I-95 dc area/beltway

[Scoff50]

hello, just wanted to get some input on the 95/495 disaster zone. i have driven to FL twice and ran into problems twice (even with gps) is this area and baltimore.

anyway, is it best to go 495 west toward silver spring or stay east on the beltway?

leaving Trenton, NJ around 3am on Wednesday, July 14th.

thanks

 

[JenniBB]

hello, just wanted to get some input on the 95/495 disaster zone. i have driven to FL twice and ran into problems twice (even with gps) is this area and baltimore.

anyway, is it best to go 495 west toward silver spring or stay east on the beltway?

leaving Trenton, NJ around 3am on Wednesday, July 14th.

thanks

I am thinking WEST - I'm pretty sure that the east side (which will take you over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Maryland into VA) is under construction.
95 South below Baltimore will be heavy in the morning because of people going INTO Washington DC.
When you hit the beltway, I think WEST is better, but you'll still have some backups with people heading into DC.
The other issue you're gonna have is Springfield (aka: "The Mixing Bowl") and below that - just due to sheer volume. Feel free to PM me with other ??s
I can give you some tips on where to stop for food (depending on the time you're passing thru my area) . I live in the area south of Springfield.

 

[vicki_c]

Stay east on the MD side of the beltway. I don't think you will have much trouble given the time you are leaving and the day of the week. You're going to hit DC around 6 AM which is the start of the commuting day, so there will be traffic, but you should miss the worst of it passing through at 6 AM.

If you leave home an hour earlier, you would miss everything.

(We actually take 301S from Annapolis - we just had a thread on this in the last two days - check the board further down or page 2 - it was had MD or Maryland in the title). Actually here's the link:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294391

 

[mousebymarriage]

Stay east on the MD side of the beltway. I don't think you will have much trouble given the time you are leaving and the day of the week. You're going to hit DC around 6 AM which is the start of the commuting day, so there will be traffic, but you should miss the worst of it passing through at 6 AM.

If you leave home an hour earlier, you would miss everything.

(We actually take 301S from Annapolis - we just had a thread on this in the last two days - check the board further down or page 2 - it was had MD or Maryland in the title). Actually here's the link:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294391

I agree. We have left a few different times (late day, midnight, early a.m.) and have never really had a problem with DC area traffic including the one time we left at 2:30am, we breezed right through the DC area no problem. We live in Bergen County, NJ about 6 miles from the GWB.

 

[Scoff50]

thanks guys...is the east the less mileage then the west? just looking at the benefits of both since it's driven my crazy for a long time.

 

[sharadoc]

We prefer the west side too, usually very nice.

If I can tack on a question - when is the worst time to hit it southbound for evening rush hour? We are leaving on a Friday afternoon in December for our Christmas trip. Can we hit DC at 3 or 4 southbound and be "okay" meaning slowing down to 30 or faster and still move?

Or should we hit it at 7 pm?

Thanks,

 

[GranddadTom]

You're leaving on a Wednesday at 3 am so you'll be hitting the Washington Beltway around 5:30 am. Even at this hour you will hit traffic. I commute each day to exit 28 getting there at 6:15 am so I know the Beltway. At that hour do NOT go to the west. That is the direction of heavy morning traffic. Also if you go to the west, in Virginia they are adding an HOV lane which is causing a mess but at the hour you'll be there this will not be a factor. The good news for you is that Rt. 95 in northern Virginia will be clear in the early morning. I just drove back from WDW on Rt. 95 and the road is in good shape. The construction in Georgia is just about finished (only milepost 59 to 44 is unfinished). Florida's construction is all completed.

 

[GranddadTom]

The worst time to hit Rt. 95 in northern Virginia is between 3 and 8 pm. Even worse on Friday (9 pm then). You can use the HOV lanes if you have three people in the car. That helps some. If you get there at 7 pm on a Friday, 30 mph will be only a dream.

 

[vicki_c]

The worst time to hit Rt. 95 in northern Virginia is between 3 and 8 pm. Even worse on Friday (9 pm then). You can use the HOV lanes if you have three people in the car. That helps some. If you get there at 7 pm on a Friday, 30 mph will be only a dream.

I'd even up that to 2:30 PM, but that's my experience leaving NoVA and heading for MD (west to east) - if I don't leave NoVA by 2:30, it's a crap shoot as to whether it will take me 1.5 hours to get home or 2.5 hours.

 

[GranddadTom]

I'm with you vicki c. As you know the problem right now with that stretch of road is construction. I'm not sure at what time of day they stop. I personally would have nothing to do with that road from 2:00 pm until 9:00 pm on a Friday. Things are a little better in December (traffic in the winter is less than in the summer) but if this is Christmas week - oh boy.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Head EAST--easier access to 95 that way (via the flyover). The WEST route is still "mixing-bowl" like getting back on to 95.
And try to leave an hour earlier--you want to be completely AROUND DC no later than 6 AM...

 

[Scoff50]

thanks for the replies...what are the thoughts on MD 295? i took this once and it was closed and all hell broke loose after that.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I THINK that takes you right back at the Beltway near the Wilson Bridge??

 

[SplashMom]

We are driving from Nova Scotia to Florida in August. We did it before a few years back and took the I95 the entire way, from Maine to Daytona. We are planning this again but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for something better. I'm a bit nervous because of the fast traffic but my husband (the driver) doesn't mind. He likes to see the cities but I could pass, lol.

Also, we are looking for a few break spots--something to do for an hour or two that isn't too far from the I95. We will do the rest stops but is there anything interesting that we can do for a few hours. We are going to take several days to drive and this is really part of the vacation. It will be my husband and I, our DD (20) and her friend (20). All suggestions are welcome!

 

[Scoff50]

I THINK that takes you right back at the Beltway near the Wilson Bridge??

pretty much, just wasn't sure if it cuts down time or less headaches, or if i should just stay on 95 which is probably what i am going to do.

 

[vicki_c]

pretty much, just wasn't sure if it cuts down time or less headaches, or if i should just stay on 95 which is probably what i am going to do.

Just stay on 95. Much of 295 is only two lanes on each side, and it doesn't get much less traffic than the beltway.