Route 95 North through New York City

[dreamin]

What's the best way to get through the city.....we're heading up the New Jersey Turnpike and want to get to 95 North in Connecticut.

Thanks!

[KIMILI]

The best way is to avoid the city!!!

Hi there, we have plenty of experience with that - live in NJ work in Westchester, NY...

If you're towing you're best bet is to go up I-95 to exit 11 and get on the Garden State Parkway North. Take the GSP all the way up to the end where you will cross into NY state. There you will connect with the NY Thruway (I-87) and you will want to head on I-87 South (towards the Tappan Zee bridge and then New York City). Before long, you will cross the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee bridge. After the bridge, the highway will divide into I-87 and I-287. Take 287 about 12 miles to the intersection with I-95 north, which heads into Connecticut.

Another option is to stay on the NJ tpk until you get to the GWB (George Washington bridge) and DON'T cross it. Instead, follow the signs (you'll be going through .5 mile of streets in Fort Lee - OK with an AS) to the "Palisades Parkway North". Take the Palisades to exit 9 - I-87 south towards the Tappan Zee bridge and follow the directions above.

Mileage wise these above options are longer but if you go over the GWB, when towing your only option is the "Cross Bronx Expressway" - a real nightmare!!! If you get stuck there it's for hours and it happens every day..!! (there are a couple of escape ways but they're very complicated if you don't know the area).

Stick to the above, enjoy the panorama and drive safely to Connecticut.

[mandolindave]

A man is hiking a trail thru the woods. He finds himself face to face with a bear. He may choose to:
1. Turn around and run home ( the safe way )
2. Argue with the bear ( if you know bear talk )
3. Fight the bear ( bad choice )
4. Go around the bear ( good answer )
Survey says...........GO AROUND THE BEAR.

Find 287 on the map
Maybe the Garden State Parkway allows trailers

[2cowpokes]

Last month, we followed the route Kimili suggests as part of a 7768 mile West Coast to East Coast and return trip. It was our first trip pulling the 28' Classic we purchased in Oct., 2003. On a Friday, we left Cherry Hill RV Park in College Park, MD at 09:13 a.m. and pulled in at Riverdale Campground east of New Haven, CT, at 5:40 p.m. That included a lunch stop at a rest area on the NJ Turnpike. We drove between 55 and 60 mph.

We passed thru the Newark, NJ metro area about 2:30 p.m. with no problems with traffic. We chose that route instead of the one in our AAA Triptik because of warnings about propane tank restrictions on some of the other NY/NJ bridges and tunnels.

We did see one 10 to 15 mile traffic backup in the White Plains, NY, vicinity. However, it was in the westbound lanes and we were eastbound at the time.

[KIMILI]

Both the Garden State Parkway and the Palisades Parkway allow cars pulling trailers as long as they are not "commercial". We drove on both of them several times pulling our 25'AS. No problems.

Here in this part of NJ most parkways simply do not allow commercial traffic only.

New York on the other hand is different. Most parkways in NY do not allow any kind of trailers (boat, horse, travel etc) and don't try to be sneaky because their pkwys have low overpasses where our AS's just won't get under!!

As mentioned before the cross bronx is a hit or miss. To be avoided especially at night time and week ends because of road repairs. When it's clear, it's by all means the fastest route but that's a rare and far in between event.

When not towing we take it on a weekly basis but we know several escape ways through the bronx streets. I wouldn't reccomend you to start driving through the Bronx towing your beautiful AS if you don't know your way around...

Propane warnings: no vehicles transporting propane (and a whole other long list of dangerous materials) allowed in any tunnel crossing (Lincoln or Holland), and closed or lower levels of bridges (choose upper level only for GWB). The Tappan Zee bridge is a one Open level bridge so no problems there.

[Over59]

You want to avoid the city unless it's 2am til 5am. It's really that bad. On Holiday weekend do not go anywhere near the GW Bridge. I recently did North Carolina to Connecticut and found the NJ roads going up to the Tappenzee real smooth. NJ doesn't waste money on extra road signs so stay sharp and know where you are going.
PS. In NJ you don't pump your own gas. I think it's a law thing.
PPS. I 95 in Connecticut have construction delays. Where you going?

