Driving through cities vs. bypasses

[golden eagle]

Whenever you're passing through an urban area on your way to somewhere else and a three-digit interstate bypass is available, do you go ahead and take the bypass or do you go straight through the city? Whenever I travel to Georgia, I normally take I-459 to bypass Birmingham to the south and east, but through Atlanta, I just stay on I-20, since it's shorter to stay on it than taking I-285. It might be shorter to stay on I-20 through Birmingham, but the scenery is nicer on 459 and I hate that sharp curve after the interchange with I-65.

[deathtopumpkins]

I usually take whatever's fastest and more direct. Like taking I-95 straight through Baltimore as opposed to all the other various 3dis. Though I do change it up sometimes just so I've driven both.

[corco]

Generally if I'm going from a north-south to east-west direction I'll use the beltway, but if I'm staying the same direction I'll just go through

[Michael]

I do both, whatever is faster, I guess.  Sometimes it's neat to go through all the old downtown areas.

[Bryant5493]

When going to Philadelphia, Mississippi, I usually take 459 South to bypass Birmingham, because there's less weaving. A friend of my dad's said staying on 20/59 through Birmingham is quicker, but, yeah...

Although 285's a bypass, it's not that much quicker to get to the other mainline Interstates. Just depends on how I feel, if I take 285 or stay on 20, 75 or 85.


Be well,

Bryant

[njroadhorse]

Usually, we go straight through the cities, with the exceptions of Washington DC, and Richmond.  Going around Richmond blocked me from clinching 95 in VA! 

[golden eagle]

Although 285's a bypass, it's not that much quicker to get to the other mainline Interstates. Just depends on how I feel, if I take 285 or stay on 20, 75 or 85.

I know that's the case with I-20. If I would've taken the southern part of 285 between the I-20 interchanges to get to Augusta, it would've added at least ten more miles rather than going through the city. When I lived in Gwinnett and I was driving to or from Mississippi, I would take I-285 going towards Marietta and Greenville rather than going through downtown Atlanta. Added about five more miles, though.

[agentsteel53]

I tend to use whichever one the two-digit interstate route is, as I don't much care about clinching three-digit ones.  This is usually the through route, except in Boston, where 95 is the beltway, and 93 is the through route.  Luckily I grew up there, so I had those clinched by 1986!

If possible, I get off the freeway and take the surface streets to see if I can find something interesting.

[Jim]

If in a rush, I'll obviously take what is likely to be fastest.  Otherwise, I prefer taking a route I have never taken before (especially since getting into clinched highway mapping), or at least a route haven't taken in a while.  For example, I like all three options when going by Baltimore on I-95 where I tend to pass through a few times a year.   I'll probably wind up on each one at least once over the course of a year.

[Truvelo]

It depends on the time of day. During rush hour I stay as far away from downtown areas as possible but during quieter periods I'll take the most scenic route. I often drive between Pittsburgh and Springfield, OH so when I get to Columbus there's a choice of routes. I remember coming back at 1am on one occasion so I stayed on I-70 which was deserted. At night I'd rather drive through the urban sections as there's less chance of deer.

[ctsignguy]

When i drive east to New England, i prefer to jump off I-78 or 80 and take the GSPKY north to I-87/287 around NYC and either catch the Merritt or Conn TPKE into New England....

Driving through the Big Apple = Big Hassle

Although if i am going towards MASS and VT< i prefer I-81 to I-84, and i'll drive through downtown Hartford

[Truvelo]

Driving through the Big Apple = Big Hassle

Tell me about it, I went from Newark to Hartford and all was fine until I got to the George Washington Bridge and suddenly the traffic stopped moving. It took about 1/2 hour to do a mile so in the end I turned round and headed up the river to join 287. In a few weeks I'm doing the same journey but this time I'm flying into JFK so at least I'll be on the right side of the river

[Chris]

I always wonder why the Cross Bronx is THAT terrible. Traffic counts are not extraordinarily high for a six-lane freeway. (max. 150,000). Maybe it's the design of the interchanges and offramps that cause waiting lines starting at the mainline lanes, then you're screwed...

[Sykotyk]

The problem with the northbound GWB is that there is very little room for the approach lanes to the toll booths. It bottlenecks as so many cash payers are in the left lane leading up to where the road widens for the booths. I've taken it many times, and hate it every time. I still find, if not rush hour, it faster to go through NYC. Just stay to the left if you have EZ-Pass and you'll make it through good.

