Ever Wonder…Which Way is Faster, Hwy 42 or Spring Road?

I did. For years it was an ongoing debate in my house, with one side arguing that Highway 42 is faster and the other siding with the route down Peninsula Players Road and turning onto Spring Road. During tourist season it really isn’t much of a competition, as slow-going cars clog downtown Fish Creek. In the off-season, however, the debate is up for grabs.

Determined to find the answer so I wouldn’t have to debate which way to go on my way to school, I drove exactly the speed limit on both routes and timed it. The results, with the stopwatch starting at the intersection of 42 and Peninsula Players Road, and stopping as I pulled into Gibraltar High School’s parking lot:

Highway 42: 5 minutes, 32 seconds.

Peninsula Players: 5 minutes, 19 seconds.

Thirteen seconds isn’t much difference, but during the winter and spring months it can be the difference between being late to class or on time. Personally, I’ll always take Spring Road from now on, unless I need to go through downtown Fish Creek for another reason.