[Cedars]

Here's an alternative to consider.... cross onto Long Island, and take a ferry across the sound! We've done this several times, and love it! Saves us so much grief, and crazy drivers. And this is from a person who has driven semi in the area, delivered to Hunt's Point and peddled all over Brooklyn a coupla times!
We really, really, enjoy the ferry. Either from Port Jefferson or Orient Point way out on the end of the island. One of the ferries for Cross Sound Ferries (from OP) is a LST, built in 1941 and seeing service during WWII. We delibertly scheduled once, tot ke that one! It was all gone over and so on just a few years ago....... Cross Sound runs from orient Point to New London, the Port Jeff runs from Port Jeffereson to Bridgeport.
Check out these links....
https://www.longislandferry.com/Default.asp
http://www.pagelinx.com/bpjferry/index.htm

Elizabeth in Iowa

[Over59]

That would be a pleasant trip. I haven't been on the Long Island Expressway in 20 years. How is it.

[Cedars]

Because we visit friends on the south side of the island, we don't spend a lot of time on the LIE..... we take Sunrise most frequently.... but we have taken it out to Ronkonkoma and then dropped back south. Not bad last fall, hard to tell by now. Generally speaking, traffic on the island is not as furious as in the city. When we leave (mid-island) and head west, we leave about 10 am and have no traffic problems at all. We generally shoot to head east between 9 am and about 2 pm, or after 6 pm.

Elizabeth in Iowa

[Cedars]

Arrgghh!!!
Forgot to say we take the Verazanno Narrows Bridge, then switch to I-495 aka the L.I.E.. It's a great drive, even after we drop south to the Sunrise Highway! Fairly effortless....

eiI

[KIMILI]

LIE????!! That's a whole other night mare! Again it's a hit or miss.

The ferry idea is very cool (we tried it) but I wouldn't reccomend you take your AS with you. Besides the fact they have everyone park really far too close, they have you pay car + trailer per foot. The total price for car and trailer was outrageous. We immediately changed our mind and got back on the LIE.

In Nj you sit and relax while someone pumps your gas for you and you pay far less for it than our neighbouring states where you have to do the work yourself!!

As per signage...yep that's a BIG problem here. Sooner or later everyone gets lost in NJ

Right now there's plenty of construction going on near the CBExp you may check out some further tips on "Fox's" website or tune in to AM 1010 when you get in the area.

Enjoy the ride

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by KIMILI

The best way is to avoid the city!!!
Hi there, we have plenty of experience with that - live in NJ work in Westchester, NY...
If you're towing you're best bet is to go up I-95 to exit 11 and get on the Garden State Parkway North. Take the GSP all the way up to the end where you will cross into NY state. There you will connect with the NY Thruway (I-87) and you will want to head on I-87 South (towards the Tappan Zee bridge and then New York City). Before long, you will cross the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee bridge. After the bridge, the highway will divide into I-87 and I-287. Take 287 about 12 miles to the intersection with I-95 north, which heads into Connecticut.
Another option is to stay on the NJ tpk until you get to the GWB (George Washington bridge) and DON'T cross it. Instead, follow the signs (you'll be going through .5 mile of streets in Fort Lee - OK with an AS) to the "Palisades Parkway North". Take the Palisades to exit 9 - I-87 south towards the Tappan Zee bridge and follow the directions above.
Mileage wise these above options are longer but if you go over the GWB, when towing your only option is the "Cross Bronx Expressway" - a real nightmare!!! If you get stuck there it's for hours and it happens every day..!! (there are a couple of escape ways but they're very complicated if you don't know the area).
Stick to the above, enjoy the panorama and drive safely to Connecticut.

