Early Morning Drive...HELP/ADVICE!! Needed. (D.C.Area)

[DizDaD7]

Ok Let me start out by saying we live here in the tri-state area ( northern NJ ) so we're no strangers to traffic.

*We've also done the drive down to WDW, twice, both times leaving at around 4-4:30 p.m. and driving straight through ( only stopping for gas/food/toilet breaks ). Arriving roughly around noon the next morning. With relative ease, and minimal traffic.

This year we're planning the drive again, but leaving on a Friday morning instead. Roughly around 3:00 a.m. But instead of driving straight through, we'll be stopping somewhere around Ga/S.C. border.
My question is this:
I know it's roughly 4 hrs. from North NJ to Wash. DC ( give or take ) will this put us in horrible traffic in and around the city. In other words, when does the morning commute really start getting bad. I'd like to avoid this, but don't want to leave any sooner if I don't need to. Also are there any construction concerns that I have to be aware of? T.I.A. DizDad

 

[dbramer]

There will be construction on I-95 just south of the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore. Additionally, the commute from Harford County to Baltimore can get hairy starting around 7:00 AM. If there is an accident, it could set you back over an hour. DC the commute starts earlier around 6AM, getting very congested at about 7:00 AM also. You can avoid the construction by taking I-895, the old Harbor Tunnel, but that will be a bear with the construction on I-95. The only other alternative route is I-695 through Dundalk, but that will add about 45 minutes to your time as you are going around Baltimore. Do not think about taking I-695 the other direction, as you would probably spend about 2 hours on that detour.

Hopefully, this helps....summer time does see a little later start to the commute as schools are out, but between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM traffic through the Baltimore-Washington corridor is pretty bad.

295 could be an alternative as it is a parkway and trucks are prohibited in the DC suburbs, but a lot of public servants use this route into DC. Could be the same situation.

 

[vicki_c]

I would definitely not start your drive at a time that gets you on the DC area roads in the 6 am-10 am time frame on a work day. You want to be already south of DC before rush hour or leave home later.

I wouldn't recommend 295 as an alternative, it's bad during rush hour as well.

 

[BigTigger]

There is always the DelMarVa route of taking route 13 south just after the Delaware Memorial Bridge down to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and through VA Beach and across to Emporia, VA where you'll pick up I-95 again. This route will be fine at the times you'll be traveling and while a few lights may stop you in the middle stretch through MD, the shorter distance compared to I-95 more than makes up for them. Last time I took this route in December the tolls were just about a wash with the I-95 tolls through DE and MD.

 

[amcnj]

I am about an hour and ten minutes from the DE Memorial Bridge, leave about 2:30 am and sail by DC around 5:30 AM. From what I have read the DC traffic starts building around 6 AM, though I can't verify this as I haven't been there at that time.

 

[mikehn]

Which Friday? Friday July 3 is a federal holiday so traffic will be light.

 

[Judique]

Ok Let me start out by saying we live here in the tri-state area ( northern NJ ) so we're no strangers to traffic.

*We've also done the drive down to WDW, twice, both times leaving at around 4-4:30 p.m. and driving straight through ( only stopping for gas/food/toilet breaks ). Arriving roughly around noon the next morning. With relative ease, and minimal traffic.

This year we're planning the drive again, but leaving on a Friday morning instead. Roughly around 3:00 a.m. But instead of driving straight through, we'll be stopping somewhere around Ga/S.C. border.
My question is this:
I know it's roughly 4 hrs. from North NJ to Wash. DC ( give or take ) will this put us in horrible traffic in and around the city. In other words, when does the morning commute really start getting bad. I'd like to avoid this, but don't want to leave any sooner if I don't need to. Also are there any construction concerns that I have to be aware of? T.I.A. DizDad

If you stay on 95 or 295 you will be in a mess for awhile.

Have you thought about picking up 95 to 895 to 97 to 301 south and take the Nice Bridge into Virginia and you get back on 95 to 295 just north of Richmond? (Actually we take the 301 to 207 near Bowling Green which takes us out to 95 south.) Usually not much south bound traffic except what you hit coming towards Baltimore. Mostly dual highway and about the same travel time as going through Northern Va.

 

[DizDaD7]

Which Friday? Friday July 3 is a federal holiday so traffic will be light.

Nope August 14.

 

[DizDaD7]

If you stay on 95 or 295 you will be in a mess for awhile.

