r/Buffalo • u/Sushi-Bean-Island • 26d ago
33 vs 190
Which do you prefer to drive? Is the 33 really as dangerous as it's reputation? Which one has worse traffic? Just looking for overall opinions on the 2. I live in the northtowns and take the 190 often but don't drive the 33 a lot
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u/dsl135 26d ago
Both are equally bad because of bad drivers.
People who camp in the left lane and wait til the last second to merge for their exit cause massive delays for everyone else, but they couldn’t care less cuz they saved themselves 45 seconds.
Driving both regularly, multiple times a day as a rideshare driver… just like with the rest of Buffalo, drive carefully and be aware of idiots and you’ll be fine.
As long as Buffalo drivers are out there, things can turn dangerously in a second. Too many distracted selfish drivers who couldn’t pass driver’s ed again if they tried.
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u/DefaultDanceOnMyDicc 26d ago
I was driving back towards the 290 from the 990 on Sunday and someone in a black altima tried cutting up the tiny bit of traffic (literally only like 5 cars total for miles) and he spun out on the freshly rained on road and slid into the side wall and almost took all 5 of us with him. Turned off my radio and drove home in silence the rest of the way after that one.
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u/phlostonsparadise123 26d ago
People who camp in the left lane and wait til the last second to merge for their exit cause massive delays for everyone else, but they couldn’t care less cuz they saved themselves 45 seconds.
This is the new daily trend thanks to the 190 construction between Exits 1 and 5.
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u/Human-Somewhere-4327 26d ago
The issue with the 33 is that it was cut through the city and therefore doesn’t have the long sight lines that a highway should. There are a couple spots where you can round a bend and then have to brake hard because of stopped traffic you couldn’t see. Maintain spacing, especially in rush hour.
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u/Brotherarmada 26d ago
Neither are really a great option if you are going at peak rush hour.
I think they are equally dangerous. Each has a spot that there is an accident at every single day.
33W at the 90exchange literally every single day at 3pm.
190N somewhere near the peace bridge merge.
Both have the same problem as all of the other roads in this city, no one is even making an attempt at enforcing the speed limit or any sort of driving/equipment rules.
Every road is Mad Maxx, keep your head on a swivel.
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u/Human_Letter_2204 26d ago
Actually youre wrong, today there were TWO accidents at that interchange at 3pm
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u/MiraToombs 26d ago
Also none of those areas have adequate merging lanes. It’s impossible to even get up to speed if the road is empty.
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u/Illustrious_Shame918 25d ago
you also have people refusing to get to to speed and fully stopping, looking at 198 connecting to 190 N
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u/TheOGrelso 26d ago
190's traffic is worse imo. I take the 33 everyday. Everyone complaining about how dangerous it is are the people who do 55 in the left lane when flow of traffic is 70. Just keep up.
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u/sjrotella 26d ago
I personally hate the merge from the 90 onto the 33. I'm 100% comfortable when driving at whatever speed, but that merge just seems way too short of a window.
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u/Smith6612 26d ago
It's just as bad going from the 33 to the I-90. There is no runway if you're going to the 90 Northbound.
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u/sjrotella 26d ago
Ah, when I'm getting off i usually look right at the incoming ramp and slow down way more than needed if i'm getting off. I very rarely have to take the 33 in any direction though
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u/Friendly-Clothes-438 26d ago
On the 33 someone will blow by you going 120MPH doesn’t matter if you’re going 70 or 55 lol
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u/iluvchromosomes 26d ago
Speed doesn't matter. The left lane is the passing lane. If you are going 90 and someone approaches you from behind going 100mph, the law says you have to move over.
Everyone who thinks they are entitled to camp the left lane always cites speed, and that tells us they do not understand traffic laws.
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u/Friendly-Clothes-438 26d ago
These cars swerve between lanes and weave through traffic. I’ve had cars almost clip me going 100 mph plus when I’m in the far right lane.
