Road conditions on Eastern USA/Canada roads in Winter
I am thinking of driving between Montreal and Boston this winter. I have no idea what the weather will be like, so I prefer to keep options for this trip.
I read these two existing questions on this area:
Most scenic route between Hartford, CT and Montreal
Road Conditions on drive from Washington, DC to Quebec City over Christmas
however, I still have interrogations about the different possible routes and the snow conditions I may expect on the north USA part of the trip. I have done it on a Greyhound bus before (through Vermont) and remember it was in the mountains/hills. Having been on a bus in the hills during a snowstorm, I could see that while a bus has few troubles circulating, cars should better stop. I will have a rental car so I expect it is equipped with winter tires but probably not chains.
My question is about which of the route options is the most likely cleared/less mountainous. I see three route options:
- Hwy 15 (QC)/Route 87 (NY)
- Route 133 (QC)/Route 89 (VT)
- Route 55 (QC)/Route 91 (VT)
So far I could see on OpenStreetMap on the cycle map that the third option is more mountainous while the two first run along the Lake Champlain for a large part of the trip (therefore the altitude does not change much). But I have no other idea to pick the right route, in case it snows a bit/a lot. I will check Quebec511 before leaving in case one is closed, but if it snows after it will be harder to decide.
In the end my question is: which of the Montreal-Boston routes is the earliest cleared or least mountainous, so that in case of snow I do not end up going out of the road?
Best Answer
Within the United States, your "Route 87", "Route 89", and "Route 91" (typically referred to as "Interstate 87", "Interstate 89", and "Interstate 91") are all Interstate Highways, the top class of long-distance road in the United States. Consequently, all three of them will be kept as clear of snow as possible. Which one of them will be the best will be determined mainly by the weather on the day of your travel: a storm affecting one of them may miss the others.
I'm not as familiar with the Canadian side of things, but Google Maps shows the Canadian portions of the I-87 (A-15) and I-91 (A-10/A-55) routes to be similar grades of road, while I-89 quickly becomes an undivided two-lane road.
Pictures about "Road conditions on Eastern USA/Canada roads in Winter"
Can you drive through Canada in the winter?
To still have fun! Winter road trips in Canada are more challenging, however, it can be an enjoyable experience. Driving 4700km across the country in December may not be my number one recommendation to someone thinking of visiting Canada, but winter road trips definitely do have their benefits.How do I check local road conditions?
Check Current Highway Conditions You can also call 1-800-427-7623 for current highway conditions.Is it hard to drive in Canada?
In general, Canadians are calm, polite drivers and courtesy is the order of the day. Driving in Canada is easy, but before setting out, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Canadian Highway Safety Code.How do you stay safe on the roads in the winter?
What should I do on the road?Compilation of Ridiculous Drivers and Slip \u0026 Slide Winter Weather - Part 1
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Kamil, Vladimir Bogovčič, Andre Furtado, Andre Furtado