Have you thought about picking up 95 to 895 to 97 to 301 south and take the Nice Bridge into Virginia and you get back on 95 to 295 just north of Richmond? (Actually we take the 301 to 207 near Bowling Green which takes us out to 95 south.) Usually not much south bound traffic except what you hit coming towards Baltimore. Mostly dual highway and about the same travel time as going through Northern Va.

Never thought of anything other than 95 really, because it has worked in the past....I really didn't want to wake up super early, because it defeats the purpose....I'll be sleepy when driving at that early.

 

[DizDaD7]

Thanks everyone for the comments & hints.... I'm at a dilemma because 2 other families are also traveling along w/ us ( separate vehicles ) of course but, we are splitting up after stopping for the Friday Night in Ga. We'll be going to Vero Beach for 2 nights while they get a head start in WDW.

 

[Judique]

Never thought of anything other than 95 really, because it has worked in the past....I really didn't want to wake up super early, because it defeats the purpose....I'll be sleepy when driving at that early.

I wasn't suggesting you should leave any earlier.

But your question was whether the time you were planning to leave would put you in traffic.

The answer is yes.

Rush hour around 95/295/495 is going well at 6am and starts slowing after 9am. The road is never deserted....there is traffic all night long.

When I leave from my area in Maryland which is along your route, I leave by 4:30 am if I want to clear Springfield interchange going south. If I am later than 5:30am, I head south on route 301 across the Nice bridge into Virginia to avoid the mess. This is faster when there is traffic.

I usually drive to the Savannah area (9hrs) or sometimes to Jacksonville (12hrs). I've done close to 75 trips.

(Includes bathroom and breakfast/lunch stops.)

 

[thepops]

Depending on where you are in NJ you may want to take the more inland route... 78 to 81 to 64 and come in around Richmond. looking at Google maps, it adds on about 45 minutes, but you avoid LOTS of DC traffic and a bunch of tolls. It depends if you're starting a little inland in NJ or if you're on the coast.

 

[DizDaD7]

Depending on where you are in NJ you may want to take the more inland route... 78 to 81 to 64 and come in around Richmond. looking at Google maps, it adds on about 45 minutes, but you avoid LOTS of DC traffic and a bunch of tolls. It depends if you're starting a little inland in NJ or if you're on the coast.

Yea unfortunately I'm not inland at all. I'm right across the George Washington Bridge, which leads into NYC. So I'm way up NE'.
A friend of mine from work lives out RT. 80 maybe 20 minutes from Pa. & he utilized this route I believe.

 

[Certifiable WDW Nut]

If you are right at the GW Bridge, the inland route does work for you. I live in Northern Virginia, but have family in NJ and NY so I have driven up there a lot. Take I-80 to I-81 and take I-81 to 64 or even further south to I-77 to I-26 to I-95 in South Carolina. You will avoid all the I-95 traffic in Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. Like I said, I live in Northern Virginia and when we drive down, we head a little west and take some the local roads to make sure we pick up I-95 after the Beltway/95 interchange. Unfortunately we still sometimes hit traffic from Woodbridge to Fredericksburg or so, but it's not nearly as bad as it would be if went east and picked up the Beltway.

 

[deedisneydream97]

Yea unfortunately I'm not inland at all. I'm right across the George Washington Bridge, which leads into NYC. So I'm way up NE'.
A friend of mine from work lives out RT. 80 maybe 20 minutes from Pa. & he utilized this route I believe.

If you are right at the GW Bridge, the inland route does work for you. I live in Northern Virginia, but have family in NJ and NY so I have driven up there a lot. Take I-80 to I-81 and take I-81 to 64 or even further south to I-77 to I-26 to I-95 in South Carolina. You will avoid all the I-95 traffic in Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. Like I said, I live in Northern Virginia and when we drive down, we head a little west and take some the local roads to make sure we pick up I-95 after the Beltway/95 interchange. Unfortunately we still sometimes hit traffic from Woodbridge to Fredericksburg or so, but it's not nearly as bad as it would be if went east and picked up the Beltway.

I live a few minutes from Rt. 80 and will be driving for the first time in a very long time as well, at around the same time. I will not be going anywhere near the NJ turnpike or Garden State Parkway. WDW nut's alternate route is the way I am going, with a couple of changes. After you cross into PA on Rt. 80, instead of going all the way out to I-81, get off at exit 305 (I think....not sure, as I know it by sight, but that is what the map says) which is 209 SOUTH, which hooks into 33 SOUTH. You stay on 33 south for a while (20 minutes maybe?). It hooks in to Route 78...so you would get on 78 WEST. That will eventually get you to 81 SOUTH, and then you can follow WDW Nut's advice. I'll be doing the same, but most likely will stay on 81 until I-77.

