Boston to Baltimore without NYC area :)

[JudithM]

How would one get from Boston to Baltimore without going near/through NYC? Thanks.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I would use the tappenzee bridge. Consult AAA, mapquest or maps on us. They are wonderful with directions.

 

[JudithM]

Thanks, Gail. I know I could find info on other sites on the Internet, but I was hoping someone would have first hand info. I know many people have ways around the Baltimore & Washington beltways, so I was hoping someone would drive around NYC.

Anyone else?

 

[mickey4ver]

When driving north/south to New England, we always go via the Tappanzee. I believe you would look for 287 and once over the Tappanzee, we use Garden State Parkway to NJ Turnpike, to 95 which will take you thru Delaware and into MD and 695 around Baltimore, and vice versa if you are heading North or South.

Only the last time we headed to Boston, we encountered HUGE backup on Tappanzee with road construction. It seemed like an eternity driving to Boston....about 3 hours added on to our trip in drive time. Traffice on 95 up and down the eastern corridor has gotten quite heavy, at all times of the year. We have switched to flying when at all possible/good air fares available.

 

[seashoreCM]

When you get within 60 miles of NYC, tune your radio to 880 AM, they have traffic reports every 10 minutes, you can hear how traffic is building up so you have plenty of time to choose a route.

If you get stuck on the Tappan Zee, you have the worst of all worlds -- going the long way around the horn (like skirting Baltimore via the Towson beltway or skirting Boston via the 495 Chelmsford Marlboro beltway) -- and getting stuck there too.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[JudithM]

Thanks for the replies. We'll be heading first to see friends in the Poconos, so we may just go further north & pick up I84 rather than the Tappan Zee. The friend in the Poconos also mentioned the problems on the Tappan Zee.

At least if I am stuck on the Baltimore Beltway, I can get off & go another way. One cannot just get off the middle of the bridge !

 

[Gillian]

Luckily, NYC is out of the way when going from the Poconos to Boston. Going around the Tappan zee is a good idea too! Traffic does back up on the approach & it can take a while. We've been lucky lately, the traffic always seems to be on the other side! But we've been stuck in it before and there's nothing you can do

Have a great trip!

 

[mikek]

Originally posted by JudithM
Thanks for the replies. We'll be heading first to see friends in the Poconos, so we may just go further north & pick up I84 rather than the Tappan Zee. The friend in the Poconos also mentioned the problems on the Tappan Zee.

At least if I am stuck on the Baltimore Beltway, I can get off & go another way. One cannot just get off the middle of the bridge !

I was just going to suggest 84. My uncle live in western mass right off the mass turnpike. To get to his place (from south of NYC) we try either route depending on traffic- somtimes we take the tappen zee to 684 to 84 other times we just keep heading up the NY thruway to 84 itself. We get off 84 onto the local roads to get to his house, but i think 84 eventully runs into the mass pike- no?

Are you leaving from the poconos to disney? If so i assume you know how to get through PA directly into Delaware?

 

[JudithM]

Mike, thank you! I think we will take the thruway to I84 - hopefully less stress ! And yes, according to the may I84 does intersect with the Mass turnpike.

 

[JudithM]

We're back! From where we were in the Poconos we took I80 to I287 to I84 to the Mass turnpike. It was pouring rain & I80 was a mess, so we did actually get off & take some back roads. I84 was bumper to bumper from Middlebury to Waterbury (it had stopped raining by then). Driving around the Boston area was a piece of cake compared to some of the other roads!

On the way home we revesed it except took 206 in NJ - I guess NJ has no vested interest in making I95 a straight show through the state. Near Trenton we picked up I295, went across the Delaware Memorial Bridge & came home via the Eastern shore of Maryland - much more pleasant than I95!

Thank you to everyone who replied. From your comments & my friend in the Poconos we decided to NOT take the Tappan Zee.

We debated which state has the craziest drivers!!