On an early Saturday morning, I drove a New York City charter coming from the North where the first stop was Battery Park/Statue of Liberty Ferry. I've always wanted to try this shortcut, but it wasn't until the Chinatown busses efforts around the year 2000, with help from City Council transportation committee chairman John C. Liu, to free up the (Grand Central Pkwy/I278) 2 mile section between the Triboro Bridge/Robert F.Kennedy Bridge and the top of the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) for commercial (trucks & busses) traffic, that I took the plunge and tried this routing out.

Granted, it was very early on Sat. morning, about 8:30 am to be exact, but I was pleased and astounded to find that the travel time - at a very slow and safe 40-50 MPH - from the Triboro bridge to Battery Park was a very impressive 23 MINUTES!!! I arrived at the sidewalk disembarking area of Battery Park at 8:53 am!

Certainly, this routing saved me easily 30 minutes! This shortcut routing, that avoids NYC streets and avenues to Battery Park (generally a 50 minute route) is Triboro Bridge/Robert F.Kennedy Bridge (new name) to second exit - I.278/BQE (important: do not bypass this exit) follow over the Kosciuszko bridge, continue PASSED Williamsburg Bridge exit, PASSED Manhattan Bridge exit, PASSED Brooklyn Bridge exit (bridge strictly prohibited to busses), CONTINUE three miles and exit at BROOKLYN-BATTERY TUNNEL exit ramp. Follow around to Toll, tunnel entrance. USE EXTREME CAUTION in tunnel, exit left at tunnel exit, and 1 block south to Battery Park.

Even if you hit some traffic, you should save time. (If you have a tour director on board, check with him/her first, since they may have had plans to talk about NYC with Manhattan approach.)