Best route from Maplewood to Amherst, MA

Planning a trip to Amherst, MA for a college visit.  Any advice on the best way to get there?  Map quest is saying the shortest route is GW bridge to 95 to 91.  

How about any of the other Hudson crossings?  Tappen Zee bridge to 684 to 84 to 91 (slightly longer but less hassle?) ?

Thanks 

RCH

Did it for four years. We preferred 280 to 287 to thruway to 84 to 91 in Hartford. I will do anything not to drive through or near NYC. The Five Colleges of the Consortium are all beautiful.

I'd check Waze before departing. Spending hours and hours in 95 traffic is really unpleasant. (I prefer @wedjet's route.)

I agree with wedjet's route , that is how we travel to that part of Massachussetts.No need to go GW at all.

 I agree with wejet's suggested route. Alternatively, take the Tappan Zee and check the various routes that eventually connect with 91. There can be heavy/slow traffic on 84 but not consistently. The Merritt also works well most of the time. We used to go to the Pioneer Valley often and never via the GWB.

Funny story. The day after Hurricane Irene daughter was due back on campus. Checked google and GWB route was deserted. That was the one and only time we took the GWB route...and made the fastest time of the four years. There were virtually no cars on the road. But really stay away from the GWB.

GSP to 287 to Saw Mill to 684 to 84.  Depending on the traffic between Waterbury and Hartford on 84 can cut across on 691 to 91.  OTOH if 91 looks bad below Hartford, you can always get on 91 in Hartford itself, or stay on 84 to 291 and get on 91 north of Hartford.

Komarovsky said:

GSP to 287 to Saw Mill to 684 to 84.  Depending on the traffic between Waterbury and Hartford on 84 can cut across on 691 to 91.  OTOH if 91 looks bad below Hartford, you can always get on 91 in Hartford itself, or stay on 84 to 291 and get on 91 north of Hartford.

This is the way to go (did it twice in June).

What Komarovsky and Tomcat said - across the Tappan Zee and up the Sawmill Parkway (no trucks!)

Much better than I-95!

Komarovsky said:

GSP to 287 to Saw Mill to 684 to 84.  Depending on the traffic between Waterbury and Hartford on 84 can cut across on 691 to 91.  OTOH if 91 looks bad below Hartford, you can always get on 91 in Hartford itself, or stay on 84 to 291 and get on 91 north of Hartford.

I travel to central MA fairly often and I find this route is the most consistent, traffic-wise, but it also depends on the time of day.  None of the routes are good at evening rush hour.  If you leave mid-morning, you can usually take I-95 just fine - Use the Rt 46 approach to the GWB, it's always fastest.

GSP north, 287 Tappan Zee Bridge north, 684 west, 84 west through Danbury, Waterbury to Hartford then 91 north. I've done this trip 100's and 100's of times. 

Of course you meant to say 287 SOUTH (not north, which goes up the west side of the Hudson to Albany and Montreal), 684 North (not west), and 84 east (not west).

287 north to 87 north to 90 east to 91 north.

Sorry, my bad, I repeated crossroad's error on NYS Thruway. Should be 87 South to Tappan Zee. But fairplay's different route of 87 north to near Albany would work as well.

chopin said:

Sorry, my bad, I repeated crossroad's error on NYS Thruway. Should be 87 South to Tappan Zee. But fairplay's different route of 87 north to near Albany would work as well.

It's a great route, little traffic once you hit Ulster County, for most of the way until getting on route 91 in Springfield, MA. From Parsippany NJ to Lee MA in the Berkshires, it can take as little as four hours. The rest of the way could add over an hour.

crossroads said:

GSP north, 287 Tappan Zee Bridge north, 684 west, 84 west through Danbury, Waterbury to Hartford then 91 north. I've done this trip 100's and 100's of times.

Just did this on Thursday. Worked well. We do it often. Our kids both go/went to UMass Amherst.

Tappan Zee Bridge to Saw Mill Parkway to 684 to 84 to 91

That's East on 84. I go to Hartford frequently, and the Tap to whatever isn't backed up on the way to Danbury (usually the Saw Mill) to 84 is typically the fastest. Once in a while the Merrit pays off, but it only takes a small branch down to bring things to a grinding halt.

And the smart-*** answer: Study hard, get good grades, have focused extracurriculars.

lisat said:

crossroads said:

GSP north, 287 Tappan Zee Bridge north, 684 west, 84 west through Danbury, Waterbury to Hartford then 91 north. I've done this trip 100's and 100's of times.

Just did this on Thursday. Worked well. We do it often. Our kids both go/went to UMass Amherst.

Waze still gets you practically anywhere and faster.