NY/NJ/PA Driving Experts - best route from Manhattan to East/Central PA?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I have a Bucket List To Do - visiting the Martin Guitar Factory (and meeting up with fellow Doper, Guitarist and Bucket-Lister Crotalus). Yay. It’s in scenic Nazareth Pennsylvania, about 2.5 hours west of NYC. Going on a weekday; I am planning to drive out towards the end of rush hour (7:30am??) to get to the factory before 11am, when the tours start.

So - what is the best route of the 3 that my Map functions are showing me:

  1. Cross GW bridge, take 80 down to Newark, then take 78 west*; then take Rt 33 North to the Factory

  2. Cross GW bridge, take 80 West*, then get on 287 down to 78 west*; then take Rt 33 North to the Factory

  3. Cross GW bridge, take 80 West* out to Rt 33 and head South to the Factory

*Not sure that these Hwy’s are actually labeled “West” or some other direction - but that is definitely the direction the road is going :wink: I would be using my GPS to get on the correct routes…

So Northeast Dopers - what traffic tangles do I really want to avoid, and which Route best does that? It looks like the most direct route is #1 - but is staying on 80 down to Newark going to be problematic?

Any coaching would be great - thanks! FYI, here is Martin’s page on directions:

2

Option 2 or 3. Going through Newark is really kind of unnecessary, unless you were planning to take the Holland out of the city in the first place.

Route 78 near the airport has a lot of merges and splits and construction and crazy airport limo drivers. I say you go with option 3.

3

Okay - yep, that’s exactly the type of tip I am seeking out. So avoiding Newark is likely to be smart at that time? Got it.

Thank you!

4

Avoiding Newark (or at least 78 by the airport) is smart pretty much all the time. I only use 78 if I’m actually going to the airport or Ikea. :wink:

5

Also check the traffic before you leave. And have options.

6

My choice would be to go over the GW and head north on the Palidades up to 287, then out to the Delaware Water Gap. It may not be the shortest route, but gets away from all the traffic quickly.

7

I commute daily out to roughly the intersection of 78 and 287 at roughly the same time the OP is contemplating travel. I live on the upper east side so the gw bridge is my default way off of the island. From there the quickest way is to take the turnpike (western spur usually) down to 78 and take the express lane of 78. It can jam up a little but it’s still quicker than 80 to 287 to 78. It’s $3.60 one way on the turnpike.

So I guess that’s option 1 (80 doesn’t go to 78 but the tpke does). The express lanes of 78 west are pretty straightforward . There’s not all of the splitting and merging you get coming back into town.

8

Hmm - wouldn’t you know it; I don’t appear to be getting that option with my Map function. I know that when I cross the GW, I come to the option to take the NJ Turnpike - you are saying I should: Cross the GW; take the NJTP Western Spur - which will take me to 78 and I can proceed from there. Okay; I will see if I can get that mapped out. Thanks.

9

Too late to edit: Oh, wait - I see - this is Route 1. I had stated I was going down 80, but when I scale up the map, yes, that Route takes me down the NJTP. So you are basically disagreeing with Draelin (in the nicest possible way ;)) and saying that if I stay in the Express lanes, I can take the route that gets me past Newark and picks up 78 from there… ?

10

I live a bit north of Nazareth and I take I80-Holland Tunnel on trips to Manhattan. 80-33 makes perfect sense to me; keeps it simple.

11

I admit to a general prejudice against 78–I will avoid it at all costs, so mack’s solution might be better. :slight_smile:

12

I can also vouch for 78 West express (all the way from 1/9 to near the edge of new jersey) - no traffic in the mornings unless there’s an accident or some unusual repair being made.

13

All good; thanks. Okay for now, the NJTP --> 78 --> 33 Nor; vs. 80 --> 33 South routes seem to be the most attractive. Simple and a bit longer (80/33) vs. a bit quicker but with a few more changes (NJTP/78/33)…

Thanks again.

14

Exactly.

When you’re coming down the turnpike from the gw bridge you’ll see signs for the Lincoln tunnel. That’s the eastern spur (even though it’s a right at the fork). If you happen to get on it, don’t panic. Either way will get you down to 78 (or if you want to get fancy you could switch from one to the other at the Vince Lombardi rest area :D).

I’d also say that 80-33 would take more than a bit more time. You’d be adding 20 or so miles. But the Delaware water gap is nice.