[Westchester2]

Hey Everyone, I go to Boston Suburbs a lot from Philadelphia these days and I have to warn you about some routes.

First of all a lot of people say I-95 is the worst route to Boston and because of traffic. Well that isn't true. I-95's traffic has decreased a little over the past years. It still does have a lot of traffic at rush hour, and rush hour on I-95 west of New Haven is like 2pm-5pm. It can get really bad sometimes. Recently I was taking a trip to Boston via East Lyme, and I was driving up I-95 after the George Washington Bridge and traffic was really bad getting into CT but once I got past Bridgeport, CT it went smoothly and almost a streight shot to East Lyme with no traffic.

I also would recommend I-95 over I-84 to get to Boston. I-84 actually has a lot less traffic sometimes but there is still traffic around Danbury and Hartford (especially the ramp from I-91 to I-84). I usually never go that way to Boston anymore but if you have to go that way a good alternative to the ramp is CT-3 E to CT-2 E but at rush hour that may be congested to because you are entering I-84 right in Hartford. You could also take I-91 N farther and then take I-291 back to I-84. Its a bit of a backtrack but sometimes worth it if its rush hour.
Anyway Here's Why I-95 is a better route: I-84 doesn't go all the way to Boston. It ends at I-90 around Sturbridge, MA. And I-90 is usually jammed from 1pm-7pm on weekdays, and also even worse on weekends (especially summer weekends). I-90 can be backed up all the way to Springfield. The reason is because I-90 has 3 of MA's largest cities in along the route plus on weekends there is a lot of traffic heading for Six Flags New England and then back. Plus the most popular route to Boston is I-95 < I-91 < I-84 < I-90 so you have all that traffic from cities plus everyone that goes to Boston and Worcester a lot. The traffic on I-90 seems to last longer then I-95 plus I-90 also has tolls as well. I-95 does have traffic for more of the stretch, but I-95 usually is moving around 20mph. But on I-90 it once took me 3 hours to get from I-395 intersection to I-495 intersection and thats ridiculous as its only 14 miles, and believe it or not that was a saturday.

So I am just warning you please don't get fooled by the fact that I-95 has traffic so take the other route. People are kind of being bias a little. Don't get me wrong there are times where I-95 can be worse but usually (especially during rush hour and weekends) expect I-90 to be worse, or even if its the same, at least I-95 is a toll free route.

Also to be honest I have driven to Boston Suburbs so much I basically know the best route from NYC to Boston that has hardly any traffic (even during rush hour) except some of it might face some traffic during rush hour but I mean regular rush hour like (4-6pm) Not unusual times like in the afternoon. It does involve a back road for about 14 miles though. Let me know if you are interested in that route and I can post it on here.

[mels]

Originally Posted by Westchester2

rush hour on I-95 west of New Haven is like 2pm-5pm.

I couldn't get past this statement. Rush hour west of New Haven (aka Fairfield County) is most definitely not over by 5 pm.

[Westchester2]

Originally Posted by mels

I couldn't get past this statement. Rush hour west of New Haven (aka Fairfield County) is most definitely not over by 5 pm.

Sorry 7pm, I was just able to get across 5.45pm.

[jp03]

Originally Posted by Westchester2

Hey Everyone, I go to Boston Suburbs a lot from Philadelphia these days and I have to warn you about some routes.

First of all a lot of people say I-95 is the worst route to Boston and because of traffic. Well that isn't true. I-95's traffic has decreased a little over the past years. It still does have a lot of traffic at rush hour, and rush hour on I-95 west of New Haven is like 2pm-5pm. It can get really bad sometimes. Recently I was taking a trip to Boston via East Lyme, and I was driving up I-95 after the George Washington Bridge and traffic was really bad getting into CT but once I got past Bridgeport, CT it went smoothly and almost a streight shot to East Lyme with no traffic.

