Best route with rental truck - Boston to Philly area (Philadelphia: garden, moving)

[boston781]

I am moving from the Boston area to the Philadelphia area (King of Prussia, PA area) next month and trying to determine the best route to take. Will be driving a 16ft Penske rental truck, so know a lot of the parkways are off limits. Will be driving down on a Saturday, leaving between 6-7am the latest to try to avoid most traffic. I have read and been told to avoid 95 in CT and NY at all costs.

The route I was thinking was Mass Pike --> 84 --> 684 -->Tappan Zee Bridge -- >287 --> NJ Tpke --> PA Tpke (276).

I am unsure of the best way to navigate the NYC/NJ area with a truck, given the restrictions for trucks. I have done the drive before, but usually would take the Merrit and Garden State Parkways, two roads I know are off limits for trucks.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

[caco54]

I like your idea keeps you out of NYC. Mapquest will send you on 95 over the GW….don’t do it. Your way adds miles but reduces aggravation.

[NewtownBucks]

I would definitely avoid the Cross Bronx and NYC in general with a truck, especially if you are inexperienced driving trucks, so the Tappan Zee is a good call. If you take the Garden State Parkway south from 287 in NY to the NJTP, that is a little more direct and faster than taking 287 all the way to the TP (287 and the GSP both meet the NJTP at around the same area in Edison, but the GSP cuts off a lot of the loop that 287 makes). The GSP prohibits trucks with a GVW > 10,000 lbs. I'm not sure if a 16 foot moving truck would be over 10k lbs or not (it would be close).

Edit: You can also skip all the turnpike tolls by taking 287 to 202 South at Somerville (there are several exits for 202, don't get off 287 until Somerville). 202 goes all the way to King of Prussia in a pretty direct line with 4 lane highway for most of the ride.

[MarketStEl]

Just a note on NewtownBucks' comment below:

Once you enter Pennsylvania, US 202 becomes a two-lane highway from New Hope to outside Doylestown and again from outside Doylestown to Norristown. Part of the highway is a landscaped parkway with grade-separated crossings around Montgomeryville, but you will encounter intersections with signals on the rest of it.

I don't think that should cause you problems, but if you want to save on tolls and avoid two-lane highways, the options are trickier and longer.

One would be to follow I-287 to US 1, then take it to I-295 north of Trenton and head north on 295 into Pennsylvania, where the highway becomes I-295 West. it connects with I-95 where the Pennsylvania Turnpike crosses it but has no direct connection to the Turnpike. US 1 is four lanes but not controlled access.

A second option would be to just continue south on US 1 past 295 into Trenton, where it becomes a freeway that runs all the way to the Turnpike just outside Northeast Philadelphia. There is an interchange between the Turnpike and US 1 at the freeway's southern end. US 1 continues on into the city, where it becomes Roosevelt Boulevard.

Another would be to take 287 all the way back to the NJTP, then get off at Exit 7A and take I-195 west to I-295 north and proceed as above. You will have saved at least some tolls.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Just a note on NewtownBucks' comment below:

Once you enter Pennsylvania, US 202 becomes a two-lane highway from New Hope to outside Doylestown and again from outside Doylestown to Norristown. Part of the highway is a landscaped parkway with grade-separated crossings around Montgomeryville, but you will encounter intersections with signals on the rest of it.

I don't think that should cause you problems, but if you want to save on tolls and avoid two-lane highways, the options are trickier and longer.

One would be to follow I-287 to US 1, then take it to I-295 north of Trenton and head north on 295 into Pennsylvania, where the highway becomes I-295 West. it connects with I-95 where the Pennsylvania Turnpike crosses it but has no direct connection to the Turnpike. US 1 is four lanes but not controlled access.

A second option would be to just continue south on US 1 past 295 into Trenton, where it becomes a freeway that runs all the way to the Turnpike just outside Northeast Philadelphia. There is an interchange between the Turnpike and US 1 at the freeway's southern end. US 1 continues on into the city, where it becomes Roosevelt Boulevard.

Another would be to take 287 all the way back to the NJTP, then get off at Exit 7A and take I-195 west to I-295 north and proceed as above. You will have saved at least some tolls.

That little stretch of 202 where it's two lanes really isn't a big deal. If you look on a map, 202 basically makes a beeline from Somerville to KoP. I'd still recommend that way if you want to avoid turnpike tolls (which are pretty egregious).