Red Hook Approach from Verrazano Bridge...help!

[patwell]

Apologies as I know this has to be on here someplace but....I'm getting a bit stressed with 2 weeks to go...

 

Mapquest is routing us from South Carolina across the Verrazano Bridge to approach the pier. So far so good however....once off the bridge I"m wondering how easy it will be to find our way. I have the directions from them but they look a bit confusing and I"m hoping it's just not knowing the area that makes it appear that way.

 

Any suggestions from you folks that are very familiar with exiting the bridge and finding the pier? No offense to Brooklyn, my family lived there eons ago, but I don't fancy driving hopelessly lost around there all day. I'm assuming that on a Saturday morning the traffic might not be too awful? I hope?

 

Thanks all...appreciate any input.

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[smeyer418]

No offense taken. I don't know why the directions from the Verrazano Bridge should be confusing. You take the BQE (278 I believe) East- it means going straight ahead when you get off the V-N Bridge you will come to a large hump(its over the Gowanus Canal) in about 7 miles- from the Bridge move to the extreme right lane and get off at Hamilton Avenue go straight ahead and at the second light make a left(Van Brunt Street) and then the first right(Bowne Street) and you will be taken right to the pier.

 

If you have GPS the entrance to the pier is at Imlay and Bowne Street Brooklyn NY 11231.....

[FIRELT5]

No offense taken. I don't know why the directions from the Verrazano Bridge should be confusing. You take the BQE (278 I believe) East- it means going straight ahead when you get off the V-N Bridge you will come to a large hump(its over the Gowanus Canal) in about 7 miles- from the Bridge move to the extreme right lane and get off at Hamilton Avenue go straight ahead and at the second light make a left(Van Brunt Street) and then the first right(Bowne Street) and you will be taken right to the pier.

 

If you have GPS the entrance to the pier is at Imlay and Bowne Street Brooklyn NY 11231.....

 

What would the Traffic conditions (Without accidents) be at about 1030 on a Monday Morning. The rush hour should be over ??? Brooklyn Pier should be about a 20min drive once off the VZ ???? TNX for the info :)

[smeyer418]

What would the Traffic conditions (Without accidents) be at about 1030 on a Monday Morning. The rush hour should be over ??? Brooklyn Pier should be about a 20min drive once off the VZ ???? TNX for the info :)

 

Generally by 10:30 the rush hour is over and its a easy drive from the bridge up the BQE....most of the time. 20 minutes is about right without traffic....but on any given day it may take more.

[patwell]

Thanks Smeyer....I knew I could count on your help in this. Now my Mapquest routing makes more sense. I appreciate the help.:)

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[Winchester]

And if you are coming from the NJTP, once you get over the Goethels Bridge, the traffic across Staten sland every time I have done it in the last several years has been 20-40 MPH. Seems to be volume. And that continued right up to the exit for the pier. So as long as it moves at all, you should get there OK.

[patwell]

And if you are coming from the NJTP, once you get over the Goethels Bridge, the traffic across Staten sland every time I have done it in the last several years has been 20-40 MPH. Seems to be volume. And that continued right up to the exit for the pier. So as long as it moves at all, you should get there OK.

 

We will be coming from the NJTP. Shoul I pay attention to what lane we're in as we come off the Verrazano? With luck we'll be doing this before noon time. Is it likely to be really bad traffic back-ups?

 

Thanks again for the help....

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[smeyer418]

We will be coming from the NJTP. Shoul I pay attention to what lane we're in as we come off the Verrazano? With luck we'll be doing this before noon time. Is it likely to be really bad traffic back-ups?

 

Thanks again for the help....

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

 

Just go straight ahead, there are two levels to the V-N Bridge as long as you are in the Middle lane you won't have to worry about it. there is a merge when you get off and then second merge at industry city but again you just want to go straight ahead...

 

 

remember after you start up the hump over the Gowanus you want the extreme right lane for the exit...

 

sometimes too much information is just confusing,

 

Look I don't like this way at all but the last time I told someone to use the Holland Tunnel I was accused of not knowing what I am talking about.....

 

These directions are the NJ Turnpike to the Holland Tunnel The Holland Tunnel you take the first exit and go west across to West Street make a left and go south to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel Take the Hamilton Avenue exit and make two quick lefts(yes you are making a U turn as the cruise terminal is behind the BBT in Brooklyn) be careful not to get back on to the road to the tunnel...go straight until the second light(Van Brunt Street) make a left and then the first right.

