Remember these 4 tips before starting your summer road trip
Memorial Day is fast approaching, which means the summer vacation season is nearly set to kick off. Based off the growing travel numbers out of Lehigh Valley International Airport, plenty of families are choosing to fly, but plenty of us are still opting for the traditional summer road trip.
If you do decide to drive to your summer destinations, here are some tips to keep in mind as you plan your getaways.
Check ahead of time about construction
Unless you’re Clark Griswold, you don’t leave for your vacation getaway without first checking if it’ll be open once you get there. I would have embedded a clip of the finale, but there are a few too many curses being thrown around for inclusion. The same should go for your travel plans. Most states offer travel advisories on long-term bridge or road projects or short-term construction that could cause you delays.
For my work on the column, I routinely use 511pa.org, which provides real time travel updates for most highways and interstates across the state and information about construction and crashes. The map is fueled by information collected by the big data firm INRIX, which provides similar data to other states around the country. If you zoom out of the 511pa map, you can see the traffic flow in other states, but you won’t be able to tell what’s causing any slowdowns.
If you’re driving out of Pennsylvania, it’s worth checking whether the states along your route have their own 511 web pages. The map should be able to warn you about any construction plans that will affect your travel. New York has a pretty one that also provides details for New Jersey and Connecticut.
I’ll offer a free heads up commuters to New York City already know. If you go catch a Broadway play or want to catch the Phillies take on the Mets at Citifield, avoid using the Lincoln Tunnel. The issue isn’t the tunnel itself but Route 495, the highway that connects the tunnel to the New Jersey Turnpike. The highway’s viaduct is in the middle of a two-and-a-half year rehabilitation project that requires lane closures, creating massive congestion.
Fortunately, you have alternatives. The Holland Tunnel will take you to Downtown Manhattan and the George Washington Bridge will connect you to The Bronx. Ferry service from Weehawken can put you ashore throughout Manhattan, and PATH trains and NJ Transit can get you to most of the city’s transit hubs.
Want to save on gas? There’s an app for that
If you’re going on a longdistance road trip, it’s worth checking out the difference between fuel prices and to plan accordingly. This may feel like penny pinching, and you’d be right for a local day-trip. But when you consider how the cost of gas jumps between states, there’s potential for some significant savings. If you’re driving far enough, the savings is potentially enough to upgrade one of your meals from hamburger to steak.
Quite a few apps and websites can help with this. One of the most popular is GasBuddy, a website and app that advises drivers on the cheapest gas in a region. I like being able to access it from my phone or computer, and it has a good track record for accuracy of prices.
Technically, GasBuddy has a trip planning option that’s supposed to tell you where to stop for fuel along your route to maximize your savings, but I can’t recommend it. As a test, I punched in a road trip from my house to Texas. This first scheduled pit stop was in western Virginia, where the gas is $2.38 a gallon. That’s great, but the only way my gas-guzzling SUV is getting that far without fueling up along the way is on a tow truck. The app specifically asked what I was driving, so it should have known my crummy car couldn’t go that far.
Instead, you can use GasBuddy to check the average gas price in areas you’ll be passing through and plan accordingly. It can tell you, for example if I’m better off buying gas in Maryland or driving an extra 45 minutes to Virginia. Just be realistic — if you’re running on empty, play it safe and fuel up while you can. Don’t push your luck.
Once you do make it to your designated fuel area, the app will let you compare gas prices among individual stations. If you do use the app, however, make sure you either do it ahead of time or a passenger is using it while you drive. I’ve written enough about how bad distracted driving is.
Pamper your car before you leave
Few things can put a damper on your car ride like mechanical problems. Days before you start packing, make sure your car is in good working order. Check the brakes, change the oil and let a trusted mechanic give your vehicle a once over. I can’t think of too many things more frustrating than being stuck along the road when you know you should be relaxing on a beach or whatever vacation destination you’ve selected.
Sometimes, these problems can’t be avoided no matter how much you plan. That’s why you should make sure you at minimum have a tire iron, a jack, a flashlight and a spare tire. Before you leave, make sure they’re all in good order. The spare tire is no use if it’s flat, too, and the flashlight will need batteries.
A few years ago, you could have included jumper cables on this list, but they’re becoming outdated because hybrid vehicles cannot safely jump other cars. If you’re willing to pay a little extra, check out portable jump starters, small batteries that you can clamp onto and charge your own dead battery. The best reviewed ones I see online are selling for about $80. That may be a little steep, but the positive is you won’t be stuck if another motorist isn’t around to help as is needed for traditional jumper cables.
Have an analog backup
Smart phones and apps are great, but having an analog back up is probably a good idea, especially if you’re going through or to unfamiliar territory. Maybe you wind up off the grid, either while driving through the middle of nowhere or by visiting a national park. Maybe your cellphone winds up at the bottom of the pristine lake where you’re camping, or your toddler decided to flush it. Whatever the case, having written directions can’t hurt.
Statewide road maps or atlases can be purchased online for $20 to $30, and some book stores and truck stops still carry them. If you’re looking for more regional maps, good luck. The newsroom has one of the Lehigh Valley printed in 2004, but I’ve yet to find one made this decade.
Alternatively, you can write out directions before you leave the house. This can be cheaper, and modern technology means you can use Street Views and satellite images to note landmarks to help, something that most maps could never do. Just be careful you’re taking accurate notes — a mistake could send you down the wrong route and get you lost.