When you HAVE to drive, what roads/highways do you prefer/avoid?

[Rutgers Tube]

OK, OK -

So while I do realize that this website focuses on mass transportation in its various forms, we've all encountered times when we actually must drive in order to get to where we're going. Some of us even prefer driving to using mass transportation. Which roads, streets, avenues, boulevards, parkways, expressways, etc. do people prefer to drive on and which routes do people try to avoid?

 

I like:

The Bruckner between Hunts Point and the RFK/Deegan split because of the concrete road surface makes such an awesome winding sound.

The FDR in dry weather ONLY. It's almost like a Formula One course the way it twists, turns and has all of the hills.

The Clearview, because when I'm headed home and leave the traffic on the Grand Central, the expressway is wide open and seldom do I encounter any congestion out there.

The BQE in both directions when it travels underneath the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, especially on a clear summer night.

Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, because of all of the cultures encountered along the way.

 

I try to avoid:

Atlantic Avenue through Brooklyn: that route is all beat up, especially out east of Rockway Avenue.

Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn for the same reason as Atlantic.

The West Side Highway.

2nd Avenue in Manhattan.

Any of the Midtown cross streets.

The Sheridan Expressway, simply because no one uses it.

The BQE southbound just north of the Tillary Street exit. People wait until the last possible inch to shift from the center to the right exit-only lane.

The Cross Bronx at any time.

 

I'm sure I can think of more. Anyone care to comment?

[Kingsbridge Bus]

FDR drive, NJ turnpike to save $$$

[Dan05979]

avoid/hate

van wyck expressway around jewl ave especially going south

l.i.e in queens at all cost

the bqe at all cost

the grand central near laguardia

the belt near jfk afternoon rush hour and morning rush hour

the north conduit west bound mornings

linden blvd in bk

 

ok highways;

 

cross island is ok

clearview expressway

southern state during the day

l.i.e exit 53 to 73 during the day

bruckner to the new england expressway

the interboro

 

awsome highways;

 

rt 27 sunrise highway from farmingdale all the way to the hamptons

I87 north after exit 11

I84 in new york

I684 during the day

rt 135 north and south

nicolls road nort and south

william floyd parkway

ocean parkway on long island ( you can do 150 mph easy)

rt 17 north after I87 north all the way up to I86 to I90

[Zman]

Linden Blvd is in absolutely horrible condition, the road has grooves in it due to all the truck traffic. I'd prefer to avoid it, but that's the only way for me to get to New Lots.

 

In Long Island the LIE is an easier drive than the Northern/Southern State Pkwys.

 

In Queens you have to watch your speed on the Clearview. The road is loaded with highway cops.

 

The road conditions in the Bronx are bad, but nowhere near the horrible Manhattan roads. If you're not on the Henry Hudson or the FDR, you're in trouble.

[Forest Glen]

I don't drive (yet), but based on my experiences of riding express buses and my dad's car:

 

Best

 

Cross Island Parkway- no commercial traffic, meaning no 18 wheelers. On a good day it takes 15 minutes to travel from the Southern State/Cross Island merge to the Whitestone Bridge. Very scenic.

 

Hutchinson Parkway- like the CIP, no trucks or buses. Also scenic.

 

Long Island Expressway- I like it since the express buses use the HOV lane. It is probably the most important highway in the tri-state area (except for the NJ Turnpike). This is the sole option for commercial traffic heading to Long Island. However, it often has traffic jams

 

Staten Island Expressway- on my express bus trips to Staten Island the bus always uses the Staten Island Expressway and there's usually no problem.

 

New Jersey Turnpike- the most important highway in the tri-state area. It carries both commuter and long distance buses. It has a myriad of rest stops-some nice, others sleazy.

 

Henry Hudson Parkway-very scenic. Even though it's a Parkway, a few buses deadhead on it.

 

Worst

 

Belt Parkway- it should've been the Belt Expressway. Since trucks are banned, they wind up congesting local streets. Trucks heading from Staten Island to JFK can't use the Belt. The section around Mill Basin is full of potholes.

 

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway- during the AM rush, the Kosciusko(sp?) Bridge is always backed up

 

FDR Drive- another highway that hurts the city by not being accessible to commercial traffic (north of 23rd Street). If Bronx express buses were able to use the FDR then there would be a significant time savings. Whenever there's a drop of rain the FDR floods.

 

Van Wyck Expressway- there's a bottleneck around Jamaica Avenue. There should be 4 lanes in each direction, not 3.

 

Cross Bronx Expressway- since it's sandwiched between two major bridges, it's always congested.

