Best Route Philly to Groton, CT

Anthony

Anthony

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Anthony
I will be doing a project in Groton, CT for work and with winter approaching will need to drive and not fly. What's the best route to avoid NYC traffic? I-95 and the George Washington Bridge looks like a nightmare.

Thanks.
 
Anthony said:
I will be doing a project in Groton, CT for work and with winter approaching will need to drive and not fly. What's the best route to avoid NYC traffic? I-95 and the George Washington Bridge looks like a nightmare.

Thanks.
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Understand the problems with the GW bridge, I really dislike that part of the drive!!

Depends on time, at 9PM - 6AM, it's not all that bad at all (unless there's an accident!). Since I'm further north than you, I usually head up to I-78, east ot 287, make the loop across to the Tappen Zee (I-287) to I-95 then north/northeast on I-95. this seems to work pretty well from 9AM to 3PM. "It's a breeze after 9PM.

From Lionville, maybe the easiest shot is PA Turnpike to NJ Turnpike to Garden State to I-87/287. Bit further, but the drive isn't too bad.

Gary
 
Thanks Gary. Yeah, I'm taking the I-76 to the NJ Tpk to I-87/287 to go over the Tappanzee. Unfortunately, I can't avoid rush hour. :frown3:
 
The TZB route is the least painful of all possible routes past NYC in the morning, but during the evening rush, it's excruciating dealing with all the idiots who don't own sunglasses or don't understand what a sun visor is for, and come to a near-stop on the bridge because of the sun glare. You'll crawl all the way from Westchester to West Nyack, then after things speed up in the shade of the hill there, it slows down again. It make-a-me crazy; thank God I don't commute between Monroe and Mt. Vernon anymore!

Avoid crossing that bridge westward at sundown, if you can. Trust me on this one.

But even with that problem, it still beats the GWB... the traffic on either side is nightmarish, pretty much any time of day. And they close some toll lanes at night, just so you won't get a break. :D



Another tip: you can "cut the corner" thru Rockland County by getting on the Palisades Parkway (just before everything screeches to a halt before the GWB ) and taking it to Exit 4... get on 9W north, which will eventually bring you to the traffic circle where you can get onto 287 for the TZB. Great way to beat a lot of mall traffic, and much more scenic.


Off-peak, I've found the quickest route past NYC, believe it or not, even traveling between Philly and Connecticut, is to go via the Holland Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge. The key is to not cross either river during rush hour, or on Friday evening, and to know exactly what turns to make in Manhattan, and how to get to 95 from the Brooklyn Bridge. When it works, it's a beautiful thing.
 
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Anthony said:
Thanks Gary. Yeah, I'm taking the I-76 to the NJ Tpk to I-87/287 to go over the Tappanzee. Unfortunately, I can't avoid rush hour. :frown3:
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I hear you!! Luckily I often have one of those "student drivers". Neither of them mind driving late at night, I get to sleep.. Their night vision eyes are better than mine!

Gary
 
Ron Levy said:
Sorry, mate -- ain't no good route for that outside of your Tiger.
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Which I have pressed into service as a "commuter" for now, but that ain't gonna last in the northeast.
 
I'd say add a little distance to avoid all the mess in NYC, and you'll probably do better time-wise.

Consider this route: Take I-295 to US 206 to I-287, then take I-287 all the way to the NY/NJ state line, where it becomes I-87. Take I-87 to the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and pick up I-84.

Take I-84 to CT 17 to CT 9, and take that south to rejoin I-95.

This adds about 40-50 miles to the trip, but might actually save you time compared to the I-95 / GWB / Cross Bronx Expressway nightmare.


374283677_f10ee79a58.jpg



But if this suggestion seems too much out of the way, then I'd say take the TZB route. But avoid the CBE at all costs. You can be stuck for days there.

-Rich
 
Thanks Rich. I'll take a look at that. Does that go across the Tappanzee also?
 
No. The Tapp, the George, and the Newburgh-Beacon bridges, as well as the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, all cross the Hudson. There are other bridges, as well, farther north.

You only have to cross it once, though, and choosing where is the challenge.

Off hours (as in REALLY late at night or early in the morning), I would agree with Rottydaddy and take the Holland Tunnel and go through Manhattan to one of the bridges into Brooklyn (probably the Williamsburgh), then take the BQE to the Van Wyck Expressway north, then over the Whitestone Bridge to the Hutchinson River Parkway, to I-684, to I-84. I do that pretty often, actually. But if you don't know your way around The City, you're likely to become hopelessly lost.

-Rich
 
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I-287 to the Tappanzee, pick up the Hutch north (turns into the Merritt in Connecticut), then Merritt (CT-15) to I-95.

