Best route to Mass Pike at rush hour?

[fenicedautun.livejournal.com]

So I just got a job offer for a job that would require me to take the pike out to Framingham area every morning. I've never actually tried to get to the pike (I'm in Ball Square area) in the morning, and wondered if anybody had favored routes?

Comments

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

I live on Summer (at the top of Spring Hill, near the church), and, until my work moved about six months ago, I drove to the Pike every morning for years and years to get out to Westborough (past Framingham). It would take me ten minutes, give or take, to get to the Pike in the morning from where I live. What I do is cut around Harvard, literally skirting the eastern edge of it. Sounds nuts, but the route I take is one I planned, using all back roads, where I take as many right hand turns as possible. And it works like a charm.

So, and I know this is going to sound nuts and will probably make you cross-eyed, but if you follow it on a map, it's not so bad. What I do is, I take Laurel (from Summer) down to Somerville Ave, turn left onto Somerville Ave and first right onto Dane Street, which curls around to Washington/Kirkland. I *cross* Washington onto a tiny one way called Calvin, and that road curls around to Hampshire Street. I turn left on Hampshire, and then immediately right onto a tiny little street called Cooney, then right (because you don't have choice) onto Line Street, and then immediately left onto Leonard Ave (it's like a 270 degree angle, so wicked sharp). You hit Cambridge street, but just go across it onto Ellsworth. At the bottom of Ellsworth, you turn right onto Broadway, and immediately left onto Dana. Take Dana all the way to Mass Ave. Turn left on Mass Ave, and immediately Right onto Bay Street. At the bottom, you turn right on Green St, then left onto Putnam. Putnam takes you to Western, and that takes you to the Pike.

If you don't want to do that, I totally understand, but if you have time one day, it could be worth pulling out a map of Cambridge/Somerville with the one ways on it and mapping out your own twisted route, and then seeing how it goes.

Other recommendations -- if you can leave as late as 8:45, do it. If not, just try to avoid 8 - 8:30. Because of the schoolbuses/schools and the garbage trucks.

And do not go Route 2 to 128, except as a last resort. It'll make you cry. I do that now, because I'm off 128, and I hate it with an all consuming passion. Alewife is a killer, and 128 is a life-sucker. I miss the Pike so, so much.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

This? (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Summer+St&daddr=Laurel+St+to:Calvin+St+to:Cooney+St+to:Ellsworth+Ave+to:Dana+St+to:42.368564,-71.110618+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&geocode=FdfAhgIdPArD-w%3BFam3hgIdHAXD-w%3BFZmjhgIdfwnD-w%3BFeaahgIdmAjD-w%3BFcSPhgIdnv3C-w%3BFUmLhgId4_bC-w%3B%3BFWNhhgId2MnC-w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=6&sz=16&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&sll=42.369785,-71.105039&sspn=0.009036,0.022724&ie=UTF8&ll=42.367819,-71.109695&spn=0.009037,0.022724&t=h&z=16)

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed! Wow, it almost looks like a straight line when you map it out like that. Doesn't feel quite that way when you're driving it.

I did it this morning, at 7:00. Took me eight minutes. But that's typical that early -- there's no traffic then.

[fenicedautun.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm probably looking at 7:45, which is close to your no 8am rule, but this does look like a pretty good route (and Cedar to Summer is pretty easy no matter time of day).