Questions for the New Yorkers/Jerseyers

[D_Barbi_Queue]

As most of you know, I just moved to the area. I have to pick up my cousin from the Newark airport this Friday. What sucks is that I'll be dealing with prime rush hour traffic when we're leaving the airport. I live in such a place that when I do directions from my house, they want me to go south on 9 and cross the George Washington bridge. But I live somewhat near the Bear Mountain bridge and think I might run into less traffic driving up and down that side of the river.

When I do directions from Monteverde Restaurant, Mapquest has most of my drive being on Garden State Pkwy (about 30 miles) heading to the airport and on the way back the majority of the drive is divided between 95 N and Garden State Pkwy N. (about 12 1/2 miles on each of those roads).

It's all so damn confusing and I need a local's experience to tell me the best way to get through the rush hour traffic going north bound on Friday out of Newark.

Also, I do plan on stopping at some restaurant outside of Newark to wait out some of the traffic. Any suggestions? PS - I'll have 2 kids with me so a kid-friendly place would be great.

 

[D_Barbi_Queue]

here's my pathetic bump....

with all of you guys and gals in area, NO ONE is familiar with northbound traffic out of Newark on a Friday?

Oh wait...I get it...you just hate me.

 

[GoneA]

sorry ... i'm a subway kinda guy.

 

[curiouscat9]

Believe me, we all love you. Your post just might not have been read by the right person yet.

 

[madame_zora]

You ought to know we all love you! Sadly, I don't know my way around there well enough to be of any help but I wanted to show some luuuuuv.

 

[Dr. Dilznick]

Your best route home would be the Turnpike north to I-95 North, and then Palisades Parkway toward Bear Mountain Bridge. The worst traffic jams (if any) would be encountered on the lower portion of the parkway.

Well, unless there's an NYC transit strike or snowstorm, in which case you're pretty much fucked.

 

[D_Barbi_Queue]

ha ha...thanks Dilz. Hopefully the worst of the snow storm will over and if there's a strike, hopefully it will be much later.

My husband actually thinks that I should take the Tapan Zee back across and come up northbound on this side. I would think I would be more likely to hit north bound Friday traffic here. Ah....I hate being a newbie!

Edit: OK, i just realized the strike would happen tonight, not tomorrow. Yup, that sucks and I'll definitely be avoiding the GW and the Tapan Zee.

 

[Dr. Dilznick]

My husband actually thinks that I should take the Tapan Zee back across and come up northbound on this side. I would think I would be more likely to hit north bound Friday traffic here.

You're right, of course.

OK, i just realized the strike would happen tonight, not tomorrow.

Well, I guess not... But if there's a strike, it'll be interesting to see how many people think their jobs are too important to miss a day of: Wall Streeters, EMTs, fast food employees, auto mechanics, etc. are all going to create a massive gridlock. It should be pretty wild.

Alright Taggie, let us know how it went when you get back.

 

[D_Barbi_Queue]

well, at least the "storm" is over and it's only partly cloudy. Looks like it might turn out to be a beautiful day afterall.

 

[Shelby]

Can't help with directions. Just wanted to say I cringe when I think of a sweet TexAssgirl like you being stuck in that antpile of a region.

Hope you're making the most out of it.

 

[Dr. Dilznick]

..........

 

[headbang8]

This advice may be too late for you, but here's what I would do:

• Park your car at the local Metro North Station in Westchester County
• Train to Grand Central
• Cab to Penn Station
• NJ Transit or Amtrak to Newark Airport
• Reverse

My lover visited recently, and I had to collect him from Newark Airport. The drive back to Manhattan took 90 minutes including a half-hour wait at the Lincoln Tunnel. Togo back, we took Amtrack train bound for Washington and were there in 20 minutes. If there's an Amtrak station near you where you can catch a northeast corridor train, even better. I think it's about 70 minutes from New Rochelle.

 

[D_Barbi_Queue]

well, my cousin's flight ended up being delayed 1 1/2 hrs so we didn't have as much traffic to deal with afterall.