Or GON D->> ENTER ENTER. :)
 
RJM62 said:
I'd say add a little distance to avoid all the mess in NYC, and you'll probably do better time-wise.

Consider this route: Take I-295 to US 206 to I-287, then take I-287 all the way to the NY/NJ state line, where it becomes I-87. Take I-87 to the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and pick up I-84.

<SNIP>
-Rich
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Skip Route 206- it's loaded with traffic lights and it can be slow through Princeton during the day. There are back roads that saved me upwards of 20 minutes each way when I had to commute through the area.

Picking up State Route 31 to Route 202 is almost faster, but the trucks use that route and you may get stuck behind one.

Route 29 is a nice drive (first exit off I-95) and runs up into Route 202.

That whole area inside Route 287 is a mess...just too many cars.
 
One thing to remember when planning a route through New Jersey is that highway signage is a skill not yet achieved by NJ DOT.

Expect one small sign a few feet prior to an important change of direction.
 
AuntPeggy said:
One thing to remember when planning a route through New Jersey is that highway signage is a skill not yet achieved by NJ DOT.

Expect one small sign a few feet prior to an important change of direction.
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GPS is your friend. Been dealing with the S. Jersey mess since before the Millenia, the previous one. :frown2:
 
Have you looked into taking the train? A buddy of mine commutes from Madison CT to Stamford and NYC. Sometimes we'll meet up in ACY. He'll always come by train. He'd rather hack off his arm than drive up there. Last time I drove up to Groton, due to traffic it was almost 2 hours from Bridgeport alone, where 95 meets RT 8, which IIRC is the shortcut up to 84.
 
Good suggestion Chip. I don't see a Groton or New London station for Amtrak.
 
Anthony the absolute best way to get there is N47-PTW D-> KLOM then leave the keys with me and figure you own way up there.

Seriously Garys route with the Tap is good as is Chips suggestion for the train. If you take the train I'd drive to Trenton and get it there it will save you a bit over 30th street station
 
AdamZ said:
Anthony the absolute best way to get there is N47-PTW D-> KLOM then leave the keys with me and figure you own way up there.

Seriously Garys route with the Tap is good as is Chips suggestion for the train. If you take the train I'd drive to Trenton and get it there it will save you a bit over 30th street station
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The Tiger is number one option, but I'll consider the alternatives. :smile:

Where does Amtrak get off near Groton???
 
Anthony said:
Good suggestion Chip. I don't see a Groton or New London station for Amtrak.
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New London is definitely an Amtrak stop. My daughter takes it frequently.

Secondly, don't be a wuss. Take the GWB. Most of the problem is on the Cross Bronx Expressway east of the GWB. This can be avoided! Northbound, get off at the first NY exit, for NY Route 9 northbound. (The old West Side Highway). This will take you across the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge. In Westchester County it is called the Saw Mill River Parkway. Take it to the Cross County Parkway. Take that to the Hutchinson River Parkway, to I-287 East to I-95. Depending on traffic, it may be better to continue on the Hutch to Connecticut, where it becomes the Merrit Parkway to exit 54 in Milford CT which is a short connector to I-95.

-Skip
 
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Skip Miller said:
New London is definitely an Amtrak stop. My daughter takes it frequently.

Secondly, don't be a wuss. Take the GWB. Most of the problem is on the Cross Bronx Expressway east of the GWB. This can be avoided! Northbound, get off at the first NY exit, for NY Route 9 northbound. (The old West Side Highway). This will take you across the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge. In Westchester County it is called the Saw Mill River Parkway. Take it to the Cross County Parkway. Take that to the Hutchinson River Parkway, to I-287 East to I-95. Depending on traffic, it may be better to continue on the Hutch to Connecticut, where it becomes the Merrit Parkway to exit 54 in Milford CT which is a short connector to I-95.

-Skip
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Yeah, except that the traffic on the Cross Bronx Distressway can sometimes back up all the way over the George into Jersey. I've sat there for upwards of an hour at times. There's no rhyme or reason to the traffic on the Cross Bronx.

But I agree that the Cross County to the Hutch is usually pretty painless, assuming that you can get over the GWB to begin with. I don't think I've ever hit traffic on the Cross County. I hit it on the Hutch from time to time, but usually it's not bad at all.

-Rich
 
It's been years since I lived in NY.... I was in Peekskill for a while, then went up the river close to Fishkill.

Tappan Zee can be OK, but as noted can also be a problem around sunset. I84 (Newburg/Beacon) is pretty good most any time - you can go over to Hartford and take I91 or Route 9 down to I95. Back in the day, Route 9 from Hartford to Groton wasn't too bad.

287 to 87 used to be pretty good, too, rather than taking 84 to 209 or 380. 209 was tough.....

