Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

My aunt passed away on Friday morning
My mom and dad are in Cali visiting my sister and brother. I had to call my mom and tell her she lost her sister
One of my other aunts passed away 3 months ago so my mom lost 2 sisters in 3 months!

The funeral is tomorrow in NJ. My parents are flying home tonight. WE have to go from Levittown to Toms River NJ. The final prayer at the fineral hom eis at 930. I need to get my mom there before they close the casket so she can say goodbye. Dh and I figured we would leave at 630. Its 108 miles from door to door. We have an EZPass so that will help with the tolls. I havent driven to NJ in the morning in a very long time. Will 3 hours be plenty of time? I would rather get there earlier and find a place to get a cup of coffee then get there late and miss the final prayer

Thanks for any info you can give
Directions are basically Southern State to the bridge to the GSP. Its then 1 mile off Exit 82A

Message edited 11/27/2007 11:32:40 AM.

Re: Prayers and driving help

Personally, I would allow for more time...you are driving right in Rush Hour and three hours is a good estimate with no traffic.
I would leave a 5:30 to give yourself time

I'm so sorry for your loss and my prayers are with you and your family.

Re: Prayers and driving help

I am so sorry for your loss.

Since you are driving into rush hour, I would definately give yourself more time. You never know what is going to happen. DH travels to NJ (Englewood) every Wednesday & leaves the house by 6am & it usually takes over an hour...

Re: Prayers and driving help

So is 3 hours enough??
Its only 108 miles.

Without traffic it should only take about 2 hours to go 100 miles. I dont see it taking 3 hours!

I figured that we might not really hit traffic until we get closer to the city but Im not sure

Message edited 11/27/2007 8:38:11 AM.

Re: Prayers and driving help

It used to take me nearly an hour to get from port jeff to farmingdale in rush hour traffic and that was only 30 miles

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

bump

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

I'm so sorry for your loss.

It'll be rush hour. My dad commuted to Jersey City for years. If he left at 5:15, he'd get there in under an hour. If he left at 6 or 6:30, it took forever.

I'd leave no later than 6am or get a hotel room and go up the night before. I'd rather be early or stay overnight than miss the final prayer.

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

i live in south jersey... and used to live on LI
since its very important that you get there before.. id def. allow for plenty of time...
it takes 2 hours no traffic... and going through staten island takes an hour + sometimes usually the other way though
id allow tonns of time... 4 hours at least.. maybe more ..
fm if u need specific directions

im sorry for your loss

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

i'm so sorry for your loss

i grew up in south jersey and live in north jersey now... i would say to leave at 5:30 also. you'll be driving right smack in the middle of rush hour, so its gonna take way longer than you expect it to. when i used to drive up from south jersey to north jersey to visit DH on the weekends, it would take me somtimes 4 hours to go 100 miles becasue of friday afternoon rush hour traffic.
what time are your parents gettnig in tonight?? maybe drive down there tonight and get a hotel room nearby the funeral home?? i would rather drive later tonight than worry about missing the final prayer tomorrow morning because you were stuck in traffic....

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

Posted by LIgrlatheart

i live in south jersey... and used to live on LI
since its very important that you get there before.. id def. allow for plenty of time...
it takes 2 hours no traffic... and going through staten island takes an hour + sometimes usually the other way though
id allow tonns of time... 4 hours at least.. maybe more ..
fm if u need specific directions

im sorry for your loss

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

I know its only 108 miles, but it's the not the mileage, its the traffic and unfortunately there is no way to know what it will be.

For me to go less than 52 miles to my parents on a Friday afternoon (rush hour) from Newark, it takes me 2 hours solid. Never less.

The VZ Bridge, the Belt, and especially the Staten Island Expressway can be tough. There really is no reverse commute anymore.

So, to be honest, I'd leave at 5:30 - as you said, better safe than sorry. You will be moving MUCH quicker at that point.

Is there anyway to go down there tonight?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Message edited 11/27/2007 12:25:42 PM.

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

If you leave at 5:30, you probably won't hit any traffic and will be really early. If you leave at 6:30, you're basically guaranteed to be in almost stopped traffic for quite a while... I wouldn't chance it for something so important. If you were in the middle of nowhere, it would be "only" 108 miles... but you're trying to get off Long Island. It takes 5 hours to get to my brother's house in MD with NO traffice - and that's just over 200 miles.

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

Being from SI, I would say leave at 5:30 just to be safe. It gets congested on the NJ bound bridges early. Not to mentione the SIE and West Shore.

And I am sorry for your loss.

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

Posted by leese

I know its only 108 miles, but it's the not the mileage, its the traffic and unfortunately there is no way to know what it will be.

For me to go less than 52 miles to my parents on a Friday afternoon (rush hour) from Newark, it takes me 2 hours solid. Never less.

The VZ Bridge, the Belt, and especially the Staten Island Expressway can be tough. There really is no reverse commute anymore.

So, to be honest, I'd leave at 5:30 - as you said, better safe than sorry. You will be moving MUCH quicker at that point.

Is there anyway to go down there tonight?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Re: Prayers and driving help (bump - any other suggestions for driving to NJ)

Posted by Kara

I'm so sorry for your loss.

It'll be rush hour. My dad commuted to Jersey City for years. If he left at 5:15, he'd get there in under an hour. If he left at 6 or 6:30, it took forever.

I'd leave no later than 6am or get a hotel room and go up the night before. I'd rather be early or stay overnight than miss the final prayer.