81-77-26-95 Any areas to watch out for?

[Syndrome]

Hi All,
We are leaving in a few weeks and driving down from Central PA.
As we usually do, we are taking the 81-77-26-94-4 route and we know it pretty well. Like it much better than taking 95 all the way (still going to miss the Pedro signs!!!). Every time we have gone via 95, we always seem to get stuck in traffic by Balt or DC, No more!
We have gone the 81 route before, but this time we are leaving at a time of day that is different than usual for us. We are leaving Central PA in the morning, approx 7:00 am. We should hit the 5-7pm rush hour around Charlotte, Columbia area. Any thing we should know ahead of time. Any other areas, we need to look out for? We will be staying in Savanna for the night, then down to Orlando the next morning. Oh yea, we are leaving on a Friday Morning to head down. I am sure that will hurt a little as far as traffic is concerned!
Thanks in advance for any tips !!!!
Syndrome

 

[DisneyLover83]

We should hit the 5-7pm rush hour around Charlotte, Columbia area. Any thing we should know ahead of time. Any other areas, we need to look out for?

To avoid a lot of the Charlotte rush hour traffic you can hop on to I-485 and bypass much of the downtown Charlotte backups. It will put you right back on to I-77 at the NC/SC line.

 

[martikus]

To avoid a lot of the Charlotte rush hour traffic you can hop on to I-485 and bypass much of the downtown Charlotte backups. It will put you right back on to I-77 at the NC/SC line.

Agree! You will be against the flow of I-77 commuters EXCEPT near downtown so I take I-485 myself.

I doubt you'll have any traffic issues near columbia

 

[Robert P]

Hi All,
We are leaving in a few weeks and driving down from Central PA.
As we usually do, we are taking the 81-77-26-94-4 route and we know it pretty well. Like it much better than taking 95 all the way (still going to miss the Pedro signs!!!). Every time we have gone via 95, we always seem to get stuck in traffic by Balt or DC, No more!
We have gone the 81 route before, but this time we are leaving at a time of day that is different than usual for us. We are leaving Central PA in the morning, approx 7:00 am. We should hit the 5-7pm rush hour around Charlotte, Columbia area. Any thing we should know ahead of time. Any other areas, we need to look out for? We will be staying in Savanna for the night, then down to Orlando the next morning. Oh yea, we are leaving on a Friday Morning to head down. I am sure that will hurt a little as far as traffic is concerned!
Thanks in advance for any tips !!!!
Syndrome

As the PP said, the I-485 bypass may be helpful. I believe you would pick that up near mile marker (MM) 20. The downtown backups are usually worse below the I-85 interchange at MM 13.
(Research that option beforehand, to see if it may help).

The good news is that once you clear Charlotte/Rock Hill at the NC/SC line, you've got those 90 miles until you bounce off Columbia and onto I-26.
That wacky I-26, when you first get off of I-77, has nabbed us twice in the last 4 trips, at least for a few miles. If you catch some Charlotte traffic though, you should be well behind the rush when you get to that section.

My only suggestion would be to leave a little earlier if possible, and try to get through Charlotte earlier in the afternoon. Might not be practical, but that's all I can think of that may help.

Travel Safe!

 

[dis-happy]

Don't speed through Rock Hill. They always have the radar guns out through there. Same with the 81 through VA.