Do you just plow right on through big cities with creeping traffic, construction zones, potholes, Etc or do you go out of your way on secondary roads to avoid them at all costs? When you're headed to a destination. BTW, avoid the interstates in Birmingham, AL At all costs!!!
FOSJ said
10:38 PM Dec 23, 2017
We always go through very early in the morning. Especially Atlanta!
Hdrider said
07:22 AM Dec 24, 2017
For the most part we wiggle our way around big cities but have on occasion pushed through. Timing is everything when we do.
Second Chance said
09:28 AM Dec 24, 2017
It depends on the city and the time of day/day of week. Atlanta - we plow straight through but avoid rush hour (it's better on I-20 than the loop). DFW: I-20 (which is the same as the loops on the south side of both cities). NYC: we go WAY around to the north and west. Baltimore: 695 around the west and north (can't take the rig into the tunnels on 95, anyway). DC: 495 around the west side. El Paso: Loop 375 on the northeast and get off on 54 to 273 and 404 (Anthony Gap) to get over to I-10 on the west side of the mountains and up to Las Cruces (my home town). San Diego: we try to avoid altogether, but have to take the easterly bypasses up to I-15 when going to our favorite Escapees park near Temecula. LA: we avoid like the plague and will stay as far inland as we can and take secondary roads. Austin and San Antonio: we split the difference and head through the hill country, staying at a couple of our favorite places out in the sticks. We try to avoid I-10 in Louisiana because of the condition of the road. Those are the biggies I can think of right now.
Rob
Terry and Jo said
09:59 AM Dec 24, 2017
We don't do much actual traveling with the RV, but we've had to hit a couple of large cities.
Denver: I recommend avoiding anything in the way of an interstate within 50 miles of the city, unless it is on a Sunday, and that preferably in the morning.
I miscalculated time zones and time when we moved from Oregon to Kanab, Utah a few months ago. Avoid Salt Lake City if at all possible. We got a little "scuffing" on our fifth wheel in afternoon rush hour on that trip.
Terry
Cattntitans said
12:08 PM Dec 24, 2017
Thanks to everyone for your replies! Have not been far West yet but getting through Houston in June was a white-knuckle experience. We will probably be taking a lot of back roads! Really good info, Second Chance. Thank you!
Barbaraok said
03:58 PM Dec 24, 2017
Yea, Houston is bad. Also bad is Seattle, both I-5 and I-405 are horrific, and really no alternatives. Just grit your teeth and go slow.
Bobc said
05:17 PM Dec 24, 2017
We only travel between 10:am and 3:pm for the most part have not had any big issues.
Try to do Sunday mornings or early afternoon for Major City like Atlanta.
Has work well for us
kb0zke said
07:00 PM Dec 25, 2017
I like to avoid big cities unless I already know where I'm going AND know that I can get there in the chosen vehicle. With two of our three children in the St. Louis area I'm getting to know some of the roads between the two campgrounds we use and places we need to go. Doesn't mean I like it, though.
NWescapee said
09:40 AM Dec 26, 2017
Avoid big cities? I wish, but unfortunately our reality is that the best art shows for hubby's work are usually near a big city and my work from home job, which doesn't require a lot of travel, but does require some means we need to be near big cities much of the time.
Agree with Barb's comments on Seattle, it's a mess but one we can't avoid. We have found Sunday night at 9 PM is a great time to make the drive through downtown Seattle!! OK, we do this once a year on Father's Day weekend leaving the art show location in Edmonds to head to Puyallup so we can get all our doctor, dentist, vet and other details dealt with. Truly have found it easier to do that drive on Sunday night, in June it's still light enough outside that we're parking our rig at dusk when we arrive, gotta love those long summer days. We don't normally drive at night, this is one of the few exceptions as it truly is the easiest time.
Mostly we try to go around the big cities or stick to the outskirts, we avoid Phoenix unless we have an art show there, we've quit driving into the Bay Area with the RV for art shows, just way too stressful and not many good options to park the RV so we hotel it for those art shows.
Sunday mornings are usually a good time, just check the local schedules for any events such as sports or other major events that will cause delays near the venue. We've been caught in game day traffic as everyone was enroute to an early game and that is also not much fun, I think the worst was the Nascar traffic in Phoenix one time.
LarryW21 said
10:55 AM Dec 26, 2017
I've been avoiding San Francisco when towing but just once I plan on driving U.S. Hwy 101 straight through to the Golden Gate Bridge. We live in L.A. otherwise....
Cattntitans said
11:54 AM Dec 26, 2017
Thanks Dale, Ruth and Larry!
RonC said
06:08 PM Dec 26, 2017
LarryW21 wrote:
I've been avoiding San Francisco when towing but just once I plan on driving U.S. Hwy 101 straight through to the Golden Gate Bridge. We live in L.A. otherwise....
That 101 trip, including the Golden Gate Bridge crossing sounds awesome. I think I’m putting that one on the bucket list😄
Barbaraok said
06:29 PM Dec 26, 2017
We did it going north ( no toll charge going north). Going north, get off of Highway 101 and take I-380 over to I-280. Stay on I-280 until you reach the point where Highway 1 (which merged in near Woodlawn) exits toward 19th Avenue. Keep in the MIDDLE LANE, on 19th Avenue/Highway 1 heading north. You will go through a tunnel under part of the Persidio, when you exit you will stay on Highway 1 and merge onto Highway 101. Stay in the right lane (it will be marked BUS/RV), it is slightly wider and ride that across the bridge. Coming south, just reverse the route, but you will be subject to tolls.
