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We are travel from Maine to North Carolina. The quickest route on maps is going directly through New York City and New Jersey, which I'm sure are very congested. What advice to others have that have driven this route. Is it worth the extra time to go around?
No need for these questions anymore. Use today's technology - punch up the travel route in Google maps and it gives you the quickest route respective of traffic congestion and highway construction. It's interactive real time as well so you can choose an alternative route on the fly.
Depends on what part of NC you're going to. If you're driving 81 instead of 95 you'll have a much easier time. I've always found 95 to be horrible around DC. I use WAZE for directions/traffic info. My husband uses Google. It's good to have either to re-route around traffic if possible. If you avoid NJ (esp. Northern NJ) at rush, you're likely to hit traffic somewhere else anyway. Safe driving!
When I used to drive from Southeastern NC to Northeastern PA a couple of times a year, I took I95 to north of Richmond, Rt. 17 From Fredericksburg to Winchester, then 81. It was more miles, but I didn't have to deal with DC or Baltimore.
I've driven New England to DC more times than I care to count. NYC is a breeze IF you hit it mid-day and if Christie hasn't closed lanes (oh, he's leaving...) and if there are no accidents or major construction. I always took the Merritt to the Hutch to Cross County to HH Parkway and GW bridge. (or the reverse, of course). It can actually be a pretty drive at times, too.
I typically found worse congestion on the Merritt than in NYC proper, but the alternative, I-95, is usually worse.
Alternatives? Only if you want to add hours to your trip, and still run the risk of construction, accidents and congestion. Tried 287, the nearest alternative, and saved nothing. 78 or 80? You still have the Hudson and the GW Bridge. So you do 84 and go waaay out of your way, and have a hard time getting back on track going south. But, if you're heading a bit more west, I would do 84 to 81, which is a lovely drive, heavy in trucks, but tolerable, as Gerania said. And if you want to break the drive up, there's a number of good towns to overnight along the way, and much cheaper than along 95.
The key to avoiding NY/NJ/DC traffic is to go past these location around midnight. you should be able to drive through easily within 4 hours. You are risking it between 9 AM to 2 pm, but these hours are ideal for low traffic density.
Depending on the day of the week, we have left the NYC area to North Carolina, leaving NYC at about 9PM getting to North Carolina by 7 am.
Google your way to Harrisburg, Pa then take 81 until at least Winchester, Va if headed to eastern NC or farther down if headed to western NC. Your trip to Harrisburg will take you across the Hudson no farther south than the Tappan Zee Bridge which will keep you out of the metro NY area completely.
We are travel from Maine to North Carolina. The quickest route on maps is going directly through New York City and New Jersey, which I'm sure are very congested. What advice to others have that have driven this route. Is it worth the extra time to go around?
Yeah, wait till you go thru virginia and D.C. traffic.
Going thru NYC was a piece of cake when I took this route.
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