Greenville, NC to South Bend, IN flattest route please!

[Lm312]

I am a 60 yo woman driving this route soon and am terrified of mountains. Mainly steep ups and downs. Can someone suggest the best route for me. Traveling alone and HAVE to drive. Thanks so much!

[glc]

Welcome to RTA!

This is a tough one - the "normal" route is about 800 miles, but to avoid all mountains this becomes a 1450 mile trip. I-95 to I-20 to I-22 to I-55 to I-57 to I-80.

If you can tolerate "some" mountains, this is about 900 miles - I-95 to I-270 to I-70 to I-76 to I-80. This route has heavy tolls. The mountains are all on the PA Turnpike (I-76).

[AZBuck]

Following the routes glc has laid out for you keeps you entirely on the Interstate Highway System. That system is built to certain specifications and constraints. There can be no grades steeper than 6% even in the most rugged mountains. Compare that to the fact that even an Interstate on flat ground can have a slope of 4%, and you'll see that things aren't that different. Curves are constrained by the same standards, from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, as apply to all highways. Interstates are also required to have at least two lanes in both directions, and those lanes have to be at least 12 feet wide. Finally, Interstates are specifically designed to allow smooth, efficient and timely transit through even the worst terrain, and the southern Appalachians are fairly old and worn down by mountain standards. You should be able to do just fine using these roads through the mountains.

AZBuck

[Lm312]

Welcome to RTA!

This is a tough one - the "normal" route is about 800 miles, but to avoid all mountains this becomes a 1450 mile trip. I-95 to I-20 to I-22 to I-55 to I-57 to I-80.

If you can tolerate "some" mountains, this is about 900 miles - I-95 to I-270 to I-70 to I-76 to I-80. This route has heavy tolls. The mountains are all on the PA Turnpike (I-76).

Thank you!!

[Lifemagician]

Don't worry about being 60 and alone. I was over 60 and alone in 2001 when I hit the roads in North America, never having driven on the WRONG side of the road. After 25.000 miles in 20 weeks I headed home having seen a great deal of your country.

By the time I went home after my 10th trip in 2021 that came to just on a quarter million miles, touching 49 States (Alaska 4 times) over a total, combined period of almost 5 years.

Much of it is documented on this site. The memories both good and bad, are unforgettable, printed on my mind, and shared with all who care to listen.

Lifey