A better option for you might be to get on the NJ turnpike and get on 78 west from there, and take to 81. that would be the most direct route....and should not be too bad traffic-wise that early; plus you will be going in the opposite direction. You might hit a little something in Allentown in PA, but nothing like what you are used to. 81 gets a little busy around York I think it is? A little confusing, too. I have not gone that way in quite some time....used to travel it a lot when doing the college pick-up, drop off. 81 used to be only two lanes in the more rural sections and can be frustrating when a tractor trailer gets in the left lane before a hill. If I remember correctly, there are plenty of rest areas along 81. Oh....and the speed limit in West Virginia was 75 at one point....don't know if that is still true.

Also....be aware that a major construction project is in the works on I-4 in the Orlando area. There is a thread somewhere on this board about it. I'll be taking the alternate route around Orlando. I just purchased a portable Florida Sunpass, since the alternate route has tolls and our Easy Pass only works are far south as Georgia.

I plan on stopping overnight at Brunswick, GA. There are a number of clean and reasonable hotels....many that have a good, free breakfast.

 

[ParrotBill]

Even for someone as inland as the GW Bridge, I would strongly consider the inland I-81 route. I have shown in this forum a number of times that I-81 compares favorable to an hour delay plus the lower average speed on i-95. It's a gamble to be sure... you could have a delay on I-81/I-77 too... but overall I have found that the drive is more pleasant, less crowded, and higher average speed. I can travel at 70-75 easily on the inland route, while I-95 seems to average closer to 60-65.

 

[DizDaD7]

Even for someone as inland as the GW Bridge, I would strongly consider the inland I-81 route. I have shown in this forum a number of times that I-81 compares favorable to an hour delay plus the lower average speed on i-95. It's a gamble to be sure... you could have a delay on I-81/I-77 too... but overall I have found that the drive is more pleasant, less crowded, and higher average speed. I can travel at 70-75 easily on the inland route, while I-95 seems to average closer to 60-65.

I'm not inland though, I'm at the Hudson River. It's as far east as I can go in NJ. Also from what I remember I 95 after Va. the avg speed limit was 70 mph. Which means traveling at 75 or so.

The drive down the turnpike to Rt 78 sounds like a good alternative but, I hate having to add on miles...Agghh , Decisions, decisions.

 

[deedisneydream97]

It is all a matter of preference. I try to avoid cities and congestion and prefer the scenic way. Yup, more miles.

Here is something that might help you make your decision and something I like to do when planning a trip. There are traffic cams everywhere. Since you will be travelling in the summer, you should wait until summer to do this. Google "traffic cameras, washington DC" (or Baltimore...or Richmond, or whatever) and make sure you go to the "official" page like Trafficland or a news channels traffic cam links. Look at the live feeds for the time of day that you will be hitting those places and it can give you a pretty good idea of what conditions will be like. You said you will be travelling on a Friday....and that is usually a higher traffic day in summer because of beach traffic. And, of course, one small accident or construction is something nobody can predict.

Since I am further out in NJ, it is an easy choice for me.

And I'm happy I ordered the Florida Sun Pass on line. Now I can use the "no stopping" lanes on the I-4 by-pass I'll be taking to avoid the construction.

I see you will be staying at HH on the way back. You will love it there. Such a nice resort. The beach house is really nice, too. Hope to get back there one day.

 

[prnces1214]

We drove the past 2 years to Florida, not to Disney, but to visit family who live close by. We are right outside of Philly, so we have to deal with DC traffic as well. Last year we left around 7pm and breezed through the DC area with no issues. We stopped in SC for a a few hours and then we were on our way and got into Orlando early afternoon. On the way back, we came through at around 930am and we thought we may have missed rush hour, yeah not so much haha, it was a gridlock everywhere. There was a ton of construction and lane closures.

After the past 2 years, I have decided to fly this year Hopefully if you get there early enough, you will avoid it!! Have a safe trip

 

[kandb]

We live in Nothern NJ, Bergen county, we have driven a few times to WDW. The best ride was when we left at around 3-3:30am. and took 95 the whole way. We had no problem in the DC area, which we got to by around 6:30. The traffic seemed to be heavier going in the opposite direction. We stayed overnight at Savannah and made it there by 5pm. The next morning it was approx. 4 hours to WDW. If we ever drove again (we fly now), I would do this same time. By noon, you have around 9 hours of the drive over.