I am not a city driver and I have to go to Brooklyn tommorrow from rual NE Pennsylvania. Yahoo directions put me on 78, across Manhatten, over the Triboro bridge onto 278 then on to my destination at Paidge ave Brooklyn. Looking at an expanded map would it make more sense to go 78 to 95, then go south where it looks like 278 meets 95 then go north on 278 into Brooklyn. This makes a loop avoiding Manhatten but is longer. I’m thinking the long way might be the quickest and easyist? I have never been on 278 or 95 in this area or across Manhatten so I could use some expertise.
There’s no need for you to go onto Manhattan if you’re going to Brooklyn - if you’re uncomfortable driving in a city, then avoid it if you can. I’d say that 95 to 278 would be your best bet.
I agree. I travel often between Philadelphia and Queens, and I never understood why all the direction sites have people going through Manhattan. It might be slightly shorter in terms of miles (although I’m not too sure of that), but it definitely is a longer trip unless you are driving at 4 AM on Sunday.
You want I-95 North to exit 13. Take the Goethals Bridge to the Staten Island Expressway (278) to the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn. Depending on where you are going in Brooklyn, you’ll either want the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (right two lanes) or the Belt Parkway (left lane only) [lanes are from the upper level of the Verrazano, I never take the lower level].
Be prepared to pay tolls. Goethal’s into Staten Island is $6.00, but the Verrazano into Brooklyn is free. Returning, the Verrazano will gouge you for $8 or $9 (I think it goes up $1 every time I cross, so I will avoid crossing for the next week) while the Goethal’s is free. I-95 through Jersey will also cost you.
I agree. Taking 78 to the Holland Tunnel and then accross and up Manhattan to the Triboro is just crazy. It probably makes the most sense to go across Staten Island, as D_Odds said. However, the getting to the Goethals may change depending where you are coming from.
You don’t say where in Pennsylvania you are coming from, but the three big highways leading from PA to NJ are I-80, I-78 and the PA Turnpike.
If you are near 78, which I’m guessing you are, you should take it through New Jersey until you hit the NJ turnpike. When you hit the turnpike, you will have three options, I-95 North, I-95 South and I-78 East. You want to take I-95 South to Exit 13, for the Goethals Bridge (I-278). When you cross the Goethals, you will be on the Staten Island Expressway (also I-278) heading toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. As you cross the Verrazano, you will have two options, I-278/Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Belt Parkway. If, as you say, your destination is off the BQE/278, you should take that.
If you are taking the PA Turnpike (probably a longer choice unless you are coming from well south of Allentown), take the PA Turnpike to the NJ Turnpike spur at the border. When the NJ Turnpike spur hits the main pike, take the Turnpike North to Exit 13 (I-278/Goethals). Follow above directions.
If you are taking I-80, it is a bit different. You should take I-80 all the way to the George Washington Bridge. Across the GWB, you should probably take the Major Deegan Expressway to the Triboro Bridge. From the Triboro, follow the signs to Queens and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (I-278) and follow the BQE to your destination.
I haven’t made the trip in a few years, but I take 80 all the way in. The exact route numbers change, and I don’t really remember them (280 I think is near the Oranges), but NYC is signed well, so I’ve never used a map. I forget what the tolls are, but remember the Water Gap is an extra buck coming back.
Looking at Billdo’s post and re-reading yours, robz, it looks as if you will be coming from the north of exit 13 of I-95. I would avoid any of the tunnels. If you are closer to the north end of Manhattan, you can take the George Washington Bridge to the Major Deegan to the Triboro. You’ll have to cut across a few lanes of traffic to the right, off of the GWB, if you do this. Pay close attention to the signs.
If you are closer to the south tip, then as we suggested, the Goethals to the Verrazano.
Cross-town (east <-> west) traffic in Manhattan is evil at nearly any time of the day. I won’t even take a bus or a cab cross-town. You are better off going out of your way. As you approach, I would listen to one of the news stations (I use WCBS 880AM and WINS 1010AM) to determine if north through the Bronx or south through Staten Island is a better route. Each give traffic every 10 minutes, so if you hear problems on the Major Deegan, you know to turn south.
