Getting Around Washington DC Area

[diaman]

Hi Everyone.
We're driving down to WDW in late Feb. We're coming from Harrisburg PA area. Usually we take 270 down, and hit DC traffic. Anyone have a better route to by pass DC? I looked at Mapquest and we may take 83 down to Baltimore, than 301 to 95? Does anyone have any input? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[solotraveler]

I'm a DC native, so hopefully I can lend some advice here---

I really don't think you would be too much better off doing the 301 to 95 route. I don't know what time of day you will be heading through the area, but sometimes 301 can be crazy backed up as well. 95, at least, usually moves.

My advice- you might want to try taking 83 to Baltimore and then catch I-95 there. You will merge onto the Beltway in College Park and you'll avoid most of the crazy traffic north of DC. Might be overall quicker, too.

Just a thought. Hopefully other DCers will be able to post their input as well.

Best of Luck!
Solotraveler

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Another possibility is I-81south to I-66 east. Then 17 south to Fredericksburg, VA to I-95.

Many people use this route with success.

 

[justhat]

I don't think the 83 route will help you much either. I live in DC now but lived in Baltimore from 98-02 so I can tell you that depending on when it is, 83 can often be very slow and the Balto area traffic around 95 and the beltway (695 in Balto) is never that great and very unpredictable. I do agree that it's probably better than 301 though. If you do end up going through Balto, avoid the BW Parkway like the plague. There is always traffic or an accident and it can take forever just to get from Balto to DC (took our friend 3 hours to get to BWI on that road and she ended up missing her flight). I would definitely stick with 95 for that area. If you can plan it so you're not thee during any rush hours (good luck since they seem like 24 hours a day here) then hopefully it won't be too bad. Oh yeah, not sure when you'll be travelling or how many people you have, but I-66 is HOV only during rush hour. I can't remember if it's HOV-2 or HOV-3 since we try to stay away from highways during that time. Also not sure how far out of the city the HOV stuff extends, so maybe you'd be fine. Sorry I'm not more helpful, but I do think the Balto-DC area has the worst traffic in the world, and I am from northern NJ and am used to the NYC commuter traffic, but DC is 100x worse!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would suggest that instead of going a different route that you instead plan on the best times to be going through DC. We've driven to Orlando a couple of times and both times left early in the morning (maybe 5am). That way we avoided Beltway and especially Springfield interchange traffic, but it was late enough that any night time construction would be over.

When we drive down in April we'll leave in early afternoon. We plan to pick our 4yo up from preschool at 2:45pm and then hit the road. We're hoping that the traffic won't be too bad as long as we're through Springfield be 4pm.

T&B

 

[frndofpooh]

I would suggest taking 81 South from Harrisburg, then take 77 to Columbia, then take 26 in Columbia to 95. 26 meets up with 95 at approximately Exit 85 in SC, allowing you to avoid a large part of 95 and all of the congestion around DC.

 

[Uncleromulus]

That I-81 route from Harrisburg seems like a nice atternative--weather permitting, of course.
AS for DC (and Baltimore) there simply is no "good" way around or thru either--they are major traffic disasters, especially DC.

Tigge&Belle has the best suggestion--if you go around DC, time your trip to avoid traffic. WE leave Glen Rock at 4:00 AM, and are around balto and DC JUST in the nick of time to beat the DC rush hours.

 

[hobogary]

Take I-81 to Winchester Va, then US 17 to I 95. Mostly all 4 lane road now and shorter then I-66 to 17.