Unusual Driving Directions

[roadman65]

Was just on  a Newark Airport website and noticed that the driving directions from Upstate NY has you exiting at Exit 15 of the Thruway and using the following routes.  Take Route 17 south, to Route 46 east, to the NJ Turnpike South. Then use Exits 14 and 13A to the airport.

I find that totally odd considering that the NYS Thruway does connect to the Garden State Parkway that connects now to I-78. Plus why is US 46 being used instead of the nearby I-80 that is a full freeway verses Rt. 46 that has stoplights on it?

http://www.airport-ewr.com/location.php

Any other websites to such places that give not the most direct route or not by using the freeways to get there?  Something that strikes you odd that you would like to discuss?

[pianocello]

The widely published route to get to Valparaiso University from I-80/94 (and consequently anywhere north and west of here) is via I-65 and US-30. However, in my experience, SR 49 to the Toll Road and SR 130 to SR 51 are both much faster, largely due to the obscene amount of stoplights along US-30 in front of the mall in Merrillville Hobart.

[NE2]

That's a bogus spam website.

[roadman]

For planning purposes, I've used MS Streets and Trips for many years.  No so much for directions, but to estimate fuel costs, time between fuel stops, etc..  It always amused me how an earlier version (1995?) of the software would direct people going from I-90 to I-84 in Sturbridge by directing them from the Turnpike onto Route 49, then onto US 20, and then onto I-84 west.

[Buffaboy]

Going from Buffalo to NYC traditionally involves taking the Thruway there. But in reality you would be better served using I-90 to I-81, to I-380/80, OR US-20A to I-390, to I-86.

[Rothman]

Going from Buffalo to NYC traditionally involves taking the Thruway there. But in reality you would be better served using I-90 to I-81, to I-380/80, OR US-20A to I-390, to I-86.

Looking at a map, it's no wonder that there's a faster way to get from Buffalo to NYC than the Thruway, which seems to go straight to Albany and then take a 90-degree turn down to the City.  What surprises me, though, is how much faster it is to cut through Pennsylvania:  It can cut 2-and-a-half hours off the trip, comparatively.