Best/Fastest Routes or Cheats around tolls...

[TheStranger]

How to "cheat" on San Francisco Bay Area bridge tolls...

Destination: Sacramento (avoid Carquinez or Benicia Bridges... $5 toll)
From San Jose --- I-680 north to I-580 east to I-205 east to I-5 north
From San Mateo/Redwood City --- CA-92 or CA-84 east to I-880 north to I-238 south to I-580 east to I-205 east to I-5 north
*Note: Mileage-wise, these routes are considered the "long way".

Don't forget the long route to avoid the Carquinez/Benicia toll from San Francisco and the Peninsula: US 101 north via Golden Gate Bridge to Route 37 east to I-80 east

[bassoon1986]

In DFW it;s just quicker to use the toll roads. On 121, taking the frontage road free takes way longer, especially since the tollway is 70 in North Dallas. The only one I've avoided was the George Bush Turnpike. Going from Denton to Arlington, I'll either exit 121 business to 121 south, around DFW airport and through Grapevine to TX 360 south. Or I'll stay on 35E south to Loop 12 through Irving, then a short jog west on 30 to Arlington.  Also, the exit from Loop 12 south to 30 west is an insane ramp. Probably a mile long with multiple loops and mini exits within itself.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=32.766311,-96.912611&spn=0.01476,0.01929&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=6

[1995hoo]

I don't see the "Tourist Exit" in Portland, Maine, mentioned in this thread. "mtantillo" called it to my attention a few years ago when I was heading to the Cat Ferry terminal en route to Nova Scotia. Very simple:

If you're going north on I-95, most tourists take Exit 44 to I-295. This exit carries a toll. If you go barely half a mile north to Exit 45 (Maine Mall), you can exit with no toll, drive about half a mile east, then take the loop-around ramp on the right to enter I-295. Hence the name "Tourist Exit." I once saw a list of things that "real Maine residents all know" and "How to beat the 'Tourist Exit'" was one of the items listed. In this particular situation the ease of avoiding the toll really makes the toll smack of a middle-finger gesture to non-residents.

The same does not apply going south, as the entrance at Exit 45 is tolled. If you're going for a clinch on I-295, do it in the southbound direction.

[Brandon]

Around Chicago, there's not much point.  The other roads are so much slower.  The only one worth shunpiking is the Skyway as one can stay on I-94 all the way.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Montreal – NYC; I-87 to Albany, then NY-7 and I-787 to I-90 to Taconic Pkwy to the Bronx.

Less than half an hour lost, but it really depends on how you drive on the parkway.

$5.50 toll on the Thruway down to around 40¢, which is avoidable too via US-9 and Chatham.

[pianocello]

Around Chicago, there's not much point.  The other roads are so much slower.  The only one worth shunpiking is the Skyway as one can stay on I-94 all the way.

Not entirely true. To get from Chicago to points west and back, I-55 and I-80 (or vice versa) is toll-free and adds only 10 miles and 3 minutes (at least according to Google).

[Brandon]

Around Chicago, there's not much point.  The other roads are so much slower.  The only one worth shunpiking is the Skyway as one can stay on I-94 all the way.

Not entirely true. To get from Chicago to points west and back, I-55 and I-80 (or vice versa) is toll-free and adds only 10 miles and 3 minutes (at least according to Google).

According to Google.  Google never tried to drive it during rush hour.  I'll spend the 30 cents on my I-Pass instead of going to that hellhole we call the Loop expressway system.

[vtk]

Live in central Ohio.  Only on some of the longest road trips do toll roads form part of the most obvious route.

[hobsini2]

Here is one i use often.
Chicago to Pittsburgh: I-80/94 to I-65 South to US 30 East. Once east of Valpo, US 30 is a nice 4 lane divided highway with a couple of lights in Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City with mostly 65 zone all the way to Ft Wayne. Hope onto I-69 North and I-469 East to US 30 East.  Ohio is upgrading 30 to a freeway from IN to Canton. East of Canton for about 40 miles it is a regular 2 lane road but catches the OH 11 freeway to East Liverpool. US 30 eventually hooks up with US 22 and I-376 in Piitsburgh.  Taking this route costs nothing in tolls and I am there in 10 hrs or so.

[vtk]

Ohio is upgrading 30 to a freeway from IN to Canton.

Not entirely.  Upgrading to expressway would be more accurate – when done it will be about half freeway and half expressway.  ODOT is definitely considering the expressway portions "done", with no concrete plans for full freeway upgrade. But in the rural areas of Ohio through which US 30 passes, that's almost as good as a freeway.

[xcellntbuy]

The most convenient shunpike I have encountered is Interstate 95 and the Florida's Turnpike between the Golden Glades interchange and Fort Pierce.  Depending on traffic, and I live to avoid south Florida traffic, I will actually prefer the Turnpike over Interstate 95.

[allniter89]

The most convenient shunpike I have encountered is Interstate 95 and the Florida's Turnpike between the Golden Glades interchange and Fort Pierce.  Depending on traffic, and I live to avoid south Florida traffic, I will actually prefer the Turnpike over Interstate 95.

