Monday morning traffice in NYC

[RYMOMA]

so how bad is it really?

 

coming from western mass

down 91 to 84 to 684 to Hutchinson river pkwy

to rt 9

some how...i forget at the moment

but i avoid 95 at all costs..i hate that road

 

and then coming down rte 9A straight to the to pier

 

ok

so how bad is traffic

 

ps

 

gosh darn extra "e" on my traffic....sorry for my typing error

Edited September 29, 2013 by RYMOMA

[138east]

What time are you leaving? Your real problem is Hartford, not NYC.

 

I would advise taking I91 to Meriden and picking up the Wilbur Cross Parkway which becomes the Merritt Parkway and then the Hutchinson River Parkway. If you get to the NY/CT line no earlier than 9 am, you should have a good trip into NYC.

 

I will be doing this trip on Oct 18 to go to NJ. If I hit Hartford around 9 am, I can do a pit stop in Vernon and be in Central NJ by 12-1 pm. If you do the same, you should be at the Manhattan pier by about 11 am.

[marco]

I'd also choose Rt 5/15, the Merit and Wilbur Cross Pkwy to the Hutch through CT. Rt 84 from Waterbury-ish down to 684 goes back and forth from being 2 lanes to 3 to 2 and too many bottle necks and sometimes really slows down to a crawl around Danbury. OF course, it all depends on what time you'd be going through this area. If it's after 9-ish, you'd be OK. I still prefer the parkways, no trucks, nice scenery, a much more relaxing ride.

[Got2Cruise]

Hopefully, the Metro-North power problem will be solved by then and there will not be additional traffic coming into the city. Keep an eye on the situation.

[Keith1010]

Are you cruising that day.

 

Maybe it would be better to come down on Sunday afternoon.

 

Keith

[RYMOMA]

leaving sunday is not an option...

 

we are just outside of springfield mass

and an hour from hartford

 

i was thinking of leaving at about 5 am.

 

we like to board early and enjoy a nice sit down lunch.

 

i will check into those parkways. thanks for the tips

Edited September 29, 2013 by RYMOMA

[138east]

If you leave at 5 am you will hit the height of the rush in NY. If you leave at 8 am, you will hit the end of the Hartford rush and miss the NY rush and arrive at the pier around 11 am, which is plenty early enough to board and have a nice lunch. Why start your vacation off by getting up in the middle of the night if you don't have to?

[RYMOMA]

Holy crap

Looking at google maps traffic

9A is a horror show in the morning!!!

[mjkacmom]

Holy crap

Looking at google maps traffic

9A is a horror show in the morning!!!

 

It's all a horror show during rush hour. I just googled how long it would take me to get to the pier right now, 45 minutes (I'm 12 miles west of the city in NJ).

[138east]

That's why we're telling you to hit the end of the Hartford rush and skip the NY rush completely. No point in getting up at o-dark hundred to sit in traffic jams.

[RYMOMA]

That's why we're telling you to hit the end of the Hartford rush and skip the NY rush completely. No point in getting up at o-dark hundred to sit in traffic jams.

 

Yes it looks like waiting it out a bit would be best.

I just freak out about everything :D

 

We are parking at the pier and my crazy fear of having no spots left to park.

 

Third time going and I know the lot is huge, just my normal if everything doesn't go right the way I planned. I freak out.

My husband hates that part of vacationing with me.

[Got2Cruise]

There a very very slim chance there will be no spaces. I don't recall it ever being reported here. You will get there after the folks from the disembarking cruise leave and before lots of others, you will do fine. But, just in case, research other parking places (which are actually cheaper) here on CC for an emergency back up. Maybe someone can recall some places off the top of their heads.

 

Yes it looks like waiting it out a bit would be best.

I just freak out about everything :D

 

We are parking at the pier and my crazy fear of having no spots left to park.

 

Third time going and I know the lot is huge, just my normal if everything doesn't go right the way I planned. I freak out.

My husband hates that part of vacationing with me.

[mamaofami]

Don't take 95. It's always a mess. Your idea of taking 84 to 684 to the Hutch to West side drive is a good one. Yes, there's traffic on a Monday morning, but if you leave enough time you should be OK. Taking the Wilber Cross to the Merrit to the Hutch should work well also.This from a recently displaced New Yorker who now lives in New Jersey.

Edited October 1, 2013 by mamaofami

[mking8288]

OP, NCL Gem is the only ship at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal on your sailing date so the Pier itself will NOT be crowded at all - sailed her last November & loved it, almost booked it but got a great bargain with Carnival & just came back this morning - the Aida was docked overnight & our Splendor was the 2nd. ship, plenty of roof-top pier parking spots. See linked photos taken around 1:30 PM - when we left 9 days ago with the NCL Breakaway & us at the pier, plus 2 other ships that docked overnight as a stopover.