Barb
RonC said
08:17 PM Dec 26, 2017
Thanks! Nothing like experience😏
BART said
10:00 PM Dec 26, 2017
Sunday mornings early- before 9am, or late after 5pm are "Usually" good times. But check the local sports section... If there is a home game for any major franchise then all bets are off.....
Or you can do what I do... Blindfold myself and drive!
Really.... After AM rush hour and before PM rush hour is the best time frame for most cities. To avoid most cities will add hours and miles.
Old_Man said
07:51 PM Mar 9, 2018
LarryW21 wrote:
I've been avoiding San Francisco when towing but just once I plan on driving U.S. Hwy 101 straight through to the Golden Gate Bridge. We live in L.A. otherwise....
Go VERY early on a Sunday Morning. I grew up in the City, and it can be HIDEOUS. In the summer, when I say early, I mean hit the city no later than 0600 Sunday. Best time to avoid traffic.
-- Edited by Old_Man on Friday 9th of March 2018 07:53:24 PM
Danny and Cheryl said
09:13 PM Mar 9, 2018
As a retired truck driver I always went the shortest and fastest interstate route to get where I was going, I never detoured around a major city just because I was scared of traffic. I had to go where the customer was. I still run the same routes with my 5er. just watch your mirrors before switching lanes and don't worry about what is behind you.
LarryW21 said
10:10 AM Mar 10, 2018
Once on the bridge....how can I stop and get a picture? lol
Barbaraok said
06:10 PM Mar 10, 2018
LarryW21 wrote:
Once on the bridge....how can I stop and get a picture? lol
-- Edited by Barbaraok on Saturday 10th of March 2018 06:13:42 PM
LarryW21 said
06:21 PM Mar 10, 2018
I left my heart...in San Francisco...
jayc said
02:47 PM Mar 13, 2018
I lived near and drove through Houston all of my life. If you must travel through, do it during the middle of the day and you should be fine. We are full timers now and I am careful to schedule my "big city" trips.
RonC said
02:54 PM Mar 13, 2018
Although not really a “Big City” ... we traveled thru Shreveport and Bossier City today. Traffic wasn’t an issue but road conditions were. AWFUL really doesn’t adequately describe how bad I-20 was. Slow down and try to keep your food in the pantry😜😜😜
Do you just plow right on through big cities with creeping traffic, construction zones, potholes, Etc or do you go out of your way on secondary roads to avoid them at all costs? When you're headed to a destination. BTW, avoid the interstates in Birmingham, AL At all costs!!!
Rob
We don't do much actual traveling with the RV, but we've had to hit a couple of large cities.
Denver: I recommend avoiding anything in the way of an interstate within 50 miles of the city, unless it is on a Sunday, and that preferably in the morning.
I miscalculated time zones and time when we moved from Oregon to Kanab, Utah a few months ago. Avoid Salt Lake City if at all possible. We got a little "scuffing" on our fifth wheel in afternoon rush hour on that trip.
Terry
Try to do Sunday mornings or early afternoon for Major City like Atlanta.
Has work well for us
Agree with Barb's comments on Seattle, it's a mess but one we can't avoid. We have found Sunday night at 9 PM is a great time to make the drive through downtown Seattle!! OK, we do this once a year on Father's Day weekend leaving the art show location in Edmonds to head to Puyallup so we can get all our doctor, dentist, vet and other details dealt with. Truly have found it easier to do that drive on Sunday night, in June it's still light enough outside that we're parking our rig at dusk when we arrive, gotta love those long summer days. We don't normally drive at night, this is one of the few exceptions as it truly is the easiest time.
Mostly we try to go around the big cities or stick to the outskirts, we avoid Phoenix unless we have an art show there, we've quit driving into the Bay Area with the RV for art shows, just way too stressful and not many good options to park the RV so we hotel it for those art shows.
Sunday mornings are usually a good time, just check the local schedules for any events such as sports or other major events that will cause delays near the venue. We've been caught in game day traffic as everyone was enroute to an early game and that is also not much fun, I think the worst was the Nascar traffic in Phoenix one time.
That 101 trip, including the Golden Gate Bridge crossing sounds awesome. I think I’m putting that one on the bucket list😄
We did it going north ( no toll charge going north). Going north, get off of Highway 101 and take I-380 over to I-280. Stay on I-280 until you reach the point where Highway 1 (which merged in near Woodlawn) exits toward 19th Avenue. Keep in the MIDDLE LANE, on 19th Avenue/Highway 1 heading north. You will go through a tunnel under part of the Persidio, when you exit you will stay on Highway 1 and merge onto Highway 101. Stay in the right lane (it will be marked BUS/RV), it is slightly wider and ride that across the bridge. Coming south, just reverse the route, but you will be subject to tolls.
Barb
Or you can do what I do... Blindfold myself and drive!
Really.... After AM rush hour and before PM rush hour is the best time frame for most cities. To avoid most cities will add hours and miles.
Go VERY early on a Sunday Morning. I grew up in the City, and it can be HIDEOUS. In the summer, when I say early, I mean hit the city no later than 0600 Sunday. Best time to avoid traffic.
-- Edited by Old_Man on Friday 9th of March 2018 07:53:24 PM
Navigator's job is to get pictures.
Here's a link to our pictures of our trip across the bridge: http://www.barbanddave.net/2012_Blog/2012_Photo_Albums/Pages/Driving_Golden_Gate_Bridge.html
-- Edited by Barbaraok on Saturday 10th of March 2018 06:13:42 PM
I lived near and drove through Houston all of my life. If you must travel through, do it during the middle of the day and you should be fine. We are full timers now and I am careful to schedule my "big city" trips.