Driving To Maine

[Duke87]

Tappan Zee Bridge: NJ Turnpike to Exit 10, I-287 north to I-287 east/I-87 south [NY Thruway over the Tappan Zee Bridge], then 287 east thru Westchester to the Merritt Parkway, rejoining I-95 in either Milford at Exit 54 [on the Merrit] or take the Wilbur Cross up to either CT 80 or thru Middletown to CT 66 over to CT 9, rejoining 95 in Essex/Old Saybrook at Exit 69 [use CT 9 only if it's a weekend or night as New Haven and Q Bridge traffic will be brutal].

How are you getting to CT80 from the Parkway? It ends at I-91.

At any rate, 95 can certainly be a coin toss traffic wise. US1 works as an alternative for short distances, but isn't better unless traffic gets pretty bad. The Parkway is a nice detour longer term but if you're going through during the evening rush hour you will likely hit traffic there too starting just after exit 34.

[newyorker478]

Meant to clarify. Merrit -> Wilbur Cross -> CT 34 -> State Street -> hop on I-91 briefly -> CT 80 -> CT 22 -> Boston Post rd rejoining I-95 at Exit 57 near Guliford. I do this b/c New Haven and Q bridge traffic can be brutal. During rush hour, yes there is no real alternative though I would rather be stuck briefly on the Merrit than for god knows how long on 95. US 1 just doesn't work. OP could try 684, 84 and US 6 to Providence if they felt so inclined. Also, if OP wanted to take the Port Jeff-Bridgeport Ferry they could go over Staten Island and take Belt, Cross Island parkways to LIE and then Northern state -> 347. This is mostly for senicity on the ferry and wouldn't really help avoid much traffic. IMHO, best way to avoid traffic is to go over S.I., [brave the Belt Pkwy traffic], then route of choice [SSP/NSP/LIE/Sunrise Hwy] out to Riverhead, where you pick up NY 25 then ferry over to New London. SI and Brooklyn might be rough but HOV on the LIE will fly you out [they rarley check] and once in NL it's 45min to Providence and 15 min to Westerly. Also no tolls on Long Island good luck!

[LeftyJR]

If you feel that strongly about tolls, it must be longer than 95, but:

From Baltimore:  I-83 north to Harrisburg, Pa.
Then I-81 north to Scranton, Pa.
Then I-84 east to Sturbridge, Mass.
Then I-90/Mass. Turnpike to Auburn
Then I-290 through Worcester to 495
Then I-495 to 95 at Salisbury Mass.
....

The only tolls by that route (until the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border) are on 84 crossing the Hudson and on the short stretch of the Massachusetts Turnpike.  Once you're in New Hampshire, it's either leave freeways or pay.

This way is pretty fast and has few tolls.  I use it to drive to Acadia National Park every other year (except I start on I-80 instead of 83).  Of course, coming from Central PA, this is the only way that makes sense.  The only traffic spots on this route are Danbury/Hartford, CT and Lowell, MA (especially on a weekend).

[Sykotyk]

Another completely free toll way would be:

I-81 --> I-84 --> I-384 --> US6 --> I-395 --> I-290 --> I-495

A little bit of two-lane in eastern CT, but you can bypass pretty much all toll roads that way as well as the bulk of the traffic you'll experience the other way.

[NE2]

Why not I-84 to US 20 to I-290?

[1995hoo]

Another completely free toll way would be:

I-81 --> I-84 --> I-384 --> US6 --> I-395 --> I-290 --> I-495

A little bit of two-lane in eastern CT, but you can bypass pretty much all toll roads that way as well as the bulk of the traffic you'll experience the other way.

Not completely toll-free because you have to pay to cross the Hudson, but unless you go way far north out of your way you can't avoid that.

[Alps]

Why not I-84 to US 20 to I-290?

You lose 5-10 minutes along that one link just for that short distance.

[AZDude]

Are there any coin operated toll booths along this route?

[Sykotyk]

Another completely free toll way would be:

I-81 --> I-84 --> I-384 --> US6 --> I-395 --> I-290 --> I-495

A little bit of two-lane in eastern CT, but you can bypass pretty much all toll roads that way as well as the bulk of the traffic you'll experience the other way.

Not completely toll-free because you have to pay to cross the Hudson, but unless you go way far north out of your way you can't avoid that.

Yeah, forgot about the bridge. But, it beats the $8 or so for the GWB. At least that one is free on the way back.

