Suggestions for Route to Florida from Maine

[GnP_Retirement_]

Hi All !
I've been trying to find a direct route to Florida from Maine. One major sticking point is the route through CT and NY. According to the routing folks, I can't drive an RV on the GW Bridge in NY and I haven't found good advice about alternative routes that have no RV restrictions (I was routed onto some "parkways" that had 8' height restrictions). There is also an advisory about propane restrictions in the tunnel near Baltimore.
Does anyone have a "tried and true" route I could follow ? Thanks !!!

[Bmach]

I always take I95 when going south from MA. It helps that we always travel at night so unless their is an accident it s a good way to go.

[Wrong_Lane]

Thanks

You got me thinking and remembered there is a website for Highway tolls in NY. I87 from Newburg to exit 15, where it meets I78 shows a toll for a four axle rig of $5.50, very affordable.

Thanks to everyone for help with modifications to my route.

[Padlin]

Wrong Lane wrote:
Thanks for the tip Padlin. Does staying on I84 then heading south on I87 add much in the way of tolls?

It adds the NY Turnpike (87) from 84 to 287. Can't say for sure but I do see a $3.05 bridge and $1.33 NYS highway charge on the bill when we went through last summer. Looks like $18 if you stay on to the MA turnpike which we did this fall. We have a 2 axle trailer.

Of course you loose the TappanZee charge.

[ct1964ups]

Padlin wrote:

Wrong Lane wrote:
I am doing this trip in March.

I was looking at I84 through Hartford, west to I684 south crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge on I287 south to I78 West and pick up I81 in Jonestown just before Harrisburg and then south as suggested.

It avoids the north part of I81.

The route I suggest is not mentioned often, Is this a poor choice? Heavy traffic or bad roads?

Any comments?

I sort of use this route going to York PA but get off 78 onto 222 outside Allentown. It's a good route, the only change I'd make to yours is I stay on 84 to the NY thruway (87), and take that S to 287. This adds about 10 minutes to the trip but avoids more of the NYC traffic and the Tappan Zee altogether. This is the route I'll use head south this weekend, barring bad weather.

Thanks Jim for the help getting around DC .

i second this 84 to 87 south to Sufferin to 287 to 78......the Newburgh bridge route so much better than getting stuck in White Plains to cross on the Tap
then fo 78 to 81...and if want to get lower on 95 because weather go out 81 to Pa/Md line and take 70 to 270 and around DC...you will be on westside of DC all ready,so easy ride around to 95...Chuck

[Wrong_Lane]

Thanks for the tip Padlin. Does staying on I84 then heading south on I87 add much in the way of tolls?

[Padlin]

Wrong Lane wrote:
I am doing this trip in March.

I was looking at I84 through Hartford, west to I684 south crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge on I287 south to I78 West and pick up I81 in Jonestown just before Harrisburg and then south as suggested.

It avoids the north part of I81.

The route I suggest is not mentioned often, Is this a poor choice? Heavy traffic or bad roads?

Any comments?

I sort of use this route going to York PA but get off 78 onto 222 outside Allentown. It's a good route, the only change I'd make to yours is I stay on 84 to the NY thruway (87), and take that S to 287. This adds about 10 minutes to the trip but avoids more of the NYC traffic and the Tappan Zee altogether. This is the route I'll use head south this weekend, barring bad weather.

Thanks Jim for the help getting around DC .

[Bmach]

Question for OP why do you think you cannot take an rv on the GW?

[Terry_25]

Wrong Lane: Good suggestion. I was going to make same. It gets you south quicker and as Jim says it avoids the hills and traffic in W-B and Scranton (where construction was a mess last time we went that way). I avoid I81 north of Harrisburg whenever possible.

[Big_Katuna]

Constant construction and when we tried it it was bumper to bumper stop and go.

[Wrong_Lane]

I am doing this trip in March.

I was looking at I84 through Hartford, west to I684 south crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge on I287 south to I78 West and pick up I81 in Jonestown just before Harrisburg and then south as suggested.

It avoids the north part of I81.

The route I suggest is not mentioned often, Is this a poor choice? Heavy traffic or bad roads?

Any comments?

[JimFromJersey]

Padlin wrote:
Question, what's the preferred route around DC, 495S? And around Richmond? Do you stay on 95S thru Richmond or take 295? SHOULD hit DC early afternoon, Richmond roughly 3-4 pm. Hopefully....

Google map shows 695 around Balt to 295S, to 495S around DC and 95S thru Richmond.

1) Yes, take the 495-S beltway around DC, just follow signs for Alexandria, etc, NOT "Bethesda" or "Tyson's Corner". When you hit the beltway coming south on I-95, staying EAST of town is what you want to do. Just look at any map.

2) I'd stay straight on I-95 through Richmond. It's less than half a dozen miles from top to bottom, and the 295 loop seems to be around 40 miles. As I noted in another thread a minute ago, I did it back just before Thanksgiving, and buzzed right through. Unless there's an accident or other screw up, you'll be fine. I doubt there'll be any
construction or other foul ups.

Traffic tends to be VERY heavy between DC and Fredericksburg, but as long as your going OPPOSED to rush hour, you should be ok.

Later edit:
Also, if for some reason the weather gets nasty again before the weekend, and you don't want to mess with the mountains, then get on the NJ turnpike south, take it to the Delaware Memorial, then 95 South to US 301 South. Follow 301 to the Bay Bridge across to Annapolis, then 50/301 to the 495 DC Beltway, and thusly as above.

Zeroing out accidents, road closures, construction or other variables, (which can happen anywhere, anytime), if it's crappy weather, and I have to drive, I'd rather drive on nice, flat, gently curving NJTP and US301 through the DelMarva, than I-81 through Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and the Poconos.

[Padlin]

If I can add another question to this thread. Heading to FL next weekend from central MA, preferred and planned route is 84 to 81 to 77 etc. If freezing rain or more snow is predicted in the mountains when we get ready to leave I'd like to have an alternate route on 95. Question, what's the preferred route around DC, 495S? And around Richmond? Do you stay on 95S thru Richmond or take 295? SHOULD hit DC early afternoon, Richmond roughly 3-4 pm. Hopefully....

Google map shows 695 around Balt to 295S, to 495S around DC and 95S thru Richmond.

[romore]

You can forget that route tonight. WOW!!!

[JimFromJersey]

Gosh, with all you guys avoiding I-95, that must be why I was able to do Port St Lucie to the Delaware Memorial Bridge in 16 hours the weekend after Thanksgiving!

Seriously, if you haven't driven it RECENTLY, it has been majorly improved. There's about 9 lanes in either direction between Baltimore and DC, and even the stretch south of DC towards Richmond is much better than it was a few years ago. As long as you are NOT flowing the same way as rush-hour traffic, it's not all that bad. Yeah, an accident can tie things up, but that's true anywhere.

US 301 is a nice road, but it will take about a week to get from Delaware to Jacksonville if you use it.

The OP doesn't really need a route from Maine to Florida - he needs one from Maine to Baltimore. Once south of Baltimore, it's pretty much a breeze no matter which route you take. Without more details on what the OP wants to avoid, or see, or his final destination, too many suggestions will simply confuse the issue.