Tolls and bridge fees I-80 and PA Turnpike

Tom....

Look at this on a map. This is the way I would do it if I had plenty of time to run it.


I-80 east into Indiana ($3.00 toll in Chicago area)
I-94 east to exit 40 in Indiana
US-20 east to IN-2 east.
Pick up US-20 east again in South Bend, IN & follow into Ohio
12.5 miles into Ohio, turn right on OH-15 south & pick up Alt US-20 east
I-475 around the south side of Toledo
US-20/23 east stay on US-20 all the way into Norwalk, OH
In Norwalk pick up some corn for the little lady then get on OH-18 east
I-77 south
I-76 east
I-80 east all the way into Jersey
then I-280 into Harrison, NJ

From Reno going the way listed above is 2,690 miles & you only pay $3.00 in tolls. Your looking at a full days drive from when you exit I-94 in Indiana until you hit I-77 in Ohio.

Then from Harrison, NJ to Andover, MA

I-280 West
I-287 North
I-87 North ($7.10 toll)
I-84 East ($7.50 toll to cross the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge)
I-90 East ($1.50 toll on Mass turnpike)
I-290 East
I-495 North to Andover, MA

That is 288 miles. A total of 2,978 miles. Less traffic, Less headaches, & Less tolls. I just got you to Andover, MA with a stop in Harrison, NJ with less then $20.00 in tolls.

 

I would run I-80 to IN I-80/94 to I-94 and take I think IN exit 22 is Hwy 49, Go south and about 10 miles to US-30. Run US-30 E across IN/OH. Ft. Wayne you have to take the loop around the north side (I-69 N to I-495 S) then get back on US-30 on the east side (exit 19). Then after Mansfield, OH, exit to I-71N to I-76 E (exit 209). Then about exit 225 get back on I-80 East.

Much better than US-20. I ran both several times. US-20 has alot of 2 lane with no shoulders, little towns and limited stopping. One slow guy and your screwed. US-30 has plenty of truck stops and 4 lane. You save about $58 that way.

Then run I-80 across PA into NJ and exit 47 catch I-280 into Newark.

If you run I-95 up to Boston make sure you take I-295 around Providence, RI. $3000 fine for running across the Pawtucket bridge downtown on I-95.
Redd's Newark/Andover route is alot cheaper too.

 

You have a lot of good suggestions here..... Look at these route on the map & decide for yourself.

But I must tell you that outerspacehillbilly & I are discussing this issue as I type this. And we highly recommend I-5 S, I-10 E, I-75 S, to I-95 N

 

I've done that a lot too...

One difference - US20/23 cuts a straightline down the middle of two routes: Tolled on the I80/I90 and I76 routes. Non-tolled on US30.

- The toll road does have higher speed limits, and no slowing down for stoplights. I only use it when the schedule demands it.

- Down the middle on the US20/23 option is a little shorter, but you're running though a bunch of little towns. The scenic route - plan on plenty of time to take in the countryside.

- US30 - much faster. Once you get out of Indiana, for the most part it's a limited access road. Catch I71 up to I76 through Akron to pick-up I80 in Youngstown. The Van Wert WalMart is a handy place for a grub run - trucker friendly parking on the east side of the parking lot.

Avoid anything to the east of Jersey during rush hours - including I84, I90, I91 and I95. You're going to spend some time. Best time to run this part of it is late at night. If you're going to do I280... be very careful on the east end. It's very easy to end up on city streets in Newark - don't ask how I know about this! Its easier just to deal with I287 if you need to get into lower Jersey, or up towards the Tappan Zee and I84.

If you have to get up into Rhode Island... watch out for the Pawtuckett Bridge on I95. You must divert onto I195 or I295 - if you even get past the last exit before this bridge you will get hit with a $3800 fine. There is no "sneaking" over this bridge - there are cops stationed there 24/7. There is another bridge in SE Rhode Island as well with the same deal, down off of the coast. You only have to deal with it in local delivery situations.

Parking is very limited, so its best to have this part planned out before you go. Arriving at a truckstop (or a rest area - if they haven't shut them all down yet!) after dark is not likely to yield a successful result! Best to get in early if you're not familiar with how it works up there.

 

That $3 toll is crooked. They can't toll I-80, so they call it I-80/I-294 so they can toll them all.

The problem is for two roads to run together, they have to split apart. I-294 dead ends into I-80. I'm surprised nobody ever challenged that.

 

I would catch I-20 and if you time it right, you can hit Dallas about 5 pm. Then Atlanta I-85 to I-95 N. Then when you get to DC you can take a break and drive by the White House.

 

If you take a more northerly route, you can cut some distance off. Be aware that one of the common short cuts - US60 across the river at Cairo is now off limits to anything over 15 tons.

 

There are probably more lights on 30 in IN than on 20. IMO I'd stay off of 30 just cause of all the lights. If you do run 20 just stay on it in ohio and when you get to 475 just go south, 20/23/I475 all run together there.

Running 20 in ohio has traffic lights and its 4 lane from I75 to route 18. If you run 18 there is a scale on it right at Medina. They are usually never open unless they catch wind of the permit trucks making a run for it.

 

The lights are about the same, the difference is the two lane and 30 mph towns. It's about an hour quicker on 30.

You all didn't tell him about the hwy 2 shortcut either.