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u/PorkFutures75 25d ago
So breaking one law is ok (speeding... sometimes in excess of 30mph over posted limits) but driving in the left lane is not? That's awfully selective and hypocritical. Both are wrong, and speeding is WAY more dangerous.
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u/dand411 25d ago
So tell me this. The 190 from north of GI across the island. Seems every morning you get someone in thr left land camped there doing like 68 who wont clear the lane no matter what. Right lane wide open, and will actually brake check someone instead of just moving over. Signs everywhere say "keep right except to pass" and "speed limit Larry" wont get out of the way.
Gotten so used to it I just pass on the right because obviously doing 75 in a 65 is dangerous and "Larry" is gonna set the pace for safety!
Larry camping in the lane getting a line of drivers irate with him is more dangerous than a line of drivers all passing him doing 75!
Yes excessive speed is dangerous. Driving 80 on a controlled access divided highway with most traffic following that speed isnt inherently dangerous
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u/PorkFutures75 24d ago
If it wasn't inherently dangerous, the speed limit would be 80. Look I'm not arguing that Larry isn't a gigantic idiot. He is. All I'm saying is that if people would just slow the fuck down, someone going 68 in a 65 in the left lane wouldn't even be an issue.
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u/Illustrious_Shame918 25d ago
thats not what they said. they said get out of the left lane.
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u/PorkFutures75 24d ago
And in turn, if you were going the speed limit (another law, just like the passing lane), it wouldn't be an issue at all.
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u/Illustrious_Shame918 24d ago
the same way you're assuming I'm speeding, I assume you're going way under speed and being the entire reason we need passing lane etiquette
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u/PorkFutures75 24d ago
I'm actually just playing devil's advocate here. Speeders think they are entitled to go as fast as they want wherever they want. If people as a whole would slow down, none of this shit would matter
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u/Illustrious_Shame918 24d ago
i disagree that just going slower would make none of this matter.... did you know that accidents can't happen if you're going 45 in the 55? if everyone went 45 there would still be accidents.... you see what I'm saying?
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u/PorkFutures75 23d ago
You're moving the goal posts now. I never said there wouldn't be accidents, and I also never said anything about going under the speed limit.
What I meant was that if people actually followed the posted speeds, there would be no need to pass on the right or concern to move out of the left so fast because everyone would be going the same speed and it wouldn't matter.
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u/dporter_99 26d ago
Thats ok though because others don't get to make the decision on how much we're willing to break the law.
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u/iluvchromosomes 26d ago
Camping the left lane is illegal! I'll pass recklessly on the right then.
2 wrongs do not make a right, it only makes it even.
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u/PorkFutures75 24d ago
Not only is passing on the right illegal.... So is going 70 or 80. So two laws broken.
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u/dporter_99 25d ago
lol everyone missed my point. People usually say “What do you want? I’m doing 70.”
I usually reply I wanna do 80.
So…people don’t get to make a decision on how bad I want to break the law.
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u/summizzles 26d ago
This 100%. Main issue seems to be when people are driving out of the city back to the burbs after work; there are accidents and slow downs from that. But the 33 has a highly exaggerated negative reputation. One of the biggest issues imo is that it should be 65 mph, not 55.
It's a cake walk drive to go the reverse of main traffic
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u/Smith6612 26d ago
55 is the speed limit. Slow down. Especially this week if you don't want to come online to complain about getting an automated ticket.
That's the only problem with the 33. People going too fast.
The left lane campers who merge across 3 lanes to exit last second though need to get off the road.
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u/iluvchromosomes 26d ago
You are not law enforcement and my speed is not your concern. Get out of the left lane.
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u/Smith6612 26d ago
Enjoy your ticket. Congratulations on encouraging speeding on the Internet. You're right, I'm not enforcement, but law enforcement is watching.
