oby58

I will be moving from Tennessee to New Haven Connecticut in January. Any suggestions as to the best route for winter travel?

Michael

Google map suggests the I81. If the weather is bad, I95 might be safer.

Ackislander

We travel from Boston to Virginia every January, so we cover part of your route, and we drove I 81 and I 77 when our kids were in college in Chapel Hill.

I 81 allows you to avoid Washington-Baltimore traffic but inland routes at higher elevations often get more snow and are harder if you are driving a truck.

But when it does snow along the coast route (I 95) it is just a lollapalooza of a mess. Maryland in particular does a really terrible job of dealing with snow.

So you really can't decide which route you are going to take until a couple of days before -- or even the day you leave.

The big thing is to allow plenty of time. Bring a book, movies and music on your iPad or phone, some goodies, etc in case you have to spend an unexpected night or two in a motel or truck stop.

Dukey1

There used to be a real issue with the number of semi's using I-81, particularly in Virginia. Having used the route more than once I would advise an early start.

People who actually LIVE along I-81 are a lot more used to snow than some of the people living along I-95.

Ackislander

Yes, but people _driving_ along I 81 may not be.

When I was at Vanderbilt in grad school, we got about two snows a winter, and they lasted about 36 hours each before melting.

nytraveler

Agree you need to keep your options open until you see the weather a couple of days before you go. There may be no snow near you but a lot further north.

Also - what type of vehicle will you be driving - you may need to avoid all of the parkways.