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Drive from Philadelphia to New Jersey how to avoid traffic?

Band vs. Jersey vacation hordes

  • Driving on a tight timeline from NYC to Philadelphia on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend: are we screwed or really screwed? Tomorrow my band is supposed to play a gig in north Philly. We've been planning on hitting the road in Brooklyn at around 6:30 or 7pm. Our set time in Philly is 10:15pm. At the moment, we're looking at taking the I-95 down. Normally, the drive would take around 2-2.5 hours, but my co-worker just gave me her opinion that, with the ridiculous holiday traffic, we will never make it on that schedule. So what say you? Do you think this is a do-able drive? Have you had direct experience doing this drive on a holiday weekend? If you have, how long do you think we need to make it to Philly? Are there any alternate routes that might be better? It would be difficult for some band members to leave earlier, but we can try to make that happen if it seems like we must leave earlier.

  • Answer:

    Quite possibly screwed.

otolith at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

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Geckwoistmeinauto

I've done that trip a bunch of times. I don't remember the trip EVER taking longer than 3 hours, but the worst I've ever seen was rush hour.

Lizsterr

Doable. Allow 3 comfortable hours. The NJ turnpike will be rough but you won't hit traffic heading into Philly that late in the evening.

eugenen

I also made that trip many times when I lived in Brooklyn. My worst times were on holiday weekends (specifically the Wednesday before Thanksgiving), and could take anywhere from 3 - 4 hours. The good news is that most people leave New York early on holiday weekends, so you may find that the traffic has died down a bit by 6:30. Also, I'm sure you know this, but I95 goes near, but not actually to Philly. I made that mistake once and ended up in Wilmington. Oops.

Nothing... and like it

I predict that you'll spend as much time in traffic getting out of the city as you will driving on the Turnpike. The only thing to be concerned about is the 8A merge where the cars/trucks roadways merge together. That can suck. Otherwise, it is usually smooth sailing. I95 most definitely goes through the eastern part of Philadelphia. The NJ Turnpike does not.

Geckwoistmeinauto

Also, I'm sure you know this, but I95 goes near, but not actually to Philly. I made that mistake once and ended up in Wilmington. Oops. Must be a different Interstate 95 than the one I'm familiar with. The one that enters Philly near Woodhaven Road and exits Philly just below the stadium area in South Philly. Three hours should be fine.

fixedgear

Weird. What the fuck did I do to end up in Wilmington?

Nothing... and like it

Nothing.... I think you have the turnpike confused with 95. They are the same road in north Jersey, but not as you approach Philly.

caddis

Upon checking the map, it seems that is exactly what I did.

Nothing... and like it

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