"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (IV)

[BC1836]

I-95 WARNING!

We have driven 32 times to WDW since 2002 and have never seen I-95 as bad as it was today.

We were in Colonial Williamsburg for several days and left at 10:00 a.m. this morning. We should have arrived home at about 4 p.m. but due to the traffic (daytime, Saturday, construction, etc.) we arrived home at 5:20 p.m.

From Fredericksburg to the Potomac heading north was stop and go with an occasional brief speed up...and then back to a crawl. Just north of the Baltimore harbor tunnel, construction slowed things down. Delaware was a complete crawl (made worse by the closing of 495 due to the bridge problem). Once we crossed into NJ, the traffic was "normal."

We used to say: avoid I-95 in northern VA at rush hour.

Now we say: avoid I-95 during in northern VA during the daytime hours, especially on weekends.

We will depart, as usual, in the late evening for our next WDW drive in August. Our return drive could be tricky unless we do a straight-drive-through and pass northern VA after midnight.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

I-95 WARNING!

We have driven 32 times to WDW since 2002 and have never seen I-95 as bad as it was today.

We were in Colonial Williamsburg for several days and left at 10:00 a.m. this morning. We should have arrived home at about 4 p.m. but due to the traffic (daytime, Saturday, construction, etc.) we arrived home at 5:20 p.m.

From Fredericksburg to the Potomac heading north was stop and go with an occasional brief speed up...and then back to a crawl. Just north of the Baltimore harbor tunnel, construction slowed things down. Delaware was a complete crawl (made worse by the closing of 495 due to the bridge problem). Once we crossed into NJ, the traffic was "normal."

We used to say: avoid I-95 in northern VA at rush hour.

Now we say: avoid I-95 during in northern VA during the daytime hours, especially on weekends.

We will depart, as usual, in the late evening for our next WDW drive in August. Our return drive could be tricky unless we do a straight-drive-through and pass northern VA after midnight.

All the best.

wow, what a mess.sorry you had to sit in that.crawling,stopping,speeding up then sudden stopping is real nerve racking driving. I noticed a few days after Christmas this past year when I got off at fredricksburg (exit 133 off of i95 north onto rt17) rt 17 heading towards i95 was a mess for miles. I can only imagine what it looks like now. pretty bad when are have to wait to get into nj for the traffic to clear. I thought I seen someone post that balt. area was under construction also.
im going to go 78/81/17/95 in September. I will i95 at fredricksburg around 5am so I should be ok. I should be south of Richmond before rush hour traffic gets going. im taking 95/26/77/81 home. im not taking that way down because there is construction around Columbia sc ad I would hit that at rush hour and don't want to sit if I don't have to.
I guess the best thing for the coast and south of i81 people to do is travel at night or wee hours of the morning till some projects are done.
I know they have to fix the roads, but do they have to fix them all at the same time!!!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

What is the name of the app you're using for traffic? We are driving next wknd. Thanks!

INRIX traffic

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Where did you see construction in VA? We're headed that way in 3 weeks and need to plan accordingly.

We didn't actually "see" it but saw it on traffic app. It started right over boarder down to Harrisburg. We just wanted to avoid it altogether. I really hate driving in VA in General- always problems whether it be constr. Or just traffic!!!

We tried a different route. It worked out so well, we'll probably do it from now on. We took rt1 S through Delaware to rt. 13 into VA then 58 back west to I-95. It worked great. It was a southern coastal route. We got to see things we never saw before. We went over the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. It was beautiful!!! (Expensive though $15).

 

[nono]

We tried a different route. It worked out so well, we'll probably do it from now on. We took rt1 S through Delaware to rt. 13 into VA then 58 back west to I-95. It worked great. It was a southern coastal route. We got to see things we never saw before. We went over the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. It was beautiful!!! (Expensive though $15).

OK, that's two people who take Rt. 58 across southern VA.

(I'm the other! -- We go via the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and take Rt. 24 to Rt. 113 to Rt. 13. Rt. 113 moves better than if we cut over to Rt. 13 "higher up.")

