Escape from New York
August 1, 2005 1:58 PM Subscribe
You're in Manhattan at 2:30 PM this Wednesday. You need to get to St. Johnsbury Vermont...
Would you take I95 to I91 North, or the Hutchinson/Merritt? Extra credit: you're on W47 & 7th: 9A to the Cross-Bronx?
Would you take I95 to I91 North, or the Hutchinson/Merritt? Extra credit: you're on W47 & 7th: 9A to the Cross-Bronx?
I'd say neither. Take 9A to the Saw Mill Parkway to 684 to 84 to 91.
I think this is also the best way to get to Boston except you stay on 84 until it become the Mass Pike.
posted by Xalf at 2:17 PM on August 1, 2005
I think this is also the best way to get to Boston except you stay on 84 until it become the Mass Pike.
posted by Xalf at 2:17 PM on August 1, 2005
Are you in a hurry? If not, I'd also say neither and get on 87 heading north through upstate New York, make an end run around Connecticut and come into Vermont around Bennington [amazingly beautiful] or Rutland [still pretty nice looking]. Go across the state on Route 4 [lovely], get on 91 North and scoot up to St. J. from there.
posted by jessamyn at 2:36 PM on August 1, 2005
posted by jessamyn at 2:36 PM on August 1, 2005
I would be worried about that stretch of 287 over the TZB being traffic-y.
posted by smackfu at 2:38 PM on August 1, 2005
posted by smackfu at 2:38 PM on August 1, 2005
I third Xalf, although I've never gone Jessamyn's way since I'm usually headed for NH rather than VT.
I usually go Saw Mill -> 684 -> 84. The Cross Bronx makes me want to die. Bleh.
posted by bcwinters at 3:59 PM on August 1, 2005
I usually go Saw Mill -> 684 -> 84. The Cross Bronx makes me want to die. Bleh.
posted by bcwinters at 3:59 PM on August 1, 2005
That's why you take 9A, so you can avoid the Cross Bronx. Too bad it has a toll on the HHB though.
posted by smackfu at 5:28 PM on August 1, 2005
posted by smackfu at 5:28 PM on August 1, 2005
Best answer: I'm with Jessamyn.
Look, traffic jams are a major consideration in CT so any routing through there is going to be a gamble. I know of what I speak -- I'm living the stop-and-go dream in Fairfield County.
I'm assuming you're in a passenger vehicle so you don't have to consider whether your ride is parkway-legal. I'm also assuming you don't care too much about tolls -- the HH bridge, 87N and the Taconic all have 'em. Nothing too out-of-control, though.
The fastest routes, in theory, are the Henry Hudson->Cross-County->Hutch->Merritt->91 or HH->Saw Mill->684->84->91. IF you're heading up in the middle of the night either way will have you to VT in a jiffy. Unfortunately you're doing this in the afternoon.
First, be sure to leave as close as you can to 2:30 (or earlier) to minimize the risk of hitting a major jam. If you go via I-84, you'll need to clear Danbury by 3:30 or so. This means leaving promptly at 2:30. Rush hour traffic between Danbury and Hartford can leave 84 stopped dead in lengthy stretches.
Don't get me started on the Merritt at rush hour. Thankfully you aren't heading up on a summer or ski season Friday (think 90 minutes to three hours from Greenwich to Stratford when it's really bad...) Since you're heading up on a Wednesday, leaving by 2:30 (even a little later) should be fine if you do the Merritt.
Scenery issues: 91 is pretty meh through most of CT and all of Massachusetts. Jessamyn has the right idea if you favor aesthetics over time (like I said, I'm with her on this one.) NY 7->VT 9 through Bennington is by far the more spectacular choice but if you're driving a junker there's a pretty steep climb out of Bennington you should be aware of (think runaway truck ramps going the other way).
For extra scenery points, skip 87 and take the Taconic north from 9A. The TSP is pretty but leaves you in the middle of nowhere at its endpoint so take 90W from there back towards Albany and pick up 87N from there to the crossing point of your choice. Though local roads are more direct, they'll take you longer and it's easier to get lost.
Taking the Taconic instead of 87 to Albany will take longer primarily because of the Thruway's 65 mph speed limit; mileage-wise it's probably pretty close.
If time was of no concern I would do the Taconic to Bennington to 91. If time was a concern I'd see if I could leave earlier so I could enjoy the scenery -- seriously, this route will take longer but it's really nice if you don't get to see that part of the Northeast that often.
Whatever you choose, enjoy the ride!
posted by Opposite George at 10:46 PM on August 1, 2005
Look, traffic jams are a major consideration in CT so any routing through there is going to be a gamble. I know of what I speak -- I'm living the stop-and-go dream in Fairfield County.
I'm assuming you're in a passenger vehicle so you don't have to consider whether your ride is parkway-legal. I'm also assuming you don't care too much about tolls -- the HH bridge, 87N and the Taconic all have 'em. Nothing too out-of-control, though.
The fastest routes, in theory, are the Henry Hudson->Cross-County->Hutch->Merritt->91 or HH->Saw Mill->684->84->91. IF you're heading up in the middle of the night either way will have you to VT in a jiffy. Unfortunately you're doing this in the afternoon.
First, be sure to leave as close as you can to 2:30 (or earlier) to minimize the risk of hitting a major jam. If you go via I-84, you'll need to clear Danbury by 3:30 or so. This means leaving promptly at 2:30. Rush hour traffic between Danbury and Hartford can leave 84 stopped dead in lengthy stretches.
Don't get me started on the Merritt at rush hour. Thankfully you aren't heading up on a summer or ski season Friday (think 90 minutes to three hours from Greenwich to Stratford when it's really bad...) Since you're heading up on a Wednesday, leaving by 2:30 (even a little later) should be fine if you do the Merritt.
Scenery issues: 91 is pretty meh through most of CT and all of Massachusetts. Jessamyn has the right idea if you favor aesthetics over time (like I said, I'm with her on this one.) NY 7->VT 9 through Bennington is by far the more spectacular choice but if you're driving a junker there's a pretty steep climb out of Bennington you should be aware of (think runaway truck ramps going the other way).
For extra scenery points, skip 87 and take the Taconic north from 9A. The TSP is pretty but leaves you in the middle of nowhere at its endpoint so take 90W from there back towards Albany and pick up 87N from there to the crossing point of your choice. Though local roads are more direct, they'll take you longer and it's easier to get lost.
Taking the Taconic instead of 87 to Albany will take longer primarily because of the Thruway's 65 mph speed limit; mileage-wise it's probably pretty close.
If time was of no concern I would do the Taconic to Bennington to 91. If time was a concern I'd see if I could leave earlier so I could enjoy the scenery -- seriously, this route will take longer but it's really nice if you don't get to see that part of the Northeast that often.
Whatever you choose, enjoy the ride!
posted by Opposite George at 10:46 PM on August 1, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by piro at 2:13 PM on August 1, 2005