We will be traveling from Cape May to the Easton PA area the Wednesday after Memorial Day. I need an insider%26#39;s viewpoint as to the best route to take--I%26#39;m not liking the directions I%26#39;m getting from google maps. My husband has business in Easton and must be there by 9am Wed morning.
When should we leave Cape May and what%26#39;s the best route--hopefully avoiding rush hour traffic in/around the Philly area?
Cape May to Easton PA
The rush hour traffic leading into and around Philadelphia is bad. There is no way to avoid it.
That%26#39;s just the way it is. I know. I work in Moorestown and hear the traffic reports.
If I were you, I%26#39;d go up the night before and stay in the Easton area. All it takes is one accident and your husband%26#39;s getting to Easton by 9am is toast.
Cape May to Easton PA
I think your best bet would be to cross over the Commodore Barry Bridge from Route 322 in NJ to PA. Then briefly take 95 North to get to 476 North. 476 will connect to 78 East which goes right to Easton.
The worst part of the trip in my opinion is the 5-10 minutes you%26#39;ll be on 95. I don%26#39;t think 476 (';The Blue Route';) is all that bad, it just gets congested. This seems like it would be the most direct route for you. Give yourself plenty of time.
That%26#39;s one way. I take the Garden State Expressway to the Atlantic City Expressway. It%26#39;ll take you right into Philly on the Walt Whitman bridge. Follow 76 through Philly and then merge onto 476, which is the Northeast Extension and will take you to rt 22. From there, take 22 to Easton.
Hope that helps!
Ben Miller
Just for kicks, I moved the map on mapquest from a Philly route to taking GS pkway north. The time difference was maybe 15 minutes longer but you totally miss Philly. Not sure if anyone else has an opinion on this but thought it could be an option. Personally, I would drive up the evening before and have a lovely evening in Easton without having to worry about all this.
GSP is also bad at rush hour. All the traffic going north to NYC.
Speaking as a guy who%26#39;s driven through Philly both coming and going during rush hour, take the opportunity to miss it if that route will work for you. Sometimes it really isn%26#39;t bad and I shoot right through the city. Other times, though, it%26#39;s absolutely brutal.
Ben Miller
What about this? GSP to 195 to Trenton. Then pick up 31 in Trenton which goes up to 78. This way we miss Philly entirely. We;re very familiar with 195 because we spend a lot of time in Point Pleasant Beach and that is the route we take to the NJ turnpike and then to the PA turnpike when heading back to Pittsburgh.
However, we%26#39;ve never taken it past the NJ turnpike exit so have no idea what the traffic is like around Trenton. I realize that as the crow flies this looks to be longer,, but it seems better to avoid Philly.
Thoughts?
Hi! I live in Columbus, N.J. just south of Trenton, so I%26#39;m very familiar with the area. I don%26#39;t think I-195 is such a great way to go. First, when you go through Trenton a portion of the highway has traffic lights which can be pretty crowded. Plus there really is no direct exit from I-195 onto Rt. 31. It could be difficult to find if you aren%26#39;t familiar with the area. You could take I-195 to 295 north which does have an exit directly to Rt 31 N. which could be easier. Rush hour traffic on I-295 can be pretty hairy until you pass Route 1. Route 31 itself is basically a 2 lane road so you can%26#39;t go very fast and just hope you don%26#39;t get stuck behind a slow truck. Hope this helps.
I travel up to allentown (2 towns from easton) often from Cape May - I use the Commodore Barry Bridge , the short jaunt N on 95 and the Blue Route to the Turnpike - it avoids the city and although the Blue Route can be crowded -- in the morning it is usually moving.
If I had a 9 am meeting I would stay in the PA area the night before - no question - the traffic anywhere along the way can be stopped dead for any reason and the trip can take hours longer.
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