Avolding tolls in New England area?

[Ron403]

I am planning my first long distance RV trip for August of this year. Can anyone tell me the best Route to avoid Turnpike tolls. I am traveling to Freeport Maine to visit family.. have made the trip before in a car and don't want to pay the very high RV tolls.. would also like to know about the mountains and if the roads are 4 lane or 2 lane... thank you

[Lifemagician]

Hi Ron, and Welcome to The Great American Roadtrip Froum.

Are you planning this with good paper maps, or purely on your electronic devices. Good maps show which roads are tolls, and which aren't, and also distinguish between two and four lane roads. So it would be easy to see and plan.

My regular trips to Boston I manage usually to avoid all tolls, though that is in a standard van.

Where are you travelling from? That would have a great bearing on which roads to take to shun if not all, at least the majority of tolls.

Lifey

[DonnaR57]

Welcome to RTA!

The first thought I had, as I read your post, is that you forgot to tell us where you are traveling from. My second thought was, do you have a paper map? Then I read Lifey's post, and she asked the same things.

On a Rand McNally map, interstate highways are blue. Interstates are built to certain specifications, so that our commercial transport industry can "make time" in getting things across the country. For mountains, those are the easiest highways to use.

Toll roads are usually green, in Rand McNally. I don't blame you for wanting to avoid toll roads in an RV. My husband and I travel in a pick-up truck, and have noted that we could be charged like a 2-axle RV on some toll roads. We still like to "shun-pike", for mostly political reasons (don't like to pay for something twice, first with taxes and then with a toll).

Other highways are red. Most of the time, it means they are 2-lane roads.


Donna

[Lifemagician]

The colours of road designation is basically the same on all good maps. There is always a good key indicating which is which. Double red lines are fourlane roads. If you are a member of AAA your maps will be free. Otherwise a road atlas such as Rand Mcnally is a valuable investment. Don't leave home without them.

Lifey