Northeast experience please

[SilverbackMel]

Making a summer trip with our 36ft fifth wheel and returning south through New York. Your knowledge is appreciated.

Planned return:

* Leave Mystic, Connecticut

* 95 south to NYC

* cross Tappan Zee Bridge

* connect to I 287 W

* take I 78 W towards Harrisburg

* good to go from there.

Your input via the forum or PM will be appreciated.

Thanks

[schnauzer mom]

Good luck getting out of CT and through New York. Never an easy trip through. . Roads still are just patch jobs and DOT is working continuously with lane closures. If you leave an a workday may be ugly.


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[Flybob]

If it were me towing a 36 ft 5r I would go to 84 then to 87 and then south.

[schnauzer mom]

Originally Posted by Flybob

If it were me towing a 36 ft 5r I would go to 84 then to 87 and then south.

I agree, from Mystic route 2 to 84 to 87. I would stay away from 95.


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[SilverbackMel]

Originally Posted by Flybob

If it were me towing a 36 ft 5r I would go to 84 then to 87 and then south.

Tnx for input. It is BZ up there for sure!

[Forester Fred]

95 through New Haven, Bridgeport and the rest of lower Fairfield County is a nightmare. You can go south on 95 to RT 9 north, follow that to 91 south, then 691 west/south which connects to 84. 84 west to 87 south will give you a lot fewer headaches. It is longer going all the way up 9 to 84 than following 95 but you couldn't pay me to drive anything bigger than a pickup truck on 95! My parents used to tow a 30' trailer with a Suburban to eastern CT going the 84/691/91/9 route with no problems at all.

Be aware that you may hit traffic in Waterbury on 84 due to construction, it's about a 3 mile stretch that can slow down a bit.

New York is currently working on the Tappan Zee bridge...if you hit it at the wrong time you can get stuck on it for hours...I sat there for 2 hours without moving one time. Rush hour there is an absolute nightmare.

[SilverbackMel]

Fly Bob says Route 84. Capt Skip gets me there 👍
Nothing better than experiences to AVOID from lessons learned!
Advice accepted!! Appreciate both replies.

[Deaver]

Once on I-87, (exit 15) change to I-287 and proceed south to New Jersey around Harriman State Park. Continue south on I-287 to I-78

[Forester Fred]

Originally Posted by Deaver

Once on I-87, (exit 15) change to I-287 and proceed south to New Jersey around Harriman State Park. Continue south on I-287 to I-78

287 is a nice ride, good way to avoid the NYC traffic!

[SilverbackMel]

Deaver; noted. Tnx.

[Taranwanderer]

You could also take I-84e to I-81s, and that'll get you to Harrisburg as well. Less traffic, more scenic, slightly longer but no tolls after the bridge. Wave as you go by!

[Forester Fred]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

You could also take I-84e to I-81s, and that'll get you to Harrisburg as well. Less traffic, more scenic, slightly longer but no tolls after the bridge. Wave as you go by!

Easy to stop by Hershey and/or Gettysburg that way too!

[Deaver]

Originally Posted by Taranwanderer

You could also take I-84e to I-81s, and that'll get you to Harrisburg as well. Less traffic, more scenic, slightly longer but no tolls after the bridge. Wave as you go by!

I think you mean I-84 WEST. I-84 is a nice road but I would respectfully disagree about Scranton Traffic on I-81. The road surface was not the best in that area from my last trip through there. a fair number of hills and lots of trucks on the upper section of I-81 (North of Harrisburg) can be had as well

Depending on the time of day, I would suggest the only real busy section of I-78 is in the Allentown/Bethlehem section in PA and no tolls after the Delaware River Bridge. You can stop (and Dump) at the Largest Cabela's at Exit 29B on I-78.

Originally Posted by Captain Skip

Easy to stop by Hershey and/or Gettysburg that way too!

I-78 ends at I-81 before Hershey and Harrisburg so you wouldn't miss them

[Taranwanderer]

I did mean I-84w, thanks for the correction.

Traffic around the 84-81-380 interchange at Scranton is hit and miss. The only real hill that's a killer is the one down by Hazleton. Just south of where I-81 and I-80 cross, on 81 southbound is a pretty good hill up to West Hazleton, and it starts with a great 90° curve to the right (awesome engineering, PennDot.) It's the only hill that makes me downshift while towing. Other than that, it's a pretty good route for towing. Good luck!

[Goose killer]

84 is a disaster. Single lane for 13 miles at NY state line into PA. Concrete barriers and only about 10' the rest of 84 to Scranton is lane closures and potholes and paving. Avoid it, especially on weekends and peak travel times. 87 to 287 to 80 isn't bad. Neither is the 87-287- 78 route. 95 is not bad if you avoid peak times. Short distance anyway. No way around as most alternates are parkways.

[Forester Fred]

Years ago in a previous lifetime I used to drive tractor trailers through that area. We used to take the shortcut from 84 to 80 by going down RT 209 (truckers called it the Ho Chi Minh trail). It's been taken over by the National Park Service as part of the Delaware Gap NRA. You can jump off 84 and follow 209 down to 80 to by pass the issues of 84 and Scranton. Due to the NPS running the area truckers don't use 209 any more. Lots of campgrounds in the area if you feel like stopping to partake of the waters in the Delaware.

[ld_engnr]

Like everyone else says, the 84-87-287 route is definitely the way to go around the lower CT area. If you are traveling during the week I would also recommend avoiding both Hartford and Waterbury during the rush hours. They can both be stress inducing.

Or else I would just take 84 to PA and then take 81 down the western side of 95. We hate traveling 95 entirely, so we typically use 84 to 81 and avoid the whole NYC/Baltimore/DC area.