Philly to Buffalo: Yahoo driving directions weird 2167

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Right, basic geometry. Unfortunately sometimes the roads are not laid out well for trips like these.

According to RoutePlanner, this is the least distance route:

From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York ------------------------------------------------------------ 0:06 I-95 to Jct I-95 & I-676, Pennsylvania (3 mi) 0:04 I-676 to Jct I-76 & I-676, Pennsylvania (2 mi) 0:13 I-76 to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania Exit 28 (11 mi) 0:05 I-476 to Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania (5 mi) 2:06 Pennsylvania Tpk NE I-476 to Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania (116 mi) 1:30 US 6 to Towanda, Pennsylvania (68 mi) 0:22 US 220 to Sayre, Pennsylvania (17 mi) 1:06 NY 17 to Avoca, New York Exit 36 (61 mi) 0:42 I-390 to Mount Morris, New York Exit 7 (39 mi) 0:25 NY 63 to East Bethany, New York (19 mi) 0:42 US 20 to Depew, New York (32 mi) 0:21 NY 130 to Buffalo, New York (14 mi) Total route: 387 mi; 7:47

which only starts to deviate from Yahoo's directions at the state line. And this is RoutePlanner's least time route, which is virtually identical to Yahoo's "via Syracuse" route (the details like minor streets are left out):

From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York ------------------------------------------------------------ 0:06 I-95 to Jct I-95 & I-676, Pennsylvania (3 mi) 0:04 I-676 to Jct I-76 & I-676, Pennsylvania (2 mi) 0:13 I-76 to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania Exit 28 (11 mi) 0:05 I-476 to Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania (5 mi) 2:06 Pennsylvania Tpk NE I-476 to Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania (116 mi) 2:01 I-81 to Syracuse, New York Exit 19 (125 mi) 0:07 I-68 plus 10 to Liverpool, New York Exit 4 (7 mi) 2:01 New York Thruway I-90 to Williamsville, New York Exit 50 (132 mi) 0:18 NY 33 to Buffalo, New York (12 mi) Total route: 413 mi; 7:04

For comparison, Yahoo's distance and time:

Distance: 414.6 miles Approximate Travel Time: 6 hours 22 mins

If you look at these, you'll see that the least distance route appears to be more direct, but will actually be slower because you go on more state and US routes instead of Interstates. This is why Yahoo's directions send you via what appears to be an indirect route. I wouldn't trust Yahoo's time estimate here, it seems to be rather optimistic, but the route actually looks pretty good. If you would rather go through Avoca and Mount Morris than Syracuse or Liverpool, that's how to do it, but realize the trip may actually take longer that way.

It's the same reason that a Houston to Austin (TX) trip via I-10 and SH 71 is faster than taking US 290. (I think; someone correct me here if they think this is nonsense.)

-- * * Shawn K. Quinn ----* Houston, TX, USA