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Best route from Miami area to Michigan

Started by Flint1979, April 25, 2021, 09:00:33 AM

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fillup420

Quote from: cabiness42 on April 26, 2021, 07:34:57 AM
Can you time your drive so you go through Atlanta early morning or late evening? I would think the benefit of hauling a trailer over the easier pass in the Appalachians that I-75 provides outweighs missing Atlanta but taking the much more challenging I-40.

Last time i drove through Atlanta was at 1AM and there was a decent slowdown at the southern 75/85 split, for no obvious reason. I feel your pain, OP. Atlanta for some reason is the worst city in the East to drive through.


kevinb1994

Quote from: fillup420 on April 26, 2021, 03:33:59 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on April 26, 2021, 07:34:57 AM
Can you time your drive so you go through Atlanta early morning or late evening? I would think the benefit of hauling a trailer over the easier pass in the Appalachians that I-75 provides outweighs missing Atlanta but taking the much more challenging I-40.

Last time i drove through Atlanta was at 1AM and there was a decent slowdown at the southern 75/85 split, for no obvious reason. I feel your pain, OP. Atlanta for some reason is the worst city in the East to drive through.
Well Georgia is the Empire State of the South, and Atlanta is the New York of the South.

ran4sh

Quote from: Flint1979 on April 25, 2021, 09:00:33 AM
I pretty much know the route to take is I-75 but here's the deal. I have to drive a trailer from Florida back to Michigan this week and want to bypass Atlanta entirely. So I'm thinking of taking I-95 to I-26 to I-40 back to I-75 in Knoxville and then taking I-75 back to Michigan. I hate driving in Atlanta so I really want to bypass it.

If you're committed to a non-Atlanta route, you can still avoid I-40's mountainous section by using I-26 (Future I-26) from Asheville northwest into Tennessee and then use I-81 south to I-40.

Quote from: fillup420 on April 26, 2021, 03:33:59 PM
Quote from: cabiness42 on April 26, 2021, 07:34:57 AM
Can you time your drive so you go through Atlanta early morning or late evening? I would think the benefit of hauling a trailer over the easier pass in the Appalachians that I-75 provides outweighs missing Atlanta but taking the much more challenging I-40.

Last time i drove through Atlanta was at 1AM and there was a decent slowdown at the southern 75/85 split, for no obvious reason. I feel your pain, OP. Atlanta for some reason is the worst city in the East to drive through.

If driving through Atlanta late at night, I would have used I-285 instead of going through on 75/85. (Of course, if it's during the daytime you're screwed anyway because all of those routes will have traffic.)
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hbelkins

I had a neighbor who wintered in Florida, and he used I-26 (getting there from here via KY 15, US 119, and US 23 through SW Virginia) and I-95 to avoid Atlanta.

US 33 -- the only two-lane portion is from the Ohio River crossing over to Athens, and it's an improved route. From Athens on to Columbus is four lanes, much of it freeway.


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Flint1979

Quote from: cabiness42 on April 26, 2021, 07:34:57 AM
Can you time your drive so you go through Atlanta early morning or late evening? I would think the benefit of hauling a trailer over the easier pass in the Appalachians that I-75 provides outweighs missing Atlanta but taking the much more challenging I-40.
I don't think I want to take I-40. I have taken I-77 from it's northern to southern terminus and back before and been ok going that way. Atlanta is one of those cities where even if the traffic isn't that bad it's still a dangerous city to drive in. I'd rather take my chances with Charlotte I think.

Flint1979

Quote from: hbelkins on April 26, 2021, 08:25:56 PM
I had a neighbor who wintered in Florida, and he used I-26 (getting there from here via KY 15, US 119, and US 23 through SW Virginia) and I-95 to avoid Atlanta.

US 33 -- the only two-lane portion is from the Ohio River crossing over to Athens, and it's an improved route. From Athens on to Columbus is four lanes, much of it freeway.
I've been on US-33 in SW Ohio before and think that's a real good route to take. I'm just debating whether to take that or US 35 pretty much. I'm also bored of I-75.

VTGoose

#31
Quote from: SP Cook on April 25, 2021, 12:06:49 PM

You are adding hundreds of miles to avoid Atlanta. 