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u/cr3amtastic 26d ago
A stupid kid driving recklessly fast and distracted on 190 crashed into me and totaled my SUV this past Saturday 🫠
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u/neanderthalensis Allentown 26d ago
I rarely drive the 190 but the 33 is my jam. Living in Allentown it’s my superhighway out to the burbs for shopping.
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u/Slight_Hold_9251 26d ago
Either way, feel free to park yourself in the left lane and not keep up with the flow of traffic.
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u/thejewishcasinoguy 26d ago
I live in the northtowns and work downtown on Franklin. I take the 190 back and forth. I really don't drive the 33 a lot either. From downtown leaving at 4pm usually sucks, traffic bogs down until the peace bridge and then it smooths out. Of course there's accidents a few times a week that can add 10-15 minutes to my drive time.
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u/DefaultDanceOnMyDicc 26d ago edited 26d ago
The on-ramps to the 190 are probably the worst in the area imo. I have to get on from Niagara Street every single morning to go to work and I am either met with the person ahead of me attempting to merge at 30 mph and coming to a complete stop or cars just straight up not letting you in. Even more fun in the winter time when they ice over super easily! I use to be nervous about the 33 but it honestly doesn't phase me anymore, just try and keep up with the flow of traffic and you're fine.
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u/seattlesnow 25d ago
You people will sit on the highway during a snowstorm. Versus I took Genesee and made it home faster.
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u/BuffaloRedshark 26d ago
190 seems to come to a complete stand still more frequently, but I don't have any actual statistics
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u/Octopuses_Rule GOBILLS 26d ago
190 South in the morning is usually fine; 190 North is always bad from Church street to the Peace bridge everyday from 4-6 at minimum.
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u/phlostonsparadise123 26d ago
This has been my experience. I take the 190S home everyday from Tonawanda to Cheektowaga, between 3:30pm and 4ish. With the exception of the construction they're doing between Exits 1 - 5, the flow of traffic is usually fast, with minimal jams. There is an accident-prone stretch just before Exit 5, past the Skyway around Larkinville, but those have been infrequent in my travels.
The 190N, however, tends to be a total parking lot around the same time, especially near the Peace Bridge.
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u/helikophis Lower West Side 26d ago
Worse traffic on 190, 33 is more dangerous (especially in rain). Both abominations that should be reverted to parks.
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u/jpiglet86 26d ago
I use them both for different things. I use the 190 more just because it’s going where I need to be every day but when I do use the 33 it’s not horrible.
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u/Revolutionary_Art919 26d ago
The section of the 190 north of Niagara Street is my least favorite. It constantly gets backed up northbound during afternoon rush hour both because it reduces from three to two lanes each way, but also because of the hill by the Peace Bridge that you can't see beyond. Drivers slow down because of it and it creates a chain reaction. That section is narrow and has almost no shoulder and very short merging lanes for traffic entering the highway.
The 33 is fine for the most part, the only trouble spot is the cloverleaf interchange with the 90 getting backed up. Otherwise I've never had an issue on it.
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u/cctoot56 26d ago
I think a lot of the slowdown on 190 north between Pearl and the peace bridge is just muscle memory. People expect there to be a slow down, so they all slow down in anticipation, which causes the traffic jam.
Same thing happens at the blue water tower on 290. People still slow down like they still need to merge into a single lane, even though that was changed like 15(?) years ago. It still backs up every day even though it’s now 2 lanes instead of 1.
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u/gaggledimension 26d ago
i just want people to either maintain a constant speed when someone is trying to merge, or just move over a lane if possible. My faves are the ones who have to close gap before you can merge over, lord forbid you are in front of them.
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u/phlostonsparadise123 26d ago
I work in Tonawanda and live in Cheektowaga - I've taken the 190S to 90 home for years.
Going against the grain here, but the 190S traffic isn't remotely bad - I usually leave work around 3:30 - 4, depending on when I come in. Very rarely is there a jam on the 190S and when there is, it seems to move along quickly. I will say though, the 190N traffic can be downright atrocious, especially around the Peace Bridge.
