New York

[Mergingtraffic]

A little off topic but it's NY.

I ran across this sign today and was shocked to find a date on the back.  November, 1965 it said.



Also close by is the last known state named I-287 in the wild. 

[NE2]

Is that a two-digit blank improperly stretched? The curves look flatter than they should.

[agentsteel53]

nope.  through no linear manipulation can I get it to conform to a 24x24 interstate shield.  it is just too round.

[dgolub]

A little off topic but it's NY.

I ran across this sign today and was shocked to find a date on the back.  November, 1965 it said.



Also close by is the last known state named I-287 in the wild. 

It looks like the interstate shield was added as an afterthought.  Where was this?  NY 22?  NY 100?

[Mergingtraffic]

It looks like the interstate shield was added as an afterthought.  Where was this?  NY 22?  NY 100?

This was US-1 SB in Port Chester.  I think it was an after thought.  Was the I-287 designation even in existance in 1965?  The sign date is 11-65.

[dlainhart]

Eh, it's not TOO bad.  Just make sure to hit it at an odd time, like early Sunday morning, and stay in the left lane at all costs.

In this context, "not TOO bad" means "f---ing awesome". It's quite the rush for a first timer and it never gets old. If it's the right time of night, I'll take the Cross Bronx anytime. It sure beats I-84, the Pocono Boreway, or I-84, the New York State Ticketway, or 87/287, which gets old after a while.

I-95 in Manhattan is not the scariest stretch of Interstate by a long shot. I-287 over the Goethals Bridge and on the greatest expressway on earth, the Gowanus, have it beat by a long shot.

If you're in NYC, go clinch the Clearview. It's nice and retro. And do the Sheridan, too.

[roadman]

I drove the Cross Bronx exactly once in late 1990, on an early Sunday morning.  Traffic was moderate but flowing well.  However, what really caught my attention were the signs that read "BREAKDOWN?  STAY IN YOUR LOCKED CAR"(or something to that effect) and the fact that, on this particular morning, one person who failed to heed that advice was being admonished by a officer in a police helicopter (yes) with a very loud bullhorn.

And, although I've always driven mechanically reliable cars, I've not ventured on the Cross Bronx since then.

[signalman]

The Cross Bronx does indeed go through a rough area of the Bronx.  I've seen locals scaling down the wall in an attempt to sell their goods during a traffic jam.  Hundreds of potential customers were just sitting in their vehicles waiting for traffic to move again.  I suppose they figured it was a good time to try and make some sales of most likely hot merchandise. 

I've seen the signs about disabled vehicles before that roadman alluded to.  I too try to keep my car in good mechanical order. So far every trip across the Cross Bronx I've been fortunate enough to not break down.  My biggest concern along the Cross Bronx as far as my vehicle's well being is flat tires.  Last time I was through in July it was quite pothole ridden and reminded me of Swiss cheese.  Some holes are quite huge (as large as half a car) and are unavoidable.  That highway is in dire need of rehabilitation, but shutting down lanes at any time of day is next to impossible.

[1995hoo]

The last time we took I-95 across NYC I hit a pothole under the Apartments. Loud bang. No damage, thankfully, but what a horrible spot that is to hit a pothole and get worried about damage because there's nowhere to stop and because I wasn't about to pull off anywhere in the Bronx. If memory serves, we stopped at the first service area in Connecticut.

I normally never go that way, but traffic was moving nicely and so I had decided to go up I-95 through Connecticut (first time since 1985) and then go up I-395 into Massachusetts (never been that way). But we hit so much traffic near Milford that I bailed onto the Wilbur Cross. I've still never been on Connecticut's I-395. Doubt I'll ever get around to it. The potholes on I-95 in NYC were awful and I was reminded why the Merritt Parkway is a respite from I-95. 

[Duke87]

I will concur that the Cross Bronx is a marvel, albeit one that suffers from notorious traffic problems. The Trans-Manhattan Expressway (aka I-95 in Manhattan) is a nice culmination to it and I feel to see what's scary about it unless driving under buildings unnerves you.

