[GlennCMC70]

from Dallas to Memphis its cut and dry - I-30 all the way. from there i get mixed reviews.
my planned route is Memphis to Nashville to Louisville, Cincinnati to Columbus to Mid Ohio. this route is 1150 miles (17.75 hrs).

just today i was told to take I-55 out of Memphis and split from there to I-57 to Effingham to Indianapolis to Springfield to Columbus to Mid Ohio. this route is 1160 miles (18.5 hrs).

all travel will be sat/sun.
what route has least hills? best roads? frequent fuel stops?
feel free to add other options.

i feel option 1 is best.

[sgarnett]

Regarding Louisville, you've got three choices to get from 65 to 71:

1) Take the outer bypass, 265, aka the Gene Snyder Expressway.
2) Take the inner bypass, 264, aka the Watterson Expressway
3) Take 65 directly to 71/75 which then split almost immediately.

Option 1 always seems really long to me for some reason, but traffic will probably be light. There won't be many places to stop, but there's a few and you'll be able to get off and back on easily. It's mostly rural.

Option 2 is urban/suburban and usually has a lot of traffic zipping along close together at high speed. There are plenty of places to stop.

Option 3 isn't bad if you hit Louisville well away from any rush hour, but the knot where the interstates cross can be confusing. Some of the ramps are in weird places. However, when I went through there in December, there was construction on 65N that was backing traffic up all through the knot. I don't know if it's finished.

There is a place to stop or several right where 71 joins 75, and probably something at Newport/Covington just south of Cincinnati. With a big awkward rig, you'll probably want to just keep rolling through Cinci. Most of the stops will put you into heavy traffic with minimal parking.

This post has been edited by sgarnett: Sep 8 2006, 10:34 AM

[robz71lm7]

Regarding Louisville, you've got three choices to get from 65 to 71:

1) Take the outer bypass, 265, aka the Gene Snyder Expressway.
2) Take the inner bypass, 264, aka the Watterson Expressway
3) Take 65 directly to 71/75 which then split almost immediately.

You may not want to take option 3. Besides traffic if you hit rush hour, portions of I65 between 264 and 71 have been closed recently. Also if there is a wreck on hospital curve-it happens often-you'll be backed up a while. I'm not sure when they finish construction. Options 1 or 2 are fine. Honestly if traffic is fine there won't be a huge difference between any of them. If you spend time on 264 look out for B4C Camaro's and now Dodge Chargers. Occasionally they are on 65 too right where the speed limits drops from 65 to 55 which is nearby I65 & 265.