Verrazano Bridge to Staten Island (Garden City: home, garden, congested)

[thebobs]

Going to be heading off of Long Island and taking the Verrazano to the Goethals Bridge during the weekday morning. I plan on doing this before rush hour. I am about 70 miles from the Verrazano. My question is what are both bridges like during the weekday morning and what is a good time that I should reach the bridge by before it gets jammed up?

[bluedog2]

Your problem is far more likely to be the Belt Parkway or one of the other roads leading to the bridge.They can have horrendous backups unless you are really really early.Once you actually get onto the bridge you are home free.

[UpstaterInBklyn]

The Belt usually gets pretty congested around JFK. In my experience it's not too bad in the section from Flatbush Ave. to the Verrazano.

[BKTony]

The Belt and the BQE both are going to be your biggest problems. The Verrazano in the morning has little traffic going to Staten Island in the morning rush hour. The Side going to Brooklyn has heavy traffic in morning rush hour. The Verrazano also has a bunch of toll lines so that keeps it up from backing up. The Goethals can be unpredictable sometimes in morning and evening rush hours its empty. Often on the weekends the Goethals can be backed up for a mile or so. P.S. it also helps if you are on the Belt before 7 am. I use to have drive from Brooklyn to Garden City every day and also I had to drive from Brooklyn to Staten Island for my job. So I learned well the traffic patterns and how to adjust my driving times to avoid the heavy traffic.

[neonwattagelimit]

Your biggest problem will likely be the Goethals, the Staten Island Expressway, and the Belt or BQE. The V-N will back up, but it usually moves. Of those roads, I actually think the SI Expwy is the worst.

Leave early or late - the latter is probably better. You'll hit traffic as early a 6am. I think the time of day with the lightest traffic is probably between 10am and noon.

[thebobs]

Thanks for the info everyone. Due to time constraints unfortunately I will have to leave early in the morning.

I need to get onto 95 south, so I'm wondering, am I better off taking the Goethals or the Outer Bridge Crossing.

I've been over both, but I've always traveled on the weekends, never during the week which is why I'm trying to find out what is my best option is.

[captne76]

I've alway opted for the Outerbridge that time of day as it gets you furthest South directly onto NJ-440 / I-287 in NJ.

[neonwattagelimit]

In spite of my previous post, if you want to go to 95 South, you should probably take the Outerbridge.

[BKTony]

Originally Posted by neonwattagelimit

In spite of my previous post, if you want to go to 95 South, you should probably take the Outerbridge.

Yes I agree with the above post. Take the 440 West Shore Expressway to it there is usually no traffic on it and you can get to the outerbridge pretty quick.