 

[ddluvsdisney]

OK, that's two people who take Rt. 58 across southern VA. (I'm the other! -- We go via the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and take Rt. 24 to Rt. 113 to Rt. 13. Rt. 113 moves better than if we cut over to Rt. 13 "higher up.")

Good to know thanks!!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I'm going to check out that traffic app!

How many here make the 2G+ trek with a camper of some kind? Just bought our first TT - a whopping 14ft! Won't be doing the auto train for a while.

Anyone else tow a rig on the long drive? Any particular things you've learned towing that distance?

 

[edbo77]

We tried a different route. It worked out so well, we'll probably do it from now on. We took rt1 S through Delaware to rt. 13 into VA then 58 back west to I-95. It worked great. It was a southern coastal route. We got to see things we never saw before. We went over the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. It was beautiful!!! (Expensive though $15).

I know that this isn't a WDW trip question (we've made that drive from Mass. during Feb school vacation for the past few years) but we're going to the Outer Banks in mid-July and we're still debating if we should go 95 down to Richmond or take the 13/1 coastal route through DE/VA by way of the CBBT. Any advice you can give us with that would be huge!

 

[Happiest mommy]

thanks RK14 sounds like good timing, so looking forward to this trip as its a surprise for my girls from reading here our Saturday trip driving down should be smooth traffic wise, its the drive back on Friday that concerns me we are hoping (if all goes well) to try to make it to Williamsburg, VA but I guess that depends on how tired we are, traffic and breaks ..

 

[BC1836]

thanks RK14 sounds like good timing, so looking forward to this trip as its a surprise for my girls from reading here our Saturday trip driving down should be smooth traffic wise, its the drive back on Friday that concerns me we are hoping (if all goes well) to try to make it to Williamsburg, VA but I guess that depends on how tired we are, traffic and breaks ..

Please read our post #2221, and then allow us to add this: with the exception of DE, we saw worse traffic heading south on I-95 as we crawled north!

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

I'm going to check out that traffic app!

How many here make the 2G+ trek with a camper of some kind? Just bought our first TT - a whopping 14ft! Won't be doing the auto train for a while.

Anyone else tow a rig on the long drive? Any particular things you've learned towing that distance?

I never took it to florida but did drive it to south Carolina a few times. we had a 37 foot prowler w/ double slide out and about 9500 pounds. pulled with a f350 duel ford pick up. two anti sway bars and weight bars.
completely different then driving a car. people will not follow you they will pass you at all cost. you can feel it if its windy and rainy. there are no sudden movements and takes something I have zero of, patience. slower pace and don't don't let your guard down, someone will cut you off, try to pull out in front of you.
make sure you have the proper equipment to tow, mirrors,bars etc.....
forget your gas mileage, don't even look at it.

 

[RK13]

thanks RK14 sounds like good timing, so looking forward to this trip as its a surprise for my girls from reading here our Saturday trip driving down should be smooth traffic wise, its the drive back on Friday that concerns me we are hoping (if all goes well) to try to make it to Williamsburg, VA but I guess that depends on how tired we are, traffic and breaks ..

No problem. Make sure you leave early on Sat if taking 95. You want to be south of at least Fredicksburg, VA before 8-9am to avoid traffic heading south. Others could probably tell you whether this is a good time or not.

 

[Happiest mommy]

BC1836 I'm looking for your post and can't find it? RK13 will definetly be leaving early

 

[BC1836]

BC1836 I'm looking for your post and can't find it? RK13 will definetly be leaving early

Here it is:


I-95 WARNING!

We have driven 32 times to WDW since 2002 and have never seen I-95 as bad as it was today.

We were in Colonial Williamsburg for several days and left at 10:00 a.m. this morning. We should have arrived home at about 4 p.m. but due to the traffic (daytime, Saturday, construction, etc.) we arrived home at 5:20 p.m.

