Rhode Island to Wisconsin

[Jarlaxle]

Doing this in late March...not sure yet if it will be the bus or a car. I'm not a fan of the NYS Thruway (I-90), but would this be a better ride than I-80? (But geez...the toll just in NY will be $37!) 😞

What are fuel prices like in New York?

[Jarlaxle]

If I time it right, I will time hitting Chi-town to avoid rush hour. On the trip, I have navigation with real-time traffic on my phone, which I expect will help when I'm getting close.

[lane_hog]

Lake Geneva is a tough call.... used to drive that way twice a month in the 70's and 80's...

It's about 90 minutes from O'Hare Airport on any of the various ways involving US12 (I-94 to IL173 to US12, I-90 to IL 53 to US 12, I-90 to IL31 to US 12) and you'll have lots of stop lights & traffic.

My first choice would probably be I-94 to WI-50, but I have no clue as to how built up it is today.

Heading across I-80 to I-39 and I-43 may actually save time and gas with the local speed limits and all the stops & starts, and certainly will be faster running and cheaper fuel... But it is out of the way, and if you hit Chicago at the right time, the tollways do run fairly well now that there is open tolling. EZPass worked the last time I checked, so you might want to get one before leaving if you don't already have one.

[Jarlaxle]

markandkim wrote:
I 2nd I-70.

Time is a factor (if not, I'd take US 30 from Youngstown)--how much longer would that be?

[paulj]

You could take I39 and I43 to Lake Geneva. That bypasses most of Chicago except for the I80 stretch across the south side. But it also adds 100 miles to the most direct route (I90/94). What's the trade off between distance and traffic? I would expect traffic leaving New England would be just as bad.

[markandkim]

I 2nd I-70.

[Jarlaxle]

Going to Lake Geneva...and dreading Chicago. 😞 I planned to take the Turnpike across Ohio & Indiana.

[Dennis_M_M]

If it were me (and I have done both) would take I-84 to I-81 to I-80 to I-76 to I-71 to I-70 to
I-74 to I-39 to I-94 & North.

Seems round about, but you miss tolls & traffic on Ohio and Indiana toll roads and the traffic around the South of Chicago. Even if you were going to Eastern WI I would still recommend I-39 to avoid the traffic around the Chicago metro area.