[nidex]

Hi everybody, I'm about to make the drive from Chicago to Groton in a little over a week. I plan on taking I-80 all the way to 95 just outside of Manhattan, then 95 up to Groton.

Is anybody who's done this drive(or part of it) able to give some advice? Any good places to stop along the way, eat, etc.?

Also, how much is gas in CT right now on average?
Thanks in advance.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by nidex

Hi everybody, I'm about to make the drive from Chicago to Groton in a little over a week. I plan on taking I-80 all the way to 95 just outside of Manhattan, then 95 up to Groton.

Is anybody who's done this drive (or part of it) able to give some advice? Any good places to stop along the way, eat, etc.?

Also, how much is gas in Conn. right now on average?
Thanks in advance.

I've done this drive. Why don't you take I-90 East through New York to Springfield, Mass., where you could pick up I-91 South to Route 2 East to Norwich?

Taking I-95 through New York City and along Connecticut's most populated areas is asking for trouble depending on your timing. Plus, I-80 through Pennsylvania is mind-numbing.

Our gas right now is $2.539 per gallon on average. It's $1.60 per gallon cheaper than last year at this time.

[heather121]

If I were you I wouldn't take 95 through Manhattan, there are many ways to get around the city (example: I-287/Tapanzee bridge/87), then hook up with Route 15 to get around the worst of the Fairfield County/NYC traffic, and pick up I-95 in the Milford area. I'm sure other posters will have alternate route suggestions as well.

Gas is about $2.50ish right now.

[Slipperman]

i'd try to avoid 80 to 95 in NY for no better reason than NY traffic is terrible. an alternate route would be 80 to 84 (they are close to each other in PA), take 84 well into CT and get off at exit 11 (rt's 34 and 25). take 25 to 15 to 95. by this point you're way past NY and near New Haven. sounds indirect but you should move at a faster pace than getting stuck on 95. i like the I-90 idea too.
right now, gas is between 2.35 and 2.50 depending on where you are.

[nidex]

Thanks for the suggestions. I mapped out all of them, taking 90 through New York State looks like it would be way out of the way but according to Mapquest it's only about 45 minutes more, and they don't factor in the traffic so that makes sense that it would be less.

If I do decide going through New York City it would be on a Friday night, and I would be coming into it at about 11pm. I know Chicago on Friday night gets backed up, but by that time it's usually cleared up; is this not true with NYC?

Is there a website for the tollway through NY? I'd like to get an idea of how much it would cost if I decided to go that way. I'm aware that the G.W. Bridge is $8.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by nidex

Hi everybody, I'm about to make the drive from Chicago to Groton in a little over a week. I plan on taking I-80 all the way to 95 just outside of Manhattan, then 95 up to Groton.
Is anybody who's done this drive(or part of it) able to give some advice?

There have been some interesting suggestions here that i would not have normally considered. I think everyone here universally agrees that going from 80 to 95 is generally a headache. You never know what you'll encounter on 95. I was stuck on 95 for 2 hours and 20 minutes on Friday because they closed the highway. However much of 95 that you can avoid, you'll be better for it. IMHO.

If it were me making the ride, i would go I-80 to I-287 to Rt.15 to I-95.

[alexei27]

I wholeheartedly agree with avoiding NYC. I live on Long Island and you can get traffic backups at any time. the GW can easily be backed up at midnight due to construction on I-95. That stretch of I-95 is among the worst in the nation.

Take I-80...to I-81 in eastern PA...to I-84.

[alexei27]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

There have been some interesting suggestions here that i would not have normally considered. I think everyone here universally agrees that going from 80 to 95 is generally a headache. You never know what you'll encounter on 95. I was stuck on 95 for 2 hours and 20 minutes on Friday because they closed the highway. However much of 95 that you can avoid, you'll be better for it. IMHO.

If it were me making the ride, i would go I-80 to I-287 to Rt.15 to I-95.

This is not bad either....however 287 in NY east of the Tappan Zee is famous for night construction as well. May want to check that out beforehand.

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by nidex

Thanks for the suggestions. I mapped out all of them, taking 90 through New York State looks like it would be way out of the way but according to Mapquest it's only about 45 minutes more, and they don't factor in the traffic so that makes sense that it would be less.

If I do decide going through New York City it would be on a Friday night, and I would be coming into it at about 11pm. I know Chicago on Friday night gets backed up, but by that time it's usually cleared up; is this not true with NYC?

Is there a website for the tollway through NY? I'd like to get an idea of how much it would cost if I decided to go that way. I'm aware that the G.W. Bridge is $8.

I-90 is your best bet. Nothing better than being in a traffic jam on the New England Expressway leading out of The City on a Friday night at 11 pm. I-90 will be traffic free and is mostly a speed limit of 65-70. I would prefer a ride thru the Berkshires over a ride thru NJ and NYC.

Good luck

[Rich Lee]

There is one other option. Take I-90 into New York State and then take I-86/Route 17 (f/k/a Southern Tier Parkway) through Binghamton to Middletown to I-84 East to Danbury. This would avoid most tolls except the one for the Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon Bridge.