I-95 North to South

[boot_scooter]

Please be patient with me. I will be leaving Arkansas in Sept heading to the East Coast. I have read terrible things about I-95 and it concerns me. The route that I am thinking about start at Scarborough, Me. where I will pick up I-95 and will stay on I-95 until I switch to I-93 through Boston (this concerns me also) and then I wil pick up I-95 again. I want to bypass NYC and it looks like I can do this by getting on I-287, then Hwy 206 where I will junction with I-95 again. From there,I don't think I will have any problems all the way to Virginia Beach. It looks as though I could take Hwy 1 and miss alot of I-95 and save myself alot of driving. I am not sure about the roads and they may be just a bad and I-95.
What do you all think????????

[JimFromJersey]

boot scooter wrote:
...I will pick up I-95 and will stay on I-95 until I switch to I-93 through Boston (this concerns me also) and then I wil pick up I-95 again. I want to bypass NYC and it looks like I can do this by getting on I-287, then Hwy 206 where I will junction with I-95 again. From there,I don't think I will have any problems all the way to Virginia Beach. It looks as though I could take Hwy 1 and miss alot of I-95 and save myself alot of driving. I am not sure about the roads and they may be just a bad and I-95.What do you all think????????

You lost me there. First, you're headed north towards Boston, on the other side of NYC, and then all of a sudden you're in Virginia Beach. Is there a Virginia Beach in Mass or Maine that I'm not aware of?

[boot_scooter]

To Anmacc2, Yes, my concern is the heavy and congested traffic around the major cities. I have no interest in seeing NYC( no offense to NYC people) so the bypass suggestions really help. Someone said that HWY 1 is a good road but slow moving because of all the gift shops and food joints. Since I am in no hurry, maybe this route might be enjoyable. Saying that,taking that route may not be the greatest of idea's, you see, my wife is a gift shop junke. By the way,I will be pulling a 34" 5th wheel.

[Gene_Ginny]

boot scooter wrote:
.. I have one more question and then I won't bother you anymore. ..

Not a bother, what else are we going to do on a cold night in February. 🙂

boot scooter wrote:
.. Hwy 1, is it a good road and would it work as an alternate route? ...

Rt 1 from Scarborough, Me south is good road BUT heavily built up. There is no shortage of clam shacks, burger joints, gas stations, gift shops, etc. etc. There are one or two sections you might even get up to 50mph but they are short.

An aside: The best lobster roll ANYWHERE is in Scarborough, Me Pine Tree Seafood & Produce It is take out only.

[Anmacc2]

What is your concern with I95? From the responses it seems that traffic/congestion is the concern being addressed. If that's the case some good suggestions were offered. Another would be to time your travels better. I live in South Florida on the East Coast. I have no issue with I95 all the way up the coast. I also have no issue with driving from 9:00pm until 6:00am through the heavily congested cities to avoid "rush hours". If your concerns are something other than traffic/congestion you might get very different responses.

[boot_scooter]

Thank you for all your input, gives me alot to think about. I have one more question and then I won't bother you anymore. Hwy 1, is it a good road and would it work as an alternate route? Since I am asking questions, are Hwy roads and roads in general good, average, or poor back here in the East.

[DrewE]

If you have lots of time and aren't interested in seeing the cities in particular, you might want to think about heading west through New Hampshire and Vermont and then south on I-87 to I-88 to I-81. One reasonable route, certainly not the only one, would be 25 into NH, north to Conway, and then either the Kanc (NH 112) or US302 through the White Mountains. Then I-93 N to US2 to I-89 (or stay on US2 where it parallels I-89, though the interstate is the better/quicker road in general). In the Burlington, VT area, take 7 south (I-189 to get from I-89 to 7), to 22A at Vergennes, to US 4 into NY. From there, cut over on 149 to the Lake George area and catch I-87 S.

If you go from I-87 to I-88 on I-90 there's no toll charge, by the way.

Some here dislike I-88 with a passion, but I've never found it to be a particularly bad road, certainly not recently. There is sometimes construction (which is true for most any road), and portions of it are concrete with periodic expansion joints, but nothing that's beat me up. Maybe some RVs have suspensions that resonate at the frequency of the expansion joints or something.

Anyhow, it's another option.

[Bumpyroad]

Drbolasky wrote:

. I-95 around Fredericksburg VA tends to very congested, in our experience. We've towed in and around the Baltimore & DC areas - traffic .

that is true for I-95 North of Fredericksburg .
South of FB is fine.
bumpy

[Crowe]

It is illegal for you to take propane through the I93 tunnel in Boston. Take the advice of whatever route you feel comfortable with that's been recommended above. When we head south we use 85/287/87/81/78 then pick up 95 just north of Baltimore. If others have preferred routes that avoid more of 95 I would take them.

[K_Charles]

I like I81 but it is to far west to use to myrtle beach. I like to go down the Delmar peninsula, 1 and 13 maybe then the bridge tunnel.
If you want 95 OK but take 495 around Boston.

[kohldad]

Unless you are wanting to visit DC, once you get on I81 stay on it until you get to I64 which will shoot you down to VA beach. From Harrisburg, PA to VA beach, the only big town you have to deal with is Richmond.

[Gene_Ginny]

I95 from Scarborough, Me to I495 is good road. I woud avoid I93 through Boston except maybe 5 am on a Sunday morning. I495 is an easy drive and good road to I90 West. I90 is a toll road (Mass Turnpike). You can avoid some of it by taking I290 through Worcester from I495.

I would also avoid I95 through Providence if you go that way. I295 is a much better route around Providence.

[Drbolasky]

I'll also suggest taking I-84 west in to PA, then Rt. 209 south through Milford, PA. Use the 209 south exit - do not go over to the Rt. 6 exit or you will hit bridge construction!! Rt. 209 through the Delaware River National Recreation Area to I-80 west, then Rt. 33 south. From there you have a couple of options - Rt. 33 delivers you right to I-78 and you can take this west to Harrisburg & I-81. You can also take Rt. 22 west with also links up with I-78 west. Finally would be staying on I-80 west over to I-81 south to Harrisburg - this would be my choice as Rt. 22 & I-78 see a lot of local traffic.

From I-81 take I-83 south, then Rt. 581 to Rt. 15 south. From there you can decide when & where you want to begin to work your way over to I-95. I-95 around Fredericksburg VA tends to very congested, in our experience. We've towed in and around the Baltimore & DC areas - traffic is very heavy except maybe at 3 in the morning. If there's an accident, you'll sit. Good luck & safe travels.

[Fire_Instructor]

I might suggest that you pick-up I-90WB in the Boston area, to I-84WB into NYS. From here, you could either head south on I-87 to I-287 as you mentioned, or head a bit further west and either turn south through the Delaware Water Gap (beautiful National Park) or further west to p/u I-81SB. From this area, you can pick multiple routes that will take you south of the DC area, without the NYC, NJ, Baltimore, and DC traffic nightmares.... I-78 to Harrisburg, then south on Route 15 (a 4-lane divided highway for the most part, are routes south that we've used multiple times! I like that one for the OTHER reason that it takes me past the Cabela's, in central PA. No better place to stop for a drivers break!