Foo - I-90

So I'll be driving on route 90 this weekend for nearly 400 miles; I'm taking it through New York State. It'll bring me through Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Does anyone know what the traffic scene is like on this stretch? Prone to traffic jams? I'll be there around midday this Sunday.

The one time I drove on I-90, there was almost no traffic at all. Of course, this particular portion of I-90 was located in Montana...

My uncle lives out near Rochester. Don't think its too bad when its clear -- but what out for lake effect snow!

PC2, not too bad out in the sticks. It can get heavy in Rochester and Buffalo, though, as well as Syracuse. Watch for lake effect snow, too, since they ran I90 right in the middle of the worst belt of lake affect snow zone there is.....

Ugh, I go to college in Meadville, Pennsylvania. I know about lake effect snow, but I don't think I get quite the taste that those of you in the Rochester, BUffalo and Syracuse belt do. Does it just sporadically snow for a while? I'll modify my route and take 86 if need be.

NY's best equipment is on the Thruway, though, so bear that in mind. Since it's a toll road, they take the best care of it.

In my experience on that stretch of road, it's not hard to average 85+ in good weather. In snow (once drove from Ithaca, NY back to Boston in a major snowstorm), the speeds drop a bit, but within NY state, the road is pretty well plowed. (The same can't be said of the MA side.)

it's not hard to average 85+ in good weather.That'll get you run right the hell over on I-80 in Nevada. :P

The serious lake effect belt is a good ways north of I-90. It's confined to about 5 miles of the lake. On a Sunday, at this time of year, weather or an accident will be the only things that could slow you down.

Mechanicsburgh, PA. I broke down there once.

Lots of mechanics there, I hear. Of all the places to break down, that ain't a bad one.

Thanks for the replies, all. I'll finish up my vehicle's inspection/major tuneup Saturday and set sail on I-90 Sunday!

The serious lake effect belt is a good ways north of I-90. It's confined to about 5 miles of the lake. On a Sunday, at this time of year, weather or an accident will be the only things that could slow you down.

Wrong

PC2, not too bad out in the sticks. It can get heavy in Rochester and Buffalo, though, as well as Syracuse. Watch for lake effect snow, too, since they ran I90 right in the middle of the worst belt of lake affect snow zone there is.....

Correct

There is a lake effect area to the north, on I-81 called the Tug Hill Plateau. It snows there when the wind is from the west, across the lake. Lake effect snow bands also set up regularly across the thruway, from Buffalo to Syracuse when the wind blows from the north and north west.

So, I guess you are both right.

I90 is clear.

The lake effect hits I-90 hard around Cazenovia, which is between Syracuse and Utica. I have been through whiteouts there more times than I would like to remember. If you are traveling by day, it is better. At night, sometimes you actually have to turn your headlights OFF to see.

I doubt you will hit much in the way of traffic on a sunday.

I am a regular I-90 traveler from Albany to Buffalo and back. With two Great Lakes bordering a large chunk of the state, it can and does snow anywhere.

Sunday will be fine though, the route really doesn't go directly through any cities besides Albany, so stop and go traffic doesn't happen much. Drive safe.

Wrong

I grew up in Rochester, NY pal, so don't bother correcting a person who is right. Yes, there is more snow within 15 miles of the lake than there is farther out, but if you want to see the real heavy stuff, try driving around the east end of Lake Ontario (through places like Adams Center) after a storm. There might be 12" of snow where the Thruway is, but it could be 3 or more feet right by the lake.

Some other options would be to drive I-45 for 800 miles or I-10 for 3600 miles. Your options here are limited only by your imagiantion. Well that, and our national highway system.

Some other options would be to drive I-45 for 800 miles or I-10 for 3600 miles. Your options here are limited only by your imagiantion. Well that, and our national highway system.

Personally, I'm not certain why he wouldn't take I-86. That's a free drive, and I-90 is tolled.

Id say leave on sat morning. The storm looks southernly and probably will f up roads well into Sunday

Tis a boring stretch of roadway. And they just raised the tolls on thruway.

Weather wise we shouldn't be getting any great amount of snow, just cold - in the 20's.

Oh and be sure to wave when you buzz thru Rochester!

could take NY 20...

could take NY 20...

I think that's actually US 20, but I-86 wins if you want fast/cheap.

...Oh and be sure to wave when you buzz past Rochester!

fify :D

I grew up in Rochester, NY pal, so don't bother correcting a person who is right. Yes, there is more snow within 15 miles of the lake than there is farther out, but if you want to see the real heavy stuff, try driving around the east end of Lake Ontario (through places like Adams Center) after a storm. There might be 12" of snow where the Thruway is, but it could be 3 or more feet right by the lake.


Easy - Easy - I've lived here for 36 years. Oh, and by the way - 12" with enough wind will shut I-90 down. And the other 14 years were spent in Tonawanda - that's on the east end of Lake Erie but you probably knew that.

Easy - Easy - I've lived here for 36 years. Oh, and by the way - 12" with enough wind will shut I-90 down. And the other 14 years were spent in Tonawanda - that's on the east end of Lake Erie but you probably knew that.

ok - I was perhaps being overly accurate in responding to Tom's post. Yes, it's within the lake effect zone, and it can be miserable to drive when there's a blizzard, but this statement:

since they ran I90 right in the middle of the worst belt of lake affect snow zone there is.....

isn't quite right. The worst belt is very close to the lake. Part of I-90 passes through that, but once you get to Buffalo and points east, not so much.

