Southern New Jersey or Philadelphia without the hassle of the Garden State Parkway or the N.J. Turnpike

Getting around metropolitan New York and northern New Jersey when heading for points south is a hassle. Crossing the Hudson River at either the Tappan Zee Bridge or the George Washington Bridge puts you on the Garden State Parkway or the New Jersey Turnpike—roads with either too many 25-cent toll booths to count or a solid stream of tractor-trailers and crazed city drivers. Neither road is much fun on a bike. 

With a few extra miles, there are two routes through western New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania that get you around the worst of the traffic. They are a little slower but safer and more scenic. Both routes start from Interstate 84 near Port Jervis, New York, about 40 miles west of the Newburg-Beacon Bridge over the Hudson. From Maine, I’ve found the easiest way is to take I-84 all the way through Connecticut, skipping both I-95 along Long Island Sound and the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15). Both of these roads dump you just north of New York City. Beyond Danbury, CT, I-84 and the turnoff to I-684 south, I-84 is an open road with very little traffic as it passes through hilly farm country. The only drawback is the 55 mph speed limit and semi-regular patrols by NY state troopers. But eventually, the speed limit returns to normal and the road travels over two ridge lines with great vistas of hills to the west. 

What you want is Route 209 south that runs along the west bank of the Delaware River—but don’t take the first exit off I-84. It dawdles for several miles through stop lights and past strip malls to the town of Milford—slow going. Take the I-84 exit eight miles past Matamoras/Port Jervis for Route 6 and Milford. That leads directly into Milford where you can pick up 209. A few miles south of town, 209 enters the Delaware Water Gap, where commercial vehicles are prohibited. I can’t speak for the height of tourist season, but I’ve been through three or four times and traffic has been very light—and no tractor-trailers. It’s about 20 miles before you hit the first cluster of gas stations and eateries near East Stroudsburg, PA. There are a couple of good diners near Marshalls Corner. 

South of East Stroudsburg, there are two possible routes. One of them is to cross the Delaware on I-80 into New Jersey, pick up Route 46 and then Route 31 south. It goes through some small towns—Oxford and Washington—where traffic is generally light and the stoplights not too frequent. But the road does get busier south of I-78 with more frequent strip malls and more traffic. Eventually, the road crosses Route 179 and heads back into Pennsylvania at New Hope (that was my destination). A more interesting route is to stay on the west side of the Delaware south of East Stroudsburg on Route 611 and then Route 32. This takes you through a succession of very small towns right along the river. The road zips along the river bank, beautiful stone houses on one side and the Delaware on the other. I almost skipped this route coming home because it looked so tiny on the map, but it was great riding and (at least in April) practically no traffic. River views are much better than they are in the official Water Gap park farther north. Gas and food stops are plentiful. 

Scott Gibson