+1! I've even used the SAwgrass to avoid I 95 to work my way north.

[InterstateNG]

Here is one i use often.
Chicago to Pittsburgh: I-80/94 to I-65 South to US 30 East. Once east of Valpo, US 30 is a nice 4 lane divided highway with a couple of lights in Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City with mostly 65 zone all the way to Ft Wayne. Hope onto I-69 North and I-469 East to US 30 East.  Ohio is upgrading 30 to a freeway from IN to Canton. East of Canton for about 40 miles it is a regular 2 lane road but catches the OH 11 freeway to East Liverpool. US 30 eventually hooks up with US 22 and I-376 in Piitsburgh.  Taking this route costs nothing in tolls and I am there in 10 hrs or so.

I'd spend the money and save the time myself.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Bypassing the Hampton NHTP toll en route ME -> MA:
NH33, NH151, US1, and NH107 backta I-95

Not worth it.  30-35mph most of the way, traffic, and zealous New Hampshire local cops.  It's worth the $2.00 toll to just take 95.

I used to live right in that area (just off 151 in Greenland) so I know.

[pianocello]

Here is one i use often.
Chicago to Pittsburgh: I-80/94 to I-65 South to US 30 East. Once east of Valpo, US 30 is a nice 4 lane divided highway with a couple of lights in Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City with mostly 65 zone all the way to Ft Wayne.

By "a couple", you mean "a ton", right?

[Revive 755]

Milwaukee to Chicago or Indianapolis:Take US41 instead of I-94 to the Edens.  For Indy - After Chicago, Bishop Ford to Borman to I-65.

Madison to Chicago - go through Milwaukee and use above or take US 12 straight in and get on to the Kennedy or Eisenhower.

EDIT: Note these routes are slower - not as many free interstates in NE Illinois

Fine routes, if you want to spend all day getting around Chicago to Milwaukee or Madison.  Me, I'd rather get the I-Pass, pay the toll, and be there in less than half the time.

For the Milwaukee to inner Chicago, US 41 moves almost as well as the $1.25 Tri-State (I-Pass rate; assumes use of the Edens Spur).  Sure there are a few stoplights and many slow to accelerate trucks on 41.  But I'll agree that for going beyond the loop, the Tri-State may be worth it over trying to get through the Circle.

Partial alternate for the Madison - Chicago and beyond:  Cut over Lake Cook Road from US 12 to IL 53.  Overall, this one has way too many stoplights, and the time penalty from all these lights may be worth the tolls.  I also recall a long 35 mph section on US 12 north of Lake Cook Road.

One of mine:

I-55 to Elmhurst (near the I-290/I-88/I-294 interchange

Use IL 83 -mostly freeway, but if one intends to take I-290 eastward or I-294 northward from Elmhurst, the IL 83 option only saves 15 cents in tolls (I-Pass rate)

[Lightning Strike]

Around Chicago, there's not much point.  The other roads are so much slower.  The only one worth shunpiking is the Skyway as one can stay on I-94 all the way.

Not entirely true. To get from Chicago to points west and back, I-55 and I-80 (or vice versa) is toll-free and adds only 10 miles and 3 minutes (at least according to Google).

According to Google.  Google never tried to drive it during rush hour.  I'll spend the 30 cents on my I-Pass instead of going to that hellhole we call the Loop expressway system.

^I have tried numerous times to go through downtown at different times of the day....doesn't seem to change. I take 294 around the city always, no matter time of day due to simplicity and lack of traffic.

Here is one i use often.
Chicago to Pittsburgh: I-80/94 to I-65 South to US 30 East. Once east of Valpo, US 30 is a nice 4 lane divided highway with a couple of lights in Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City with mostly 65 zone all the way to Ft Wayne.

By "a couple", you mean "a ton", right?

I have to agree, the only reason I would take that route in college was to take a friend to Columbus. Too many towns/speed limit changes in Indiana, but once you get on the other side of Fort Wayne and into Ohio I'd recommend it because us 30 bypasses a lot of cities, is 4 lane and I believe has a 65 speed limit all the way through since they finished upgrading most of 30 in western Ohio.

[empirestate]

Pittsburgh to NYC:
US 22 EB/I-99 NB/I-80 EB. With the recent upgrades of US 22, this route is at least as fast as the Turnpike and, what, 24 bucks cheaper??

Also, living in the Bronx as I now do, I shunpike the Henry Hudson Bridge all the time (via Broadway Bridge, University Heights Bridge or any of the downstream Harlem River Bridges depending on destination), though the savings is rarely in travel time.

I also regularly shunpike the Bronx-Queens crossing by using Harlem River/FDR Drive to one of the NYCDOT crossings of the East River. Sigalert helps.

[rickmastfan67]

Pittsburgh to NYC:
US 22 EB/I-99 NB/I-80 EB. With the recent upgrades of US 22, this route is at least as fast as the Turnpike and, what, 24 bucks cheaper??

Yes, US-22 has had a lot of upgrades, but you do have to suffer several traffic lights just outside of Monroeville.