I also would recommend I-95 over I-84 to get to Boston. I-84 actually has a lot less traffic sometimes but there is still traffic around Danbury and Hartford (especially the ramp from I-91 to I-84). I usually never go that way to Boston anymore but if you have to go that way a good alternative to the ramp is CT-3 E to CT-2 E but at rush hour that may be congested to because you are entering I-84 right in Hartford. You could also take I-91 N farther and then take I-291 back to I-84. Its a bit of a backtrack but sometimes worth it if its rush hour.
Anyway Here's Why I-95 is a better route: I-84 doesn't go all the way to Boston. It ends at I-90 around Sturbridge, MA. And I-90 is usually jammed from 1pm-7pm on weekdays, and also even worse on weekends (especially summer weekends). I-90 can be backed up all the way to Springfield. The reason is because I-90 has 3 of MA's largest cities in along the route plus on weekends there is a lot of traffic heading for Six Flags New England and then back. Plus the most popular route to Boston is I-95 < I-91 < I-84 < I-90 so you have all that traffic from cities plus everyone that goes to Boston and Worcester a lot. The traffic on I-90 seems to last longer then I-95 plus I-90 also has tolls as well. I-95 does have traffic for more of the stretch, but I-95 usually is moving around 20mph. But on I-90 it once took me 3 hours to get from I-395 intersection to I-495 intersection and thats ridiculous as its only 14 miles, and believe it or not that was a saturday.

So I am just warning you please don't get fooled by the fact that I-95 has traffic so take the other route. People are kind of being bias a little. Don't get me wrong there are times where I-95 can be worse but usually (especially during rush hour and weekends) expect I-90 to be worse, or even if its the same, at least I-95 is a toll free route.

Also to be honest I have driven to Boston Suburbs so much I basically know the best route from NYC to Boston that has hardly any traffic (even during rush hour) except some of it might face some traffic during rush hour but I mean regular rush hour like (4-6pm) Not unusual times like in the afternoon. It does involve a back road for about 14 miles though. Let me know if you are interested in that route and I can post it on here.

So ironic..just came back from Boston last week. Decided to start off I-95 from Boston back to CT for a change instead of I84.. MISTAKE. 3:30 in the afternoon and it was a gridlocked mess. Got off, turned around and went back up to Mass Turnpike to I84 and had clear sailing all the way home.

[Csiko]

Originally Posted by Westchester2

Don't get me wrong there are times where I-95 can be worse but usually (especially during rush hour and weekends) expect I-90 to be worse, or even if its the same, at least I-95 is a toll free route.

There may be times where 95 is worse, it just happens to be most of the time anyone would actually be needing to drive it.

Sigalert has been a lifesaver lately. I highly recommend using it to check traffic before a trip (or during, if you have a smartphone). I don't travel up to Boston much, but I do check traffic regularly in the area. The area west of New Haven on 95 is bad more often than it is good, no matter what time of day it is. I don't actually fully understand why though, but Long Wharf headed north has been painfully backed up for years. I assume it's because people unfamiliar with the lane/off-ramp structure change lanes more than they need to, or wait until the last minute to do so, slowing everything down.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by jp03

So ironic..just came back from Boston last week. Decided to start off I-95 from Boston back to CT for a change instead of I84.. MISTAKE. 3:30 in the afternoon and it was a gridlocked mess. Got off, turned around and went back up to Mass Turnpike to I84 and had clear sailing all the way home.

I've always had better luck on the Mass Tnpk myself. The few times I've tried I-95 I was cursing myself.

[JayCT]

Depending on the time of day, I-95 is not fun in Providence either. At least going I-91 and I-84 you avoid Hartford. And if you are in a car you can avoid New Haven by using Route 15. Jay

[LRPct]

Me thinks someone just invested in roadside businesses alongside 95. ool..Saying that 90 from Sturbridge is jammed packed 1-7 every day is hilarious. Its easy sailing much more often than 95 and IF there is backup its 2-3 hours during a day at MAX.

[nep321]

I-95 in Fairfield County is a disaster and is full of traffic slowdowns even on weekends and non-rush hours, often.

[western mass and love it]

It took me over 6 hours once to go from exit 4 on the Mass Pike to exit 17 on the Mass Pike. That was a one time deal , I cannot even begin to count the times I have been stuck in gridlock on 95 between New Haven and NYC.