[Iska]

Finally! It looks like the wait is over. I was going to house-sit pending sale while wife and kids move to CT in August. After you guys worried me with talk of the high cost of this and that in CT, I decided my dreams of country gentleman-in-retirement might not be realistic. I put out a couple of employment feelers. Out of the blue, I get a very compelling offer from an outfit in Valhalla-Chappaqua. It's flattering to still be considered a valuable commodity this late in the day. So here I come, Connecticut.

Now, here's where I need your help. For reasons related to Yale, I must temporarily live in the East Rock section of New Haven. I'll be storing my stuff in Glastonbury where we eventually plan to move. How do I commute from New Haven to Valhalla? Take me from East Rock to Valhalla. Many thanks in advance.

[nico7]

Congratulations on your new job! Hope you enjoy it. Here are the directions... although I don't know the Valhalla area, so I've copied & pasted the Google directions for the New York segment. They take you to the medical center, so you'll have to adapt them from there.

Originally Posted by Iska

How do I commute from New Haven to Valhalla? Take me from East Rock to Valhalla.

Follow Whitney Ave South (toward downtown New Haven). It will become Temple St., which you follow until it ends at North Frontage Rd.

Merge onto North Frontage Rd (it is one-way, westward) and follow it to its end at Ella Grasso Blvd.

Turn right, and then take your next left onto Route 34 West (Derby Ave).

Follow Route 34 West for 4.6 miles and turn onto Route 15 South (Wilbur Cross Parkway). This becomes the Merritt Parkway (still Rte 15).

Stay on Rte 15 to the New York State border, then:


Take exit 26W toward I-287 W/White Plains 0.3 mi

Merge onto Westchester Ave 0.1 mi

Merge onto Cross Westchester Expy/I-287 W via the ramp to White Plains/Brewster/Tappan Zee Br./I-684 5.8 mi

Take exit 3 for Sprain Pkwy toward Taconic Pkwy/New York City 0.2 mi

Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Sprain Brook Pkwy N and merge onto Sprain Brook Pkwy N 1.1 mi

Take the exit toward RT-100 S/Eastview/RT-100C 0.2 mi

Turn right at Grasslands Rd 0.4 mi

Destination:
Westchester Medical Center Valhalla
95 Grasslands Rd, Valhalla, NY 10595



Good luck!

[reason180]

Welcome to CT!

Rush hour traffic on the Merritt is not pretty.


If you are interested in saving money on gas you could do that commute using public transit.

You would take the Metro-North commuter train from New Haven to Stamford. At Stamford you would have to transfer to the I-Bus which is express from Stamford to White Plains, NY. In White Plains you could either take the train two stops to Valhalla or take the bus there.

I-Bus Express

Bee Line Bus

[JayCT]

It is about 60 miles from New Haven to Valhalla, which means that without traffic it will take a little over an hour. With traffic though it will take even longer since you will be traveling with traffic into Stamford and then have to deal with traffic in Westchester.

I can not tell you though that the mass-transit directions Reason180 gave will get you there any faster. With all the transfers and connections needed, I am not sure you would make it in less than 2 hours. Good luck and congratulations. Jay

[Iska]

Thanks to all.

[HelloSam]

New Haven to Valhalla isn't pretty and Glastonbury to Valhalla may be worse. Consider the greater Danbury area for when you settle down in CT. Highway 684 is a much nicer ride than the Merritt.

[Iska]

HelloSam, thanks for the advice. I plan to rent in Fairfield Co. (maybe Stamford) next year to ease the commute. But I want to be able to retreat weekends to a homestead in Glastonbury for family reasons.

Would it be easier on the nerves and time-wise to catch 84W to 684? If so, what's the most efficient way to execute that from New Haven? I'm coming up there in a couple of days to check things out. I want to try all possible routes.