Another fun way is taking the Goethels or Outer Crossing Bridge, follow I-278 across Staten Island and Brooklyn, to I-495 towards Throngs Neck back onto I-95. I did that once when Cross Bronx was closed due to a big accident.

Sykotyk

[Ian]

Well, when we're (as in the family) in a rush, or we want to get to our destination quickly, we like taking whichever is faster. Though if not, I really like driving through some towns and cities and see them because I really like the look of some cities. For example, I like taking I-95 through Providence, RI rather than I-295, because Providence is really neat looking.

[golden eagle]

Well, when we're (as in the family) in a rush, or we want to get to our destination quickly, we like taking whichever is faster. Though if not, I really like driving through some towns and cities and see them because I really like the look of some cities. For example, I like taking I-95 through Providence, RI rather than I-295, because Providence is really neat looking.

Which is why I normally take the route around Birmingham. Better scenery.

[Darkchylde]

I usually take the mainline route, whether it's the bypass or not. The only time I'm deviating from that is if I have already clinched the mainline or if the bypass offers significant time/mileage savings (Ten minutes aren't enough justification for me.)

[Hellfighter]

I usually stay on the main route, unless I'm strapped for time.

[Scott5114]

I only bypass when I need to avoid a known or suspected bottleneck. When I was en route to Wisconsin I took the bypass of St Louis so as to avoid getting in a jam on the Poplar Street Bridge. (Though the PSB probably would have been quicker anyway because I got into two jams on I-270.)

[Marc]

A lot of times I like to go through the city cause you get to see the skyline and often times older roadways. Though, traffic can be annoying.

[rawr apples]

Whenever i'm driving I go through the CBD...doesn't even matter if that's the quickest way, I LOVE driving on downtown freeways. Unless i'm on a toll road, which then of course I have to bypass..like the PA turnpike and Pittsburgh

[SSOWorld]

it depends

First - if the highway isn't clinched - it will be when i'm done.  (if time, double back).  Second - I have preferred the thru-the-city route (even with a city like Chicago.) as it gives me a chance to see the city up close.  However, if the through route is confusing or non-existent, then I take whatever's there.

[Mr_Northside]

When making the annual pilgrimage to Louisville for Lebowskifest, we always take I-71 straight thru Cincinnati, as opposed to I-275. 
Though we usually are passing thru around 11pm on Friday (heading down), and Sunday afternoon on the way back north, traffic has never been bad enough to warrant the extra miles of that beltway.

[froggie]

Regarding Birmingham, as a general rule, if time or ease of traffic is the concern, it's better to take I-459 around...in part because it stays 6 lanes until Exit 6, and is 70 MPH, vice 60 MPH and much more traffic on I-20/59.

On a related note, when I was making regular Norfolk-Syracuse runs, I stuck with I-476 around Scranton instead of I-81, even with the tolls.  It was 3 miles shorter, didn't involve a surface road transfer, had a 65 MPH limit, and *MUCH LESS* traffic than I-81.

Wilmington, DE traffic on I-295, Jersey Turnpike traffic (especially 6 to 8A), and of course NYC and the Tappan Zee vs. GWB mess, are all reasons why I now dip north into PA and cross the Hudson at Albany/Troy when I make my Vermont runs.

[hbelkins]

Regarding Birmingham, as a general rule, if time or ease of traffic is the concern, it's better to take I-459 around...in part because it stays 6 lanes until Exit 6, and is 70 MPH, vice 60 MPH and much more traffic on I-20/59.

On a related note, when I was making regular Norfolk-Syracuse runs, I stuck with I-476 around Scranton instead of I-81, even with the tolls.  It was 3 miles shorter, didn't involve a surface road transfer, had a 65 MPH limit, and *MUCH LESS* traffic than I-81.

Wilmington, DE traffic on I-295, Jersey Turnpike traffic (especially 6 to 8A), and of course NYC and the Tappan Zee vs. GWB mess, are all reasons why I now dip north into PA and cross the Hudson at Albany/Troy when I make my Vermont runs.

Where do you go in Vermont, and what route do you use to get to Albany when you go? Reason I ask is that next month I'm doing Frederick/Gettysburg area to Bennington, although I'm taking a more scenic route once I get all of the 11 counties I need to clinch Pennsylvania and leave the Lehigh Valley area. I hope to get to cross the Tappan Zee but if traffic's a mess, I won't bother.