dship Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Am planning on attending the 2017 BCA National in WI. Normally, traveling from east to west from my home in MA, I take I-90 thru upper state NY, then merge with I-80 in OH. I'm alternatively considering picking up I-80 in most eastern PA and traveling straight thru west bound thru the state. Have any of you folks traveled this road and/or have any recommendations or pros/cons?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I have done that trip both ways more than a few times. Taking the northern route is longer. My advice is to go 90, to 84 to 81 to 80. You need to time Hartford so you are not there at rush hour otherwise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 CON: Bronx, NY &George Washington Bridge, Not to mention I 95 through CT, Unless you are planning I 84 through Ct, NY and then into PA. Is time of the essence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Ship, I would suggest you time through Hartford during rush, and also Waterbury and Danbury can also be congested. I will take I 84 and than a slower route on US 17 through NY, probably make a three day trip (as I am not getting any younger), stop in Bath, NY and near Toledo, OH so I am down to about 6 hours driving each day. Dr. says I also need to get the legs moving every couple of hours, so I do not get a clot. For you, I would suggest you avoid Hartford, take the MA pike to Albany and drop down, probably the way John D will be going and take I-88 to and from their West, eventually connecting to I-80 west. John. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 8 minutes ago, alsancle said: I have done that trip both ways more than a few times. Taking the northern route is longer. My advice is to go 90, to 84 to 81 to 80. You need to time Hartford so you are not there at rush hour otherwise. This is the way I would go. Miss all the big cities. I did this when I drove a truck. Traffic is heavy, hillier than I 90, But all in all , not bad. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Oh yes, by the way, watch out for deer on I-80, and it is a bit boring lonely ride. But you may see a few Buick travelers along the way. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 Thanks for the advice so far, folks. Time is not a factor, but I haven't decided whether I will take 3 days or 2 to travel the 1125 miles. When traveling, I have been known to do between 550 and 650 miles per day. If I head toward I-80 in eastern PA, I will travel I-95 thru MA, RI, CT, and as I hit NY I will head over to the Tappan Zee Bridge. The start of I-95 is closer to my house than heading to I-90/I-84). I know I-95 really sucks thru southern CT (always busy/always congested) and I totally avoid the GW Bridge in NY...I always circumvent it by going over the Tappan Zee. I will say I do like to travel thru upper state NY...been thru there many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) I grew up in Westchester County, NY, and travelled the Tappan Zee Bridge many times. Not trying to be an alarmist but I stopped travelling it when I learned chunks were falling into the Hudson River below. Apparently up to 3 foot long chunks! Any time taken to get to I 90 from your home has to be more pleasant than driving I 95 for 5 minutes...LOL BTW, John S. is right. Take I 90 to Rt 88, southwest to Binghamton, and then across the NY Southern Tier to Jamestown NY, home of Lucille Ball! Binghamton is 2 1/2 hrs from Albany, with a rest stop 12 miles west of Cobbleskill or several businesses in Oneonta. Stay in Corning NY overnight or go through to Jamestown. It's a ride reminiscent of the late 60's with wide open highways where you can put the top down. Per Google Maps: Edited May 3, 2017 by JohnD1956 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I remember taking US 6 through Nebraska on my BSA motorcycle when I was much younger. This was before full face shield helmets and boy did those bugs hurt. Beautiful way of going though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 21 minutes ago, JohnD1956 said: I grew up in Westchester County, NY, and travelled the Tappan Zee Bridge many times. Not trying to be an alarmist but I stopped travelling it when I learned chunks were falling into the Hudson River below. Apparently up to 3 foot long chunks! I would strongly advise NOT to go this way. Use 84, just don't be in Hartford between 6:30 AM - 9:00 Am and 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 22 minutes ago, JohnD1956 said: I grew up in Westchester County, NY, and travelled the Tappan Zee Bridge many times. Not trying to be an alarmist but I stopped travelling it when I learned chunks were falling into the Hudson River below. Apparently up to 3 foot long chunks! Yikes! Now you tell me! Not as bad as the "free" freeways in Chicago: concrete patches all over on the overpasses, with some holes showing the ground below with just some rusty rebar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted May 3, 2017 Author Share Posted May 3, 2017 NY is building a new Tappan Zee bridge right next to the old one as we speak. Saw the construction as I went through there last year on my way to/from the BCA Allentown meet. Not sure if its ready yet, though. Kind of liking the suggestion of I-90 to I-88 thru more southern NY state. Will seriously consider this one....thanks. I-95 is an OK road within MA until one hits RI. Just don't try to travel it when the Patriots are playing a home game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retirednow Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 You can largely avoid Hartford by taking 84 to 91 to 691 later picking up 84 again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 We are planning to catch RT 90 in LeRoy, about 10 miles south of me and take it to the west side of Cleveland. Then drop down to RT 30 and stick to the secondary roads, skirting Chicago most of the way to Peoria and then swing up north, coming into Milwaukee from a little ways west.. When we leave it will be north to Green Bay and Sault St. Marie, then secondary roads around Georgian Bay and through Hamilton to home. It's about 1600 miles and with two days at the meet we figure we will be gone something like 10 days. Dropped the plans to get the Riviera done in time so the '60 Electra will be the ride. I have a fender I want to paint before we leave and it looks like today the outside temperature MIGHT peak and 50. Whooopie! I know I am going to wish I had taken a couple more days and made the loop around Superior, as well, but then I'd stay in Canada and cross back at the 1,000 Islands so I'd circumnavigate all the lakes. Maybe I will take a run around Lake Ontario for a dry run... if it warms up. Bernie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 4 hours ago, DShip said: NY is building a new Tappan Zee bridge right next to the old one as we speak. I had a meeting at the Westchester BOCES a few years ago and was coming in from RT 17, which is a nice ride. The radio was talking about construction delays on the Tappanzee due to new deck going down. As I rode along I got thinking. On the bridge I was either going to drive over decking that had deteriorated to the point of needing replacement OR I was going to be on freshly installed decking from some low bid contractor. That was my first time over the Bear Mountain Bridge on RT 6. Really a neat bridge and when I have a choice that's the one I have taken ever since. John, that southern route through Binghamton is a good choice. I did an audit on the Mt. Upton school district a few years back and took RT 86 over to Corning, no traffic. I don't think anyone knows it is there. Talk about building a highway to nowhere, very scenic, nice drive. