Long Island Expressway height restrictions?

[pageclot]

We are planning a trip later in the month to Long Island, and are wondering if there are any extreme height restrictions on the Long Island Expressway.

I've read that Robert Moses, in planning the Expressway, made all the overpasses too short for buses, to discourage mass transit, for some bizarre reason.

Just want to make sure there's no restrictions against 27' Overlanders....

Anyone?

[SafariSogood]

Hello Kevin and Leah,
I do not think you will have any problems on the LIE. That is the commercial route for all truck traffic on the island. I would check the parkways (Meadowbrook and Wantaugh) before you go, trailers most likely aren't allowed anyhow. It has been a long time since I have lived in NY, but that's how I remember it to be.
I will be out there in July, alas without the AS, wish I cold be taking mine.
By the way, there is a ferry from Connecticut to Long Island you might want to check into, and you will avoid a lot of NYC traffic.
Have a great trip!
Frank

[HowieE]

In New York you can use the Expressways but you can not use the Parkways. The Parkways were designed by Robert Moses so that the common folks could not use them via the buses. The bridged were designed to make sure of this.

[Lily&Me]

Don't know about the expressway, but will alert you to the Throg's Neck Bridge (sp?) onto Long Island, which used to be an absolute nightmare to navigate as many lanes are reducing into few. We recommend looking into this carefully, towing a 27' trailer, and take an alternate route if available.

[richinny]

yes, NO TRAILERS on the parkways in the NYC metro area. they were built for "pleasure driving". i guess robert moses never met wally byam!

for the history and road buffs, these links provide great reading:

New York Area Roads, Crossings and Exits

Maps and History at NYCROADS

[HowieE]

There are 3 way to get a trailer onto Long Island.

From the west via the Verrazano Narrors bridge and up through Brooklyn via Atlantic Ave. Not a fun trip.

From the west across the George Washington bridge, upper level only with propane and across the Cross Bronx Expressway and then over the Throgs Neck bridge.

From the north down 95 to the Throgs Neck Expressway and over the bridge. You can get to 95 north of the city via 684 if you come down the New York Through Way

In any case you do not want to attempt this from 6am till 10 am and from 3:30 pm till 7:30 pm weekdays. Never on Sunday afternoon after 2:30 till 9 pm.

Just as in northern Canada chose your rut well you will be in it for a while.

[Lily&Me]

And so, do you REALLY WANT to take your trailer onto Long Island??

[pageclot]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

Don't know about the expressway, but will alert you to the Throg's Neck Bridge (sp?) onto Long Island, which used to be an absolute nightmare to navigate as many lanes are reducing into few. We recommend looking into this carefully, towing a 27' trailer, and take an alternate route if available.

Throg's Neck looks like my only option, as I don't really want to take the Triborough bridge (the path to it takes us down FDR drive, which on street view is a sea of red tail lights). Google Maps had me taking the Cross Island Parkway, which, (based on the Parkway = bad, Expressway = good paradigm) I will avoid, in favour of the Clearview Expressway south to the Long Island Expressway.

To get across Manhattan, Google Maps has me taking the George Washington Bridge across the top, which turns into the TransManhattan Expressway (which appears to go underneath some buildings in the middle), and then crosses whatever river that is there, and then turns into the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Looks like it will be fun.

[pageclot]

Originally Posted by HowieE

In any case you do not want to attempt this from 6am till 10 am and from 3:30 pm till 7:30 pm weekdays. Never on Sunday afternoon after 2:30 till 9 pm.

Just as in northern Canada chose your rut well you will be in it for a while.

This helps. Thanks!

I have no problem driving in traffic, even with the extra length. People will usually let me move over. Except when they don't. I'll have the McKesh mirrors on for better visibility.

[mistral blue]

It also helps to know if the Bronx Bombers are in town .... or the Pope, or the President, or the Boss, or the _____.
You get the idea.

[pageclot]

Originally Posted by mistral blue

It also helps to know if the Bronx Bombers are in town .... or the Pope, or the President, or the Boss, or the _____.
You get the idea.

The Mets are playing that night (the 26th), but the Yankees are away. Madison Square Garden has a women's basketball game that night.

However, all of these events pale in significance to another incredible traffic generator. The American Ballet Theatre company begins their season at the Lincoln Centre at 8pm. I just...I don't know...I really don't think I can handle jockeying for position on the bridge with the humungous crowds this event is almost guaranteed to generate. I'm rethinking the whole trip now. The city will be tied up for days.

[richinny]

Originally Posted by pageclot

Throg's Neck looks like my only option, as I don't really want to take the Triborough bridge (the path to it takes us down FDR drive, which on street view is a sea of red tail lights). Google Maps had me taking the Cross Island Parkway, which, (based on the Parkway = bad, Expressway = good paradigm) I will avoid, in favour of the Clearview Expressway south to the Long Island Expressway.

To get across Manhattan, Google Maps has me taking the George Washington Bridge across the top, which turns into the TransManhattan Expressway (which appears to go underneath some buildings in the middle), and then crosses whatever river that is there, and then turns into the Cross Bronx Expressway.

Looks like it will be fun.

you cannot take the FDR Drive or the West Side Highway or the Henry Hudson Bridge.

[Lily&Me]

If you must, be careful and take lots of patience with you.

[mocon98]

After you go over the ThrogsNeck look for the Clearview expressway (trailers ok) do not take Cross Island (no trailers)...this is the way I leave the Island . The ferry is in Bridgeport CT off of 95. Kind of hard to navigate around there and that takes you to Port Jefferson (eastern LI) Mo