Towing through New York City

[Dave5143]

I've towed my trailer up and down the mountains of Colorado and California. I've gone up Interstate 5 up California (horrible road surface). I've been stuck in Seattle traffic tie-ups. I've towed in rain and high winds without getting blown out of my lane. A few anxious moments but nothing truly frightening.
My next trip involves towing my travel trailer from Jersey City to Boston over I-95. This involves driving across the George Washington Bridge and over the Cross-Bronx Expressway. Frankly, that scares the **** out of me. What a maze! I'm afraid I'll miss a key exit and wind up on some sketchy surface street without a clue of what to do next.
Am I being being overly terrified or should I just be mildly concerned?
Any tips of what to watch for to make sure I'm in the optimum lane(s) to get through New York City without experiencing any white knuckle experiences?

[Merrykalia]

Several years ago, we did a NE 45-day trip. We were heading south from Maine and we were heading to Liberty Harbor RV Park. We left Foster, RI about 10 am, on what we thought would be a quick 3-hour trip. It took us over 10 hrs. We sat in basically stopped traffic almost all day and evening. It was HORRIBLE! We had 2 kids in the truck that got restless, angry, and full of pee! If you can find another way around, even if it's more miles, take it!

[Crowe]

I'd take Lumpty's route. Have done that many times and yes, some of the CT cities are a PITA but are preferable to NYC any day.

Ignore the people who think you are making too much of this. You aren't. I have the utmost respect for people who admit they are squeamish in certain driving situations. You aren't weak-you are pragmatic. I lived within 30 miles of Boston for the first 57 years of my life and learned to drive in and around the city. I'll tackle just about anywhere but unless I had no other choice I would avoid NYC.

[gbopp]

KD4UPL wrote:
I'd drive a couple hundred miles out of the way before I towed a trailer thru NYC.

NYC and Chicago.
But, I don't have to be towing to give those cities a wide berth.

[NRALIFR]

Proof we wuz there........

The boss had some business appointments in Washington DC, Trenton, NJ, Farmingdale, NY (on Long Island), and finally NYC on Manhattan. I decided to chauffeur her into NYC in the TC rather than fly/hotel/cab/Uber etc. It was an adventure to say the least. Traffic, tolls, traffic, bridges, traffic, parkways (stayed off 🙂 ). And then there was the traffic!

We got very lucky in Manhattan, and found a place to park for about 3 hours about a block away from her appointment, and it wasn’t even a metered spot! I stayed with the truck in case I needed to move.

Leaving NYC, we drove north the length of Manhattan on Madison Ave, and left by crossing the Madison bridge.

Anyways, here’s proof we wuz there with the TC. Didn’t do anything else in NYC but take care of business. BTDT, don’t need to do it again.





:):)

[DrewE]

I've driven my motorhome through New York City (well, through a good portion of it) a couple times now. I wouldn't do it unless it was unavoidable, as indeed was the case for me as I was going to camp in Brooklyn at Floyd Bennett Field.

At least at the times I've been through, on the expressways I took, it was hard but not impossible driving. Changing lanes took a little patience and isn't a passive exercise, but people didn't seem to actively try to prevent me from getting where I needed to go. Things move fairly slowly. The pavement is on the rough side. I didn't get to admire the sights much.

I definitely would not recommend it for anyone who's not completely comfortable with driving their RV, who doesn't yet have a quite good intuitive feel for where the limits of the vehicle are both side to side and front to back. I'm sure that the difficulty varies with different days of the week and times of the day, as well. Surface streets are another matter entirely, of course, and many have vehicle or height limitations.

Anyway, if possible, I completely agree with everyone else that it's easiest and wisest to go around New York City rather than through it.

[Blazing_Zippers]

Over 1.5 million miles behind me, and one of the absolute BEST sights I've ever seen is New York City in my mirrors! Well, that and a fresh hot Costco chicken.

[K_Charles]

I'm taking the GW Bridge tomorrow morning it's free if you go south. To much rain to go down 81.
Tappan Zee is the short way to go north but as others have said, I almost always go up the NY thruway to 84, it's the calm way to go. If you want to miss Hartford take 691 over to 91.

[Dutch_12078]

In fairness to the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, the official name of the old bridge was the "Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge".

[Lumpty]

I-95 is frequently full of traffic until east of New Haven. I have several friends that live in Fairfield County. It can take an hour to go 10 miles at anytime of day.

[Dave5143]

I'm glad I asked. You all have justified my fears. I'll do the bridge formerly known as the Tappan Zee route to get over to I95 somewhere near Port Chester. May also consider I684 as another option.

[Lumpty]

I'm local; I-78 west to the Garden State Parkway, to I-287 (NY Thruway) east to 684 to 84 is the most direct way other than the GW to CBX.

Depending on the time of day, Hartford can be a PITA. If it's raining, or hitting Hartford during either the morning or evening rush hours, the better option believe it or not is when at the Thruway to take it (I-287 west/I-87 north) to the I-90 Mass Pike Extension. More miles but frequently shorter time wise. Yes, traffic in the Northeast can be bad enough that driving another 50 miles can save about an hour.

[CA_Traveler]

Almost 2x the Golden Gate Bridge south bound cost with my 3 axle MH (one dually of course) plut the car - 5 axles. North bound free.

Do they also charge you to get out of NYC?

Many Many years ago with a young family the GW bridge said I'd have to exit after the bridge and not go through the tunnel with propane. But someone would meet me and help out... I'm older and wiser now.

[romore]

WOW! And I thought Seattle and LA were bad.:E

[NRALIFR]

Just the toll to cross the GW bridge would be about $65 with your trailer. I drove my truck and camper on to Manhattan about a year ago for a business trip, and just about shat myself when the lady told me $45 to cross the bridge. I asked her if she thought I was towing the car behind me, and she said no, it’s just the duallies. $45 please!

:):)

[KD4UPL]

I'd drive a couple hundred miles out of the way before I towed a trailer thru NYC. And, I'm a former 18 wheeler driver.