[dermpathonmymind]

Hi. I'm moving to burlington from north carolina for a year for a fellowship at FAHC. I'm going to be coming up in a month or so (towing a uhaul trailer) to put some stuff in storage before I fly up in late June to move in to my place. I was hoping to get some advice on the best route to take from NC.

Using my GPS and internet map sites, it seems like the "best" route for me may be to swing through eastern PA once leaving 95 (in the vicinity of DC), passing near or through harrisburg, etc, thereby avoiding the possible traffic congestion a/w the larger cities (NYC, etc) that would be encountered by taking the "default" route most direction programs suggest. By suggesting the "no toll routes" (another added bonus of the former path) option on these programs I come up with the eastern PA route. The time added varies from 45 minutes or so to an hour and a half or so according to the programs, but it seems like this time advantage to the "default" route would easily be lost should any significant traffic be encountered in this route.

Since I haven't made this trip in a car since traveling up to see relatives in Rutland when I was 8, I'm not sure if this seemingly better route is in fact the way to go. Can anyone confirm this or offer better suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Kevin

[Sherylcatmom]

One thing I'd check before making a trip like that is road delays. Checking websites like Traffic Reports and Alerts | Real Time Traffic | Road Conditions | Delays :: Traffic.com just before you leave could save you minutes if not hours.

[harry chickpea]

IIRC, getting on 81 and going to 84 works really well if you want to avoid traffic jams and being sandwiched between 18 wheelers for hundreds of miles. Once you hit the outskirts of Richmond on 95, you are dead meat all the way north in wall-to-wall traffic, no matter which side route or escape route you try. Once you hit Maryland, if you have out-of-state plates, you can almost plan on getting a ticket for some infraction. Better to go through Mount Airy NC (Mayberry of Andy Griffith fame) and avoid all of the traffic. You'll thoroughly enjoy the scenery as you parallel the Blue Ridge Parkway in a gorgeous valley. To me, going this route is worth all the extra time and money. Instead of arriving irritated and exhausted, having to pry my hands off the steering wheel, I revel in the beauty of the drive.

[sugarmama!]

no advice. just commiseration. my husband is an ob resident.

you will enjoy burlington. good luck with your fellowship and move.

[flu189]

My suggestion from prior experience would be I 77 north fron NC to I 81 in Va and then head north to Binghamton, NY, then I 88 to the Albany area where you can then take either Rte 9 east to US Rte 7 in Bennington heading north, or from Albany take I 87 north and enter Vermont near Port Henry and shortly thereafter connect with US Rte 7 heading north toward Burlington. I 81 has quite a bit of truck traffic, but does not really go through congested metro areas. Of course, check to see ahead of time from either AAA or the individual state DOT websites for any significant construction activity and delays.

[dermpathonmymind]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Since I'm in eastern NC I pretty much have to hit 95 to DC and then head over to 81 and up, so I'll have to deal with that bit of awful traffic around DC/richmond. However, it's nice to know that the rest of my proposed path seems like a good alternative to enduring the toll roads and traffic of the larger cities.

[goatwoodward]

Don't go within an hour's drive of DC anytime from 6-10 am or 3-7 pm. (Could be even longer hours now, as I have no lived in northern VA for a while.) The rush hour traffic on 95 & the Beltway (495) is legendary. Easily a 2 hour+ delay if you get caught in it.

I got to Burlington & people complain if the cars are moving, just moving more slowly than the speed limit. It's not like NoVA, where the cars just stop & you're lucky to go 15 mph!

[WakeUpState]

Moving to the Binghamdone area?.. hope you like Eight Months of Winter...
and all the low paying seasonal jobs you can't handle. It's a terrible place to live that had twenty years to get its stuff together and thanks to the internet my wife and I get to read about from time to time. It always brightens our day(even when the sun is out at least nine months out of the year). Move to Binghamton I'd rather be sent to Siberia at least that place is starting to really pick up.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by WakeUpState

Moving to the Binghamdone area?.. hope you like Eight Months of Winter...
and all the low paying seasonal jobs you can't handle. It's a terrible place to live that had twenty years to get its stuff together and thanks to the internet my wife and I get to read about from time to time. It always brightens our day(even when the sun is out at least nine months out of the year). Move to Binghamton I'd rather be sent to Siberia at least that place is starting to really pick up.

You probably picked the wrong thread/state to post this, but since you brought up Bing, NY I'll chime in. Many years ago I had friends that located there and unfortunately it's true that the place has seen prospects dwindle. If things keep going the way they are the only thriving business will be the result of of I88 and I81 merging to support those going south to be able to stop to fuel up and get some chow.