Best Route from Vermont to Dallas, TX

[gklimeck]

I drove up from Texas to Vermont this week and took I-40 through Tennessee and then North onto I-81 up into New York I-87. It was a decent trip but I was wondering if I should go home through New York State and take I-90 west and then south west on I-71? I thought that I-81 was pretty beat up and wanted to know what the roads were like on I-90 and I-71.

I also thought regardless of the road conditions, that it would be safer to drive south and then drive west to stay clear of winter storms in the north.

Your opinions would be appreciated.

[Midwest Michael]

Taking I-90 to I-71 is shorter by about 70 miles, so you'd have that going for you. The biggest downside is that I-90 across NY has some rather expensive tolls.

Personally, I'm always a big fan of taking a different route each way when its practical, so I think I'd do that in this case too.

[AZBuck]

Making your trip longer (and thus subject to more weather and questionable drivers) is not a way to ensure safety. Neither, necessarily, is heading south. Staying on the east side of the Appalachians leaves you open to a possible nor'easter heading up the coast and dumping a load of heavy, wet, freezing snow on roads where the crews don't have the equipment, budget or manpower to deal with it.

The I-90/I-71 is the shortest alternative, but as Michael pointed out I-90 is the New York State Tollway, and can be subjected to some serious lake effect snows. Another possibility that adds about 80 miles to that route, but is free of tolls is to take I-87 or US-7 down to Albany and then I-88 to Binghamton and I-81 to Hagerstown, ND. Cross the Appalachians on I-70/I-68 to I-79 south and then take I-64 west to Lexington, KY. The Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway then provides a shortcut over to I-65 south to Nashville and I-40 etc. back to Dallas.

If the section of I-81 I recommend is where you hit bad pavement on your way up, you might try NY-17/US-220/I-99 as an alternative which would put you on I-68 in Cumberland, MD, but I'd want to see a very favorable weather report for Pennsylvania before I headed down those roads.

There are always new roads to explore!

AZBuck

[gklimeck]

ok, i'm goning to try a different route and go through NY on I-90. i am not concerned about tolls. I am more interested different scenes and safer roads and shaving 70 miles off my trip.

Thank you both for replying.