 

I hate coming across Staten Island and the BQE is a mess(there is an article about the traffic problems at the V-N Bridge). The Holland Tunnel prohibits truck traffic. Its a lot faster if you have an EZ Pass(you can get one one line and then return it later at http://www.E-Zpassny.com NJ turnpike takes EZ pass as well.

[smeyer418]

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=75008

[ColumbiaSC]

Merely an observation at Midnight on Saturday Nite Live. What in Thunderation is the BQE? That is the problem with directions! Put it in plain English.

 

patwell, do you reside in South Carolina? I shall be on the QE2 World Cruise beginning Jan 13th from NYC and returning on April 12th.

 

Don.

[smeyer418]

Merely an observation at Midnight on Saturday Nite Live. What in Thunderation is the BQE? That is the problem with directions! Put it in plain English.

 

patwell, do you reside in South Carolina? I shall be on the QE2 World Cruise beginning Jan 13th from NYC and returning on April 12th.

 

Don.

 

Its what the Highway will be marked as you come off the V-N Bridge. Its marked as the BQE(Brooklyn Queens Expressway) Its also called I278 but for some reason that is beyond me , NY'ers use highway names or initials and not numbers for example the FDR you know him he was the President during WWII(the east side-or East River- Highway), The Henry Hudson Parkway(not 9A) the Westside Highway, the LIE Long Island expressway(no one ever says I 495) and so on....All the highways have numbers just no one uses them and they aren't signed that way...so when I say BQE its how the highway will be signed. If you look at the article above it too uses names..The Staten Island Epressway(also 278) and the Gowanus expressway--also 278 but I am pretty sure(as in positive) that there is no sign that says "Gowanus Expressway)...and any how the way I sent the person through NJ doesn't travel on any of these named roads.

[travel-to-go]

Sid,

We will be driving down from Connecticut on Wednesday.

I don't expect we will leave too early from Connecticut (I know myself, much as I might say I want to leave the house by, say 6Am or even 9 AM, I know better!) so rush hour traffic will not be a factor.

Any recommendations as to the best way for us? If I remember correctly, last time, we took the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (Not sure exactly how we got to it0- very confused coming down from CT. whit Whitestone Bridge and others. It was pouring down rain and during the Tennis tournament.)

I plan to get to New York via the Merritt Parkway, I think then maybe Sawmill, 87, or Honestly, I'm not sure! <LOL> I'll have to go find the maps we used! (And even then we may have taken some wrong turns or missed some!)

 

I find some of the turn -offs very confusing as to which lane goes where, and sometimes you can't get over in time!

 

Any helpful hints? BQE? Go down the FDR or the HenryHudson and BBT?

I don't want to get lost!

 

 

Karie

[judy&steve]

Oh no. I hope Steve doesn't read this thread and start getting panicky!

We had to make an emergency trip to JFK a couple of years ago in the middle of the night. We drove up from Baltimore with a mapquest map. Getting there wasn't too bad, but trying to get back to the NJTP was a bit dicey. There was construction and we were detoured someplace off of our map. We have GPS now, so we should be good. I'm going to copy this thread and keep the directions from smeyer for reference! Thanks. We are driving up on the 29th of November. We have EZPass since 2001 when our son went to school in Bronxville, NY. It cuts a good thirty minutes off our trips. We can get to NY so much faster with it. It works up and down the interstate and toll-road systems (Maine, Mass, NY, CT, NJ, DEL, MD) but I'm not sure how far south the system goes. It's really worth looking into. It is really empowering to bypass lines and lines of cars and trucks at toll plazas:D

Thanks for the good tips.

Judy

[patwell]

Thanks again smeyer....you've been most helpful. Obviously going across Staten Island is not a good idea and I appreciate the suggestion to use the Holland Tunnel. I'm sure once I study the google maps for that area I'll have more questions. We both get totally paranoid at city driving and being in the correct lane when you have to suddenly get off!! And 2 tunnels....yikes....my claustrophobia just kicked into high gear at the thought of it!!!

 

And the article was most helpful...thanks for that link. What a mess for those poor folk that live there to have to deal with.

 

What would all of us do without our Cruise Critic friends to help us out??:)

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[patwell]

Oh no. I hope Steve doesn't read this thread and start getting panicky!