From Fredericksburg to the Potomac heading north was stop and go with an occasional brief speed up...and then back to a crawl. Just north of the Baltimore harbor tunnel, construction slowed things down. Delaware was a complete crawl (made worse by the closing of 495 due to the bridge problem). Once we crossed into NJ, the traffic was "normal."

We used to say: avoid I-95 in northern VA at rush hour.

Now we say: avoid I-95 during in northern VA during the daytime hours, especially on weekends.

We will depart, as usual, in the late evening for our next WDW drive in August. Our return drive could be tricky unless we do a straight-drive-through and pass northern VA after midnight.

All the best.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

I never took it to florida but did drive it to south Carolina a few times. we had a 37 foot prowler w/ double slide out and about 9500 pounds. pulled with a f350 duel ford pick up. two anti sway bars and weight bars.
completely different then driving a car. people will not follow you they will pass you at all cost. you can feel it if its windy and rainy. there are no sudden movements and takes something I have zero of, patience. slower pace and don't don't let your guard down, someone will cut you off, try to pull out in front of you.
make sure you have the proper equipment to tow, mirrors,bars etc.....
forget your gas mileage, don't even look at it.

Thanks for the good advice! Well see how it goes the first time. It will be a test of my patience, but I am much more careful when towing, so maybe its a good thing.

 

[sharadoc]

I-95 WARNING!

We have driven 32 times to WDW since 2002 and have never seen I-95 as bad as it was today.

We were in Colonial Williamsburg for several days and left at 10:00 a.m. this morning. We should have arrived home at about 4 p.m. but due to the traffic (daytime, Saturday, construction, etc.) we arrived home at 5:20 p.m.

From Fredericksburg to the Potomac heading north was stop and go with an occasional brief speed up...and then back to a crawl. Just north of the Baltimore harbor tunnel, construction slowed things down. Delaware was a complete crawl (made worse by the closing of 495 due to the bridge problem). Once we crossed into NJ, the traffic was "normal."

We used to say: avoid I-95 in northern VA at rush hour.

Now we say: avoid I-95 during in northern VA during the daytime hours, especially on weekends.

We will depart, as usual, in the late evening for our next WDW drive in August. Our return drive could be tricky unless we do a straight-drive-through and pass northern VA after midnight.

All the best.

I think we're all aware of the beach traffic going south to Virginia and Carolina beaches. But I didn't really think about the fact that last week's vacationers have to go home this week. I know of two sets of friends who came home from the Outer Banks yesterday.

I think the rule would have to be "stay off 95 in BOTH directions Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day" to be safe. Yuck.

 

[Amirah95]

Thanks to goofy4tink for helping me locate this thread....OK now I'm subscribed!!!

Hello everyone! We're on for 6/19/15...leaving for Disney on my birthday in a Ford Explorer. I no longer have a minivan. I am hoping this drive will go smooth minivan-less.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I-95 WARNING! :Now we say: avoid I-95 during in northern VA during the daytime hours, especially on weekends. We will depart, as usual, in the late evening for our next WDW drive in August. Our return drive could be tricky unless we do a straight-drive-through and pass northern VA after midnight. All the best.

Yes!! I guess that's why we have always hated driving thru VA. Unfortunately we have to make the drive on a Saturday. Our new found route will be the only one we use now.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Yesterday was smooth sailing. We made it in record time. We got to our condo in 7 hrs. From NC, w stopping a few times.
Now we have a wonderful 4 weeks before we have to do it all over again.
At the last minute we decided we wanted to go to a park when we got in around 3. We went to EP for dinner last night then hopped over to HS bc there weren't any FP left for Soarin or TT. got an ADR for 5:30 at Chefs ( not too bad huh?). And got FP+ for TSM for 8:30, ST and Muppets. Again these FP+ were reserved the same day at 3:00!!! I couldn't believe I got the TSM!! I never thought after that long drive that I'd want to go to a park, but after sitting all that time it feels good.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[BC1836]

July 1 has arrived, which means that we can say: "next month!"

Local regular gas: up several cents to $3.53.

All the best.