🚀 go-pugleaf

In Article <obermd.5.000B6BCC@acq.osd.mil>, obermd@acq.osd.mil (Michael D.
Ober) wrote:
>In article <2sslif$eig@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> catfood@wam.umd.edu (The usual
suspect) writes:
>>From: catfood@wam.umd.edu (The usual suspect)
>>Subject: Best route to Boston from Silver Spring
>>Date: 5 Jun 1994 13:56:31 GMT
>
>>Hey folks,
>>I'm trying to figure out the best route from DC to Boston for my 
>>trip this Friday...
>
>The shortest (timewise) route is a follows:
>I-95 through Baltimore to the Delaware Memorial Bridge ($3.00 toll)
>Cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge and get onto I-295, which is the first exit 
>in Delaware.
>Take I-295 to the last exit before it ends (you can see the end from the exit)
>   When you get to the I-76 interchange, stay in the right lane.
>Follow the signs to the NJ Turnpike.
>Go north on the NJ Turnpike to the Garden State Parkway (about $.75)
>   Get gas at the first service area on the Turnpike (It's cheapest here)
>Take the Garden State Parkway north to its end. (4 x 35 cents toll)
>Go east on the New York State Throughway to I-284 (first interstate after the 
>Tappen Zee Bridge ($2.50 toll)
>Take I-284 to I-95 northbound
>Take I-95 to I-91 (I think) in New Haven.
>Take I-91 north to I-84 east in Hartford.
>Take I-84 to I-90 (Mass Pike)
>I-90 to Boston (toll unknown)
>
>This is the fastest route regardless of the time of day.  I use a modifed 
>version of this to go to Nashua, NH (Modifed after getting on the Mass Pike) 
>amd have tried several different routes leaving DC at various times of the day.
>

It's amazing how many opinions there are on this.
When I first started going to Boston, I took 95 all the way.  This is at
least an hour longer than going through Hartford (I'd say 2 hours longer).
As far as I'm concerned, the only difficulty is how to get through NYC.
Michael says the Garden STate Pkwy and Tappan Zee Bridge, but I find that
it's faster to go straight up and across the Geo. Washington Bridge;
1) it's shorter in distance, and 2) There are at least 6 stops to pay tolls
on the Garden State route, each of which gets backed up.
However, the backups at the GW bridge can be unbelievable (going northbound)
and the toll is much higher than the Tappan Zee (tolls are northbound only
on both bridges).  If you're being cheap, take 295 through NJ: almost as fast
as the Turnpike, and FREE, and go Tappan Zee; but if you want speed, except
at holidays or rush hour, take the NJTP/GW route.
Now I'll tell you my route from the GW Bridge.  This is tricky, but fast.
After the bridge, take the first exit after Manhattan (I-84); just past Yonkers
Racetrack, take the Hutchinson Parkway.  Follow this carefully until
you reach White Plains and I-684.  Take I-684 to I-84 and Hartford.
Continue to Boston as above.  A safer but slower route is I-95 to I-287 to
I-684.  On the trip south, I go down I-684, then take the Cross-County Parkway
to the Hudson Parkway ($1.25 toll, but a nice view of the Hudson), and you
slip onto the GW Bridge at the last entrance (minimum backup).  Since they
eliminated the southbound toll, backups at the bridge have been minimal
(not so going northbound, however).
With this route, on a good day, I can get from the Beltway to Boston in
7-1/2 to 8 hours.  On a bad day, on any route, it can take 10-12 hours.
I've never done it in less than 10 hours going 95 through Providence.
-Peter Pulsifer