Route thru NYC, 95 or 287

We're heading to New Jersey Friday from CT. Anyone have any thoughts or issues about taking 95 south rather than the 287 bypass?

We figure taking 95 would be shorter and possibly quicker and would be a neat view of NYC but we're not sure about traffic and how Big Country friendly it is.

Where in jersey are you headed 95 sticks along the coast while 287 starts breaking west around Somerset or so

We're headed to Freehold, which is near 95.

95 so. thru NYC is hectic to say the least!! Especially during the morning and afternoon rush. Best time to go through is between midnite and 6 am, not much to see. Narrow lanes thru the Bronx to the George Washington Bridge. 287 across the tappan zee is more picturesque and a little less congested normally. Just after you come into NJ the area is quite pretty right now. Leaves are about at the height of their color right now. It's an extra 15 or so miles to come down 287 to the turnpike and then to Freehold. Your choice but I'd say you'll be much happier with the scenery and the traffic via 287.ED

Hi Alice,

You would be tagged as nutz in my book if you do the 95 route. The George Washington Bridge and the Tappanzee Bridge are both under construction. When we were going back and forth to Copake we used 287 every trip because of the long, long, long backups and delays. In addition those are some of the worst roads around...... Choice is yours but if it were me I'd go the long way!


There are many reasons to go a little out of your way in that area!

Freehold is only about 40 minutes from home so let us know when you will be in town. Maybe we can do dinner and a fine local beer!

Alice, I'm with Deb on this one ... you don't want to do the Cross Bronx with your rig or else you may have some new visitors for dinner. Take 287 to the Garden State Parkway and you can take that south to Rt 9 south right into Freehold.

In a word, 95 through CT into NY into Jersey - sucks.
I would avoid it. There is nothing to see except decaying bridges and roadways and heavy congestion.
It is not bad once you get into Jersey, but congestion can still be an issue.

To get to Freehold.......... Freehold is almost in the middle of the NJ Turnpike (95) and the Garden State Parkway.

From CT I would take the suggestion of 84 to the Tappanzee bridge to 287 to the NJ Garden State Parkway (GSP). Parkways are off limits to trucks and trailers in CT and NY but are OK in New Jersey. Just a couple of arched bridges with low clearance on the shoulders.

The GSP is a decent road, but can get crowded at rush hour.
The NJ turnpike can not only get congested but it only takes one incident to shut down the roadway for hours, and it happens at least once a week.

Avoid NYC. Horrible traffic, much stress! From CT take 84 to 684S to 287W go over TZ bridge and take the Garden State South. Little longer, better roads and much less STRESS!!

Almost there. Thanks so much for your input. It gives us newbies confidence. We took 95 out of CT (bc we were right off of 95 over in Mystic.) then took 287 around. And we're getting off on the pkwy and taking 9 south. FWIW, that tapanzee bridge needs to be renamed Humpty Dumpty. Talk about bouncy.

I think we are lucky we are still talking bridge. From what I hear it is such a state of disrepair that we could be talking Tappanzee Tunnel.

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Yeap that's why they will finally build a new one!

I don't know the volume of traffic that travels on I-287 prior to the Tappan Zee and after but it has to be huge - I've traveled it to and from Florida annually and many many other times and I-287 is always under repair and once you get past the area you wonder if the trailer is still in one piece, I have had mirror's, pictures etc. fall off the walls of our travel trailer. Humpty Dumpty is an accurate description of how you feel once you get on Garden State or NJ Turnpike which is another huge construction zone, but at least they have the traffic moving in that area. With the volume of traffic the highways just don't last a long period of time. Plus the NE winter weather doesn' help, frost heaves etc.
I must be immune to the traffic after all this time - my prayer is that it just keeps moving no matter how heavy it is. I can deal with busy, heavy, and all the words that go along with it, it's the stuck and stopped I have a problem with. We always try to avoid peak times. Most years we leave RI on a Saturday Morning around 5AM and get to the garden state around 8 - 9 and miss the NY work day traffic. Last year we did Rt-301 (DelMarVa) to avoid Baltimore/DC I-95 and it wasn't bad just alot of stop lights in
the beginning. I would definately do it again.