Avoiding 95 alternate route 81-66-17?????

[Brook1099]

if anyone has traveled this alternate route around the dreaded 95 area, could u give me some input.
We are thinking of tryingit! Where we would pick up 81(leaving from central jersey- Toms River area)?

we will be leaving @ 2am if we do the 95 route may change that time if route is changed..


would u suggest this as a good idea for night driving or day or both?

are their stops for bathrooms as well/ eateries?

TIA

 

[vicki_c]

That looks to be going way out of your way and I think 66 is a mess in Virginia from what I have read. That looks like it would add 2 hours to your drive and I think you still have to get on 95 s of Washington. I just looked on the map and it looks like you would have to take the turnpike in PA to get to 81.

Leaving @ 2 AM, and just taking 95, should get you through to Springfield VA by 6 AM (don't stop!) and I think missing the AM rush hour if it's a weekday.

Other options are driving down through Delaware and taking the Bay tunnel into Virginia - I see various people post about doing that. Can't speak to that personally.

Other options are to take 95 and then take 301 South to 95 to 295 (although we don't have to do the 95 part, that is how we normally go, on 301S.

All that said - I am not that familiar with the VA side of DC, so someone else may come along and tell you some great way to do it. It just doesn't look logical to me.

 

[thumbalyna]

depending on how you are coming into PA you can get on 81 off of 80/84/380
i know when i go to seaside they send me out that way but i take the turnpike instead. i am not sure if that would be quicker for you at all - im in scranton and it takes me appx 3 hours to get to toms river so you will be back tracking because you can just hop on 95 in philly

 

[shafke]

It looks like from Toms River you would need to travel about 3 hours west to Harrisburg on the PA turnpike to pick up I81.

If you map it out on google, taking I81-I77, etc will add about 1.5 hours onto the trip plus the *** of the PA tpke.

I would say that leaving a 2am going around DC should be safe.
Coming home as long as you can time DC/Baltimore to avoid rush hour you should also be OK. There may be traffic in northern VA you should still come out ahead.

 

[ssawka]

From NJ, you may be better off taking the NJ Turnpike into DE and then taking US-13 down the DelMarVa (Eastern Shore) to Norfolk, then 64W to 95S. It would be much less "out of the way" then going all the way over to I-81. I-95 is usually fine once you get south of Richmond.

 

[msmayor]

We drive the I-95 corridor a few times a year, and quite honestly for us its never been as bad as some people make it out to be. We never hesitate to take it all the way through. Since the completion of the Wilson Bridge project, I think I've sailed through that area at different times of the day doing 50-60mph...once even at 9am on a workday.

If you're leaving at 2am, you shouldn't have any issues at all. You should easily make DC by 5:30-6am, well ahead of the usual rush hour traffic. Your 'rush hour' will be Richmond, 2 hours south of DC...and I don't even think that will be so awful.

 

[vicki_c]

From NJ, you may be better off taking the NJ Turnpike into DE and then taking US-13 down the DelMarVa (Eastern Shore) to Norfolk, then 64W to 95S. It would be much less "out of the way" then going all the way over to I-81. I-95 is usually fine once you get south of Richmond.

I'm so glad you showed up and chimed in!

 

[GranddadTom]

First of all, I should tell you right away that I am not a big fan of I-81 in Virginia. It is a very dangerous road – the most dangerous in Virginia. One-third of the traffic consists of heavy trucks. The road is two lanes the whole way and these trucks do not stay in the right lane. Also the road goes through the mountains so there are a lot of hills that the trucks speed down and crawl up. I’m on the Washington Beltway every work day at 6:00 am and if you get there before 6:00 am AND you go east on the Beltway, you will not experience any trouble (unless there is an accident). If you try to go west, it will be slow (yes, even at 6:00 am!). By travelling early in the morning you will also avoid problems on I-95 in Northern Virginia since the heavy traffic will be into the city and you will be going in the opposite direction. If you’re from NJ, the Richmond “rush hour traffic” will seem like nothing to you. It will not be a concern. In summary, I’d advise you not to waste your time going all the way out to I-81. (And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that I-77 goes right through Charlotte, which is not small town)

 

[Brook1099]

thank you so much for all the advice, we have driven 95 for 7years in row and just thought the other route would be bettter, since it sounds not like a very good idea, 95 it will be again this year.

staying east on 95

 

[BigTigger]

I agree with the posters who have said I-95 with a 2 am leaving NJ time is the way to go. You should clear DC and south of DC down to Quantico before the heavy stuff hits. Stay on I-95 and go east of DC unless some major accident has slowed things. You can probably go right through Richmond too at the hour you'll hit Richmond as the only slowness is where I-64 crosses and it is more minimal in the AM rush compared to the PM rush hour.

