Fastest way into/out of Jersey City?

Submitted by 973reggie t3_10nshem in newjersey

I have to make this trip from Morris county into Jersey city to pick a family member up to bring them to a doctor in Newark. I have done this twice, both times it took me a half hour to get to Newark, and then another half hour from between Newark and Jersey City.

I must be doing something wrong here? It literally is taking me a half hour to travel the five miles from Newark to JC.

Can someone share the secret sauce here? I went separate ways both attempts and both attempts the directions took me on these weird routes where I’m zig zagging for miles in between Newark and JC.

It’s infuriating. It takes me no time to get to Newark, then an hour to get to JC and back. I could get to Manhattan faster then I’m getting to the heights.

What am I missing here?

Edit: I figured it out. The first time I went I took the wittpenn bridge, the second time I took a detour to 95 and the 3rd an even worse detour to Pulaski.. I’m just gonna take Pulaski like normal next time.

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kzapwn t1_j6akoy7 wrote

Go when there isn’t traffic

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973reggie OP t1_j6aktmt wrote

I just did it today mid day. It’s not the traffic, I’m not sitting in traffic. I’m driving. It just takes forever.

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oso00 t1_j6ao75x wrote

To me it sounds like you're using Waze or something similar which is taking you some extremely convoluted route that shaves off only a minute or two off the total time.

There isn't really any shortcut or back-route to get to JC. That's kinda how it is. I'll get to the Newark area super quick (also from Morris) and then the transit time exponentially slows down as you get closer to JC because of all the traffic, particularly around the Holland Tunnel entrance. It's a traffic bottleneck.

The best solution I can think is if your family member is able to take the train or bus to Newark Broad Street. Cuts your driving time in half and is probably only a 10-15 minute ride from JC for the family member.

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973reggie OP t1_j6aojvc wrote

I’m using Apple Maps, it’s like obsessed with being on the highway/main road even if that road is literally zigzagging across the state.

I think the best way seems to be 280-7-1and9?

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oso00 t1_j6aplj8 wrote

Hmm, yeah either way is a shitshow, but try using Google Maps or Waze. I think the 80->287->24->78 way is faster sometimes too.

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973reggie OP t1_j6aq06z wrote

Yeah idk the apple app is so wacky. No matter what I do it won’t use the Wittpen bridge.. even if I add it as a stop it goes to one side turns around goes back to Kearny then up to the other side.. like how? Why?

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micmaher99 t1_j6atpv1 wrote

Wittpenn bridge is closed this weekend, that might be why

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973reggie OP t1_j6atudq wrote

I honestly think this is the explanation for why the first time I made the trip it was smooth then after that took forever. Wow haha thanks

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micmaher99 t1_j6aupke wrote

They've been closing it weekends to test or tweak the system that raises it. Messes up traffic everywhere in the area. It's real annoying haha.

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973reggie OP t1_j6b2ule wrote

Yeah that’s totally what happened. The first time I took 280 to 95 to go around it, then today I was stubborn and went towards it cuz that’s the way my friend had showed me and I was confused why it took me the other way and I ended up in an even worse detour all the way down to Pulaski on side roads. Thanks so much I knew something was up.

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BloodTypeFunfettis t1_j6b0kug wrote

It’s honestly just the way it is. I lived in Jersey city 7 years and needed to commute to union county. It’d take me 20 min to get the 2 mi out of Jersey city and 20 min to go the other 17. Just the way it works.

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sweatery_weathery t1_j6bn2s9 wrote

This. The first 20 min of any trip is just getting out of JC. OP, you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s such a pain getting in/out of this city.

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LalaOringe t1_j6bfekc wrote

Do you have to drive?

The path always seems faster/easier than driving between Newark and JC depending on where you need to be.

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peter-doubt t1_j6alo8c wrote

From Summit to Newark (local streets) it takes almost 45 minutes without traffic. What are you expecting?

Have you tried I 280?

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973reggie OP t1_j6am0oj wrote

Idk what your point is? I go from denville to Newark every morning in 30-40 minutes. I wasn’t expecting it to take another 30 minutes to go another 5–10 miles when the first 30 miles takes a half hour.

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peter-doubt t1_j6am9hp wrote

Tunnel traffic almost always slows that down at the 139 intersection, construction over the last 10 years hasn't made it faster...

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973reggie OP t1_j6ami7b wrote

280 is what I took both times.. the first time I went think it took me to 95, the next time I took the Jersey City exit. Both ways I see myself doubling back/zig zagging all over the map. Is there no direct route in and out?

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peter-doubt t1_j6an5yq wrote

Direct routes in NJ? You can't get there from here!

280.. to Fish House road.. keep going local. There's nothing faster, just bigger.

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973reggie OP t1_j6ao8im wrote

I’m looking at a map, what do you mean?

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peter-doubt t1_j6ar9p0 wrote

Use Google

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973reggie OP t1_j6areht wrote

No I see fish house but I don’t see how that helps?

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peter-doubt t1_j6b0j1h wrote

(Didn't have time earlier..) I used to travel this daily and lots has changed .... especially at the Hackensack River

Fish House Rd is a landmark to look for... not a destination. but 280 ends on rt 7... That's the road to follow into JC at Tonnele Ave ... which is at the end of the skyway.

I don't know your destination, but practically anything in JC is directed from here.

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973reggie OP t1_j6b2z92 wrote

Yeah that bridge has been closed on weekend, this is why I had a problem. Thanks!

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Gezabrut t1_j6bw4yj wrote

Friend of mine commutes from Morris County to JC every day. And yeah unfortunately, it is what it is.

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gordonv t1_j6hxahl wrote

That's city life. You count how many people you're passing, not miles.

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