last year and it was construction and rough road between Harrisburg and Scranton. Maybe some local will chime in and update the road conditions there...


    Happen to be on 81 between Harrisonburg and Scranton this morning (I'm not driving obviously.) We passed a 7-mile one-lane stretch of construction but it moved quickly. Yep, pretty rough road in some places, otherwise fairly standard for Interstate. Trucks, curves and hills.

    But we definitely prefer it versus I-95 through the NE corridor.

    Pretty light traffic on a Monday morning by the way.

    Edited to add - more construction at Wilkes Barre on 81 with 45 mph speed limit. But still light traffic and moving well.
  • jplante4 wrote:
    Dahkota's route, except I did I-81 to Scranton last year and it was construction and rough road between Harrisburg and Scranton. Maybe some local will chime in and update the road conditions there, but if not, I recommend either I-78 to I-287 over the Tappan Zee to I-684 to I-84 or I-80 to US209 to I-84.

    Also the eastern end of I-84 in PA had some bridge construction.


    Like Dahkota's route with 83 to Harrisburg;81 to the 78/81 split...
    .go 78 to rt 22 thru Allentown to rt 33 north
    33 north to 80 east to exit 309
    and then rt 209 to 84
    84 to 90
    90 to 495 t0 95
    Chuck
  • Try to plan the trip on google and avoid tolls. It will give you several options.
  • crasster wrote:
    Try to plan the trip on google and avoid tolls. It will give you several options.


    Tolls are a fact of life here in NE. Take the "scenic rt" (cheap way) and you've doubled the drive time and if you hit Rt. 1 you'll can extend it to days longer.

    You could take the route up through VT then cross over on Rt. 2 to Bangor ME, but then again you're still adding a lot more time and miles onto the trip.

    I live in this area and I know what summer traffic is like, pay the tolls and stay on the interstates.