New York

[Alex]

when I lived out east, I'd avoid it by taking I-84 to I-380 to I-81.

(I looked on Google Maps - is it just me or are 84 and 380 now cosigned so that 84 ends at 81?)

Pretty sure they have since I-81S/E was dropped in favor of I-380.

[PColumbus73]

I think the I-84/380 topic was discussed over in the Pennsylvania topic

[empirestate]

Random question: What is the best way to get through the New York City metro area? I was looking at I-95 with GSV and the section on 95 through Manhattan looks like the most frightening piece of Interstate in the country. I don't think other freeways (like the BQE) would be any better.

Normally it's the part in the Bronx, not Manhattan, that you have to worry about. But at the moment, yeah, I'd avoid I-95 unless you're really sure about your timing. Even off-hours aren't safe right now, with the GWB subject to nighttime lane closures, and the Alexander Hamilton/Highbridge Interchange reconstruction is a serious drag. The irony is, the best part of your trip might well be the dreaded Cross Bronx Expressway (especially if you're eastbound).

That being said, what's you purpose for going through? To get to the other side, or to see what's in the middle? (I'm asking honestly here.)

[PColumbus73]

I'm not planning to go through NYC anytime soon, just something I was wondering. If I were to come up to NYC on I-95, it doesn't look like there's an easy way around the metro area, sure there's I-287, but that would go too far out of the way to make sense. Looking at Rand McNally now, maybe the Garden State Parkway to the Tappan Zee Bridge would be a decent alternative if I forgot to plan to avoid NYC.

But like I said, it's more or less a 'what if' for me, just curious 

[NE2]

(I looked on Google Maps - is it just me or are 84 and 380 now cosigned so that 84 ends at 81?)

I think it's always been that way, certainly by 1970 (the PA official map says "I-81E junction I-80 to junction I-81 and Scranton" and "I-84 junction I-81 to New York state line").

[Dr Frankenstein]

I use I-287 across the Tappan Zee to avoid the city. Quite the detour but it avoids a lot of problems.

[iwishiwascanadian]

Whenever I make the trip from Connecticut to Baltimore, I use the Saw Mill River Parkway or I-684 (I don't do the Saw Mill at night) to 287 and then take the Tappan Zee to the Garden State Parkway.  The bridge might get backed up but compared to sitting on 95 through the Bronx and the shitshow known as the George Washington Bridge it's nothing. 

[NE2]

(I looked on Google Maps - is it just me or are 84 and 380 now cosigned so that 84 ends at 81?)

I think it's always been that way, certainly by 1970 (the PA official map says "I-81E junction I-80 to junction I-81 and Scranton" and "I-84 junction I-81 to New York state line").

But poo. The original plan for I-84 would have crossed I-81E (1965 Rand McNally shows halfway between Elmhurst and Moscow) and hit I-81 near Moosic. The 1964 RMcN NJ page barely shows it.

"In addition, the Anthracite Expressway will extend through the Borough; it will intersect with the proposed Interstate Route 84 in or near Moosic." (1963)

http://books.google.com/books?id=QQ3uAAAAMAAJ&q=%22There+are+three+major+limited+access+interconnections%22 (1965):

There are three major limited access interconnections of the proposed Interstate System within Lackawanna County:
1. Interstate 81 and Interstate 81E in Dunmore Borough.
2. Interstate 81 and Interstate 84 in Moosic Borough.
3. Interstate 84 and Interstate 81E in the southeast corner of Roaring Brook Township.

The mountains probably killed this plan.

[hbelkins]

I drove through NYC on I-95 once, southbound, early (like around 7 a.m.) on a Sunday morning. Had no issues whatsoever.

Given some of the horror stories I've heard about traffic backups northbound trying to get through the toll barrier on the GWB, if I was going north, I'd definitely do something that involved the Tappan Zee Bridge. Coming from my area, it would most likely be I-78 east to I-287 north to I-87 south.

[PColumbus73]

Not to mention the tolls on the bridges and tunnels to get into NYC are ridiculous!

[NE2]

Given some of the horror stories I've heard about traffic backups northbound trying to get through the toll barrier on the GWB,

If traffic is heavy, you can exit onto local streets and loop around to the separate toll on the Palisades Parkway entrance.

The Tappan Zee is significantly cheaper (for now) though.

[empirestate]

I drove through NYC on I-95 once, southbound, early (like around 7 a.m.) on a Sunday morning. Had no issues whatsoever.

That's the best time to go, and usually works out OK. But things have definitely gotten worse than they likely were when you went through. If you had to do it, that's still the time I'd suggest, but it's not as sure a bet as it always used to be.

Given some of the horror stories I've heard about traffic backups northbound trying to get through the toll barrier on the GWB, if I was going north, I'd definitely do something that involved the Tappan Zee Bridge. Coming from my area, it would most likely be I-78 east to I-287 north to I-87 south.

