From central california... which interstate is the best choice to drive cross country?

Question

I am driving cross country to washington DC and i live in central california 95 miles south of Sacramento... which interstate is my best choice this time of year I-80, or I-80 to I-70 or I-5 to the I-40?

Answer 1

I would use I-80 until the Mississippi River and then to avoid the possibility of Lake effect snow-

I would take I-74 east to I-70E

It's a mistake to believe that just because I-40 is south you will get better weather. As we have just seen West Texas and OK can get really nasty icy weather and given the choice between driving in snow going north and driving on ice going south snow is a much better choice. Northern AZ can get hit with some really heavy snow too.

Four days looks llike this

1)Sacramento >Salt Lake City =650 +95

2) SLC>Lincoln NE> 900

3) Lincoln> Rock Island IL>Columbus OH 360+480= 840

4)Columbus > DCA 420

Hit the road by 5:00 AM catch breakfast 200 miles later and most of that trip will be driven in day light

Safe trip

Answer 2

I would do I-40. There are some verrrry lovely stretches in Utah and Nebraska on 70 and 80, and 40 is warmer and more populated. If this is a pleasure trip, go to San Diego and take I-8 and I-10 to I-95. That's cool although out of the way. You'll have no weather issues.

Answer 3

I-80

Answer 4

Someone tell Sipp above that I-70 don't run through Nebraska. I used to live in Atwater near where you are. Take I-5 down to I-10 to I-20 to I-30 and then up to I-40. It's a great trip and east Texas and Arkansas are beautiful states.

Answer 5

I've done this drive the other way (Virginia to Fresno) and I took I80 for most of the drive.



Be prepared for winter weather if you are doing this soon, and make sure you fill up the car with gas regularly. Bad weather can shut down even the interstates, and you don't want to get caught out low on gas in a lonely area if a storm comes in