[INDman]

I actually have no preferance. I will drive on any road at any time, it think I do this because I learned to drive on the Jackie, Norther State and all the other parkways. Even if I am unfamiliar with the area, i'll drive around till I find my way. Your never lost till you run out of gas.

[Joe]

The Hutch is a free-for-all. Especially at 2:30a.

[INDman]

The Hutch is a free-for-all. Especially at 2:30a.

 

The last time I drove on it, I saw 12 troopers. I kept it at 55 the whole way to Albany.

[Joe]

The last time I drove on it, I saw 12 troopers. I kept it at 55 the whole way to Albany.

 

I'm talking about the segment between I-95 and the Whitestone. That exit off I-95 really sneaks up on you too.

[Grand Concourse]

FDR Drive- another highway that hurts the city by not being accessible to commercial traffic (north of 23rd Street). If Bronx express buses were able to use the FDR then there would be a significant time savings. Whenever there's a drop of rain the FDR floods.

 

FDR has too many curves and passages below the buildings, especially those cross beams? are too low for the buses. I think years ago I saw a bus or a truck get stuck somewhere below 59th st.

Basically FDR: 1, vehicle: 0

 

Also I miss that 'temporary' roadway from '45th'-'60th' St, that was a nice stretech and better than the current roadway.

[Joe]

Basically FDR: 1, vehicle: 0

 

Hah, I saw a truck get stuck underneath an LIRR overpass once. Talk about owned.

[Grand Concourse]

Always fun seeing stupidity at work. Makes the delays worth it.

If I'm getting stuck in traffic, I'd at least like to see something worthwhile from it.

[Joe]

To be honest, since I rarely get caught up in traffic I find it kind of amusing if the parkway is slammed on a hot summer day. I find great pleasure in others' misfortune. I'm all about Schadenfreude. :cool:

[PATCOman]

My favorites are:

The New Jersey Turnpike since it is the easiest way to Philly. I also like their unique signage (note how their signs don't have exit tabs like most highways, plus they have weird arrows too)

 

The Henry Hudson Parkway- excellent view of the Hudson River and New Jersey

 

Palisades Parkway (but I don't like the 50 MPH limit south of exit 9)

 

Sprian Brook/ Taconic State Parkway- windy, but very scenic

 

 

What I don't like/not favorites:

 

FDR Drive- too crowded, narrow, and windy

 

I also don't really like LI highways/parkways. I wonder why they have streetlights but most US highways/ NY parkways don't.

 

I also don't like the Deegan/X-Bronx interchange because it is too windy

[Nexis4Jersey]

hmmmmm

 

Best :

 

NJ 21 , for the Views of Newark and Upgraded Roadway in recent years.

 

I-95 , Nice and fast 90% of the time and the Jersey Scenery

 

NY 17 , Great Scenery , upgraded road in recent years

 

PA 340 - Truly an Amish country road , speed limit is 50mph most of the length, brings your to the PA Railway museum

 

I-276 , I love the scenery , the road itself is in great shape except a few areas

 

DE 1 , I loved this Highway , it was 50-60mph most of the journey through Delaware , it was smooth , not congested.

 

I-93 Mass , The Big Dig Section of this Highway is truly impressive , and big , it can't be topped. Free-Flowing Traffic.

 

GSP - I live next to this highway , its always changing , i love how it cuts through a variety of NJ, form Rural to dense Urban.

 

NJ - 35 The Coastal and water scenery is great and variety of towns

 

Worst

 

I-76 , narrow , congested suicidal truckers , everytime they upgrade it never changes anything.

 

I-95 in NYC , the Worst of the Worst for safety and Congested , jeez who designed this Urban Expressway and Drunk?

 

I-278 The world's longest bottleneck , it doesn't matter what time you travel its always slow , the highway in many parts is crumbling , needs a major overhaul.

 

NJ 139 , come on already just overhaul the dam thing , its the 21st century and were stuck with this excuse for a Jersey City hwy.....ugh.....

 

US 22 , very narrow and congested Hwy , sometimes worse then I-278, too many Shopping outlets alot it

 

NJ 17 & 4 Paramus highways just suck period .....ugh......same problems as US 22

 

........rips down a sign..........:mad:

 

~Corey

[Rutgers Tube]

Linden Blvd is in absolutely horrible condition, the road has grooves in it due to all the truck traffic. I'd prefer to avoid it, but that's the only way for me to get to New Lots.

 

In Long Island the LIE is an easier drive than the Northern/Southern State Pkwys.

 

In Queens you have to watch your speed on the Clearview. The road is loaded with highway cops.

 

The road conditions in the Bronx are bad, but nowhere near the horrible Manhattan roads. If you're not on the Henry Hudson or the FDR, you're in trouble.

