Lincoln Tunnel or GW Bridge to Manhattan Cruise Terminal from NJ?

[Turtles06]

Friends will be driving to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal from their hotel just south of Newark Airport on Saturday morning, Nov. 12.  (They will have easy access to the NJ Turnpike.)  Is there any reason to suggest they take the GW Bridge rather than the Lincoln Tunnel coming into Manhattan?    Thanks!

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

Friends will be driving to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal from their hotel just south of Newark Airport on Saturday morning, Nov. 12.  (They will have easy access to the NJ Turnpike.)  Is there any reason to suggest they take the GW Bridge rather than the Lincoln Tunnel coming into Manhattan?    Thanks!

If they are coming from EWR, the shortest route would be via Lincoln Tunnel, but I would prefer the GW Bridge - as easy (though a bit further) to get to as the tunnel but much easier, once you get to Manhattan, to get to the Cruise Terminal.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

Friends will be driving to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal from their hotel just south of Newark Airport on Saturday morning, Nov. 12.  (They will have easy access to the NJ Turnpike.)  Is there any reason to suggest they take the GW Bridge rather than the Lincoln Tunnel coming into Manhattan?    Thanks!

I always use the Lincoln Tunnel unless traffic reports tell me that it will be faster to use the GW, which has happened exactly once in all the years I've been driving to the cruise terminal from NJ.

Traffic for the Lincoln Tunnel has to be pretty horrible to make all the extra driving needed to use the GW worthwhile. In fact I prefer to use the Holland Tunnel over the GW if the Lincoln Tunnel is jammed.

 

[Turtles06]

@navybankerteacher and @njhorseman thank you both!  Re the Lincoln Tunnel, I think as long as I tell my friends to drive up 10th Ave. and turn left on W 55th (rather than driving up 12th Ave. and potentially getting stuck in a backup at that short left turn arrow at 55th), they should be okay. But if they prefer the straight shot from the GW Bridge down the Henry Hudson, that'll be their call.   🙂 

 

Thanks again!

 

 

[mjkacmom]

We take the Lincoln tunnel, very familiar with driving in the city, the one time we took car service we took the GWB, it’s easier driving. Waze it on the day, if the bridge doesn’t take a lot longer it’s easier.

[meadowlander]

4 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

@navybankerteacher and @njhorseman thank you both!  Re the Lincoln Tunnel, I think as long as I tell my friends to drive up 10th Ave. and turn left on W 55th (rather than driving up 12th Ave. and potentially getting stuck in a backup at that short left turn arrow at 55th), they should be okay. 

 

 

 

You have it exactly correct. First time I sailed out of MCT, the traffic at the light to turn left failed to move for too many light changes that we exited the vehicle and walked to the terminal. Next trip to MCT we used 10th Ave., no traffic issues.

[Turtles06]

10 minutes ago, meadowlander said:

You have it exactly correct. First time I sailed out of MCT, the traffic at the light to turn left failed to move for too many light changes that we exited the vehicle and walked to the terminal. Next trip to MCT we used 10th Ave., no traffic issues.

 

It's been a long time, but I think I learned about the 10th Ave. trick here on CC.  🙂 

 

As for getting stuck heading to the MCT and going nowhere fast, you just prompted this unfortunate memory -- a few years ago, we were staying in a Manhattan hotel near 8th Avenue the night before leaving on a cruise.  The next morning, when we got in a cab, I asked the driver not to go over to 12th Avenue, but to head up 8th and then go over on 55th Street.  He did that, and (it was a weekday morning) turned right in behind a garbage truck on 55th, which was taking its sweet old time collecting garbage, creating a backup of vehicles practically to the East River.  (Okay, I'm exaggerating.)  Even when the truck had room to pull over and let cars by, the driver never did so.  And while I knew we had plenty of time to get to the terminal, it was beyond exasperating.  Especially so because the cab driver was hearing impaired, and could not hear us ask him to turn off 55th at the next intersection, nor, after he failed to do so, to let us out of the cab; he just kept following the garbage truck.  And, somehow, our doors were locked too; we were trapped in the cab. Actually, it was a little scary for awhile. 

[GTJ]

On 11/6/2022 at 1:16 PM, Turtles06 said:

The next morning, when we got in a cab * * * And, somehow, our doors were locked too; we were trapped in the cab. Actually, it was a little scary for awhile. 

This is very disturbing to hear. You were right to be scared about being kidnapped by this renegade taxi driver. The TLC rule is clear here: "While on duty, a Driver must not lock either of the rear doors except with the consent or at the request of a Passenger or for a reason specified in these rules." 35 RCNY § 54-15(d)(1). The reasons specified within the rules relate to taxis being out of service, and so the only legitimate reason the taxi driver could have for imprisoning you in his taxi was that you consented to being imprisoned. If you had a cell phone with you it would have been appropriate to call 9-1-1, explaining that you were being kidnapped or unlawfully imprisoned.

 

Also disturbing is that the driver could not hear. TLC rules require drivers to be physically fit, 35 RCNY § 80-04(e), though the rules don't give any specific requirements as to hearing ability. The driver does need to interact with his or her passenger, so hearing ability it important. This was not a good day for NYC taxi service.

[Noxequifans]

A few times we have experienced a cab driver locking the doors. We were not concerned as we were traveling through some local streets here in NYC. Felt it was a safety measure.

[navybankerteacher]

10 hours ago, GTJ said:

...

 

Also disturbing is that the driver could not hear. TLC rules require drivers to be physically fit, 35 RCNY § 80-04(e), though the rules don't give any specific requirements as to hearing ability. The driver does need to interact with his or her passenger, so hearing ability it important. This was not a good day for NYC taxi service.

Ability to hear is a nice thing -- but if all that the driver can truly understand has to be spoken in Serbo-Croatian, his auditory capability might be seen as being of little significance

[dcipjr]

We've always done the Lincoln Tunnel, and have found it easy to get up 10th to 55th and into the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

 

We've never had a significant issue with traffic on Sunday mornings, and usually arrive at the pier between 10 AM and 11 AM.

 

I'd advise that on departure day, they use their phone's Maps / GPS app to see which routing is recommended given traffic conditions.

[mskaufman]

Listen to the traffic report and be prepared to take whichever is better.

[Turtles06]

Closing the loop here, since yesterday was embarkation.  The map app on our friends' phones showed the Lincoln Tunnel to be clear, and so they took that route.  I had carefully explained to them, however, why and how they should go north on 10th Avenue rather than 12th.  Nevertheless, they still went up 12th, and said it took them 15 minutes to make the left turn onto 55th Street.  Nothing awful in the grand scheme of things, but totally avoidable.  😂