If you want to avoid the place that much, a better alternative would be:

I-95 NORTH to I-26 in rural South Carolina,
I-26 WEST to I-77 in Columbia, SC,
I-77 NORTH which eventually merges with I-64 at Beckley, WV, remain on I-64 when they split at Charleston, WV,


This route makes much more sense than taking I-40 to Knoxville to get back on I-75. For one, you would be backtracking a bit to get to Knoxville. Second, Knoxville can be almost (for a broad definition of "almost") as bad as Atlanta as far as traffic since there is no good alternative route around the city. Be aware that I-95 in South Carolina and I-26 from I-95 almost to Columbia are two lanes. Depending on the timing, either or both roads can be parking lots if traffic is heavy -- or it can be a series of 75 MPH/10 MPH/60 MPH/STOPPED clumps of movement. And as someone else said, take I-485 West around Charlotte. I-77 up the middle is at times an adventure, especially with construction.

Bruce in Blacksburg (who traveled these routes back and forth between SWVA and Tampa for 5 years)
"Get in the fast lane, grandma!  The bingo game is ready to roll!"

1995hoo

Quote from: VPIGoose on April 27, 2021, 09:08:38 AM
Quote from: SP Cook on April 25, 2021, 12:06:49 PM

You are adding hundreds of miles to avoid Atlanta. 

If you want to avoid the place that much, a better alternative would be:

I-95 NORTH to I-26 in rural South Carolina,
I-26 WEST to I-77 in Columbia, SC,
I-77 NORTH which eventually merges with I-64 at Beckley, WV, remain on I-64 when they split at Charleston, WV,


This route makes much more sense than taking I-40 to Knoxville to get back on I-75. For one, you would be backtracking a bit to get to Knoxville. Second, Knoxville can be almost (for a broad definition of "almost") as bad as Atlanta as far as traffic since there is no good alternative route around the city. Be aware that I-95 in South Carolina and I-26 from I-95 almost to Columbia are two lanes. Depending on the timing, either or both roads can be parking lots if traffic is heavy -- or it can be a series of 75 MPH/10 MPH/60 MPH/STOPPED clumps of movement. And as someone else said, take I-485 West around Charlotte. I-77 up the middle is at times an adventure, especially with construction.

Related to this, I've frequently experienced slowdowns and heavy traffic near Port Wentworth, Georgia, due to I-95 narrowing when it crosses the state line just north of there. Under normal circumstances it's more of an annoyance than a huge problem (except maybe around summer weekends when beach traffic causes higher traffic volume), but it's something to be prepared for when towing a trailer because of importance of being prepared to stop with different vehicle dynamics than you're probably used to.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
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commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

webny99

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 25, 2021, 03:04:09 PM
US-35 in Ohio is an excellent road. There's a very short slow segment in West Virginia where the two-lane road hasn't yet been replaced (a four-lane segment is under construction), but it's only about maybe 15 miles tops.

Well, that segment wasn't hard to identify. It must be right around here.

I would second your comment about US 35 in Ohio. The portion from Chillicothe to I-71 was great, possibly even one of my favorite freeways. I was really glad to have chosen that route instead of staying on OH 56, even though doing so cost me a clinch of Madison County.

1995hoo

Quote from: webny99 on April 27, 2021, 09:31:50 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 25, 2021, 03:04:09 PM
US-35 in Ohio is an excellent road. There's a very short slow segment in West Virginia where the two-lane road hasn't yet been replaced (a four-lane segment is under construction), but it's only about maybe 15 miles tops.

Well, that segment wasn't hard to identify. It must be right around here.

Full two-lane segment shown here. Not at all hard to figure out even in standard map view given how the southern end of that segment hooks around similar to the same way the road does at the end of Corridor H's western segment. This piece of US-35 really didn't slow us down all that much at all, though conceivably it could if you got stuck behind a particularly slow truck or similar. There was enough traffic that I didn't see many chances to pass. As I type this, it's quoting 25 minutes to drive the 14.1 miles due to a crash.


Quote from: webny99 on April 27, 2021, 09:31:50 AM
I would second your comment about US 35 in Ohio. The portion from Chillicothe to I-71 was great, possibly even one of my favorite freeways. I was really glad to have chosen that route instead of staying on OH 56, even though doing so cost me a clinch of Madison County.

