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Interstate 95N Baltimore to Philly corridor

B

BOKRIJDER

Guest
Many will be traveling north on Interstate 95. I'll give some tips which I've learned living in the area. In addition, I often travel to Lake George and can offer a couple of variations for the trip north.

Approaching Baltimore, one has the choice of three possible routes crossing the city, two tunnels and one bridge.
The two tunnel choices are the I95 or the I895 "Inner Harbor Tunnel" Both suffer the universal weaknesses of tunnels; rush hour congestion, the possibility of a minor accident causing a major delay, and the chance that road crews may close lanes on any particular day.

Many times, I choose I695, the Frances Scott Key Bridge option. This route is about 5 miles longer but skirts the city of Baltimore on the Chesapeake Bay side. The traffic is normally light and one enjoys a beautiful view of the Baltimore Inner Harbor while crossing the span. There are stretches crossing marshy areas where one can see miles ahead. -Hint- As an added bonus I695 rejoins I95 north beyond most city congestion.

Traveling north on I95, one next crosses the Susquehanna River bridge. At this point, the river is emptying into the Chesapeake Bay, nice view. Traveling further north, one will pass Exit 100 route 272. I'll come back to this later.

Moving towards Wilmington, DE, one must pay a toll. Unfortunately, the section ahead is quite congested.
Remember, if one is continuing north on I95, which is collocated with the New Jersey Turnpike, follow Rt 295 and cross the Delaware River, then straight ahead immediately onto the NJ Turnpike. No problem if you miss the exit as I95 eventually joins the Turnpike, but you now must suffer the congestion of Philadelphia.
The New Jersey Turnpike and subsequent routes are the quickest way north and I choose this routing at times. The drawback is very heavy traffic in the Newark, NJ area.

Now the second routing choice

One will bypass the 295 bridge exit and travel on to Wilmington, DE. One may choose staying on I95 or taking the I495 Wilmington bypass. The signage recommends through traffic to I495, but there is little difference outside of the rush hour period.
Just beyond Chester, PA follow I476 north connecting to the Pennsylvania Turnpike North East Extension. (also 476) (tip - follow the turnpike to the very end, the first I81 north exit circles Scranton, PA - check the map)
If you are heading to Binghamton, NY and have the urge to quickly move north east, try I88 north to Albany, nice scenery and no traffic.

Now back to the I95 exit 100 route 272

Leaving the slab of I95 behind, one can travel north passing through peaceful Amish farm land to Reading, PA. On holiday weekends this route is as quick to Allentown as staying on the main highways.
One follows route 272 north connecting with route 1 north, then route 10 north connecting to a short section of slab bypassing Reading, PA.
Then follow route 61 north to the intersection of route 61 and I78. One can choose this short section of slab to Allentown or continue on route 61 to connect with I81 north.
A diversion which I really enjoy is leaving route 61 north of Hamburg and following route 895 to New Ringgold, Tamaqua,PA and following 309 to catch I81 north.
The Hamburg intersection is the home of a Cabelas. If you've forgotten anything, here's a chance to rectify the error.

Again back to exit 100 on I95.
This is a good place to stop for the night. Vermont is a day's ride away. There is a Holiday Inn Express and a Crystal Inn at the exit towards North East.
Two miles further south on route 272 is the tiny town of North East, MD.
North East is a tourist mecca, with its restaurants being an attraction.
Woody's is rated as one of the best on the Bay for family style local seafood. Fridays or weekends, prepare for a long wait, other times no problem.
Less inclined toward seafood, try Pier One. A desire to tax the food budget, that's also possible. Park anywhere on main street/272, the walk will not exceed 5 minutes.

If you're camping, Elk Neck State Park is ten miles south on route 272. Elk Neck State Park is one of the most popular in Maryland, so you might want to check ahead.
My home is located in a small community in the Park. I'd love to offer coffee but I'll be on my way back from Colorado.

Enjoy the ride!!

Motard
 
Statdawg,

Thanks for the link to the Molly Maquire history. I've just had the time to go back and read it. The version taught in my school's history class was a bit edited, sanitized and one sided. Perhaps because it was a local event, parts were better left unsaid. The corruption, hostility, and racial prejudices were so wide spread in the early history of rail and anthracite coal mining that almost every local resident's life was touched by it. As a grade school student traces were still remaining in my community.
In editing the history, a great lesson in social and economic change was lost.

Motard
 
Motard said:
Statdawg,

Thanks for the link to the Molly Maquire history. I've just had the time to go back and read it. The version taught in my school's history class was a bit edited, sanitized and one sided. Perhaps because it was a local event, parts were better left unsaid. The corruption, hostility, and racial prejudices were so wide spread in the early history of rail and anthracite coal mining that almost every local resident's life was touched by it. As a grade school student traces were still remaining in my community.
In editing the history, a great lesson in social and economic change was lost.

Motard
Motard and Stat,
You guys are great. Wow. Thanks for the superb routing info and the historical points-of-interest material for folks travelling through the area.

The more I read about Eastern PA--in combination with my recent visit and input from my stepdad (a state native)--the more I desire to visit this part of the country. Soon!

Enjoy Memorial Day weekend!
 
Has it been raining in Maryland? Does a bear do something in the woods?
After two days of heavy rain, we were the happy recipients of an additional 8 to 12 inches last night. Mud slides on the Washington Beltway??? This weather pattern is projected to remain until the end of the week, so it looks like my Peaks ride will get off to a damp start.

I visited Elk Neck State Park offices and picked up some details regarding camping at their facility. 286 campsites are available and reservations are accepted. A selection of cabins is available but are normally booked well in advance. The cabins sound interesting and may be worth a call. This is one of Maryland's premier state park facilities, but at the same time is completely wooded and very peaceful. There are many interesting short hiking loops originating in the park. A good leg work out always feels good during a long ride. A worthwhile round trip hike down to Turkey Point Lighthouse can completed in less than an hour.

Park phone -- 410-287-5333 www.dnr.state.md.us
Reservations at 1-888-432-2267

Bob's BMW will be offering camping on the dealership grounds. The dealership is just a few miles off I95 between Washington and Baltimore. Check his website for details. www.bobsbmw.com

Motard
 
Flooding

In an earlier post, I mentioned my sister's campground located in Windsor, NY which is very near Binghamton NY. I spoke with family members this evening and the facility is expected to be a total loss. If members have made camping reservations anywhere in the North East, I would suggest confirming those reservations. The devastation has been widespread.

Tomorrow, I'm departing from Maryland on the Peaks Tour. This is after a delay due to torrential rain, widespread flooding, and damaged roads and bridges. The storm severity has been such that even Interstate highways have been damaged. Two truckers lost their lives on Interstate 88 North of Binghamton, NY. The roadbed had simply washed away and the rigs plunged into deep water.
Things will be moving again by Rally time, but while traveling in the North East one can probably expect delays and short detours due to roadbed and bridge repairs.

Motard
 
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