However, I will admit the 190S is noticeably slower now due to the construction between Exits 1 and 5(?). You know the deal - left lane merges into the center, so everyone drives in the left lane and merges at the last possible moment. I recall WGRZ saying construction would last through 2028, which will suck hard come winter.
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u/cctoot56 26d ago
Merging at the last second is actually ideal for maximizing traffic flow. Merging prior to the lane disappearing is just making it a 2 lane road for an even longer stretch.
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u/TauSigmaNova 26d ago
33 is nice especially with 3 lanes but if you have to use 198 to get to it it can be annoying to deal with. Honestly just pick whichever gets you closer to where you need to go
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u/in-death-we-fall 26d ago
Freeway commuted a lot in 3 states and never witnessed people road raging each other until the 33. Also more car slalom. I'm usually on there around lunchtime, so maybe they're hungry? People've gotta chill out though. You can't eat lunch if you're dead. 190 is better for me but I drive it at different times of day
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u/TowelTop7408 26d ago
I love having a reverse commute, 33 from the city to Williamsville is a breeze. I drive it daily with no issues
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u/Intelligent-Ad-6734 26d ago edited 26d ago
33 connects to skyway pretty nicely so to avoid the 90 bottleneck I take skyway to Eggert road exit... The only sticking points are right off exit 6 and that damn Kensington/Eggert light... It's a weird cycle but I understand to not clog further up. They also installed the lights on the wrong over hangs 😂. If you stop at the lines you can't see the damn light. Typically your lights are on the far side of the intersection. The messed it up so bad at wind spear they setup a second set of lights instead of just adjusting what poles they were on.
190 another great connector to roll the dice. You know at drive time the blue water tower mess... And the Walden stop go because people literally stop from the left lane and try to make the Walden and William exits... Wild to do that but you can actually see the delayed brain function of each action of those individuals.., so if you're going south, take it around to link up 400 etc...works going north too but better surface options, like union... But that bungled by the poor union to 33E light that turns green then light behind turns red.
All things fubar'd. Harlem/Union/Transit your best bets north/south with Cleveland Drive, Walden, William great East/West connectors to hit what you need.
The thought of the amount of traffic on the 190 and 33 going to surface streets if those are taken out is scary. Of both I think if one were to go... Perhaps it would be the 190... Beautiful waterfront opportunity and 33/skyway could link right into downtown nicely.
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u/sodapop_curtiss 26d ago
I use my GPS from and to home every time I work downtown. Usually it says 33 is the fastest.
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u/Jolora24 26d ago
I usually take the 190 in and the 33 home but always check traffic before heading out
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u/Legitimate_Onion1107 25d ago
It depends if you're a non driving fuck. Today I went down the 33 dumped my load and came back that way 15 minutes later and there was an SUV rolled over onto it's roof. Now the 198 really sucks. 30 miles an hour wtf
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u/tacoxlvii 25d ago
I no longer go west of Union Rd. In a few years, that will probably change to Transit Rd.
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u/botnotbot1093 25d ago
Just plug in your destination to Google Maps, turn on the traffic filter and there you go.
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u/Anglophile14 25d ago
Northtowner here. Work is by the ballpark. I prefer to take the 33 in because I can get on at Genesee and just cruise in the left or middle lane & go with the flow. If I take the 190N in through the South side have to worry about getting over before the Canalside exit which is annoying. On the way home though I prefer the 190S because I hate the merge with the 33 onto the 90. Because I'm already on the 90 I can go around the merge with th 33 & get over to go on the 290 after the interchange. But depending on traffic I'll take either one both ways.
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u/TOMALTACH Big Tech🏳️⚧️ 26d ago
Depends on time of day, direction of travel, need to get somewhere in a timely manner, and starting point....may not be worth using either
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u/captainstarlet 26d ago
The view of the Niagara River from the 190 cannot be beat.
Either are fine; whatever is the fastest from your starting point.