[newyorker478]

Another completely free toll way would be:

I-81 --> I-84 --> I-384 --> US6 --> I-395 --> I-290 --> I-495

A little bit of two-lane in eastern CT, but you can bypass pretty much all toll roads that way as well as the bulk of the traffic you'll experience the other way.

Not completely toll-free because you have to pay to cross the Hudson, but unless you go way far north out of your way you can't avoid that.

Yeah, forgot about the bridge. But, it beats the $8 or so for the GWB. At least that one is free on the way back.

All Hudson River toll bridges [with the exception of the Berkshire Spur which is part of the NY Thruway ticket system] have one-way tolls, eastbound only. unfortunately. this encourages trucks from Bklyn, Qns and LI to take the Williamsburg or Manhattan bridges, then cut thru downtown to the Holland Tunnel, creating this crosstown truck jam.

[1995hoo]

Are there any coin operated toll booths along this route?

Nope. The NYC-area bridges all used to have toll machines, but they did away with those in favor of E-ZPass lanes.

Back before I got an E-ZPass I used to bring dollar coins for paying tolls. Back then that meant Susan B. Anthony dollars. Some of the toll collectors didn't much appreciate that!

[Alps]

The rest of this topic has been moved to Off-Topic.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=4819.0

[AZDude]

Well, you guys I made it there and back without any problems.  Fun drive, 6649 miles.  While driving there I saw Arizona cars until Kentucky.  On the way back I didn't see any until I was ready to leave my motel in Spirit Lake, IA.  There was one parked next to me!  But as far as on the highway, I didn't see any until Colorado. 

As far a driving in the New York Metro area, not a big deal.  Peoples driving habits, merging 4 lanes over to exit, merging anyway with almost no room, cutting people off.  Not any different from here.  Perhaps it was an off day.  Still not a fan of tolls, but I like the safety of service plazas.  I almost forgot about no self serve gas stations in New Jersey, until I saw the attendants.  In Chicago, I missed a toll and mistakenly drove through the I-pass lane.  The construction confused me and I didn't see the cash lane until it was too late.  So the next toll plaza I told the attendant and she gave me a purple slip with instructions on what to do.  When I got to my motel, I paid the toll online.  By the way who was the genious that decided to make the Chicago Skyway 45 MPH?  It is more than capable of 55 at the least. 

One thing that annoyed me was that every metro that I passed through was under construction.  The worst being Tulsa.  I mean it is so narrow, with at grade ramps.  I wonder what the freeway looked like before the construction.

If anyone ever decides to stay the night in Houlton, ME, I recommend staying in the Stardust Motel.  The owner was very friendly and was even from Arizona!  Imagine that.  The Motel has big rooms, Satellite TV,  and free high speed internet via an ethernet.  The room itself looks like a mini appartment minus the kitchen.

[AZDude]

Here is a video of the trip there.

The return trip.

[vdeane]

As far a driving in the New York Metro area, not a big deal.  Peoples driving habits, merging 4 lanes over to exit, merging anyway with almost no room, cutting people off.  Not any different from here.  Perhaps it was an off day.  Still not a fan of tolls, but I like the safety of service plazas.  I almost forgot about no self serve gas stations in New Jersey, until I saw the attendants.  In Chicago, I missed a toll and mistakenly drove through the I-pass lane.  The construction confused me and I didn't see the cash lane until it was too late.  So the next toll plaza I told the attendant and she gave me a purple slip with instructions on what to do.  When I got to my motel, I paid the toll online.  By the way who was the genious that decided to make the Chicago Skyway 45 MPH?  It is more than capable of 55 at the least. 

I think the issues on NYC freeways are caused by narrow lanes with no shoulders, not traffic capacity.  One flat tire, and three lanes of traffic suddenly become one.  Short acceleration/deceleration lanes (this isn't just NYC; NYSDOT doesn't seem to believe that freeways need them) combined with idiot drivers mean that everyone slows down while they merge (this isn't just an NYC problem; many people fail to comprehend that you're supposed to accelerate before you get on the freeway (I even remember an old lady attempting to get on the Thruway at 25 mph), but in NYC the problem is compounded by short ramps and merge lanes).

[AZDude]

Yeah, those ramps are pretty short.  I'm guessing grandfathering was involved. 

[vdeane]

A LOT of grandfathering is more like it.  It's amazing how many interstates in NY pre-date the interstate system in some way, shape, or form.  NYC especially; the freeway system looked more or less exactly as it does today when the interstate system was conceived (might have actually been larger).