We were headed to Dayton for a funeral and I took Corridor H to I-79 southwest to Charleston, continuing on I-64 to US-35 all the way to the Dayton area. Excellent route, other than a few annoying traffic lights and road construction just east of Dayton. I would go that way again. The 70-mph speed limit on several portions of US-35 in Ohio was very nice as well. Both US highways I've used in Ohio for long stretches (US-35 there, and US-30 a few days later from I-75 across to Canton) were largely very pleasant, relaxed, easy drives.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Henry

Quote from: Flint1979 on April 25, 2021, 12:15:19 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on April 25, 2021, 12:06:49 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on April 25, 2021, 09:00:33 AM
I pretty much know the route to take is I-75 but here's the deal. I have to drive a trailer from Florida back to Michigan this week and want to bypass Atlanta entirely. So I'm thinking of taking I-95 to I-26 to I-40 back to I-75 in Knoxville and then taking I-75 back to Michigan. I hate driving in Atlanta so I really want to bypass it.

You are adding hundreds of miles to avoid Atlanta. 

If you want to avoid the place that much, a better alternative would be:

I-95 NORTH to I-26 in rural South Carolina,
I-26 WEST to I-77 in Columbia, SC,
I-77 NORTH which eventually merges with I-64 at Beckley, WV, remain on I-64 when they split at Charleston, WV,
I-64 WEST to US 35 in Scott Depot, WV,
US 35 NORTH to the Ohio River where US 35 changes to E-W signage,
US 35 WEST to Chillicothe, OH, where US 35, US 50 and US 23 merge, remain on US 23 when they split,
US 23 NORTH to Columbus,
I-270 Columbus Beltway, or OH 315, back to US 23,
US 23 NORTH to OH 15 at Carry, OH,
OH 15 to I-75.

(or, for a slight variation, stay on I-77 at Charleston, then exit onto US 33 at Ravenswood, WV, the take US 33 to Columbus and return to the standard route, a bit more two lane, but less total non-interstate time.)

This route is actually about 45 miles shorter than the default one, although the drive time will be a little longer.  It does involve 14 miles of two lane on US 35 in WV, and there are probably 10 to 15 stop lights on the US highway part in Ohio.
It only adds 22 miles and a half hour to avoid Atlanta going the route I suggested in my OP. Your suggestion of taking I-77 to US-33 to Columbus is actually a better route than I suggested but I don't know how long I want to be on a US highway over an Interstate.
Another variant of this would be to take I-95 to I-26 to I-77 as described above, but stay on I-64 west until you reach KY 9 (AA Highway), then take that northwest to US 27, which leads to I-471, and continue north on I-471 to I-71 south through Downtown Cincinnati, then pick up I-75 north. Or if you want to avoid the Mill Creek construction area altogether (and what's the status on that anyway?), you can take I-71 north instead to I-275 west and use that to get to I-75.
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sprjus4

Quote from: VTGoose on April 27, 2021, 09:08:38 AM
Depending on the timing, either or both roads can be parking lots if traffic is heavy -- or it can be a series of 75 MPH/10 MPH/60 MPH/STOPPED clumps of movement. And as someone else said, take I-485 West around Charlotte. I-77 up the middle is at times an adventure, especially with construction.
Have experienced the hell of I-95 in South Carolina and North Carolina during peak weekends firsthand. Nothing but heavy traffic and maybe a maximum sustained speed of 55 - 60 mph with the occasional 65 mph or even 70 mph if you get lucky. And the continuous stopping and going every few minutes. For miles. Hundreds of miles.

Meanwhile, 6 lanes in Georgia easily moves 75 - 80 mph or greater, even at its peak.

jmacswimmer

Quote from: sprjus4 on April 27, 2021, 10:40:59 AM
Quote from: VTGoose on April 27, 2021, 09:08:38 AM
Depending on the timing, either or both roads can be parking lots if traffic is heavy -- or it can be a series of 75 MPH/10 MPH/60 MPH/STOPPED clumps of movement. And as someone else said, take I-485 West around Charlotte. I-77 up the middle is at times an adventure, especially with construction.
Have experienced the hell of I-95 in South Carolina and North Carolina during peak weekends firsthand. Nothing but heavy traffic and maybe a maximum sustained speed of 55 - 60 mph with the occasional 65 mph or even 70 mph if you get lucky. And the continuous stopping and going every few minutes. For miles. Hundreds of miles.

