Chicago to MA through i90, i80?

[MassGTI]

Hey everybody! I’m picking up my new vehicle and traveling from Chicago to MA. The issue is there’s some funky business with me registering the car in my name before I have it physically back in MA(screw the RMV). I’m going to be maintaining the speed limit and being a good boy, but I’m just worried about running into trouble and getting the car impounded or worse. It’s still registered and insured by the previous owner and I have it also insured in my name but it’s a grey area.

how’s I90 or i80 for a through trip? Honestly I’d prefer to take I90 because I’d make some stops at the Great Lakes but I’m just wondering what my drive looks like police-wise. If it’s really much smarter to go i80 I’ll do it.

speaking of stops, where are my must-stops for food, cool things, beautiful places, etc?
Thanks everybody!

 

[protias]

@lugnuts probably knows this route best.

 

[yellowtibby]

I 80 will put you through PA which has significantly less speed enforcement (no moving radar and no lidar in PA) compared to I 90 which goes through upstate NY where every state trooper is on I 90 trying to catch speeders.

 

[MassGTI]

How’s I86? I’d go up into Buffalo to see Niagra then shoot back down. It looks like it’s windy and fun? Getting another GTI so windy is good even if it’s at PSL. I just want the 1)safest 2)most scenic route. I assume 80 is the safest overall though?

 

[Exadata]

If you go I80 through PA make sure your K band sensitivity is 100%, always keep a rabbit, and don't rely on Waze (lack of reporting in middle of nowhere areas). It's a coin toss though between PA and NY. Laser in NY, I/O K in PA. At least you'd have a better chance with picking up K band alerts from others ahead getting hit with K I/O over laser.

 

[nomore55]

The issue is there’s some funky business with me registering the car in my name before I have it physically back in MA(screw the RMV).

There's a way to do this legally if you are transferring plates.

I travel out in that direction a few times per year (to Columbus). I've gone thru PA, roads are much better now. However, I guess my road of choice has become the NYS Thruway all the way down to Cleveland and beyond. Road surface is good to excellent the vast majority of the way. We've only seen minimal Ka action on these trips.

We REALLY dis-like I84 across CT and then across the Hudson over to Scranton. That road is horrible, and to be avoided, IME.

 

[bluesxturbo]

Hey everybody! I’m picking up my new vehicle and traveling from Chicago to MA. The issue is there’s some funky business with me registering the car in my name before I have it physically back in MA(screw the RMV). I’m going to be maintaining the speed limit and being a good boy, but I’m just worried about running into trouble and getting the car impounded or worse. It’s still registered and insured by the previous owner and I have it also insured in my name but it’s a grey area.

how’s I90 or i80 for a through trip? Honestly I’d prefer to take I90 because I’d make some stops at the Great Lakes but I’m just wondering what my drive looks like police-wise. If it’s really much smarter to go i80 I’ll do it.

speaking of stops, where are my must-stops for food, cool things, beautiful places, etc?
Thanks everybody!

Be careful in Ohio, I80 is most heavily patrol state in the US, I have known hand full of speed traps as well as hiding spots in Toledo and Sandusky area, you will occasionally get X band on the highway but you can ignore those, they are county police that can't stop you on Interstate highway, only people that can stop you are OSP. In terms of food, there is a rest stop right before Ohio border, they have the best beef jerky ever.

 

[lugnuts]

I've made this drive probably more times then any except a trucker. I've gone both routes. through IL, IN and OH 90 and 80 are the same road. Cleveland is where you decide to take 80 or 90. if you take 80 you take 81 to 84 through CT into MA and back to 90. if you take 90 you drive through Cleveland and then NY. I almost exclusively always make the drive at night so traffic is at its lowest. PA enforcement is usually non-existent and so is traffic. you do have the annoying road signs that give off constant on radar. 90 through NY is slightly shorter a route and is what waze will take you but there are much more cops but I've still managed to maintain triple digit speeds at night as almost most enforcement is CO Ka.

Time of year and weather also plays a factor into which route I take (mostly weather) but overall I've always preferred the PA route taking 80. the downside to 80 through PA is less full service service stations but you do have rest areas to stop at just no food/gas. I know where all the over night places to get fuel so I have no issues with this route.

If you're going to drive during the daytime you go through more cities on 90 so figure more traffic then if you take 80. Once you get out of Chicago the only city you will go through on 80 is when you get to 81/84 and really only on 84 through CT.

