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Alternatives to GW Bridge From Teaneck

From: crshulman@a..
Subj: [TeaneckShuls] alternates to gw bridge approach when rt 4 backed up
Date: Nov/9/2005 11:06:01 AM
What are good alternates to the GW Bridge when Route 4 is backed up?
If you could, please give specifics, such as directions for that alternate route, and how backed up route 4 would need to be to make the alternate worthwhile.
If I get a number of responses, I'll recirculate the answers. So if you don't want your answer recirculated, please indicate.

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Replies

From: Suzy.L..@s..
When we were in Teaneck the way I would do it when Route 4 is backed up is go through Englewood. Basically take Palisade Ave all the way starting from Teaneck Road, right onto Hargreaves I think was the name (right by Jet cleaners on Teaneck Road) then make next right onto Palisades then go straight all the way through the center of Englewood all the way down through Englewood Cliffs and then either get on at exit 1 on the Palisades parkway and go to the GW that way or if that is backed up I would make a right onto Hudson Terrace (right before Palisades Parkway) and go straight down through Ft. Lee to Toll plaza area. Sorry I am not exactly sure of all the names, but this way sually moves and is good if Rt. 4 is backed up.
The other way that I would add to what I said to avoid the center of Englewood, is taking Forest Ave straight from Queen Anne across from Votee straight all the way through Englewood which brings you out on Woodland (I think)by Moriah and then making a right onto Palisades. That way you avoid a lot of potential Englewood congestion.
I would say that if the back up is at least to Jones Road it is worth it (I think) Also depends is traffic is moving slowly or at standstill. But I would go.

From: hagturm@y..
Try taking Rt. 46 East. From Teaneck go onto queen ann rd. going toward Ridgefield Park. Queen Ann rd. turns into Main st. at Bogota ... keep going on Main st. thru Ridgefield Park till you see sign for for Rt. 46 East follow the signs to Rt. 46 East. Once you go on Rt. 46 East stay on it, until you see signs for GW Bridge.

From: bernst2@c..
here are 2:
1. go thru englewood to exit 1 of the Palisades - that approach to the bridge is almost always the best one
2. rt. 46 (go down Queen Anne Rd)
[When to take alternate] partly depends if you have three for the carpool lane and what time you go

From: pkestenbaum@y..
Old Fort Lee road.

From: hfrisch@o..
Over 30 + years I have tried everything, including driving through a cemetery. In the end, patience and staying on Route 4 is wisest.

From: yaacovtp@y..
I used to commute over the bridge leaving Teaneck around 7-715 and would get off at jones road, make a left, and follow my fellow exiters over to the bridge. Sometimes it worked great saving over 20 minutes, other times cops would block off some entrances to the bridge and it could take longer.

From: __
This works if it is before 8 AM: Get off at Jones Road (or, there is an unmarked exit that leads to Jones just before the easternmost set of gas stations). Make left at Jones. Follow street over 80/95, make next left (don't know name). Left at stop sign (also called Jones). Follow street around, past cemetary on right, past public school on right. At stop sign, turn left onto Main Street (you are now in Ft. Lee). Go down Main St and make left after light by Metropolitan Plant Exchange (I believe the street is Fletcher). After light, merge right onto LL of GW.

From: Joseph@F..
Here's what I do every morning:
Always listen to traffic on the 8's at 880am or on the 1's at 1010am while driving to route 4 - the day I don't listed to traffic is the day that traffic is the worst.
Most days, 95% of the time, route 4 is still the best way to the gwb
If they talk on the radio about how the route 4 approach is backed up, but the other approaches are *much* better, I'll take the palisades - I go to teaneck rd to tryon ave, bear right on hargreaves, which becomes palisade ave, and take that all the way to the palisades parkway south. I did this the day that route 4 had 2 hours of traffic 2 weeks ago, and while I still had a lot of traffic, it was much better.
The only other shortcut I play with is getting off at the Jones road exit if traffic is moving *extremely* slowly on route 4 approaching the bridge - through a bunch of twists and turns, you can save time taking side streets from there to the bridge - I don't even know the exact streets to take - I just follow traffic - there's always a lot of cars doing the same thing.

From: vivianahrc@n..
When you hear on the radio that Route 4 is very backed up (40 minutes or so), or if traffic is slow already after Belle Ave, jump off at Teaneck Road. Go down Teaneck Road and at State Plaza (Dunkin Donuts), take the right that leads you into Englewood. Take Palisade Ave through Englewood. (or if you bail off of Route 4 later, take Jones Road, to right on Palisades.)  Around South Woodland Ave it gets slow, but keep going. Do not get on the Palisades. Turn right onto Hudson Terrace (there is a bank on the corner). Travel down Hudson Terrace. There is an entrance to the bridge on your left. It is only open after 9:00am. so it won't help you during rush hour. If it is not rush hour, look carefully at the flow of traffic and do not take this entrance if it is backed up. Continue down Hudson Terrace and turn right on Merkel Avenue (This is a tiny block that is easy to miss. Your landmark is Forte Restaurant.) At top of hill, make left onto North Central Road. Go around the bend onto Bridge Plaza North. At second light make left. Travel over the bridge plaza (entrance to toll booths are underneath you). Make right at the light, then 2 more rights. This takes you right to the toll plaza, minus all the traffic.
My advice: As this can be confusing, travel it first when you are not in a rush.

From: NNussbaum@a..
if RT 4 is backup when U hit Jones road : You get off and make a left then U follow the road ( U will have 2 make a couple of turns But before U know it U will be in Ft Lee. I think it is Main St, make a left and follow the signs 2 GW Bridge. If U want to get the exact street 2 make the turns, U can try mapquest .

From: Iris971@a..
I wiggle my way off at Rte 4 near Englewood, make a LT on to Broad Ave, and a LT at the light in Leonia which I think is Ft Lee Rd...take that all the way, go parallel to the bridge, cross Anderson Ave and make a LT where the bridge is right there, I think there is a light there too....you can't go farther and still get on the bridge

From: Zeidels@a..
If you leave before 8am-Take Teaneck Rd-South to Degraw .Go East(left turn) Straight-Degraw becomes Fort Lee Rd-As you come into Fort Lee ,pick up Rte 46 E to bridge.
After 8-I agree with the person who wrote stay on rte 4-and have patience. If rte 4 is that backed up, all rtes are probably backed up.  Listen to 880,1010 or 1130 to make sure 4 doesn't have a major problem. If it does--take 46.