Atlanta to Providence?

Kind folks,
I'm planning to move from near Atlanta, Georgia, to near Providence,
Rhode Island, soon. Looks like I have two major decisions:

I-95: Flat (coastline) and a ton of cities (traffic)
and
I-84: Potentially quite hilly, as it's through the Appalachians, and
possibly very little civilization (stops).


Any advice toward narrowing down these routes for someone planning to go
in a 15- or 20-foot rental moving truck pulling a car?



Mike Stucka / mstucka at math.luc.edu
"In battle it is not always strength which wins the day. Victory is won
more by skill than by numbers. And when skill becomes a mass phenomenon
an army becomes invincible." -- Vasili Chuikov

wrote in message
...
Kind folks,
I'm planning to move from near Atlanta, Georgia, to near Providence,
Rhode Island, soon. Looks like I have two major decisions:

I-95: Flat (coastline) and a ton of cities (traffic)
and
I-84: Potentially quite hilly, as it's through the Appalachians, and
possibly very little civilization (stops).


Any advice toward narrowing down these routes for someone planning to go
in a 15- or 20-foot rental moving truck pulling a car?

I-84 doesn't start until the New York/Pennsylvania area... maybe you mean
I-81, which does go through the Appalachians (and does connect to I-84
around Scranton)?

I've driven I-81 many times, it's a pleasant drive and there isn't much
traffic once you are out of the Knoxville area. But you're right, it is
hilly, and there are large segments that have a lot of nothing.

It's not that much longer though... S&T shows an I-85/I-77/I-81/I-84/US-6
route as being 1096 miles, and an I-95 route as 1051 miles. Considering
you'll be avoiding DC, New York, and a number of other large cities and
their traffic, it's probably the fastest way.

I've driven I-81 many times, it's a pleasant drive and there isn't much
traffic once you are out of the Knoxville area. But you're right, it is
hilly, and there are large segments that have a lot of nothing.

I digress on the traffic. On my last trip, there was a lot of traffic
with Virginia's finest waiting to greet those in a bigger hurry than
others. I have seen some horrific wrecks on this road and have barely
missed horrible backups at least 3 or 4 times (and I haven't been up
that way that much). Not only that, but with just four lanes, chaos
ensues whenever Bristol is having a race, a road is worked on anywhere
or any such situation.

Nevertheless, when the road is running smoothly, it is better than
I-85, which is or at least was torn all to pieces in SC as they
rebuild portions of the road. Likewise, I-81 largely avoids several
major cities and gives a very nice view of Shenandoah Valley. With it
being fall, it is very much worth it.

It's not that much longer though... S&T shows an I-85/I-77/I-81/I-84/US-6
route as being 1096 miles, and an I-95 route as 1051 miles. Considering
you'll be avoiding DC, New York, and a number of other large cities and
their traffic, it's probably the fastest way.

In article ,
wrote:

Nevertheless, when [I-81] is running smoothly, it is better than
I-85, which is or at least was torn all to pieces in SC as they
rebuild portions of the road.

I think they've finished most of the work in SC for now. From the Georgia
line through Spartanburg it's mostly nice and smooth. I haven't gone that
way to Charlotte recently so I can't comment on the Spartanburg-Charlotte
stretch.

However, the OP should note that a major widening project is underway on
I-77 just north of Charlotte. I got stuck in huge traffic jams there,
going to and from Ohio last summer.

--
Jon Bell Presbyterian College
Dept. of Physics and Computer Science Clinton, South Carolina USA