Meanwhile, 6 lanes in Georgia easily moves 75 - 80 mph or greater, even at its peak.
That 3rd lane makes a huge difference - the most recent time I was on I-95, traffic was stop-and-go past I-26 and crawled over the Savannah River right up to the point where the 3rd lane opened, then instantly it was free-flowing.
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1995hoo

BTW, for the OP, if you do take I-95, watch your speed through Ridgeland, South Carolina, assuming traffic volume doesn't reduce your speed for you. The section of I-95 within town limits is a notorious speedtrap. The speed camera they used to operate is long gone (the State made them remove it), but I've seen as many as six town patrol cars parked along the road at a single time with another cop standing on an overpass running radar and radioing ahead to tell them which cars to nail. My routine now is to set the cruise control at 68 mph through Ridgeland (speed limit is 70; I set the cruise a tad low just to allow for possible speedometer error) and I've never had a problem.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

mvak36

#39
Quote from: Flint1979 on April 25, 2021, 12:15:19 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on April 25, 2021, 12:06:49 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on April 25, 2021, 09:00:33 AM
I pretty much know the route to take is I-75 but here's the deal. I have to drive a trailer from Florida back to Michigan this week and want to bypass Atlanta entirely. So I'm thinking of taking I-95 to I-26 to I-40 back to I-75 in Knoxville and then taking I-75 back to Michigan. I hate driving in Atlanta so I really want to bypass it.

You are adding hundreds of miles to avoid Atlanta. 

If you want to avoid the place that much, a better alternative would be:

I-95 NORTH to I-26 in rural South Carolina,
I-26 WEST to I-77 in Columbia, SC,
I-77 NORTH which eventually merges with I-64 at Beckley, WV, remain on I-64 when they split at Charleston, WV,
I-64 WEST to US 35 in Scott Depot, WV,
US 35 NORTH to the Ohio River where US 35 changes to E-W signage,
US 35 WEST to Chillicothe, OH, where US 35, US 50 and US 23 merge, remain on US 23 when they split,
US 23 NORTH to Columbus,
I-270 Columbus Beltway, or OH 315, back to US 23,
US 23 NORTH to OH 15 at Carry, OH,
OH 15 to I-75.

(or, for a slight variation, stay on I-77 at Charleston, then exit onto US 33 at Ravenswood, WV, the take US 33 to Columbus and return to the standard route, a bit more two lane, but less total non-interstate time.)

This route is actually about 45 miles shorter than the default one, although the drive time will be a little longer.  It does involve 14 miles of two lane on US 35 in WV, and there are probably 10 to 15 stop lights on the US highway part in Ohio.
It only adds 22 miles and a half hour to avoid Atlanta going the route I suggested in my OP. Your suggestion of taking I-77 to US-33 to Columbus is actually a better route than I suggested but I don't know how long I want to be on a US highway over an Interstate.

I like SP Cook's idea but if you want to stay on interstates more, maybe keep going up I-77 all the way to the Ohio turnpike and then west to Toledo and then into Michigan? Just throwing it out there. Might not be the most efficient and you also would have to go on a toll road with a trailer so your cost would be more.

EDIT: I forgot about the WV turnpike so I guess if you choose this route you're already going on a toll road.
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VTGoose

Quote from: sprjus4 on April 27, 2021, 10:40:59 AM
Quote from: VTGoose on April 27, 2021, 09:08:38 AM
Depending on the timing, either or both roads can be parking lots if traffic is heavy -- or it can be a series of 75 MPH/10 MPH/60 MPH/STOPPED clumps of movement. And as someone else said, take I-485 West around Charlotte. I-77 up the middle is at times an adventure, especially with construction.
Have experienced the hell of I-95 in South Carolina and North Carolina during peak weekends firsthand. Nothing but heavy traffic and maybe a maximum sustained speed of 55 - 60 mph with the occasional 65 mph or even 70 mph if you get lucky. And the continuous stopping and going every few minutes. For miles. Hundreds of miles.

Meanwhile, 6 lanes in Georgia easily moves 75 - 80 mph or greater, even at its peak.

The need to widen I-95 in South Carolina from the Georgia line to at least the I-26 junction (with an improvement to the northbound I-95 to westbound I-26 connection) has been discussed in the South Carolina thread a number of times but some members point to traffic volume numbers and claim no such widening is needed just to handle occasional traffic spikes.

"Get in the fast lane, grandma!  The bingo game is ready to roll!"

sprjus4

Quote from: VTGoose on April 27, 2021, 11:01:52 PM
but some members point to traffic volume numbers and claim no such widening is needed just to handle occasional traffic spikes.
Heard those arguments, but have to strongly disagree.

