commute advice needed - philly to plymouth meeting (Butler, Girard: bus, safe)

[astralartist]

Anyone able to give some good alternatives for AM rush hr commuting from center city phila to plymouth meeting? Will be starting a project out there soon, and know that 76West can get really backed up in AM rush hr. - especially by Rt 1/76W connection. Thanks a lot.

[newmarlig]

If you can take public transportation, the Route 27 bus goes from center city to Plymouth Meeting. You can see if it stops near where you will be working. It goes up Broad Street and turns on Kennedy Blvd to the Expressway.

http://www.septa.org/service/sched/027_wk.html

[astralartist]

Hi - Thanks a lot for the quick response. I will be driving out - I am not in a real accessible part of center city. Any advice for roads out there? I believe a friend told me maybe Ridge Ave straight out to Germ. Pike might work.

[Ohiogirl81]

Our route is Kelly Drive to Ridge to Henry (the easiest place to turn is Hermit Ave. at the top of the hill, and Ridge itself through Roxborough is a PITA), which turns into Ridge again. There are a couple of places you can turn over onto Germantown, but I'd suggest going out as far as possible. The intersection of Germantown and Butler Pike gets pretty clogged up most of the day.

Good luck! And safe driving! (it's a jungle out there ... )

[JerzBoy]

I personally would take kelly dr to city line ave (if you know where you are going) and then enter 76W from there. That entrance puts you right past the dreaded route 1 merge. Although it will still be slow most of the way - it shouldnt be horrendous. I think it will be faster than the local routes.

[astralartist]

Thanks so much for both of your posts! I did get a similar sort of thing from mapquest when I clicked on the "avoid major highways" thing. - And definitely - the nasty 6 lane? merge to 2 by 76w/City line is what I was trying to avoid! Although sometimes it can also be very sluggish west of this up to the blue route as well. I've never had to do it on a daily basis, only 1 - 2 times a month, but now it will be daily in the new yr.

Any idea of what time the bottleneck is over out there? - I may have option later on of a later work day start.

[leighland]

Originally Posted by JerzBoy

I That entrance puts you right past the dreaded route 1 merge. Although it will still be slow most of the way .

So is the 76 always nasty right there? If I see a jam there, does that mean it's clears after the City Line exits? Unless its rush hour?

[astralartist]

Also, I'm just south of Girard Ave - would it be better to pick up Ridge Ave there? (I think it's near 20th/Girard). Thanks

[JerzBoy]

Originally Posted by leighland

So is the 76 always nasty right there? If I see a jam there, does that mean it's clears after the City Line exits? Unless its rush hour?

76W is rarely clear. It definitely is better after the rt1 city ave merges. Traffic is still slow but its not at a stand still like it is before the merge. I'd guess an average of 30-35mph during the morning rush (aka pockets of very slow traffic then pockets of free flowing traffic). I still think its quicker than local routes w/ traffic signals.

[astralartist]

Originally Posted by leighland

So is the 76 always nasty right there? If I see a jam there, does that mean it's clears after the City Line exits? Unless its rush hour?

The only time I've ever seen Westbound 76 clearer is after about 10 or 11 AM. It's usually great from center city, going toward City Line, but then traffic comes to a quick halt about a mile before City Line ave exit, and it's all downhill after that.