If you want to take the scariest drive in New York City, drive the outer roadway of the Queensboro Bridge:

[cpzilliacus]

But we hit so much traffic near Milford that I bailed onto the Wilbur Cross. I've still never been on Connecticut's I-395. Doubt I'll ever get around to it. The potholes on I-95 in NYC were awful and I was reminded why the Merritt Parkway is a respite from I-95. 

I took I-95 from the New Jersey Turnpike all the way to the Portsmouth (N.H.) meet earlier this year.  The condition of the Cross-Bronx Expressway was terrible, but the Connecticut Turnpike was much worse in terms of delay, with a double lane closure in Fairfield County that delayed traffic by over an hour.

[PColumbus73]

After watching a few YouTube videos of driving through Manhattan, I don't think I would stand a chance trying to drive through there 

I-95 through Manhattan looks intimidating because of the narrow lanes and the amount of traffic, tunneling under the apartments isn't scary, but it does give it a claustrophobic feel when you add the other factors.

[ARMOURERERIC]

The first time I drove the Cross Bronx was in October of 1988, I was going from DC to Norwalk CT for a Saturday morning liquidation auction of old 19c metalworking tools.  Hit the CB at about 11PM, there was a stripped car on the shoulder with an active fire in a stripped out hood compartment with 6-8 homeless using the fire to get warm.  Disturbing

[Alex]

The first time I drove the Cross Bronx was in October of 1988, I was going from DC to Norwalk CT for a Saturday morning liquidation auction of old 19c metalworking tools.  Hit the CB at about 11PM, there was a stripped car on the shoulder with an active fire in a stripped out hood compartment with 6-8 homeless using the fire to get warm.  Disturbing

Noted several stripped cars on cinder blocks during my first ever NYC roadtrip in September 1993 too. Saw some other intimidating things that night as well.

If you want or need to clinch the Cross Bronx Expressway and do not care about taking photos,  just do it at 3 am.

[iwishiwascanadian]

I remember taking the bus from The City back to Hartford and we took the Cross Bronx and it was flooded...a BMW was stuck in water up to the top of its tires and only one lane was getting through on the shoulder.  After seeing that when I do drive through the area (going to/from Baltimore) I go through Westchester on the Tappan Zee.  The backups on 95 through the City and Fairfield County with the construction in New Haven makes 95 a nightmare.  The Merritt is OK during the day as long as there isn't an accident but the lack of merging space is problematic.  I guess that it's the price you have to pay for a scenic route. 

[empirestate]

An important point being made here is that I-95 through NYC is absolutely worth seeing from its own road-geekly standpoint. Not to be missed.

Another important point is that the road has undergone rehabilitation lately and is not in particularly bad shape at all at the moment. The current jam-ups are at the perpetual work spots: the A.H. and G.W. bridges. The Cross Bronx itself will jam up residually because of these, especially westbound, so that's what you're looking to avoid. Check the lane closure schedule on the gee-dub in particular (the Hamilton bridge is just always iffy).

[dgolub]

But we hit so much traffic near Milford that I bailed onto the Wilbur Cross. I've still never been on Connecticut's I-395. Doubt I'll ever get around to it. The potholes on I-95 in NYC were awful and I was reminded why the Merritt Parkway is a respite from I-95. 

I took I-95 from the New Jersey Turnpike all the way to the Portsmouth (N.H.) meet earlier this year.  The condition of the Cross-Bronx Expressway was terrible, but the Connecticut Turnpike was much worse in terms of delay, with a double lane closure in Fairfield County that delayed traffic by over an hour.

Then you must have just hit the Connecticut Turnpike at a really bad time.  The Connecticut Turnpike can sometimes get backed up, but if you travel it when it's not rush hour then it's generally fine.  The Cross Bronx is pretty much always backed up, unless it's 3 AM or something like that.

[1995hoo]

Noted several stripped cars on cinder blocks during my first ever NYC roadtrip in September 1993 too. Saw some other intimidating things that night as well.

....

"Cars on cinderblocks" is, of course, a common redneck stereotype. In Virginia, our law provides that all cars are presumed mobile as a matter of law. It matters for reasons of taxation, registration, and insurance. When that came up in the bar review class, the instructor noted "those of you in Southwest Virginia where people put cars up on cinderblocks will better understand this than the folks in Fairfax"!

