I-84 or 78?

[Sayid Linus]

In August 84 west in PA had a lot of areas with just one lane open. Also north of Harrisburg near Hazelton there is construction. I drive from Harrisburg to New England semi often and I always take 78.........if I'm not going to be driving around NYC during rush hour.

[old_cold]

We did take 84 rather than 78 and it was a most pleasant trip!
Once higher up, this time of year, the foliage was more beautiful than what New England is touted for....much more of the bright reds and oranges.
Admittedly, it was Saturday, but traffic was very light, many fewer semis than ever on 78...even on a Saturday.
The hills didn't lower my MPG either....my Outback still averaged me 33 MPG.....about a mile more than usual for this type of ride.
As to the warning about pavement condition....rough means ROUGH! But it was only really bad for a short time. Somebody in Pa doesn't know how to patch smoothly

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by old_cold

We did take 84 rather than 78 and it was a most pleasant trip!
Once higher up, this time of year, the foliage was more beautiful than what New England is touted for....much more of the bright reds and oranges.
Admittedly, it was Saturday, but traffic was very light, many fewer semis than ever on 78...even on a Saturday.
The hills didn't lower my MPG either....my Outback still averaged me 33 MPG.....about a mile more than usual for this type of ride.
As to the warning about pavement condition....rough means ROUGH! But it was only really bad for a short time. Somebody in Pa doesn't know how to patch smoothly

Sunday afternoon and evening is the time for semis heading north. Sunday morning is one of the best times to travel - until ten or eleven o'clock.

Did you go all the way to Florida? Did you stay on 81 until 77 in VA? I always enjoyed that ride - even in a semi.

I am glad that you had a good trip!

[old_cold]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Did you go all the way to Florida? Did you stay on 81 until 77 in VA? I always enjoyed that ride - even in a semi.

I am glad that you had a good trip!

Yes and yes.
Thank you and so am I!
The only snag was a mile long holdup where there was a merge to single lane.
Some people just refuse to start merging when advised....wait until the last few feet and cause needless 10/15 minute back ups....even speed along the 'emptying' lane to get in front.
I always wish others would refuse to let them in until they've sat there for about 2 hours

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by old_cold

Yes and yes.
Thank you and so am I!
The only snag was a mile long holdup where there was a merge to single lane.
Some people just refuse to start merging when advised....wait until the last few feet and cause needless 10/15 minute back ups....even speed along the 'emptying' lane to get in front.
I always wish others would refuse to let them in until they've sat there for about 2 hours

While I was driving truck in the 90's my partner tried to hold back traffic in Tennessee and ended up with a citation for $116. Of course he was not aware that there was an exit coming up around the corner. What he thought were lane jumpers was just motorist trying to exit.

But, that was the start of 'utilize both lanes until the merge' times. Our traffic jams can be so great that we don't have enough parking in just one lane. Does it seem fair that people don't take their turn - NO! You also find out very quickly that you want to be in the lane that is closed - that lane moves quicker than the open lane. So you are penalized for following directions - another 'not fair' situation.

If you ever take I-77 again; just watch the weather (especially in the colder months). Right before you come off the mountain (for your decent into NC); it can be very foggy or icy. If bad weather is expected; you might want to do the Route 17 to I-95.

But, overall, I-84 and I-81 are enjoyable rides and the scenery can be spectacular (especially in the fall). One of my favorite interstate fall rides is I-87 (north of Albany) to Plattsburg, then take the fairy over to Vermont, and come back down I-89 to I-93 to I-84. I-81, north of Scranton, can also be very scenic in the fall.

[2nd trick op]

As long as you're driving a simple 4-wheeler or SUV, you might consider I-84 to Matamoras, PA (across the Delaware from Port Jervis, NY), then US 209 south to Stroudsburg, and I-80 west to either PA 33 and I-78 at Brodheadsville, or I-81 at Hazleton.

Until 1985, 209 was a major route for truck traffic into New England (those of us who dealt with it on a regular basis -- I was a dispatcher, not a driver -- referred to it as the "Ho Chi Minh Trail". But its reputation was more fearsome than the actual problem, and in the mid-80's the Federal Government made the Upper Delaware into a National Recreation Area, and banned the trucks -- 209 remains open as a senic route for non-commercial traffic., Most of the 18-wheel traffic now goes via I-287 in New Jersey, so you wouldn't encounter it in any case.

[ki0eh]

Traffic on 209 from East Stroudsburg up to Matamoras is awful on the south end including especially weekends. Any time I've been up there even to an intermediate destination I've regretted it. And despite being called a "scenic route" it really isn't all that scenic, just a valley run road typical of hundreds in upstate NY - except for having more police/park ranger types ticketing at the crazy low speed limit.

[fisheye]

Roadway (now YRWC), when located in Tannersville, had a special permit to run the Ho Chi Minh Trail. But I don't think that we made too much better time than when we ran I-84 all the way to I-380 and back down again. Plus we were in constant fear of a ticket from the Park Service.

What is happening with the Park Service and the government shutdown on Rt 209? Because of the way stocks are jumping up today; I think they are close to an agreement and the Park Service might be back in operation?

I always thought that they should run a bypass or Interstate between I-84 and I-80 right through the Park Service. I think that even the Park Service could gain from that move. However; many would oppose such a plan.