I used to take the Garden State up to 287, thence either across the TZ or Beacon bridges. Or (when I lived closer to Peekskill) the Palisades to Bear Mountain - the problem is that 202/6 on the east side of Bear Mountain is really slow.
 
wsuffa said:
Iyou can go over to Hartford and take I91 or Route 9 down to I95. Back in the day, Route 9 from Hartford to Groton wasn't too bad.
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Oh dear god, no. I ride RIC - BOS enough to know that if any part of my journey is as bad as the Beltway, it's 84 between 684 and 91 in Hartford. Days of my life have evaporated on that terrible piece of pavement they call a highway. It is a 2 lane, construction clogged road to Hell.

From Philly to CT, you can do:

I-95 (west of NJ Tpke) -> NJ 31 -> US 202 -> I-287 -> Tappan Zee -> Merritt Parkway (least traffic, most distance)

31 to 202 is fast, clean, and even when the biopharms are dumping people out, an easy ride.

OR

I-195 -> NJ Turnpike -> GSP -> I-287/87 -> Tappan Zee -> Merritt Parkway (more traffic, less distance)

I have found the GSP, even at rush hour, heading N from Perth Amboy to be a pretty fast drive.

For what it is worth, my route from RIC to BOS is now:

I-295 - I-95 - I-495 (East side) - Delaware Memorial - NJ Turnpike - Garden State Parkway - I-287 - I-684 - I-84 - I-90.

Anthony man, I think you need to buy something turbine, multi-engine, with anti-ice... It will take you the same amount of time to get there as driving, except you'll only spend 30 minutes in the air, but 2.5 on the ground with a ground stop for flow control :rofl:

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
astanley said:
Anthony man, I think you need to buy something turbine, multi-engine, with anti-ice... It will take you the same amount of time to get there as driving, except you'll only spend 30 minutes in the air, but 2.5 on the ground with a ground stop for flow control :rofl:

Cheers,

-Andrew
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Ha, ain't that the truth Andrew. Actually the Tiger is perfect for this mission. I hate to say this though, but in reality I only save about an hour flying than driving when you calculate the drive to the airport, preflight, tiedown, drive to work, etc. But, its a HECK of a lot more fun to fly than drive.
 
Anthony said:
Ha, ain't that the truth Andrew. Actually the Tiger is perfect for this mission. I hate to say this though, but in reality I only save about an hour flying than driving when you calculate the drive to the airport, preflight, tiedown, drive to work, etc. But, its a HECK of a lot more fun to fly than drive.
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I was thinking of the inevitable winter flying, given that you'll be back and forth for a few months. Try the Tappan to the Merritt -- I think you'll like it.

-ars
 
astanley said:
I was thinking of the inevitable winter flying, given that you'll be back and forth for a few months. Try the Tappan to the Merritt -- I think you'll like it.

-ars
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Yeah, or a Seneca with known ice. :)

Defintitely will do that one. What is the route number for the Merrit?
 
Find a crash pad in Groton (or New London), and commute weekly, not daily. Seriously. No matter what you do, any route on wheels between those two places is gonna SUUUUUUUUCK.
 
Anthony said:
Yeah, or a Seneca with known ice. :)

Defintitely will do that one. What is the route number for the Merrit?
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I believe it's CT route 15.
Been a while since I've lived up there.
 
astanley said:
Oh dear god, no. I ride RIC - BOS enough to know that if any part of my journey is as bad as the Beltway, it's 84 between 684 and 91 in Hartford. Days of my life have evaporated on that terrible piece of pavement they call a highway. It is a 2 lane, construction clogged road to Hell.

From Philly to CT, you can do:

I-95 (west of NJ Tpke) -> NJ 31 -> US 202 -> I-287 -> Tappan Zee -> Merritt Parkway (least traffic, most distance)

31 to 202 is fast, clean, and even when the biopharms are dumping people out, an easy ride.

OR

I-195 -> NJ Turnpike -> GSP -> I-287/87 -> Tappan Zee -> Merritt Parkway (more traffic, less distance)

I have found the GSP, even at rush hour, heading N from Perth Amboy to be a pretty fast drive.

For what it is worth, my route from RIC to BOS is now:

I-295 - I-95 - I-495 (East side) - Delaware Memorial - NJ Turnpike - Garden State Parkway - I-287 - I-684 - I-84 - I-90.

Anthony man, I think you need to buy something turbine, multi-engine, with anti-ice... It will take you the same amount of time to get there as driving, except you'll only spend 30 minutes in the air, but 2.5 on the ground with a ground stop for flow control :rofl:

Cheers,

-Andrew
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Figured we could smoke you out.... ;)

I haven't been that route in a number of years, hence my disclaimer. The last number of trips have been by air (my plane or commercial).
 
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