Raleigh/Durham to Buffalo, NY...Which route? (Speed: live, safe)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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2 Options. Google maps shows the 2 routes as the same time, but one is 72 miles shorter. Which way is faster? (actually, this is to the chataqua lake region but many people use the same route anyways)
I'm driving to Buffalo Friday! I've searched for this too and haven't found anything.
I always go the interstate route -- your first option (roughly 40, 52, 74 77, 19, 79, 90). The interstates are boring but generally way safer and easier to deal with. It's so sanitized for you -- rest stops all over, good highway patrol, good help always close by if you break down. And this particular drive is very scenic and beautiful. Lots to take in. Maybe not so much in the winter, though
If you street view the other route, it's a lot of 1-lane in each direction roads through small towns. I get really annoyed if I'm stuck behind someone going too slowly on one of those roads. Plus, I'm generally paranoid and I'd worry about breaking down in the middle of nowhere and not having help.
Speed wise, I've done Raleigh to Buffalo in just over 11 hours. There's a lot of room for variance, but I'd be really surprised if you could do it that quickly taking the back roads.
Went to Niagara Falls this summer and took the first route(I-79) when going and took the last route(I-95) returning. Even though the I-95 route is shorter distance wise, I don't think I would ever take it again. Even though Google shows them the same time wise, traffic was much worse coming back on the I-95 route and many more delays due to road work. Didn't time them exactly, but seemed like a lot longer and was definately more stressful driving.
I would not be eager to drive from Penfield to Warren in late December on 153 and 219.
It can snow there when there is blue sky in the rest of PA.....
We had snow in Clearfield, driving though on May 12, 2010!
That leg alone would prompt me to take the western route via I-79.
Option 1. Trust me and anyone else who tells you to avoid I-95. You only need to drive on it once to never want to drive on it again.
Yes, this. I've lived in the Northeast 95 corridor most of my adult life and I avoid at all costs, if at all possible. ESPECIALLY between Christmas and New Year. And summer.
Oh I'm no stranger to I-95...but that leg isn't bad
Everyone, thank you very much for the info...Western route it is
One of the nice things is that you spend quite a bit of time in West Viriginia, who has some nice speed limits to go with their winding highways. Makes for an interesting drive Though at least during winter, there's no stretch worse then I-79 between Pittsburgh and Erie, PA. White knuckle driving at it's finest
One of the nice things is that you spend quite a bit of time in West Viriginia, who has some nice speed limits to go with their winding highways. Makes for an interesting drive Though at least during winter, there's no stretch worse then I-79 between Pittsburgh and Erie, PA. White knuckle driving at it's finest
Mercer to Erie, with a few inches of drypacked snow, more in the air, and a 30 mph crosswind makes for a fine drive!
Or not.
One of the nice things is that you spend quite a bit of time in West Viriginia, who has some nice speed limits to go with their winding highways. Makes for an interesting drive
Yeah, there's no way you can safely do 75 in some of those spots. Maybe if you're in a Porsche, in which case it would be quite fun!
Quote:
Originally Posted by topchief1
Though at least during winter, there's no stretch worse then I-79 between Pittsburgh and Erie, PA. White knuckle driving at it's finest
I wonder how it compares to I-90 south of Buffalo during a lake effect storm
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