Time can be on your side
10 road shortcuts in America that can save you hours
Image: Athena Sandrini
Familiar to the locals but hidden from the visitors: Every town has its shortcuts that help us save time and miles when going from A to B. These secret passages become increasingly important in the country’s largest cities, as traffic tends to be a bigger issue in those places. The following ten are useful tips for moving around Los Angeles, New York, Austin, San Diego, or a few other cities. Did you know any of these shortcuts?
1
Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
Image: Aman
Los Angeles’ hellish traffic is world-famous and every experienced driver in this city has her or his own shortcuts to save time. But this one is a universal one for sure.
When driving through Hollywood, never take Hollywood Boulevard . Take, instead, Franklin or Fountain to get around the tourist mayhem. And, if you want to avoid the awful traffic of a Hollywood Bowl show, try Mulholland Drive.
2
Getting to the airport in Los Angeles, California
Image: Lukas Souza
Nobody likes missing a flight. Or, at least, most of us don’t care for that particular situation. And, when driving in the terrible Los Angeles traffic, that possibility is always looming in the background.
A sound advice from frequent flyers is to avoid the freeway altogether and take Crescent Heights until it dead-ends. Then, drive through La Cienaga to La Tijera all the way to the symbols that point to the airport.
3
Leaving New York is never easy, New York City, New York
Image: Matteo Catanese
Caught at the right time, New York City traffic can be as bad as LA traffic. And, as it usually happens, commute hours are the worst. The endless crowds and vehicles getting in and out of Manhattan through the different bridges and tunnels can create some serious delays.
Brooklyn Bridge, George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln Tunnel are some of the most congested routes during rush hours. So, if you have no other options, make sure to schedule extra time just in case the traffic is as bad as it can be.
4
I-95, Miami, Florida
Image: Baron Alloway
Another city with legendary traffic is, without a doubt, Miami. And, as usual, commute hours can be a nightmare. I-95 is a major Interstate Highway on the East Coast and the Miami section is usually very congested . If you are trying to go south from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or north from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., you have to expect delays, since those are the peak times for commuters who work downtown.
The High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes run from north of Miami to north Dade. You can only enter these lanes before 112/I-95 and you can only get off at the Golden Glades exit. Don’t take these lanes if you are trying to go anywhere between downtown and Northwest 183rd Street as there are no exits. Also, HOT lanes only accept SunPass as payment.
5
Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois
Image: Neal Kharawala
Continuing with another one of the monster-traffic cities of America, we can’t avoid the Windy City. Locals say that the city has two seasons: winter and construction , as the number of blocked streets, avenues, and roads can be nerve-wracking.
A shortcut locals use when driving through Lake Shore Drive to get off on Michigan Ave, heading southbound with a final destination past Illinois Ave, is to take Inner Lake Shore Drive and avoid the heavy congestion on Michigan Ave, as well as the occasional standstills on southbound Lake Shore Drive.
6
San Felipe instead of Westheimer, Houston, Texas
Image: Kevin Hernandez
Houston locals are familiar with busy Westheimer Avenue and know better than to fall into its trap during rush hour. They’d get stuck between multiple METRO bus routes, potholes, and never-ending construction sites.
The savvy drivers instead use San Felipe to get downtown or to the Galleria in a much shorter time.
7
Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, Phoenix, Arizona
Image: Nils Huenerfuerst
Even the widest highway will become congested once everyone finds out about it. We are looking at you, Los Angeles. But, for a while at least, new roads offer a smooth and quiet ride to the lucky few who discover them first.
This is the case with Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. The 22-mile-long portion of the Valley beltway from 59th Avenue on the west side to Ahwatukee , which opened in late 2019, is a smooth drive. Rolling through a part of the Valley unspoiled by development, this freeway has light traffic and no, or very few, holes –for now.
8
San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California
Image: Justin Wolff
It may seem calmer compared to neighboring Los Angeles, but San Diego can have its traffic congestion, like any big city. Getting to the airport on time is always paramount and locals have tricks up their sleeves for this ride.
Drivers can take Washington Street to Pacific Highway and get to the airport that way, or they can also take Pacific Highway north to Barnett, then Lytton, then Rosecrans, then Nimitz, which can be better than going through Sassafras if there’s traffic.
9
LBJ interchange, Dallas, Texas
Image: Zack Brame
Dallas, Texas, is a major city with major traffic jams during rush hours. Trying to get to the LBJ interchange can be a recipe for disaster if you are in a hurry but there is a shortcut that can save quite some time.
If you are on the Central Expressway, you can get off at Coit Road , which will allow you to bypass the interchange. Instead, you'll wind around a corner and find yourself right back at the entrance ramps for LBJ. From there, you just wait for a light and merge back onto LBJ, having skipped over the whole mess.
10
I-35 alternatives, Austin, Texas
Image: MJ Tangonan
Texas’ hippest city, Austin has some major highways, including the I-35, Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), and Highway 183. These big highways can cause big delays if taken from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
But the city provides alternatives. Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road provide time-saving options for I-35 . During rush hour and special events, knowing these lesser-used routes can save time.