It helps to have E-ZPass and not be a truck; more options that way (i.e., the lower deck, which is truck-free and at night is E-ZPass only). And yes, you can also duck the line by going over to the Palisades, or even just cutting through town and sneaking back into the bridge plaza farther down the line.

[spmkam]

When I travel back to CT, I usually wind up taking I-287 over the Tappan Zee from either the Garden State Parkway or I-80 or I-78.

[Mergingtraffic]

anybody know if these gems are still around?
GCP EB Exit 23 C&D road.  There is another set just beyond these too.

https://www.google.com/maps?q=Grand+Central+Parkway,+Queens,+NY&hl=en&ll=40.741002,-73.736157&spn=0.000004,0.001725&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.903538,56.513672&oq=grand+centra&hnear=Grand+Central+Pkwy,+Queens,+New+York&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.741054,-73.73606&panoid=kX_wpqv5K05C2nPmdCgy9g&cbp=12,65.17,,0,-0.28

[SignBridge]

NE2, if you exit I-95 onto local streets in Fort Lee, where do you access the Palisades Pkwy. Southbound into the bridge? Looking at a street map it looks like you can only enter the Parkway northbound in Fort Lee.

[SignBridge]

Doofy103, those GCP signs in your photo are the originals from when that GCP/Cross Is. Pkwy. interchange was rebuilt in about 1971. They were still there not long ago, but some resigning has been done in that area, the last couple of years, so I'll try to remember to look whenever I drive that road again. The ones on the C-D road in the westbound direction were replaced, and some legend changed.

[NE2]

NE2, if you exit I-95 onto local streets in Fort Lee, where do you access the Palisades Pkwy. Southbound into the bridge? Looking at a street map it looks like you can only enter the Parkway northbound in Fort Lee.

There's a southbound entrance from Hudson Terrace between Washington and Myrtle.

[SignBridge]

Thanks NE2, you're right. I see it on Google Earth. You'd go east on the service road parallel to the toll plaza, then north on Hudson Terrace to the entrance. Interesting. Have you actually done this, and saved any substantial time?

[Duke87]

The easiest way to jump the line if there's traffic approaching the GWB is to use US 46. Assuming you're coming from the Turnpike, anyway.

I-287 is a fine way around the city if you're going to/from I-80 or I-78. But if you absolutely must get back to the Turnpike or I-95, it's kind of out of the way. For some trips it may even make sense to use I-84.

What's tricky is getting to Long Island. That there isn't always a good answer to, you kinda have to plan your trip around rush hour. (or better yet, ask yourself, "why am I going to Long Island?")

[hotdogPi]

I think to avoid huge tolls, I-84 would be the best.

[NE2]

Thanks NE2, you're right. I see it on Google Earth. You'd go east on the service road parallel to the toll plaza, then north on Hudson Terrace to the entrance. Interesting. Have you actually done this, and saved any substantial time?

I've never driven over the GWB, but I remember this being discussed years ago on m.t.r.
Depending on where traffic begins, it might end up being faster to head north on US 9W to just past NJ 67 and then turn east.

[empirestate]

Thanks NE2, you're right. I see it on Google Earth. You'd go east on the service road parallel to the toll plaza, then north on Hudson Terrace to the entrance. Interesting. Have you actually done this, and saved any substantial time?

I get off at Broad and go north to Palisade and enter there. Don't know how much time I save, because in doing that, I forgo spending the time in the toll traffic to compare. :-)

[froggie]

I think to avoid huge tolls, I-84 would be the best.

No tolls incurred if you're heading westbound.

Speaking of which (and related to this sub-thread), my "usual" Vermont-back-to-Norfolk route these days involves the following:  I-84 to I-684 to the Saw Mill to Taipan Zee/87 to the GSP to the Turnpike.  Because it's already a 12-hour drive WITHOUT traffic, I'm not doing any roadgeeking and am mostly looking for the quickest route through the region.  I start checking my traffic apps before I hit Hartford and then adjust as needed.  But the route I listed above is usually the route I wind up taking.

[hbelkins]

What's tricky is getting to Long Island. That there isn't always a good answer to, you kinda have to plan your trip around rush hour. (or better yet, ask yourself, "why am I going to Long Island?")

To visit Suffolk and Nassau counties and thus clinch New York, or at least that's why *I* will be going to Long Island if the opportunity ever presents itself.

[empirestate]

What's tricky is getting to Long Island. That there isn't always a good answer to, you kinda have to plan your trip around rush hour. (or better yet, ask yourself, "why am I going to Long Island?")

To visit Suffolk and Nassau counties and thus clinch New York, or at least that's why *I* will be going to Long Island if the opportunity ever presents itself.

A fun way to do that is to make it part of a trip to or from New England by using one of the two ferries that connect to the island.