We had to make an emergency trip to JFK a couple of years ago in the middle of the night. We drove up from Baltimore with a mapquest map. Getting there wasn't too bad, but trying to get back to the NJTP was a bit dicey. There was construction and we were detoured someplace off of our map. We have GPS now, so we should be good. I'm going to copy this thread and keep the directions from smeyer for reference! Thanks. We are driving up on the 29th of November. We have EZPass since 2001 when our son went to school in Bronxville, NY. It cuts a good thirty minutes off our trips. We can get to NY so much faster with it. It works up and down the interstate and toll-road systems (Maine, Mass, NY, CT, NJ, DEL, MD) but I'm not sure how far south the system goes. It's really worth looking into. It is really empowering to bypass lines and lines of cars and trucks at toll plazas:D

Thanks for the good tips.

Judy

 

Hi Judy.....Steve has been hyperventilating about this trip since the moment I mentioned QM2 was sailing from Brooklyn and that's where we'd have to go!!!;) As a good co-pilot I am doing major research and between smeyer's helpful suggestions, the AAA trip-tick I just ordered, google maps (I found mapquest to be a little confusing here for some reason....probably me...I confuse easily!!!:rolleyes: ), and all day Saturday to get lost and find the ship, we might actually make it in time to board.

 

We've GPS too, but in the wrong car!!:( I'll only make a long trip in my Suburban. I feel like I've a fighting chance in something so big not to mention all that luggage!!:eek: )

 

I'll come back on here when we get back with any helpful suggestions I can offer you since we return home on the 21st. Isn't this fun?? We're almost onboard!!! Maybe I'll still be there when you board, assuming the perfect hiding place makes itself known! have you a lifeboat handy? I seem to have gained a certain reputation for lifeboat use!!:rolleyes:

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[patwell]

patwell, do you reside in South Carolina?

 

Yes Don I do.....on Pawleys Island....a LONG way from Brooklyn unfortunately. It was great last year when she sailed from Lauderdale as we have a beach house on Hutchinson Island Fl only an hour and a half from Lauderdale pier. I'm looking forward to her returning there next Nov!!!

 

Enjoy your long voyage...I could never leave our "fur child" for that long

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continues....

[smeyer418]

Sid,

We will be driving down from Connecticut on Wednesday.

I don't expect we will leave too early from Connecticut (I know myself, much as I might say I want to leave the house by, say 6Am or even 9 AM, I know better!) so rush hour traffic will not be a factor.

Any recommendations as to the best way for us? If I remember correctly, last time, we took the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (Not sure exactly how we got to it0- very confused coming down from CT. whit Whitestone Bridge and others. It was pouring down rain and during the Tennis tournament.)

I plan to get to New York via the Merritt Parkway, I think then maybe Sawmill, 87, or Honestly, I'm not sure! <LOL> I'll have to go find the maps we used! (And even then we may have taken some wrong turns or missed some!)

 

I find some of the turn -offs very confusing as to which lane goes where, and sometimes you can't get over in time!

 

Any helpful hints? BQE? Go down the FDR or the HenryHudson and BBT?

I don't want to get lost!

 

 

Karie

 

Karie my summer home used to be in Westbrook CT. This is how I used to go the Merrit to the Hutchinson river parkway over the whitestone bridge(toll) following the signs to LGA Airport after the airport you stay on the Grand Central Parkway you take the exit for the BQE towards Brooklyn which you stay on to until the Atlantic Avenue exit at the exit you make the first left and then the first right which follows around until you come to Bowne Street and make the right into the cruise terminal.

 

It sometimes gets very backed up so here is the Alternate on the BQE take the Manhattan Bridge/Tillary Street exit go straight until Brooklyn Bridge Blvd(about 5 lights) make the left and go to Atlantic Avenue(about 5-6 lights )make a right take that until it ends after going under the BQE make the left and then the first right as above.....

[Winchester]

I keep a milage list. Someplace I have one that goes all the way to the pier, but not so far today.

Time Miles

3:30 84.8 Left Grover Cleveland rest stop (Just above NJTP Exit 11)

3:35 91.0 Exit 13 I-278 for Goethels Bridge

You want LEFT LANE after toll for bridge

LEFT for EZ-Pass pay toll after bridge (right for cash)

I-287 is always slow

3:53 98.5 Pass Exit 13 for Wagner College Richmond Rd

3:57 100.6 You Pass Exit 15 - Last one on Staten island

- I got off to go view the ships by the water.