Advice on driving through/around Cincinnati please

Tedsoldbus · October 13, 2021, 05:38:40 PM

Taking the mini Prevost for long awaited appointment to get the Amish fridge in Shipshewana Indiana. I leave Friday- just in time for the storm. Have to be there 0830 on Monday so allowing extra time.
Wipers, check, headlights, check.
Garmin and others say north from Chattanooga on I 75. I am good at Knoxville and keeping north, but am told Cincinnati can be ugly. Looks like a bypass around the town. It is a full circle. Go east or West to get back north on I 75? Or a better route? Any Ohio guys advice greatly desired. I'll tell you how to get around Atlanta if you ever go to Disney....

epretot · October 13, 2021, 05:47:18 PM

So long as it isn't rush hour, you won't have any problems.

Its nothing like Atlanta. I've driven through Atlanta 15 times. 14 times there was an enormous traffic jam. The other time was 2 am.

You could get off at 275 and loop around. Might add 30-45 minutes.

buswarrior · October 13, 2021, 05:53:14 PM

x2, so long as you don't come through during the workday rushes, straight through.

Friend has a fleet with a regular route through there. Priority packaging northbound, no control over time coming through, southbound is at a much nicer time of day...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Tedsoldbus · October 13, 2021, 05:58:03 PM

Thanks guys. So if not rush hour, stay on 75 through town. If ugly timing maybe due to the expected storm, take 275 bypass. Coming from the south, would that be to the east?

epretot · October 13, 2021, 06:01:44 PM

I would say it's about a toss up. West is probably less traffic.

bronson · October 13, 2021, 06:13:10 PM

If you have a little extra time as in 1 hr more, get off i75 at Lexington and take route 68 to xenia ohio or even further. Much more scenic. Around Lexington and Paris ky are all the big horse farms. It is four lane most of the way to ohio and an excellent ride. 75 is pretty much a nightmare from Florence ky to I 75 and 70 intersection north of Dayton. There is a nice campground. Blue links battlefield state park north of Paris ky
https://parks.ky.gov/carlisle/parks/historic/blue-licks-battlefield-state-resort-park

From xenia you can get back over to 75 by taking route 235 to 675 to 70 west. Or you could go north towards Springfield and hit up the hippie town of yellow Springs and where Dave Chapelle lives. Just north of yellow springs is Youngs jersey dairy for awesome food and ice cream etc. I live just north of Mt orab ohio and just a couple miles east of route 68. Would be glad to meet a fellow bus nut or if you ran into trouble, I am a mechanic by trade. Enjoy your trip.

epretot · October 13, 2021, 06:21:12 PM

Mt. Orab?

I lived there 15 years. I'll have to come check out your bus.

bronson · October 13, 2021, 06:33:16 PM

Buses...lol I have 2. 84 mci 9 and 1965 custom coach gmc spa 5. Come on over.

epretot · October 13, 2021, 06:44:17 PM

I'll pm you my number.

I'm in Mt. Orab a couple days a week.

Tedsoldbus · October 13, 2021, 06:51:10 PM

Splendid! Directions and emergency room medics within rescue range! I love this website. Will try not to bother you. Bus has been running great. I am running solo as we are taking care of Rita's 90 year old parents and they are dissolving. Would love to meet you but this is an up and back trip I'm afraid. Just glad JC Refrigeration could get me in before snow, And the even worse.....salted roads.
Ted

DoubleEagle · October 13, 2021, 07:58:09 PM

You have received excellent advice, the main thing is whether you want the quickest route or a scenic one. Straight through Cincinnati on 75 would be quickest IF you miss the morning or evening rush hours. Accidents and construction can always mess things up, though.

Tedsoldbus · October 14, 2021, 07:31:15 AM

Thanks Walter.
It is an up and back so will do best time. We lived in Ocala for 5 years and had a hoarse boarding farm. Love seeing that stuff, but need to go, fridge, get back. My next door neighbor is coming home with hospice today just to keep things tough around here. Rita takes her mom to neuro guy tomorrow. Don't get old.....

Jim Blackwood · October 14, 2021, 07:41:03 AM

I live in Florence, so you'll be passing within a mile or so of my house on your way north. I'm just a bit outside the beltway which is indeed a full circle. (275)

Big construction project on the Brent Spence bridge over the Ohio. Conditions change there week to week. Sometimes crossing there is just not possible and re-routing can take a lot of time. Even at slack time traffic stacks up. Wee hours of the morning works of course, but during the day I avoid it like the plague unless I'm going downtown and usually even then. Things won't really be much better until they build another bridge so it'll be bad for awhile. Possibly the worst bottleneck on all of I-75, in the mornings traffic sometimes backs up all the way to the 275 loop and even beyond.

275 east and west are good alternatives and you might want to consider taking the west loop to I-74 to Indy. I think that's the way I'd go to get to Shipshewana. Map out the route and see what you think. That gets you out of the Cincy traffic and the north/east Indy loop is generally pretty good. If you do the half circle west though be mindful of the 275/74 splits as you can get in the wrong lane easily. East side is straightforward, traffic picks up as you approach I-71, but generally moves well.

Jim

Chaz · October 14, 2021, 07:59:11 AM

I live off of I-74, in Batesville IN., north east of Cincy.
Are you wanting to stay on 75 or would going up 74 be worthwhile? Do want to stay on a super slab or would you like to cruise some State Routes? There is some nice driving up this way.
Just throwing some options at ya. I'd help ya with some roads if want to try State Routes.
Have a good trip!!!
Chaz

Chaz · October 14, 2021, 08:04:11 AM

I just map quested it.
This is what I saw for staying on super slabs:
https://www.mapquest.com/directions/from/us/tn/chattanooga/to/us/in/shipshewana

I guess it is another option.
Best,
Chaz