I had never heard of wheel locks or pull-out radios until my relatives in Brooklyn got them (and they lived in Bay Ridge, which was always a reasonably safe area).

Regarding the Apartments (comment from PColumbus), it's not a true tunnel but rather a case of apartments being constructed over the already-built highway. I wonder how unhealthy that is for residents in terms of air pollution and the like. You get used to road noise quickly (trust me, I lived across from an at-grade railroad crossing for three years), but the bad air is a more insidious thing.

[agentsteel53]

double lane closure

a really bad time

yep.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I've driven the Cross Bronx, and while it's roadgeek worthy, I'm glad I got it out of the way. ...but I'm still missing the Bruckner.

[SignBridge]

One thing nobody's mentioned about the Cross Bronx Expwy. are its very interesting construction features, especially towards the west end. The road was blasted thru the solid rock cliffs of the west Bronx in one of the most difficult road construction projects in history in the late 1950's/early 1960's.

As you go east from the Alex. Hamilton Bridge, you're going down a long steep grade thru those cliffs (with huge retaining walls) to a valley where you go thru an underpass deep under another cliff where Grand Concourse runs along the top. Well worth seeing.

My suggestion: Drive it early Sunday morning with the least traffic, but in daylight so you can keep one eye on the road surface and the other on the construction features. BTW, that road is less than 5 miles long, and though it may be the worst 5 miles of highway in any city in America, you're thru it fairly quickly if you don't hit a traffic jam.  And yes, your car should be in top mechanical condition; you don't want to break down in that part of town. I drive that road several times a year, generally without any fear. 

[Duke87]

OK, all of you people going "OMG, your car better be in good condition, you don't want to have a breakdown in The Bronx!"... chill. Note how the stories people are telling about seeing crazy stuff on the Cross Bronx are all from 20+ years ago. The Bronx, and New York City as a whole, is a much nicer place in 2013 than it was in 1993. If you have a breakdown on the Cross Bronx, it's the same as having a breakdown anywhere else. You call a tow truck and get the problem dealt with.

Now, granted, there are still some rough areas of The Bronx. But if you're on the highway you're fine. And don't be scared to poke around on city streets, either. There's lots to see and the risk to you in broad daylight is... really not that great. It's The Bronx, not Mogadishu.

[NE2]

but holy crap hep cats

[PHLBOS]

OK, all of you people going "OMG, your car better be in good condition, you don't want to have a breakdown in The Bronx!"... chill. Note how the stories people are telling about seeing crazy stuff on the Cross Bronx are all from 20+ years ago. The Bronx, and New York City as a whole, is a much nicer place in 2013 than it was in 1993. If you have a breakdown on the Cross Bronx, it's the same as having a breakdown anywhere else. You call a tow truck and get the problem dealt with.

Now, granted, there are still some rough areas of The Bronx. But if you're on the highway you're fine. And don't be scared to poke around on city streets, either. There's lots to see and the risk to you in broad daylight is... really not that great. It's The Bronx, not Mogadishu.

Actually one NYC highway incident a friend of my brother's had back in 1993 occurred along the Henry Hudson Parkway on a Sunday morning.  Two groups of people were coming down from MA to NYC (to attend Times Square Church on W 51st & Broadway) when one of the cars bumped the other car while in traffic.  The front bumper of the the car that rear-ended the other literally fell off.

No joke, while the two drivers were standing alongside the parked cars; a van approaches, stops a few feet ahead, two guys run out of the van, pick up the front bumper, and literally drive off.  It was like something straight out of a sitcom lol.

[roadman]

OK, all of you people going "OMG, your car better be in good condition, you don't want to have a breakdown in The Bronx!"... chill. Note how the stories people are telling about seeing crazy stuff on the Cross Bronx are all from 20+ years ago. The Bronx, and New York City as a whole, is a much nicer place in 2013 than it was in 1993. If you have a breakdown on the Cross Bronx, it's the same as having a breakdown anywhere else. You call a tow truck and get the problem dealt with.

Now, granted, there are still some rough areas of The Bronx. But if you're on the highway you're fine. And don't be scared to poke around on city streets, either. There's lots to see and the risk to you in broad daylight is... really not that great. It's The Bronx, not Mogadishu.

So, have they taken down the "stay in locked car" signs then?