I would suggest PA-28 NB > US-422 EB > US-219 SB > US-22 EB > I-99 NB > I-80 EB.

The main reason I'm suggesting that is you have one really wicked hill just after US-119 NB leaves US-22.  If your car isn't ready for it, you could be in for a world of hurt as the old road isn't there anymore because the new one was mostly built on top of it on a straighter alignment except near the top.  Plus there are less lights between Pittsburgh and I-99 on my suggested route and on a recent run between Pgh and I-99, seemed to travel it faster than your route.  And if your travels are going to be during Rush Hour in the Pittsburgh area, you can almost forget US-22 East of Monroeville as it can be a sea of red lights.

[hbelkins]

The main reason I'm suggesting that is you have one really wicked hill just after US-119 NB leaves US-22.  If your car isn't ready for it, you could be in for a world of hurt as the old road isn't there anymore because the new one was mostly built on top of it on a straighter alignment except near the top.  Plus there are less lights between Pittsburgh and I-99 on my suggested route and on a recent run between Pgh and I-99, seemed to travel it faster than your route.  And if your travels are going to be during Rush Hour in the Pittsburgh area, you can almost forget US-22 East of Monroeville as it can be a sea of red lights.

What would make that hill any worse than many of the others on Appalachian four-lanes? I'm planning on driving that portion of US 22 on way to Vermont next month (Mon-Fayette north, US 119 north, Turnpike 66 north, US 22 east to Ebensburg, then US 219 north to DuBois which will give me a clinch of US 219) so I'll be checking it out. Could that hill be any worse, say, than I-68 eastbound past Cheat Lake?

[1995hoo]

The most convenient shunpike I have encountered is Interstate 95 and the Florida's Turnpike between the Golden Glades interchange and Fort Pierce.  Depending on traffic, and I live to avoid south Florida traffic, I will actually prefer the Turnpike over Interstate 95.

Am I missing something here? I thought the point of a "shunpike" route was to avoid tolls. Using the turnpike in the scenario you describe means you hit more tolls, although when I've made the drive from my brother-in-law's place near Pembroke Pines to my sister-in-law's place near Viera I used the turnpike as well on their advice (they said I-95 gets a lot more traffic because it has more exits and people who want to avoid the toll). I don't generally worry about avoiding tolls over long distances anyway, though.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

What would make that hill any worse than many of the others on Appalachian four-lanes? I'm planning on driving that portion of US 22 on way to Vermont next month (Mon-Fayette north, US 119 north, Turnpike 66 north, US 22 east to Ebensburg, then US 219 north to DuBois which will give me a clinch of US 219) so I'll be checking it out. Could that hill be any worse, say, than I-68 eastbound past Cheat Lake?

It's a LONG steep ascent, that's what makes it a killer.  My car did fine, but it's turbocharged; YRMV.

[empirestate]

Pittsburgh to NYC:
US 22 EB/I-99 NB/I-80 EB. With the recent upgrades of US 22, this route is at least as fast as the Turnpike and, what, 24 bucks cheaper??

Yes, US-22 has had a lot of upgrades, but you do have to suffer several traffic lights just outside of Monroeville.

I would suggest PA-28 NB > US-422 EB > US-219 SB > US-22 EB > I-99 NB > I-80 EB.

The main reason I'm suggesting that is you have one really wicked hill just after US-119 NB leaves US-22.  If your car isn't ready for it, you could be in for a world of hurt as the old road isn't there anymore because the new one was mostly built on top of it on a straighter alignment except near the top.  Plus there are less lights between Pittsburgh and I-99 on my suggested route and on a recent run between Pgh and I-99, seemed to travel it faster than your route.  And if your travels are going to be during Rush Hour in the Pittsburgh area, you can almost forget US-22 East of Monroeville as it can be a sea of red lights.

Well, yes there are a lot of upgrades and up-grades east of Monroeville, and all of the lights seem to be located at up-grades heading eastbound, so you do a lot of waiting for slower vehicles to accelerate. But, it is far better than it once was, even fairly recently, such that it becomes a viable shunpike. And coming westbound, if you hit US 22 in the evening you're even better off.

I never used any option involving PA 28 because it was a traffic and construction nightmare during the time I lived there (and certainly still is), and it was a pretty significant crosstown journey from my neighborhood to the more free-flowing stretches. But depending where you live, it could also be useful.

[hobsini2]

Here is one i use often.
Chicago to Pittsburgh: I-80/94 to I-65 South to US 30 East. Once east of Valpo, US 30 is a nice 4 lane divided highway with a couple of lights in Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City with mostly 65 zone all the way to Ft Wayne.

By "a couple", you mean "a ton", right?

No i mean about a dozen or so from IN 49 at Valpo to Ft Wayne. yes Valpo itself has about a dozen of its own on 30 but i make good time once east of there.

[pianocello]

I guess it all depends on timing. When I went to Fort Wayne back in June, I hit almost all of the red lights.

Stoplights aside, this is also a good toll-free alternative from Chicago to NYC (via 71N, 76E, and 80E).