 

I drive up/down the I-95/Merritt Parkway corridor both on weekdays & on weekdays and even on a bright, sunny day. I-95 can be a PITA and unpredictable as everyone else said already. Closer to NYC, the bottleneck starting around Exit 50 (or sooner) depending on ongoing road constructions & lane closures that began about 2 miles before the actual work zone (seriously, not kidding) to just heavy traffic volume & afternoon sun-glare, especially worst from exit 45 to exit 40, then around exit 13 or 14 - with usual slow down for 2 to 5 miles prior, and then, around exit 7 or 8 - sometimes, all the way to the NYS border @ exit 1 - bad on any weekday morning commute & reverse commuting to Stamford, CT. Weather is another factor - unpredictable & if it's wet & raining, allow 1 or 2 hours extra travel time with tractor trailers & buses flying along at 65+ mph (official speed limit is 55, typical traffic flow is closer to 60-65 mph) since state police enforcement is mostly little to none. Merrit Parkway southbound is 2 lanes @ 55 mph, but mostly flow at much higher speed - and is usually more reliable and my preferred primary route - then across Cross County Expwy to Rt 9 (Henry Hudson Pkwy) straight down the West Side Hwy to Pier 90 is generally the best option, instead of zipping down into and thru the Bronx to Manhattan & then going across town.

 

Roof-top parking is not a problem - plentiful - and if you timed your arrival around 11 AM, disembarking pax would mostly be off the ship & gone, freely up even more parking space and you will have plenty of time to check-in early, as NCL generally do not start boarding until closer to 12 noon for its 4 PM departure with the Gem.

[RYMOMA]

Making. You were on the sailing after us last yet for the Gem 9 day

 

We rebooked it for this year since we got bermuda instead last year.

 

This will be my third year driving down but first time on a heavy traffic day.

 

The Merritt to hutch to Henry seems to be my best option this year.

 

I despise 95

[mking8288]

... The Merritt to hutch to Henry seems to be my best option this year ... I despise 95

 

Pretty sure you know but as FYI for others - driving down from MA, tuned to AM Radio 880 for updated traffic every 10 minutes on the "8"s - you can pick up its strong signal even before hitting Hartford, CT on any major traffic tieups & do a detour (and, AM 1010, traffic on the "1"s but its signal isn't as strong)

 

Last year, we had pretty rough weather leaving NY (details in the review) but the Gem handled it beautifully, Capt. sped her at 23+ knots with a very srong tail wind, pushing us to almost 25 knots at times out of NY as we hugged the coastal water for the first 15 hours with waves at 15 to 20+ feet or higher at times - slicing thru till we're off the coast of MD/VA & by Sea Day 2, everyone was out in the warm sun. Fantastic crew & well-kept ship, as we expected to be tossed around given the marine forecast - enjoy those ports.

[janetz]

leaving sunday is not an option...

 

we are just outside of springfield mass

and an hour from hartford

 

i was thinking of leaving at about 5 am.

 

we like to board early and enjoy a nice sit down lunch.

 

i will check into those parkways. thanks for the tips

 

 

I am in Western Mass. Can you head over to Albany Sunday night, stay over and then take the Yankee Trails Cruise Express down to NY? Takes off a lot of the pressure.

[RYMOMA]

I am in Western Mass. Can you head over to Albany Sunday night, stay over and then take the Yankee Trails Cruise Express down to NY? Takes off a lot of the pressure.

 

cheaper for me to drive and pay to park at the pier...

 

we have four in our group

also we do walk off and can be home before noon, unpacked and already started laundry...

 

like i said this is our third time driving to the port, just first time on a busy work day....

1st was a sunday, 2nd you had to have three plus to go over a bridge due to Sandy..

 

MKING...thanks for the radio update i will add these to the dial..

[RYMOMA]

The Wilbur to the meritt in

 

OMG. THANK YOU

It was such a breeze!!!!

 

Traffic was nothing

[138east]

So glad you enjoyed the route. I drove it round trip a week ago and the fall foliage was gorgeous. The no trucks from the GW Bridge to I91 is always great.

[Chesneygirl]

We will be traveling from central Massachusetts to the Manhattan Pier next Friday (Jan 31st). Can anyone PLEASE advise us on the best route to take to avoid stress? :)

[138east]

Please see my reply to your other post.