 

Driving a truck on Linden Boulevard especially out past Kings Highway, can be very difficult because of those damn grooves.

 

P.S. I was tagged doing 81 in a 50 on the Throgs Neck Expressway a few weeks back headed north at about 6:30 pm. So... Yeah... I know all about those cops... NOW.

[Rutgers Tube]

I

 

Belt Parkway- it should've been the Belt Expressway. Since trucks are banned, they wind up congesting local streets. Trucks heading from Staten Island to JFK can't use the Belt. The section around Mill Basin is full of potholes.

.

 

If I have to cut across the borough during work, I'll take a truck on the Belt (strobe lights on, of course). It's funny seeing other people around me brake hard when I take a heavy truck over a bridge with a "3 Ton Limit" approach sign. I stick the middle lane with the truck, but depending on the overpass, I'll have to use any of the three lanes to cram a 12'6" vehicle under a bridge with a 10'5" posting. And yes... Those pot holes out in Mill Basin are rough.

[Rutgers Tube]

I actually have no preferance. I will drive on any road at any time, it think I do this because I learned to drive on the Jackie, Norther State and all the other parkways. Even if I am unfamiliar with the area, i'll drive around till I find my way. Your never lost till you run out of gas.

 

Great point. I've long said that the best way to find your way around an area is to get lost in it.

[Zman]

 

Belt Parkway- it should've been the Belt Expressway. Since trucks are banned, they wind up congesting local streets. Trucks heading from Staten Island to JFK can't use the Belt. The section around Mill Basin is full of potholes.

 

The road has numerous traffic jams, trucks would only make it worse.

 

The last time I drove on it, I saw 12 troopers. I kept it at 55 the whole way to Albany.

 

Do 10 mph over the limit and a cop won't touch you, they won't even waste their time. They're looking for people who are doing 15+ over and they only have to wait a few minutes before somebody whizzes by at breakneck speed.

 

Driving a truck on Linden Boulevard especially out past Kings Highway, can be very difficult because of those damn grooves.

 

P.S. I was tagged doing 81 in a 50 on the Throgs Neck Expressway a few weeks back headed north at about 6:30 pm. So... Yeah... I know all about those cops... NOW.

 

Ohhhhh yeah, sorry you got busted. That stretch from the Throgs Neck to the I-95 is loaded with 'em too. On the Clearview and Throgs Neck Xway I set the cruise to 60 because I know that my foot would go faster. I used to carpool with a dispatcher up to the Bronx who pointed all the cops out to me; she got busted a couple times herself.

 

Don't feel bad. I got busted doing 71 on a 55 on NJ Route 17 in Ramsey while, doing all things, on a test drive! It's when I got back to the dealership that everyone there said that Route 17 is a speedtrap. Gee thanks, NOW you tell me! The only thing that worked in my favor was that the NYS DMV doesn't honor out-of-state points so I just got slammed with a $105 fine. Now I'll have red light ticket in the mail in a couple days :mad: , but fortunately no points again.

 

Oh, and I forgot that I hate to drive over the Whitestone Bridge. The lanes are so narrow that passing a truck or bus located in the middle lane takes major skill...and some minerals.:cool:

 

If I have to cut across the borough during work, I'll take a truck on the Belt (strobe lights on, of course). It's funny seeing other people around me brake hard when I take a heavy truck over a bridge with a "3 Ton Limit" approach sign. I stick the middle lane with the truck, but depending on the overpass, I'll have to use any of the three lanes to cram a 12'6" vehicle under a bridge with a 10'5" posting. And yes... Those pot holes out in Mill Basin are rough.

 

That takes guts, the Belt has a lot of highway cops on it. And yes, those two bridges in Mill Basin are soooo rough. Forget the car, you might lose a tooth filling driving over those.

[Forest Glen]

If I have to cut across the borough during work, I'll take a truck on the Belt (strobe lights on, of course). It's funny seeing other people around me brake hard when I take a heavy truck over a bridge with a "3 Ton Limit" approach sign. I stick the middle lane with the truck, but depending on the overpass, I'll have to use any of the three lanes to cram a 12'6" vehicle under a bridge with a 10'5" posting. And yes... Those pot holes out in Mill Basin are rough.

 

It's actually a 5 ton weight limit. I wouldn't take a chance and drive a truck over it. You don't want to end up in the Mill Basin.

[Forest Glen]

The road has numerous traffic jams, trucks would only make it worse.

 

Do 10 mph over the limit and a cop won't touch you, they won't even waste their time. They're looking for people who are doing 15+ over and they only have to wait a few minutes before somebody whizzes by at breakneck speed.

