I-81 and I-77 update as of 12/27

[Robert P]

FYI if driving this route - no problems or construction delays from Harrisburg, PA (I-81) down to the NC line on I-77, as of Saturday.
Heavier than usual law enforcement presence in VA it seemed, possibly due to the holidays, but no slowdowns due to roadwork.

Robert P

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I won't be driving down until July, but have already started thinking about construction issues. Since you seem familiar with Routes 81 and 77, do you have any recommendations for inexpensive and accessible lodging along the way? I'd greatly appreciate the input!

 

[Robert P]

While we usually do not stop during our drive, I have detailed notes (from myself and other family who have done this drive) that list the best exits (hotels, food, gas, etc..) in VA on I-81. My own notes regarding NC and SC (I-77 and I-26) are first hand, so I do have alot of info available that may help.
If you can look at the drive on a map, and approximate where you plan (or would like to) to stop for the night, I will be glad to give you any info I may have.

Robert P

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Thank you! I haven't figured out yet how far we can get each day, but once I do I'll be sure to give you a yell.

 

[hobogary]

We went that way just once (we usually cut over to I-95 ) we stayed at a real nice Comfort Inn near Mt Airy NC (Mayberry) I beleive it was Exit 100, and was just off I-77.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

hobogary, small world - my mom works in Norwich (lives in Sherburne)! I figured Route 81 would be more scenic than 95 - and allows me to avoid D.C. Is there a reason why you seem to prefer 95?

 

[jaysue]

How is I-81/77 combo for winter travel - every time I ask up here in Ontario, I hear go down I-75 - takes longer but safer in the winter....what are your opinions?

thanks
jaysue

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Winter travel on the combination of I-81 and I-77 is normally very good unless there is icing on I-77 near Mount Airy.

Going down I-75 to avoid I-81 is not something that is recommended.

 

[hobogary]

From I - 81 to cross to I-95 (which you have to do someplace unless you go all the way to I-75 which is much longer and takes you thru the Atlanta mess) you can go thru Baltimore,or cross I-70,270 to D.C. or US 17 at Winchester VA , or I-66 to 17, or I-77 to 26. All are very close in milage ( if your going thru at 3 AM, i'd take I-83 from Harrisburg to Balt. any other time this is heavy traffic) We avoid the whole mess by taking US 17 from Winchester to Fredricksburg VA. This is now nearly all 4 lane road and avoids all towns,( if you want all 4 lane , go down to I-66 and over but thats a little longer.) I-77 is more senic (read Hilly) and much less trafic, but you have to go thru Charlotte and a much greater chance of hitting snow, although they do know what to do with it better ,( our rule is once we get below Pa and hit a snow storm we get the heck off the roads, those people are nuts).On I-95 we take 295 around Richmond and Jacksonville (although going thru these cities is getting better. Let me know your driving plans, and i'd be glad to help with stops. We like 10 hour drive days, and to go out to a sit down dinner after we get our motel, I also have the best fuel stops (usually VA exit 104, Sc exit 164 , Ga exit 3). For anyone traveling I-95, i recomend www.usastar.com for the I 95 page [they have some on I-75 and other routes too]. Have a great trip.

 

[Nagle]

We are going to Orlando in March. The last few times we have gone the 81, 66,17, 95 route. I found that the traffic on I95 was horrible last April so we are considering 81,77,26,95 this time around. Hobogary, what is wrong with going through Charlotte? Is it a pain or was there something specific that went wrong for you? Any advice is much appreciated.

John

 

[bobcat]

Traffic through Charlotte is SLOW bumoer to bumper! I don't care what time of day I have driven through I have been slowed down to at least 45MPH, which seems like crawling after 8 hours on the road. They are building an outerbelt around Charlotte but who knows when it will be completed or if it has even been started. This area and through Jacksonville are the worst parts of the drive, and even at that they aren't too bad.

The WV turnpike will have salt trucks out in full force when winter weather hits. We had the misfortune of hitting a snowstorm on our way home, one year ago to be exact, and we just slowly followed the snow plow.

 

[hobogary]

My only problem with Charlotte is no good way around it. All the I-95 citys have by pass routes around them.

 

[Robert P]

bobcat,
If you only slowed to 45, consider yourself to be lucky. And you are right, nobody knows when that bypass will be completed. We may all be driving hovercars on solar power by then.


Everybody,
Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Orlando are the only 3 problem areas on the 81,77,26,95 route (we have driven this 4-5 times now) Timing the drive is a key. From Charlotte to Jacksonville is around 5 hours (maybe a little more depending on stops). So, if you time the drive 'poorly', you may get nailed with Charlotte at lunch, and J-ville at 5:00 p.m. rush hour. Our trips take us through Charlotte before 6:30 a.m. usually, and we clear J-ville before any lunch traffic kicks in. Orlando congestion seems to be more hit or miss. It is difficult to plan a drive to avoid busy times at all three cities.

However, I would still take the traffic in these 3 cities, against the 'great unknown' of areas like DC and Richmond.

Safe driving to all.

 

[dgaston]

Returning from Orlando on this route on 1/03 to 04, we hit very slow construction traffic on 95 from Daytona to Jacksonville. We also traveled very slowly south of Savanna, but those were the only slowdowns all the way to CT. We chose the 84-81-77-26-95 route because of past bad experiences with traffic in DC and all the way to Richmond.

This was much more relaxing, and I arrived feeling a great deal better than past trips.

 

[catherines_mama]

Robert P is correct about Charlotte. It really is only bad from 6:30am - 9:30pm and lunch. Then again on your way North.. Do not try it from 4:00pm - 7:00pm. those 3 hr windows on each end are pretty much M-F.

They are widening I-77 to 4 lanes each way. So, there is construction but they are doing a pretty good job of not disturbing traffic. This project SHOULD be done by end of summer. Giving congestion a big relief. I-485 (the Charlotte area Beltway) will not be complete for about 6 more years, so really, don't plan on that. I does connect I-77 on the south of town with I-85 on the north, but that's it.

Jacksonville has always been my big snag. I am driving this year on a Saturday so i'll go straight through. Orlando scares the begebers out of me! LOL It is so crazy no matter what time I hit it. Growing up there I never remember it that bad, but I did move when I was 18, and we know teenagers are So not in reality. LOL

No matter where you are coming from, you'll have traffic on any Interstate.. its life. Just take it easy and know when to best hit an area.