Georgia has set a precedent for both I-75 and I-95 that need to be followed in other states along those respective corridors.

Flint1979

Quote from: sprjus4 on April 27, 2021, 11:29:28 PM
Quote from: VTGoose on April 27, 2021, 11:01:52 PM
but some members point to traffic volume numbers and claim no such widening is needed just to handle occasional traffic spikes.
Heard those arguments, but have to strongly disagree.

Georgia has set a precedent for both I-75 and I-95 that need to be followed in other states along those respective corridors.
Honestly I would have to agree that Georgia is where I-75 is at it's very best. I've gone through Georgia plenty of times going back and forth between Michigan and Florida and love how it's setup other than Atlanta but even there when it's concurrent with I-85 it's a nice freeway.

Flint1979

I also kind of want a more interesting route as well. I'm bored of I-75 I've seen just about everything between Michigan and Florida the multiple times I've clinched it. And I'm planning on going to Cincinnati next week again. I'm pretty crazy so I'd probably push my luck on one of those old US routes.

1995hoo

Quote from: Flint1979 on April 27, 2021, 11:42:05 PM
I also kind of want a more interesting route as well. I'm bored of I-75 I've seen just about everything between Michigan and Florida the multiple times I've clinched it. And I'm planning on going to Cincinnati next week again. I'm pretty crazy so I'd probably push my luck on one of those old US routes.

Some of the US routes that have been mentioned in this thread are very high-quality roads, particularly US-33 and US-35 in Ohio.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Mapmikey

Don't think I've seen anyone mention this yet...

It is of course 1-2 hr longer but what about Fla Tpk, I-75, I-10, US 231 to I-65 to Indianapolis then whatever highway gets you to the part of Michigan you are going to?

Benefits of avoiding Atlanta, Columbia SC or Charlotte and also Cincinnati.  Also avoids any actual mountains.  Picks up Birmingham, Nashville and Louisville instead...

Dirt Roads

Driving a truck and trailer up I-75 in Northern Georgia can be harrowing this of year;  it won't be quite so bad using the West Virginia route but the mountains will seem never-ending and the downgrades can be difficult for someone who is fairly new to handling a trailer in traffic.

I can't imagine that you would prefer I-95 traffic in Georgia and South Carolina over the Atlanta traffic on the I-285 Perimeter.  You didn't mention where in Michigan, so perhaps I can propose a route much further west.  How about US-82 -to- US-280 -to- US-31 from Tifton to Birmingham and use I-65 to get north?  It will add a bunch of time to the trip, and you won't completely avoid the mountains.  I'm not sure if Birmingham/Nashville/Louisville/Indianapolis is much better than Atlanta/Knoxville/Cincinnati/Dayton in the grander scheme of things, but you avoid Atlanta and I-95 this way.  22h40m Miami to Detroit, or 22h30m Miami to Grand Rapids.

The GPS will show you that it's 20 minutes faster to get to Birmingham via Atlanta.  Ouch!

jdb1234

Quote from: Mapmikey on April 28, 2021, 08:59:54 AM
Don't think I've seen anyone mention this yet...

It is of course 1-2 hr longer but what about Fla Tpk, I-75, I-10, US 231 to I-65 to Indianapolis then whatever highway gets you to the part of Michigan you are going to?

Benefits of avoiding Atlanta, Columbia SC or Charlotte and also Cincinnati.  Also avoids any actual mountains.  Picks up Birmingham, Nashville and Louisville instead...

I actually prefer taking I-75 to GA 520 to US 280 as opposed to I-10 & US 231.  All of that is 4 lanes with a 65 MPH speed limit outside of the towns.  I also probably gone through Montgomery and Dothan a few too many times.

US 27 from Tallahassee to Columbus is 4 lanes with very few slowdown and little traffic.

GaryV

What is US 82 like between Tifton and Montgomery?

Then from Louisville you could decide to go via Cincinnati and Toledo, or Indy, Ft Wayne and Lansing.

1995hoo

Quote from: GaryV on April 28, 2021, 09:50:03 AM
What is US 82 like between Tifton and Montgomery?

Then from Louisville you could decide to go via Cincinnati and Toledo, or Indy, Ft Wayne and Lansing.


I recall it mostly being a two-lane road, at least in Alabama. US-231 would likely be a better option for someone towing a trailer.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.



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