Mass Turnpike

[Big Bad Wulff]

Since the NYST thread was so popular I will bait some more

The Massachusetts Turnpike was so much better(condition-wise) than the NYST it was night and day difference. HOWEVER they need to do away with that I-84 Exit(west-bound on the turnpike) and build something better. That exit backs up traffic for 20 miles!!! Surely they can come up with something better!!
Coming into Boston was no problem at all, but getting out was a nightmare! Maybe I should have used 395?
It doesn't seem to hold you 'hostage' like the New York State Thruway, however.

[Matt Penttila]

Obviously you haven't driven in MA before. Only the tourists use the I-84 Exit, everyone else uses 84n to 20e to 290e to 90e or 84n to 20w to 32n to 90w and vise versa. Having lived across from the service area 2 miles east of I 84 for 30 years, I've seen worse, but then again as most of the local folk say, sure is pretty at dusk to see all them red lights on the pike as they travel at 55+ on 20.

[SonOfMartin]

Oh how I loathe the Mass Turnpike. My oldest attends college in Boston and we drive up from PA and that last section going in to town and just trying to get out of town and into Ct. can be horrible.

If anyone has 'local' directions on how to get to / from Boston on that wonderful 84/90 mess I would appreciate it. Also, any good way to get onto 91 and then onto 15 to avoid 95?

Of course, he's in his Jr. year so (hopefully) only one more year of driving up there.

[brhoff]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&re...-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Try this way, when you get in around Hamden...grab the 15 south through to the City...you'll be flying along in no time.


Way More Scenic and 95 is the PITS.

[brhoff]

Sorry, using Google Maps you'll have to zoom in and when you see 91 and Hamden , click and drag the route over to15...for some reason it won't allow me to post that link...I thought I had...it is pretty easy drive, done it many, many times.

[Big Bad Wulff]

Obviously you haven't driven in MA before. Only the tourists use the I-84 Exit, everyone else uses 84n to 20e to 290e to 90e or 84n to 20w to 32n to 90w and vise versa. Having lived across from the service area 2 miles east of I 84 for 30 years, I've seen worse, but then again as most of the local folk say, sure is pretty at dusk to see all them red lights on the pike as they travel at 55+ on 20.

Cool, thanks. Yup that 20 miles of 20mph was quite the pain. The problem was I was using a GPS unit(like an average IDIOT) and didn't check the REAL map to get out of the traffic.

[dudley]

They're in the process of doing away with the tolls on the Mass Pike
Most of them anyway
Soon, the only two that will remain are the one coming into Mass from NY on RT90 and the one at the juction of 84 and 90
They won't be charging you to leave the state, only to come in.
As I remember there will also still be some tolls in the Metro area
They have to pay for the Big Dig somehow

[Uncle Jesse]

BBW, you forgot. You supposed to tell them how much better the roads are up there than down here. Next thing you know you won't be able to get in Corky's or the Rendezvous and you will have rusted out 4 wheel drive bumper to bumper from Tunica Cutoff to the White River. Of course, once they see a big cottonmouth down on Tunica Cutoff they may not be making many return trips.

Beside around Boston it's legal to drive on the shoulder, where else can you do that?

[nighthawk]