How to avoid the I-84 to I-90 nightmare
If you’ve driven from New York to Boston via I-91, I-84, and I-90 on high-traffic days, you know that the delays getting onto I-90 (the Mass Pike) can be deadly. Last night, I found a pretty good work-around. Get off I-84 at exit 73 and get onto SR-190. Turn right onto SR-171, which becomes SR-197 in Massachusetts. Follow that through Webster, MA, as it turns into SR-12 (and watch for the poorly lit right turn sign on 12 at the intersection of South Main Street, North Main Street, and East Main Street). Finally, stay straight on SR-16, following the signs to I-395. Now just take I-395 north to I-290 and follow the signs to I-90.
If there were no traffic, taking this detour would increase the travel time from 29 to to 48 minutes. But the tie-ups getting onto the Pike from I-84 can easily exceed 20 minutes, and the psychological benefits of avoiding the stop-and-go are immeasurable.
