[ Avoid Manhattan; use Tappan Zee bridge ]
> >From Western New England take I-84 West to I-684 South, to I-287 West.
Slightly faster, take 684 south to the Saw Mill River Parkway south to 287.
That puts you on 287 just before the bridge, and avoids traffic in the
morning (usually).
> >From Southern New England take I-95 to I-287 West.
>
> Stay on I-287, which connects just past White Plains to I-87 North and the
^^^^^
This is correct, though non-intuitive. 87 south will take you to Manhattan.
> Tappan Zee Bridge. Cross the Hudson on the Tappan Zee and, after about 6-8
> miles on I-87 you'll connect, just past Nanuet NY to the Northern end of the
> Garden State Parkway which ... eventually ... will land you in Atlantic
> City. [Nine tolls on the GSP _-_AT_-_ 35 cents each, and one on the AC Expy _-_AT_-_ 25].
The Garden State has its own traffic problems. Southbound, it's often faster
(especially during morning rush hours) to take 9W south (1st exit after
bridge) south to the Palisades Parkway south, picking up the New Jersey
Turnpike in beautiful downtown Fort Lee, I think.
> You'll also avoid the lovely and delightful Jersey Turnpike (I-95) which, in
> the Newark area, is arguably the worst interstate highway in the entire U.S.
> (Although the GSP isn't exactly scenic in the Oranges or near Meadowlands,
> it has far less traffic than the Jersey and you don't get the feeling ... in
> the Newark area ... that a 747 is about to land on the highway directly in
> front of you.)
Southbound in the morning, I find the Turnpike faster, because the heavy
traffic is headed the other way from you; while on the Parkway, it is headed
the same way as you, and both the Essex and Union tolls are 5-15 minute
bottlenecks. Coming back northbound, you can listen to FM 101.5 at 3,18,33,
and 48 minutes after the hour for traffic reports which cover New Jersey,
but it's hard to pick up from anywhere north of the NJ line, when you have
to decide when headed southbound. AM 880 (8,18,28, etcetera mintutes after
the hour) and AM 1010 (1, 11, 21, etc) are the best you can do , and they
are often incomplete covering New Jersey, especially the Garden State Parkway.
Anyway, if you are on the New Jersey Turnpike, you need exit 11 for the
Garden State Parkway south for 90 minutes or so to Exit 38 B, the Atlantic
City Expressway east to AC. (Turnpike toll is $2.20; you miss 4 of the 35
cent Garden State Parkway tolls).
Rarely more applicable: Your Mileage May Vary.
-- Randy Hudson <ime_-_AT_-_netcom.com>