Traffic driving from Western, MA to Newark, NJ next Sunday?

July 5, 2009 5:12 PM

Should I expect traffic driving from Western, MA to Newark Liberty Airport next Sunday afternoon between Noon and 3 PM?

Google is telling me to take this route. Basically, I-91S to I-95S.

I'm supposed to pick someone up at 3:00PM. If I leave at 11AM, I should have plenty of time, right? Google tells me 3 hours and 22 minutes. Does that sound about right? Is there any reason why these roads will be a disaster next Sunday afternoon? Are there alternate routes that I should consider?

I'll then turn around and drive back. Will that be a traffic nightmare?

Bonus question: What's the deal with short term parking at Newark Liberty?

posted by TurkishGolds to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Consider avoiding 95. Get on 15S (Wilbur Cross Parkway) around Meriden CT, which will become the Merritt Parkway around Milford; get on 287 toward the Tappan Zee, then get on the Garden State Parkway connector after the bridge, which will get you almost all the way to EWR. Here's the Google Map. Google's estimate puts it ~20 minutes longer than just taking 95, but you'll also avoid all of the through-NYC traffic on the 95 approach to the city, the Cross-Bronx, and the GW Bridge.
posted by The Michael The at 5:23 PM on July 5, 2009

It's also a much more beautiful drive on the parkways rather than on 95.
posted by The Michael The at 5:24 PM on July 5, 2009

I'd expect plenty of traffic once you hit the NYC area. I've never really seen the Cross Bronx Expressway or George Washington Bridge without traffic, but I might just be unlucky.

Newark Airport short-term parking is $3 for a half hour or less, $6 for an hour.
posted by lullaby at 5:33 PM on July 5, 2009

Ditto what The Michael The said.
posted by reptile at 5:53 PM on July 5, 2009

Oh, whoops: the previous version I posted had you inexplicably getting off of 287 after the Tappen Zee and then getting back on. Ignore those. Here's the corrected version, only 15 min longer (and surely less traffic) than 95.
posted by The Michael The at 6:16 PM on July 5, 2009

Listen to The Michael The. Your original route takes you through the worst part of 95. Not only is the Merritt much prettier than 95, it's much less of a crapshoot. I drove between central Pennsylvania and Providence many times while in college, always on 95, and getting through Connecticut could take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours.

As a heads-up, the Tappan Zee is free westbound, but there's a $4.50 toll in the eastbound direction.
posted by HumuloneRanger at 6:54 PM on July 5, 2009

The Michael The has it -- in 99% of the cases. If there's an accident on Rt 15 you could end up being good and stuck for a while -- but hopefully there won't be.
posted by AwkwardPause at 7:04 PM on July 5, 2009

short term parking at Newark is easy to find. The entire airport is setup in a circle loop. You'll just follow the loop to the appropriate terminal and short term parking will be on your left.

If you are picking up someone who is traveling internationally, note that the customs line at Newark can take a while. Took an hour for my wife and I to get through last weekend. Once you are in the customs area, you can't use a cell-phone either. So if you picking someone up who has to go through that, ask them to call you from the plane when it is taxi-ing so you at least know that they are at the airport.
posted by tommccabe at 7:24 AM on July 6, 2009

I'm going to follow TMT's route.

@tommccabe, it is an international arrival. Will parking for that terminal be clearly marked? Do you happen to know off the top of your head the terminal number, etc?

Thanks, everyone, for the advice!
posted by TurkishGolds at 10:57 AM on July 6, 2009

Terminals go by letters at Newark Airport (A, B, and C).

Terminal A doesn't have any customs setup, and Terminal C is all Continental flights (domestic and international). If the person you're picking up isn't flying Continental, it should probably be Terminal B.

The signs to the parking lots are very obviously marked.
posted by lullaby at 11:21 AM on July 6, 2009