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Just wanted to mention, while traffic around Hartford is still busy, with government lay-offs and firings, plus reduced work in the private sector, the traffic, at times, during rush hour is somewhat reduced from previous years, in my opinion. I think the new TZ bridge is not yet complete, but our friends from LI have little choice. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Just check on your 84 to 81 to 80 . Major construction start on North bound 81 this week and are switching to southbound when done . They said intense for next 4 weeks . I would use 84 to 380 (by-passing 81) to 80 . Looks bad on map but is total open road . I use when going to New England. Just 15 miles west of 80 x 81 split speed goes up to 70 MPH . I live a stone throw from that split ,If needed . Tom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 9 hours ago, DShip said: I'm alternatively considering picking up I-80 in most eastern PA and traveling straight thru west bound thru the state. Have any of you folks traveled this road and/or have any recommendations or pros/cons?? Yup. Many times. Nice road, pretty country, a bit hilly in spots but nothing outrageous, and it's free, at least in PA...............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I'm a lucky dog. Get in my car, drive two miles to Highway 41 and head south for 100 miles and I am there... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 Thank you all for your recommendations. I've made a "management decision". I'm going to take I-90 thru MA to NY, then I-88 to I-86. Will then merge with I-80 in OH, then basically on to IN, IL. Will pick up I-294 to circumvent Chicago. Will probably stop in Jamestown, NY, and South Bend, IN, for over nighters if I decide on a 3 day journey...somewhere in between if I make it a long 2 day. Hopefully July 4th holiday traffic will be manageable on my way to Brookfield, WI. Again, thanks for the help... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 30 minutes ago, DShip said: Thank you all for your recommendations. I've made a "management decision". I'm going to take I-90 thru MA to NY, then I-88 to I-86. Will then merge with I-80 in OH, then basically on to IN, IL. Will pick up I-294 to circumvent Chicago. Will probably stop in Jamestown, NY, and South Bend, IN, for over nighters if I decide on a 3 day journey...somewhere in between if I make it a long 2 day. Hopefully July 4th holiday traffic will be manageable on my way to Brookfield, WI. Again, thanks for the help... If it's anything like I experienced last year during the 4th of July, EVERYONE and his brother will be in D.C. Or they'll be headed that way and you'll be going the opposite way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 12 hours ago, DAVES89 said: I'm a lucky dog. Get in my car, drive two miles to Highway 41 and head south for 100 miles and I am there... Dave...I know what you mean. The 2011 BCA National in Danvers, MA, was just 30 miles north from my house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILIKECARS53 Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 No one has mentioned 287 south direct to 80 west which is less than 45 minutes from the PA border Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 The assumption was that if I had decided to head over the Tappan Zee bridge, I-287 would have been the logical route to get to I-80...just didn't include it. But as noted, I decided not to travel over the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Be careful parking at a couple of the restaurants in Jamestown. And say Hi to Lucy. She won't bite. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Looks like our politicians still haven't drained it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 Dave, Looks like we will be traveling the same route. If you decide when you will be leaving, maybe we can connect along the way. I might be able to get to Jamestown for the first stop, but I had not planned going that far first day. Let me know. JH will be going but I am not sure of his route and time. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 On 5/3/2017 at 9:57 AM, jscheib said: ... it is a bit boring lonely ride. But you may see a few Buick travelers along the way. Yes, interstates are perfect for driving through an area and seeing nothing! I have driven on Interstate 80 across the state probably hundreds of times. On I-80, you'll see plenty of woods and fields from a distance. The areas through which it passes are sparsely populated, and the only delays would be if PennDOT has closed a lane for a few miles and traffic builds and backs up. If you REALLY enjoy traveling, go across Route 6 at the northern part of the state--through the nice small towns of Wellsboro, Coudersport, Smethport, Warren, etc. There are even some old cottage-style motels still present. You'll actually get a feeling for the character and beauty of the area. Route 6 is a regular 2-lane highway, not a superhighway, so while it won't be nearly as fast, it will be a pleasant trip you'll remember. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 I agree with John. Once you leave the festering swamp of Philadelphia and head West, PA is a beautiful state. Rt 80 provides an unending view of our mountains and woods and Rt 6 is step back in time to the rural quaintness of Pa. Rt 6 is sort of our Rt 66. My wife and I very much like to visit and explore our small towns and have lunch in a local eatery or old hotel. we are seldom disappointed. If you have the chance stop for lunch at the diner in downtown Wellsboro. .............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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