Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ccice5.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!rochester!ritcv!ccice5!rdz From: rdz@ccice5.UUCP (Robert D. Zarcone) Newsgroups: net.auto,net.travel Subject: Northeast Driving Observations Message-ID: <914@ccice5.UUCP> Date: Thu, 19-Sep-85 09:01:15 EDT Article-I.D.: ccice5.914 Posted: Thu Sep 19 09:01:15 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 13:12:43 EDT Distribution: net Organization: CCI Central Engineering, Rochester, NY Lines: 51 Xref: linus net.auto:7145 net.travel:1537 I have just returned from a vacation that involved driving through New York, Pennsylvania, Deleware, Maryland and D.C., and I thought some observations of driving conditions in these areas might be helpful to others on the net. New York: With all of the problems we may have in this state, I still insist we have one of the BEST road systems in the region! Highways traveled were I-390, I-81, I-90 and state 17. All in good condition except I-81 southbound. Average cruising speed - ~65, average passing speed - ~75. Did not see ANY speed traps. (I-90 toll still too high) Pennsylvania: Great going east-west, IMPOSSIBLE to go north-south. I-81 is a joke! This thing has been under construction since before statehood. NE extension to the Turnpike is a "must take". (toll very reasonable) I-76 and I-95 around Philly are equally bad. East-west expressways from York to Scranton good. Average cruising speed - ~60 east-west, <50 north-south. Average passing speed -~70 east-west, N/A north-south (how can you pass on a TWO lane Interstate?) Deleware: This is the only state that does not have an Interstate highway (unless you count the tiny network around Willmington). But they do have 113 and 13, north-south highways that serve the same purpose. It just takes a while to get used to looking out for traffic lights while doing 70. Average cruising speed - ~60, average passing speed - ~70. Maryland: There seems to be a split personallity here. Off the Interstates one can flow with the traffic (sometimes >70). On the Interstates the limit is 56, PERIOD. This lightens-up somewhat on I-86 north of Baltimore. Average cruising speed - ~65 on expressways, 56 on Interstates. Average passing speed - ~75 on expressways, N/A on Interstates (would you pass if you saw TEN radar traps in <20 miles?). D.C.: This is not a place to drive if you are not used to or don't like big city rush hour traffic! Speed limits and rules of the road do not apply. I found it to be almost a reverse of Boston, you go fast and crazy on the city streets but slow and cautious on the expressways. But then, some of the city streets were wider than the expressways! Not hard to get around in IF you play by their rules. General observation: The Mid-Atlantic states (excluding Pennsylvania) have a road system comperable to the Northeast. Interstates good and fast, secondaries usually more than adequate. Now if you could only drive directly from New York to Maryland... *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com