:)

I rate this argument a 4 on the BF scale.

I rate this argument a 4 on the BF scale.

So, do you work at Johnson Wax, Grumpy? :innocent:

86 is free? Hmm. 86 also appears to be a shorter distance...

I went to the NY Thruway website and calculated my tolls to be in excess of 20 dollars! Then I still have Mass and PA. That means I'd pay as much or more in tolls than gas! Ugh, 86 looks more appetizing.

So coming from rt 90 in MA, that means...

90>88>17>86>79>school.

What's this 17? What's that like? It's the stretch between Binghamton and Elmira, according to Google Maps.

wtf, google maps says that this trip is actually longer.

Where i'm from, I-90 is called The Kennedy, unless you go away from Chicago, in which case it is actually I-39, and it goes north/south. But hell, this is coming from the state impeaches the politicians that it reelects.

86 is free? Hmm. 86 also appears to be a shorter distance...

I went to the NY Thruway website and calculated my tolls to be in excess of 20 dollars! Then I still have Mass and PA. That means I'd pay as much or more in tolls than gas! Ugh, 86 looks more appetizing.

So coming from rt 90 in MA, that means...

90>88>17>86>79>school.

What's this 17? What's that like? It's the stretch between Binghamton and Elmira, according to Google Maps.

17 and 86 are the same thing for most of the way. 17 is a highway.

Alrighty. 1 extra gallon of gas wont approach the cost of tolls over 90, and it sounds like I'll be less susceptible to snow. 86 it is!

I think that's actually US 20, but I-86 wins if you want fast/cheap.

I've taken US 20 coast to coast before. One day, I'll get around to digitizing my pictures from that trip. It's not the fastest way across the country, but it was an interesting trip.

watch out for the traffic going to the Bills playoff game midday sunday....

Seriously, check the weather and http://www.nysthruway.gov/wtas/netdata/ before you head out.

So, do you work at Johnson Wax, Grumpy? :innocent:

just another day at the office..

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~dbaxo/johnson_wax_inside.jpg

Wave when you pass Binghamton. :)

just another day at the office..

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~dbaxo/johnson_wax_inside.jpg

Seriously? I thought they all but shut down ops there in Binghamton.

Seriously? I thought they all but shut down ops there in Binghamton.

err no... :) Johnson Wax is in Racine Wisconsin. That is a picture of their office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. (one of the best buildings ever)

in Binghamton the companies were Endicott-Johnson Shoes (who shut down all operations) and IBM (who still have a few people left but no longer inhabit most of the gigantic campus).

Endicott-Johnson shoes were so big at one point that they supplied the US military with the majority of its footwear during WWII.

I am actually self-employed :) Have been for many years.

Also grew up in Rochester (Pittsford)

watch out for the traffic going to the Bills playoff game midday sunday....



Uh, what?

err no... :) Johnson Wax is in Racine Wisconsin. That is a picture of their office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. (one of the best buildings ever)

in Binghamton the companies were Endicott-Johnson Shoes (who shut down all operations) and IBM (who still have a few people left but no longer inhabit most of the gigantic campus).

Endicott-Johnson shoes were so big at one point that they supplied the US military with the majority of its footwear during WWII.

I am actually self-employed :) Have been for many years.

Also grew up in Rochester (Pittsford)

All I remember of driving through Binghamton in the late 60's were big buildings that said Johnson on them. My dad told me it was Johnson wax. :o Fast forward to 2007 - drove through - not much there anymore. Story of Upstate New York. :(

86 is free? Hmm. 86 also appears to be a shorter distance...

I went to the NY Thruway website and calculated my tolls to be in excess of 20 dollars! Then I still have Mass and PA. That means I'd pay as much or more in tolls than gas! Ugh, 86 looks more appetizing.

So coming from rt 90 in MA, that means...

90>88>17>86>79>school.

What's this 17? What's that like? It's the stretch between Binghamton and Elmira, according to Google Maps.

Better to stay North as the snow is falling to the tune of almost a foot tonight along the Southerntier of NY State. 90 traffic is steady, generally at speed limit or above and seldom at a standstill.

17 is being converted to 86. A portion of 17 (about 10 miles) has at grade intersections with traffic control devices.

lake Erie has not yet frozen over so lake effect snow will fall on the windward side of the lake and often extends 40+ miles from the shore. South of Buffalo could be tough going if the wind is out of the west. Syracuse through Buffalo can be tough if the wind is out of the NW as Lake Ontario does not freeze over.

Check the weather forecast before you leave for Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Erie Pa. They'll mention whether or not to expect lake effect snow.

Drive safely

Alrighty. 1 extra gallon of gas wont approach the cost of tolls over 90, and it sounds like I'll be less susceptible to snow. 86 it is!

Getting lotsa snow in the southerntier tonight....check the weather forecast.....a tow out of the ditch will cost more than the thruway tolls any day.

F the snow, what about this (www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/10/new.york.interstate.shooting/index.html).

Hey Grumpy!!! You DID take the other route versus I-90 ----- correct?

err. I'm not the OP. I live right near the alternate route though.