 

[MassGTI]

I've made this drive probably more times then any except a trucker. I've gone both routes. through IL, IN and OH 90 and 80 are the same road. Cleveland is where you decide to take 80 or 90. if you take 80 you take 81 to 84 through CT into MA and back to 90. if you take 90 you drive through Cleveland and then NY. I almost exclusively always make the drive at night so traffic is at its lowest. PA enforcement is usually non-existent and so is traffic. you do have the annoying road signs that give off constant on radar. 90 through NY is slightly shorter a route and is what waze will take you but there are much more cops but I've still managed to maintain triple digit speeds at night as almost most enforcement is CO Ka.

Time of year and weather also plays a factor into which route I take (mostly weather) but overall I've always preferred the PA route taking 80. the downside to 80 through PA is less full service service stations but you do have rest areas to stop at just no food/gas. I know where all the over night places to get fuel so I have no issues with this route.

If you're going to drive during the daytime you go through more cities on 90 so figure more traffic then if you take 80. Once you get out of Chicago the only city you will go through on 80 is when you get to 81/84 and really only on 84 through CT.

Appreciate it! So, where should I be stopping for food, sights to see, fun things to do? I’ll be mostly driving through the day.

 

[lugnuts]

Appreciate it! So, where should I be stopping for food, sights to see, fun things to do? I’ll be mostly driving through the day.

well before you leave Chicago if you like pizza you should try the deep dish Pizza, it much different then Boston pizza buts its really good. I usually don't stop at all on that drive so not sure on the best places to eat along the route. Cleveland is about 5 -6 hours from Chicago and don't forget to add in an hour for the time change as you go from Central to Eastern time.

some sights to see along the route are in IN there is a statue of a Christmas Story its right off the highway so not much time lost, then you have Notre Dame university in IN thats not too far off the highway. And someplace I've never been but have seen it from the highway is the RV hall of fame/museum in IN. In Cleveland there is the Christmas Story house and museum/store if you like that movie its a must see. and if you take 90 you can take a side trip to Niagara Falls. not sure whats open for food in NY state these days so not sure about there.

 

[bluesxturbo]

I've made this drive probably more times then any except a trucker. I've gone both routes. through IL, IN and OH 90 and 80 are the same road. Cleveland is where you decide to take 80 or 90. if you take 80 you take 81 to 84 through CT into MA and back to 90. if you take 90 you drive through Cleveland and then NY. I almost exclusively always make the drive at night so traffic is at its lowest. PA enforcement is usually non-existent and so is traffic. you do have the annoying road signs that give off constant on radar. 90 through NY is slightly shorter a route and is what waze will take you but there are much more cops but I've still managed to maintain triple digit speeds at night as almost most enforcement is CO Ka.

Time of year and weather also plays a factor into which route I take (mostly weather) but overall I've always preferred the PA route taking 80. the downside to 80 through PA is less full service service stations but you do have rest areas to stop at just no food/gas. I know where all the over night places to get fuel so I have no issues with this route.

If you're going to drive during the daytime you go through more cities on 90 so figure more traffic then if you take 80. Once you get out of Chicago the only city you will go through on 80 is when you get to 81/84 and really only on 84 through CT.

Haha, I used to make the drive from Chicago to cleveland every Friday night and come back on Sunday morning from 2000 to 2019. So 19 years, so 988 times there and 988 times back. 1976 times total. 988,000 miles lol. You beat me on this one? Lol. Jk

 

[Z06fan]

well before you leave Chicago if you like pizza you should try the deep dish Pizza, it much different then Boston pizza buts its really good. I usually don't stop at all on that drive so not sure on the best places to eat along the route. Cleveland is about 5 -6 hours from Chicago and don't forget to add in an hour for the time change as you go from Central to Eastern time.

some sights to see along the route are in IN there is a statue of a Christmas Story its right off the highway so not much time lost, then you have Notre Dame university in IN thats not too far off the highway. And someplace I've never been but have seen it from the highway is the RV hall of fame/museum in IN. In Cleveland there is the Christmas Story house and museum/store if you like that movie its a must see. and if you take 90 you can take a side trip to Niagara Falls. not sure whats open for food in NY state these days so not sure about there.

Sounds like someone likes "A Christmas Story", lol. One of my wife's favorite moves (it's on our TV much of December).

 

[lugnuts]

Sounds like someone likes "A Christmas Story", lol. One of my wife's favorite moves (it's on our TV much of December).

I do like the movie. and my dad grew up in cleveland during the 30's/40's in a very similar house not too far away from the house used in the movie. But the main reason I know about the landmarks is I used them for the Great Lakes Rally one year.