what's the best way to get from new york to i-91 without sitting in traffic on i-95/i-84/merritt parkway?

Submitted by zar1234 t3_z7w8jn in Connecticut

What's the best way? I often go from Long Island to my parent's house in New Hampshire. The Port Jeff-Bridgeport Ferry will cost me $120+ each way with my family, so that sucks. I can take the Taconic Parkway up to I-90 and come across that way, but the Taconic is loaded with NY troopers who will pull you over for going 5 over the limit and I'm sick of sitting in traffic in Connecticut. This past weekend for Thanksgiving, NYC wasn't an issue, it was Greenwich to Bridgeport on 95 on Wednesday and Newtown to the NY border on Saturday on 84. As for the Merritt seems like the DOT always has one lane closed to mow the grass and being a two lane road, if one lane is closed for any reason, it backs up like crazy. Are there any other routes that are relatively traffic and/or light free (like Route 25 up from Bridgeport to Newtown) that can make the ride smoother? Please residents of Connecticut, tell me your secrets.

edit- it's the orient ferry that's nearly $120 ($116.09 to be exact) each way. Port jeff is $92 since kids are free.

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kppeterc15 t1_iy8fx54 wrote

Take the Taconic but don't speed?

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[deleted] t1_iy8j9zk wrote

Orient Point ferry 49.50 each way, 395 to NH

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zar1234 OP t1_iy8lgmk wrote

Replying to kppeterc15 (#765,815)

Forgot to mention, the Taconic also adds about 45 miles of driving bc it goes further north than Springfield, so when I get on I-90, I'm coming back south to get to Springfield, then north again when I get on I-91.

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JoeWaubeeka t1_iy8sgfz wrote

As someone who frequently drives from NYC to CT and VT, it all sucks. The best way is to figure out the hours when traffic is the lightest and go then. Helpful hint- Do not drive south on the Merritt before lunch. Do not drive north after lunch.

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sagetraveler t1_iy97fw4 wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#766,503)

You can go from the north end of route 8 over to Windsor locks. Did this in reverse coming back from VT one time. We just followed our nav, but there were several cars all making the same turns so it must be a bypass known by others.

Also look into I684 we have used that a couple times.

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zar1234 OP t1_iy97wf9 wrote

Replying to JoeWaubeeka (#770,659)

It’s crazy to me because traffic for me on Long Island has been better than it was pre-pandemic. What was my 1:10 drive to work is about 55 minutes now and my drive home went from 1:15-1:20 down to about 1:05.

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zar1234 OP t1_iy97xbn wrote

Replying to JoeWaubeeka (#770,659)

It’s crazy to me because traffic for me on Long Island has been better than it was pre-pandemic. What was my 1:10 drive to work is about 55 minutes now and my drive home went from 1:15-1:20 down to about 1:05.

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kittytittymeowmeow t1_iy98cyu wrote

Your best bet is to drive at whacky hours. It sucks. I am so so so glad I don't have to deal with that area of CT.

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Sens9 t1_iy9lbqv wrote

You could try 284 to 84E by Brewster, NY into CT. My parents would do that when traveling from NJ, to avoid the hell that is 95

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afapracing t1_iy9y2rs wrote

Fly from LGA to BDL/Worcester/BOS. Wave at traffic below. Delta gets me to LGA from BDL in under 30 mins.

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coolducklingcool t1_iyamszv wrote

Route 25 is an option but it would put you on 84 at Exit 9 and you’d still hit the major slowdown around 7.

Route 7 might be a better option, you pick it up in Norwalk and it will take you to Exit 3, pretty close to the NY border and theoretically past most of the Danbury traffic. Only challenge is that the speed limit is naturally lower and there are lights. Plus no real opportunities for passing if you get stuck behind that student driver.

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coolducklingcool t1_iyan9u1 wrote

Replying to zar1234 (#767,522)

I’ve never taken it to NH, but if you take 8 all the way up, it turns into a rural route into MA where you can pick up the Mass Pike in Lee. This is how I go to Rochester, NY - Mass Pike to I-90.

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Phantastic_Elastic t1_iybat6m wrote

Replying to Sens9 (#775,566)

Yup, I used to do this when I lived in North Jersey while my future wife lived at UConn. I got so sick of every other route that I would take this one quite often. It's a nice enough drive. Hamilton Fish Newburgh–Beacon Bridge is pretty cool.

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