Custom Avoidances Issue

 

OK, I want to take a trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Williamsburg, VA in about a month for vacation. I went into custom avoidances and did my best to completely block I-95. I want absolutely nothing to do with I-95 on this trip. Any other highway is fine. Anyway, after I tried to block I-95 in the custom avoidances, I punched in the route. Guess what? It included I-95 in the trip. Is there something I did wrong? I manually did it on the map. Thought I had it completely blocked from my route but it didnt work. Any suggestions about this would be appreciated. Thanks.

custom avoidances

Garmin2597Guy wrote:

OK, I want to take a trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Williamsburg, VA in about a month for vacation. I went into custom avoidances and did my best to completely block I-95. I want absolutely nothing to do with I-95 on this trip. Any other highway is fine. Anyway, after I tried to block I-95 in the custom avoidances, I punched in the route. Guess what? It included I-95 in the trip. Is there something I did wrong? I manually did it on the map. Thought I had it completely blocked from my route but it didnt work. Any suggestions about this would be appreciated. Thanks.

See https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

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Charlie. Nuvi 265 WT and Nuvi 2597 LMT. MapFactor Navigator - Offline Maps & GPS.

Some thoughts

I think you're trying to avoid a good 100+ miles or so of I-95 and that's a long custom avoidance. I'm assuming you chose the avoid road method and not the avoid area method and are using the fastest route option.

I don't know why it didn't work and if it was a nuvi issue or your choice of selections to create the avoidance. Maybe others with more custom avoidance experience can come up with a reason. You could help by telling us how you created your avoidance. After creating your avoidance, did it show you a map of what was to be avoided and did it look correct for avoiding all of I-95 and nothing else?

I did try a simplified version of your test by creating a route from Flagstaff to a location in Phoenix without travelling along I-17 by creating a single road avoidance from the southern outskirts of Flagstaff to a point just north of Greater Phoenix on I-17. I was given a route (quite long and non-direct) that succeeded on my first try. I did check my avoidance start and stop points to confirm that they were exactly on I-17. My test was much easier for the nuvi to create than your route because there are so many fewer options for routing on my test route but it did work.

Rather than a custom avoidance, what I think I'd do for you trip is look at an overview of the entire trip with a map, then select several via points in addition to the destination where I would expect the via points to avoid directing me onto I-95 at any point. This is what I do when my route from AZ to FL wants to direct me through Dallas/FtWorth which I've learned to avoid. Another technique to try in addition to or instead of via points is to select shortest route rather than fastest route, then check out the route planned, and finally add whatever via points are needed to avoid any areas where the nuvi still wants you on I-95. If you do want to do the custom avoidance methods, maybe creating several shorter length I-95 avoidances rather than trying to avoid all of I-95 in a single avoidance would work better.

If part of your goal is to avoid Greater Washington DC, I'd select via points well to the west of DC as part of my route.

I recently asked sort of the opposite question. I was looking for a way to always stay on a specific highway over a very long intended route and was told it would be a real challenge and to try to select several via points that would make me think the nuvi would always keep me on the highway. I think this via point route creation would work as well for you in your choice to avoid a specific highway.

just include these coordinates

N39.61460° W77.79473°

The route still picks up a portion of I-95 above Richmond, but you can also ignore that routing and stay on I-81 to I-64E. It's longer but completely avoids I-95. The other option is to take the Pike to H'burg and follow US15 south to I-64 west of Richmond. It's a very nice drive with little traffic taking you through some country rich in history. Lots to do, places to eat and good road.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Add a Stop

Garmin2597Guy wrote:

OK, I want to take a trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Williamsburg, VA in about a month for vacation. I went into custom avoidances and did my best to completely block I-95. I want absolutely nothing to do with I-95 on this trip. Any other highway is fine. Anyway, after I tried to block I-95 in the custom avoidances, I punched in the route. Guess what? It included I-95 in the trip. Is there something I did wrong? I manually did it on the map. Thought I had it completely blocked from my route but it didnt work. Any suggestions about this would be appreciated. Thanks.

Create a stop at Winchester VA and you will go down through Breezewood and get on I81 to I64. Same amount of time, just a few miles further.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

Avoid I-81

Oh dear! If he hates I-95 he's REALLY gonna hate I-81 for sure!

I agree with the "shortest route" approach as it usually takes U.S. highways to meet that routing rule.

Another alternative to consider is to pick up U.S. 17 at least around Fredericksburg, VA which is a good road, less traveled, and definitely not I-95.

In fact, many U.S. highways provide excellent alternatives to Interstates while providing much more scenery and services at which to stop.

Although it takes longer to plan I also plot key via points to alert me where to turn on the backroads and it helps to learn about the route that I plan to take.

why would you say that?

boteman wrote:

Oh dear! If he hates I-95 he's REALLY gonna hate I-81 for sure!

