Boston to Ithaca

Because I've never made this trip ever, can anyone give me the FASTEST route from Boston to Ithaca? I've checked mapquest.com, but have found in the past that mapquest does not always give the best routes. It gives a 330 mile trip.

Also, what is the real-world time required to make the trip? mapquest.com says the trip should take 6:18 hours.

Thanks.

The standard way I know is:

Mass Pike/NY Thruway (I-90/87/90) to Schenectady
I-88 from Schenectady through Oneonta to Bainbridge
206 from Bainbridge to Whitney Point
79 from Whitney Point to Ithaca

206 and 79 might be sketchy in bad weather, in which case you might want to fall back on the official directions which probably tell you to go via Syracuse.

I'd suggest the Mass Pike to the NY Thruway to Route 80. (I think that's the right number, and I'm not gonna go looking for a map.)

Get off at route 206 and cut across to Whitney Point, where you pick up 79 into Ithaca.

John's right; it's route 88.

Huh. Mapquest does give the right directions (as does Yahoo). Of course, Mapquest's directions do say "BINGHAMPTON"

yup route 88 is the way to go. i'd say plan for 6 hours to be on the safe side tho should be more like 5 1/4. If you are a daredevil you can usually drive pretty fast on 88 (its practically empty and in the middle of nowhere) but once you get off it things could be slow depending on traffic and weather. from what i hear, we are supposed to get some bad stuff on friday. hope not!!! if the weather is bad it could easily turn into 7 or more hours.

I did this trip for 4 years...
My fastest time was 5 hours 15 minutes straight. I've had a couple of friends make it in 5 with stops for food and gas...

Mass pike west all the way to the border.

Once in NY, you can either get out at exit B1 to stay on 90 and go through Albany or continue on to the Thruway. Staying on 90 through Albany is shorter distance-wise but the speed limit drops to 50 or 55mph. 90 Will meet back up with the Thruway.

On the Thruway, exit 25A off to 88 towards Binghamton. Get out exit 8 for 206 at Bainbridge. Follow 206 for about half an hour going 55-60 to Whitney Point and turn right at the Hess station onto 79. You're now 30 miles from Ithaca and follow 79 all the way it. It becomes State St.
NOTE: Speed traps in NY once you're off the highway from 55mph down to 30mph in the towns.

If it's snowy, you can take the Thruway to 81 and get off at either exit 11 or 12, either one and just follow 13 all the way to the Pyramid Mall. Going this way adds about 30 minutes to the trip.

Longest time was about 9 hours and this was Feb. of freshman year (1998) when there was a really bad snowstorm and I was going from Ithaca to Boston.

Also, from Albany (exit 24) to the 88 exit (25A) the toll is $0.

Thanks all. I really don't feel like being on the road for NINE hours, so I hope the weather cooperates.

Special thanks to Judy, not only for the direction, but a belated thanks for tape of the BU game.

I wouldn't go TOO fast on 88,
I've been nailed for going a mere 78 there...

88 has several speed traps. I'm sure others can elaborate.

Yes, I got to chat with a smart-ass cop in lovely Duanesburg on 88. "Did you see me on that overpass?" What I wanted to say: "Obviously not, moron, or I would have slowed down." What I actually said: "No, sir." Sigh.

Wow. OK. maybe you shouldn't speed. I got stopped too (I was going 85) but it was actually the only time i've seen a cop on that road. I can't beleve that someone got stopped going 78 on that road. Everyone drives around taht speed on that road. That is merely keeping up with the traffic!

well hey, one of my friends got stopped for 76 on the pike...76! when most Mass people drive about 80 on that!

the cops like the overpasses and the on/off ramps on 88 (as my dad has informed me)

if u are going to go the thruway way...u want to take the mass pike to the thruway (90) to 481 south to 81s (wave as u go by my house ) to the first cortland exit (the second 281 exit). How many times have i made that trip and yet I still don't know the exit number. Going 13 thru downtown cortland stinks big time b/c of the lights.
the 88 route is faster by far. 206/79 is faster then going 88 to binghamton.
good luck and i would suggest leave as early as you can - the weather is going to change as you make your way west so be careful.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who has been busted by the cops in Duanesburg. I think I got tag-teamed, though.

Taking 206 is usually faster, with the caveat that if you get behind some slow-moving traffic, there are some loooong stretches where you can't pass.

about the weather changing, definitely true. I drive from albany to all the games and tho it is usually clear here i ALWAYS run into snow or freezing rain (or so it seems) as i make the trek west.

going by directions from jy3, the exit off the thruway for 481 is exit 34A and the first cortland exit is 12.

done this drive too often and i had hours on hand so yes, i have memorized most of the exit numbers and such. and I think the tolls along this stretch of the thruway will cost you $3-4. haven't taken the thruway in a while and haven't paid attention to tolls since I got ezpass.

as for the weather, I just got my car washed last week knowing that i wouldn't be up in Ithaca for a couple of weeks...and I just somehow knew that it'd rain or sleet or snow or something just to get my car dirty and piss me off Anyways, I think it's something about that part of NY state. Everyweek as I approach the PA/NY border, stuff starts coming down

and on 481 (between the thruway and 90), you just follow that to the end, exit 1. Stay in the left lane and that'll take you to 81 south towards binghamton. I believe they've upped the speed limit on this to 65 in the last couple of years. and also, around exit 2 or 3, there's a smelly factory.

Yahoo/Weather.com are predicting heavy snow for tomorrow (Thursday), with accumulations up to 12 inches in some areas. For Friday they say a mix of snow and rain.

Speaking as someone who could not get into Syracuse earlier than 4:40pm on Friday, can I just say "Oh crap!"?

I really hope that all the weather men are wrong about the snow and the rain. I'd prefer rain to snow for Friday's drive...

Anyone know why there aren't any major roads from any of the major high ways to Ithaca? 13 and 79 suck in the snow.

Another thing to keep in mind is your arrival time in Binghamton. Rush hour is not a huge deal, but if there is an accident, cars start stacking up in a hurry. You might want to get a map and prepare for such eventualities.

Oh yeah, the Duanesburg guys busted me, too! So apologize like hell and say you were focusing on the traffic way ahead and lost track of your speedo, or were coming down a hill. It's worked for me coming down from Syracuse. Worst case you get a ticket, which s/he will give you ANYWAY if you give a bullsh!t/ignorant/dumb answer. Of course if you are clocked at over 80, then you're probably screwed.

Keep it safe,
D