Mass. To NJ Tpk.

[Wandering_Storm]

We have been traveling to Florida using Mass Pike to NY thruway to 87 south to 287 around the loop to the NJ Tpk. for our first stop in NJ just above the Deleware Memorial Bridge. A long way to be sure but we do it for two reasons. 1. Road conditions and 2. Avoiding the Garden State Parkway because we are 12 foot plus high and 81/2 feet wide with a Honda CRV toad. This year we are looking at Rt. 84 through Ct. But 684 in NY is terrible. Instead of 684 I would take 84 further west to 87 south and continue to 287 etc. What is the condition of 84 from 684 interchange to 87? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Leaving Dec 28th. Thanks John McD

[maznchle]

Wandering Storm, I live here in florida now for all most 5 yrs before that mass for 75 yrs....been coming to fl for over twenty five yrs. We had children in N.J. and used the GSP many times on our way to Fl, Just watch your mirrors at the tolls. we did a couple of times take the gsp down to Cape May and the Ferry across to Lewes dellaware then south. Most often we take mass pike to 84 to Scranton Pa, Then 81 south to 77 south to 26 to 95 to 10 to 301 to 75 to exit 191 home A littlonger but no tolls except a small one on the mass pike.I am 32ft and a jeep liberty in tow and we like the ride better than 95 but ya got to watch the weather,,,77 and 81 campground Ft Clinch is good stop..happy travels paul..

[esyers]

Lumpty

You and I are agreeing. 🙂

[Lumpty]

esyers wrote:

Crabbypatty wrote:
Your not supposed be on the GSP sout of exit 105 regardless if you fit under the bridges or not. Take yourchnaces and ruin your trip! Last time southbound I took 78 to 81. SO Much better than 95. The only way I would change that is to take 13 south through Delaware.

If I were in Mass I would go west to 81 South

Happy Trails!

A quick google search reveals:
Commercial trucks with a registered weight of over 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) are not allowed to use the northern parts of the parkway. All trucks must exit at exit 105, just past the Asbury Park toll.

Lots of misinformation again. Motorhomes and travel trailers are allowed on the full length of the Garden State Parkway. See the link to toll rates at all plazas; if it was illegal why would these be published?

http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/documents/2016parkwaytollrates.pdf

At milepost 105 south to Cape May, the GSP is open to -all- vehicles, including 18-wheeler semi's.

I've been a NJ resident for all of my 53 years. I know a bit about toll roads here.

[jplante4]

Crabbypatty wrote:
Your not supposed be on the GSP sout of exit 105 regardless if you fit under the bridges or not. Take yourchnaces and ruin your trip!

If the OP is headed for Timberlane ( a popular stop when going south because it's the northern-most CG open all year on I-95 ), then he'll be hoping off at I-95 (exit 129 I think).

[esyers]

Crabbypatty wrote:
Your not supposed be on the GSP sout of exit 105 regardless if you fit under the bridges or not. Take yourchnaces and ruin your trip! Last time southbound I took 78 to 81. SO Much better than 95. The only way I would change that is to take 13 south through Delaware.

If I were in Mass I would go west to 81 South

Happy Trails!

A quick google search reveals:
Commercial trucks with a registered weight of over 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) are not allowed to use the northern parts of the parkway. All trucks must exit at exit 105, just past the Asbury Park toll.

[Crabbypatty]

Your not supposed be on the GSP sout of exit 105 regardless if you fit under the bridges or not. Take yourchnaces and ruin your trip! Last time southbound I took 78 to 81. SO Much better than 95. The only way I would change that is to take 13 south through Delaware.

If I were in Mass I would go west to 81 South

Happy Trails!

[DrewE]

jplante4 wrote:
I-88 is bad but they are working on it. I think the worse section is eastbound at the Binghampton end. The last tine I ran eastbound on I-88 (May this year) I ran the left lane until someone came up behind me.

They've fixed a large portion of that section. The first two or three miles eastbound are still somewhat rough, but after that short bit it's smooth now. (I last went down the weekend before Thanksgiving, and work was ongoing then with single lanes and two-way traffic in places. Returning the following weekend, they had apparently finished up for the year and all lanes in both directions were open.)

[Lumpty]

I think the OP has it that he's not allowed on the Garden State Parkway, as "parkways" are off-limits to RV's in New York and Connecticut. Not the case in NJ.

[esyers]

I can't address 87, but I'm 12 feet high and I've traveled the entire Garden State Parkway from one end to the other many times with no issues.

[jplante4]

I-88 is bad but they are working on it. I think the worse section is eastbound at the Binghampton end. The last tine I ran eastbound on I-88 (May this year) I ran the left lane until someone came up behind me.

The only issue with I-81 all the way in December is weather. I-95, being closer to the coast, will get less adverse weather (read icing).

[DrewE]

I'm not sure where the Garden State Parkway comes in for your usual route? The turnpike and the GSP are not the same road....

At any rate, I would generally also go I-84 to I-81 and take I-81 south all the way to either I-77 or I-75, depending where in Florida I was going. For western MA, it might make more sense to take the pike/I-90 to I-88 to I-81. (I-88 has a reputation of being unbearably rough, but that has not been my experience. Much of it is quite nice at the moment as they've done quite a bit of maintenance/repaving over the past year or two or three and several portions are basically brand new.)

[jplante4]

You can do the GSP with that height. I'm assuming your first stop is Timberlane in Clarksboro?

Here are the alternates I've actually done. You'll need to check the availability of CGs open year round.

Mass Pike to I-84 to Scranton then I-81 to US17/US50 for Fredricksburg VA. The Fredricksburg KOA is open all winter. You'll need to find an overnight around Harrisburg.

Mass Pike to I-84 to US209 to I-80 to I-78 or directly to I-81 then as above.

Your route around the bend on I-287, but pick up I-78 to Harrisburg then I-81 as above.

[K_Charles]

We try to go a different way from time to time and 84 to 87 would be the best way.

[ford_truck_guy]

Wandering view wrote:
We have been traveling to Florida using Mass Pike to NY thruway to 87 south to 287 around the loop to the NJ Tpk. for our first stop in NJ just above the Deleware Memorial Bridge. A long way to be sure but we do it for two reasons. 1. Road conditions and 2. Avoiding the Garden State Parkway because we are 12 foot plus high and 81/2 feet wide with a Honda CRV toad. This year we are looking at Rt. 84 through Ct. But 684 in NY is terrible. Instead of 684 I would take 84 further west to 87 south and continue to 287 etc. What is the condition of 84 from 684 interchange to 87? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Leaving Dec 28th. Thanks John McD

Staying on 84 west to 87 south is the usual way I travel from CT to NE PA every 4-5 weeks. that portion of 84 and 87 is just fine, and I doubt you will have any issues. I like the Newburgh bridge better than the Tapp anyway, always seems to move more freely and less congestion .. ..