That takes guts, the Belt has a lot of highway cops on it. And yes, those two bridges in Mill Basin are soooo rough. Forget the car, you might lose a tooth filling driving over those.

 

I'd rather the trucks be on a highway than residential streets. Many shipping companies would save money if trucks were able to use the Belt to get to JFK from Staten Island instead of a more circuitous route.

[Forest Glen]

FDR has too many curves and passages below the buildings, especially those cross beams? are too low for the buses. I think years ago I saw a bus or a truck get stuck somewhere below 59th st.

Basically FDR: 1, vehicle: 0

 

Also I miss that 'temporary' roadway from '45th'-'60th' St, that was a nice stretech and better than the current roadway.

 

Up until the 1980's there was an express bus route that used the FDR from Riverdale to (I think) lower Manhattan.

[Shortline Bus]

Since i driven across the US and parts of Canada here my favorites and dislikes both for the metro nyc and nationwide. As a licensed driver for over 15 years, i know a thing or two about driving.

 

 

Metro NY/NJ area Favorites.

 

Garden State Parkway especially the section from Toms River-Atlantic City.

Only negative is during summer holiday season, its a parking lot on weekends for people from metro nyc/north nj area going to both the shore and AC.

 

Cross Island

 

NJ Turnpike-Very easy to drive although it's lacks scenric. Not to mention you can go 65 miles per hour starting around the I-78/Newark Aiprort interchange as well.:tup:

 

Verrzano Bridge-I still enjoy driving on this goregous bridge which imo ranks with the Brooklyn Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco among the top 5 imo of the most beautiful bridges in the world.

 

NY state Thruway-Easy to drive and understand. Only negative is on weekends especially during the summer on friday night leaving NYC and sunday night back to the 'city' traffic is often slow and during an accident a 'parking lot.' The Thruway from the Tappan Zee Bridge-Harriman exit (interchange 16 i think)should be '4' lanes in each direction with the 4th lane a HOV/Bus only lane for people driving to/from Orange and Sullivan counties between Harriman(exit 16) and Suffern. (exit 15) Right now the NY Thruway is only 3 lanes in each direction from the NYC line at the 233rd St exit in Bronx-Exit 16 in Harriman. Then it should '3' lanes in each direction from Harriman-Kingston, NY.

 

 

 

 

 

Dislikes Metro area

 

FDR Drive-Although the view in Downtown Manhattan especially around the Brooklyn Bridge is great as most of the other posters have stated, it sucks to drive on it particuarly in rainy weather. During the rain, it more of a challenge to drive in addition to the curves.

 

Cross Bronx-always 'busy' like the Lex ave subway line 24/7 as its also carries trucks all hours of day along the I-95 coordior. During weekdays often it's a parking lot. This was Robert Moses worst decision of his carrer imo designing this freeway as it causes congestion and for buliding it right smack in middle of a resdential area that took years to recover from after the Cross Bronx was bulit. The growth of NIMBY's in NYC can be traced to this diaster of a project.

 

 

CT Turnpike(I-95's CT section)this highway should have 4 lanes in each direction between the NY state line at Port Chester and New Haven.

All day weekdays this road is a parking lot and yet Metro North New Haven is right next door.

 

Van Wyck between JFK and Kew Gardens Interchange(Grand Central/Jackie Robinson exit)Northbound is a mess with all of that congestion as Forest Glen stated before.

 

Belt Parkway between JFK and Verrzano Bridge. Another road that should have been widen since yesterday(aka 5-10 years ago) and be bulit like the GSP(garden state parkway) that alllows buses to travel along it. Also adding a 4th lane would be helpful as well. Forest already detailed the other probelms of this road so i wont go any further.

 

More to come from me in part 2.

[INDman]

Do 10 mph over the limit and a cop won't touch you, they won't even waste their time. They're looking for people who are doing 15+ over and they only have to wait a few minutes before somebody whizzes by at breakneck speed.

 

 

Thats what I usually go by, but there were so many state troopers out there that time and they looked bored. Speaking of troopers, I almost got side swiped by a New Jersey State Trooper over the weekend on I-80 when the trooper crossed 4 lanes of traffic without lights on to nab some guy.

[INDman]

 

Belt Parkway between JFK and Verrzano Bridge. Another road that should have been widen since yesterday(aka 5-10 years ago) and be bulit like the GSP(garden state parkway) that alllows buses to travel along it. Also adding a 4th lane would be helpful as well. Forest already detailed the other probelms of this road so i wont go any further.

 

 

Where would it be widened, into the water? The Belt was originaly built with 2 lanes in each direction then it was widened, I think if it could have been widened any more it would have been.