KIMILI,
I just made this trip this Sun & Mon past..
Personally, I like everything about your recommandation, with one exception..
If I may suggest..Stay on NJTP until you come to exit 163, and then take RT-17 to I-87..This will TAKE you AWAY from the TZ bridge..(I call this a bridge from Hell, what with the bottle neck traffic~!). Stay on I-87 until you come to the exit for I-84..From there..It's smooth sailing into CT..simple~No stress, no pains~!
ciao
53FC

[Over59]

Actually I use the EZ Pass in NY and MA. He is right that without that you could find yourself backedup.
America needs a national ez pass system. The ticket booth workers could become Bureaucrats and track us as we roam the country

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by psychpw

Actually I use the EZ Pass in NY and MA. He is right that without that you could find yourself backedup.
America needs a national ez pass system. The ticket booth workers could become Bureaucrats and track us as we roam the country

I swear..
One of these days, I'll sign up for this EZ Pass~!
Why I haven't yet, eludes me..
lol
53FC

[Cedars]

LOL!! That's probably the reason we run out the south shore on Sunrise hwy!
But in all seriousness, we did not consider the $100 bucks or so the ferry cost as outrageous, considering it saved us about forty miles of driving, and all of the City! 100 bucks for large van, trailer (combined length about 53 + feet) two adults and two large dogs and no Cross Bronx, NO Throgs Neck Bridge, No LIE, no sweat..... well, we actually thought it was cheap! LOL!!

Elizabeth in Iowa

[KIMILI]

As NJ residents we're river crossers and do that every day multiple times a day. $1oo and more for crossing the sound one way, felt pretty steep to us! Maybe if you do it once every blue moon and don't know you're way around local traffic I guess it's ok.

We love LI and go there pretty often, especially to visit the North Fork where we particularly enjoy the various wineries and fine dining. Doing it all in an AS is just more fun. Downside are the campgrounds...pricy and ugly.

On another note:
All you guys going through our area...maybe a forum rally on LI?

[Cedars]

Originally Posted by KIMILI

As NJ residents we're river crossers and do that every day multiple times a day. $1oo and more for crossing the sound one way, felt pretty steep to us! Maybe if you do it once every blue moon and don't know you're way around local traffic I guess it's ok.

We only do it once a year, at the most, twice. And it's always going to Colebrook, NH, from Oakdale, or vice versa.

We love LI and go there pretty often, especially to visit the North Fork where we particularly enjoy the various wineries and fine dining. Doing it all in an AS is just more fun. Downside are the campgrounds...pricy and ugly.

Well, there we have an advantage.... we back in the besde our friend driveway, plug into their shore power, and we all relax! it was amazing to us how much better a time we ALL had doing it this way rather than we stay IN the house.... gracious hosts, but still, we did, no matter how unintentially, at a minimum, somewhat upset their usual routine.

On another note:
All you guys going through our area...maybe a forum rally on LI?

We will for sure be that way in September. The third weekend we attend a breed party for standard poodles in Colebrook, NH. Depending on my Calla's schedule, we will take her to Virginia for breeding. Our fondest hope is that she is considerate, and allows us to have our party, and vacation time before she decides she is in season. I have these nightmares of having to make a fast emergency breeding run from Colebrook to Bristol Tn!!

Elizabeth in Iowa

[N.J 74 sovereign]

dreamin
Take KIMILIs advice, Garden State -Tappan Zee is the best route
The GWB is backed up for miles with wall 2 wall Tractor trailers almost all day, once in NYC the potholes are so bad you could break an axle
If you take any other way then KIMILI suggests you will be Vary SORRY!!
Thomas....... who has lived in Northern New Jersey his whole life

[Don in E Texas]

We once went up I95 - crossed the GWB - and once in "The City" hit potholes so huge that water from our fresh water tank was spewing out!! We were driving our 40' Bus Conversion (ex-Greyhound bus)... NEVER again! We were on our way to Conn at the time. We now avoid NJ altogether - go North via VA and Penn then East to Conn. Wonderful trip - wonderful things to see and places to stop.

Last time in "The City" we were almost mugged. But that is another story for telling around the campfire.

Last year we attended our 50th High School reunion - in NJ. We camped in NY State and had a great time.... (were did all those old folks come from, anyhow?).

..bottom line -- avoid NJ Turnpike and GWB.... life is too short; enjoy the journey...

don