The route 13 through DelMarVa peninsula to the Bay Bridge/Tunnel to Norfolk and across to I-95 is no cake walk. Even with the bypasses, the route 13 stretch in MD can be slowwwwwww. And the VA Beach/Norfolk stretch after the bridge/tunnel will be a heavier rush hour than Richmond (those Navy people get up early and really clog the highways!!). It will also give your map skills or GPS a workout as you have many turns to take as you go that route.

You hit the key item on the head - leave earlier - 1 am is even better than 2 am as you'll then be through DC about 4:30 am, Richmond by 6:15 am and in NC by 7 am and the worst traffic will be behind you.

Safe travels!!

 

[ssawka]

I agree with the posters who have said I-95 with a 2 am leaving NJ time is the way to go. You should clear DC and south of DC down to Quantico before the heavy stuff hits. Stay on I-95 and go east of DC unless some major accident has slowed things. You can probably go right through Richmond too at the hour you'll hit Richmond as the only slowness is where I-64 crosses and it is more minimal in the AM rush compared to the PM rush hour.

The route 13 through DelMarVa peninsula to the Bay Bridge/Tunnel to Norfolk and across to I-95 is no cake walk. Even with the bypasses, the route 13 stretch in MD can be slowwwwwww. And the VA Beach/Norfolk stretch after the bridge/tunnel will be a heavier rush hour than Richmond (those Navy people get up early and really clog the highways!!). It will also give your map skills or GPS a workout as you have many turns to take as you go that route.

You hit the key item on the head - leave earlier - 1 am is even better than 2 am as you'll then be through DC about 4:30 am, Richmond by 6:15 am and in NC by 7 am and the worst traffic will be behind you.

Safe travels!!

Sorry, I meant to respond to another post yesterday, but did not get back online. ITA that staying on I-95 is the best route, provided you leave early enough (1 AM, and no stopping) If you hit DC after 6:00 AM, forget about it. DC is rated as having the second worst traffic in the country! If you stay on I-95, make sure (as PPs have said) go east around DC, not west. The west side of the beltway is completely ripped apart right now.

The US-13 route that I mentioned was an alternative to I-81. It is true that traffic in and around Norfolk can get heavy as well, but for the most part you would be going against traffic. Also, US-13 is a Highway for the majority of the trip. If you go this route, DO NOT SPEED! US-13 is well patrolled. Also, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel does have a rather hefty toll ($12).

 

[PlutoPony]

I-66 is fine between I-81 and Route 17, very minimal (if any) road construction. Traffic will be heavy during rush hour but should move steadily at posted speeds. Route 17 from I-66 to I-95 is all 4 lane with some stop lights but they don't slow traffic appreciably. IMO the part of I-81 that's harder driving is further south in VA, from say I-64 south but that may just be me.

If you leave early enough to clear DC before rush hour, I-95 is probably the way to go. Agree with the others that going east around the DC Beltway is best, construction around Tyson's Corner/I-495/I-66 is not pretty. It's probably a toss-up though if your departure time puts you in the midst of a.m. rush....

 

[dgaston]

Coming from someone who has been stuck in DC traffic at 3am , I like the 81 route far, far away from DC. We sometimes swing south on 66, other times stay on 81 until NC and 77. We love the scenery on 81 and NC's beautiful rest stops.

 

[gunnert]

We live 2 miles off of 13 in Delaware, many times we go over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to 301 south, across the Potomac River Bridge to 207 to 95s to 295 around Ricmond. The Bridge/tunnel is a better ride if later in the day traffic isn't bad in Md, the tunnel is a $12 for two axles or $28 for 4. Worked in DC for 42 years, if you hit the area early it's OK. Don't know what is cost to travel the Bridges in NJ and Route 1 in Delaware