I-81 is good road even if it is heavily used by truckers. The number of accidents/fatalities is lower per mile than I-95 and the pucker factor caused by the crazies that seem to think those red,white and blue signs with 95 on them are actually speed limit signs. Living in the DC area, we know all about the issues on I-95 that are not there with I-81.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Looks like the avoidances work now....

OK, I decided to just delete all of my custom avoidances and try again. For some reason, it worked this time when I blocked I-95.

I made a custom route with way points. After taking the PA turnpike and I-70, I'm going to take 522, then a short trip on I-81 and I-66. After that, RT. 17 to RT. 1. Then, I-295 to I-64. After customizing the route, I turned the way points into shaping points.

I took this route avoiding I-95 last year and enjoyed it. I couldn't get the custom avoidances to work for me last year either, so I tried making a route through base camp which was frustrating.

Anyway, it worked this time when planning the route. The reason I want to avoid I-95 is because of the constant traffic jams all the way down. Ends up being a longer trip because of that.

I notice one bug though. When I take exit 58 to get off of I-70 east to get on to I-76 (PA turnpike) toward Harrisburg, it loops me off of the turnpike, right after I get on, to a road that isn't even connected to the turnpike (RT 119), and back to the same spot where I got off of I-70 to get on to the turnpike. Very strange. It shows it in the list of turns I have to make. If that comes up, I'll just ignore it I guess. Maybe the new map update will fix this whenever that finally comes out.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys.

I just thought of one more question actually. If I have to stop off for gas or to get something to eat, will that screw up my route somehow, or will the GPS keep the route I planned? I don't want it rerouting me from the route I created if I have to stop off somewhere. Thanks.

Another FAQ

You might also want to check this FAQ. Creating the start and end points is not as easy as you may think. This FAQ will help.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/43584

--
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Maybe

Garmin2597Guy wrote:

OK, I decided to just delete all of my custom avoidances and try again. For some reason, it worked this time when I blocked I-95.

I made a custom route with way points. After taking the PA turnpike and I-70, I'm going to take 522, then a short trip on I-81 and I-66. After that, RT. 17 to RT. 1. Then, I-295 to I-64. After customizing the route, I turned the way points into shaping points.

I took this route avoiding I-95 last year and enjoyed it. I couldn't get the custom avoidances to work for me last year either, so I tried making a route through base camp which was frustrating.

Anyway, it worked this time when planning the route. The reason I want to avoid I-95 is because of the constant traffic jams all the way down. Ends up being a longer trip because of that.

I notice one bug though. When I take exit 58 to get off of I-70 east to get on to I-76 (PA turnpike) toward Harrisburg, it loops me off of the turnpike, right after I get on, to a road that isn't even connected to the turnpike (RT 119), and back to the same spot where I got off of I-70 to get on to the turnpike. Very strange. It shows it in the list of turns I have to make. If that comes up, I'll just ignore it I guess. Maybe the new map update will fix this whenever that finally comes out.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys.

I just thought of one more question actually. If I have to stop off for gas or to get something to eat, will that screw up my route somehow, or will the GPS keep the route I planned? I don't want it rerouting me from the route I created if I have to stop off somewhere. Thanks.

If you don't stray too far from your route, it will be trying to take you back, anyway. If you get too far from the planned route, it may recalculate the route. However, it should try to route you the best way to your shaping point. I can't remember the unit yo have, but if you have the Create Route app on your unit, that's the best way to make your route.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

You may want to consider

Garmin2597Guy wrote:

OK, I decided to just delete all of my custom avoidances and try again. For some reason, it worked this time when I blocked I-95.

I made a custom route with way points. After taking the PA turnpike and I-70, I'm going to take 522, then a short trip on I-81 and I-66. After that, RT. 17 to RT. 1. Then, I-295 to I-64. After customizing the route, I turned the way points into shaping points.

You may want to consider staying on I-70 about 30 more minutes going east to Frederick, MD and from there taking US-15 south. It will run you through the heart of the Shenandoah battlefield areas. It will put you on I-64 at MM 136. The exit off I-64 for Williamsburg is just less than a 100 miles east.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

I agree. US 17, while 4 lane

I agree. US 17, while 4 lane for a lot of the way, is a series stoplights that seem to just about allow you to reach the speed limit before bringing you to another halt.

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Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

Sounds cool too

Box Car wrote:

You may want to consider staying on I-70 about 30 more minutes going east to Frederick, MD and from there taking US-15 south. It will run you through the heart of the Shenandoah battlefield areas. It will put you on I-64 at MM 136. The exit off I-64 for Williamsburg is just less than a 100 miles east.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll consider that. When we took 522 last year, it took us through some pretty cool small towns. A lot of scenery. It was nice not getting stuck in traffic jams on I-95. I'll take a scenic route over dealing with that.

I just checked the maps. Where does US-15 south connect with I-64? I just see it running into I-66. Or are you talking about another road that puts me on I-64? Thanks.

Nevermind, I found it. Thanks.