I-95 question

[younginspirit]

We're driving south to Cape Canaveral Dec 27th. from Raleigh/Durham. I've never driven I-95 what can I expect?? Any driving tips appreciated.Thanks, Bev

 

[mmouse37]

Expect a long straight road!!! We have driven 95 several times from New York. At least you are picking it up after D.C., which is a good thing!

It is a fine road, a bit boring maybe but in good condition. If you go to Dave's site.. www.dcltribute.com I believe he has driving directions from 95 to the port.

Have a great drive!!!

 

[SC Minnie]

We are just south of Charlotte and pick up 95 around St George SC. It is a very boring straight road. The only problems we have had is around Jacksonville. Just pay attention to the sign and try to avoid during rush hour. There is a lot of construction on 95 in GA and FL.

 

[GEM53]

Bev,
Hey neighbor, we just made that trip last weekend. The only trouble we had, except for some minor construction inconveniences, was a 50 mile traffic jam from the merge of I-4/I-95 to Jacksonville due to an accident. The good part is it's a pretty straight shot. Just make sure that after you go through Jacksonville and cross the bridge you stay to the left. The continuation of I-95 has a pretty sharp turn (35mph). We'll be following a week behind you for our 1/4 Magic cruise. Depending on how comfortable you are driving, it takes us about 7 hrs to Jacksonville and 9 to the port.

 

[SueEllen]

As others have said, Jacksonville will give you the most delay. If you are traveling on a weekday, near "rush-hour" traffic time, I would suggest taking I-295 around Jacksonville. It sometimes won't help going that way, but you just kind of have to play it by "ear".

We always drive I-95. You should be about 10 hours away from the port.

Sue Ellen

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by GEM53
Bev,
Hey neighbor, we just made that trip last weekend. The only trouble we had, except for some minor construction inconveniences, was a 50 mile traffic jam from the merge of I-4/I-95 to Jacksonville due to an accident. The good part is it's a pretty straight shot. Just make sure that after you go through Jacksonville and cross the bridge you stay to the left. The continuation of I-95 has a pretty sharp turn (35mph). We'll be following a week behind you for our 1/4 Magic cruise. Depending on how comfortable you are driving, it takes us about 7 hrs to Jacksonville and 9 to the port.

I live in Jacksonville and we do have a problem with the traffic on I-95 and they're working to get it resolved. They're making all of I-95 a minimum of three lanes in both directions, but it takes a long time to complete.

I-4 merges in Daytona Beach, GEM53 probably meant where I-10 and I-95 merge, which is in Jax and it is where the left turn at 35 mph comes in.

You can avoid all of that by taking I-295 South around the city, but it involves several more miles by going west around the city. It won't eliminate it completely during rush hour (3:30 to 6:30pm) because we just have a lot of drivers on all of the roads everywhere.

There is a huge construction zone north of the city that you can avoid, if you get off I-95 and take a 4 lane detour, which I would recommend during almost all daylight hours this time of year. It's probably what GEM53 encountered last week.

You get off of I-95 at exit 380 (old exit 130) and take US 17 South for about 20 miles until you get to FL 9a. Take FL 9a for about 1 mile to get back onto I-95 South where exit 126a is (old exit 126a). This will avoid almost all of the construction north of the city and avoid long tedious delays.

You would still go through the city on I-95 using this route, unless you elect to take I-295 South, which is at exit 362b (old exit 126a). I-295 rejoins I-95 south at mile marker 337.

It is about 165 miles from Jacksonville (where I-95 and I-10 merge) to the Port. It's about 180 or 185 from the FL / GA state line on I-95.

hope that helps

 

[GEM53]

I-4 merges in Daytona Beach, GEM53 probably meant where I-10 and I-95 merge, which is in Jax and it is where the left turn at 35 mph comes in.

albiats,

Unfortunately the traffic jam started at the I-4 / I-95 merge and continued to just north of St Augustine (2.5 hrs to go 50 miles).

The sharp left hand merge I'm thinking about happens just south of the Fuller-Warren bridge.

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by GEM53
albiats,

Unfortunately the traffic jam started at the I-4 / I-95 merge and continued to just north of St Augustine (2.5 hrs to go 50 miles).

The sharp left hand merge I'm thinking about happens just south of the Fuller-Warren bridge.

GEM53 - Did I misunderstand, were you going north on I-95 in Daytona Beach from where I-4 intersects and there was a 50 mile traffic jam? If so, I apologize. When you mentioned the 35 mph turn on I-95, I thought it was the same place / same incident.

sorry

 

[floridaminnie]

I agree with SueEllen about taking the I295 around Jacksonville. Sometimes it helps a lot and other times it can be just bad as I 95.

 

[JimB.]

If there are no traffic accidents, I-95 is pretty smooth from Florida line to Cocoa Beach.

Ditto on the I-295 thing. I avoid downtown Jax at rush hour like the plague.

Please note, St. Johns County (where I live, just south of Jax) is 6 laning I-95 the entire length of the county (27 miles). Traffic is very dicey. Not necessarily slow, but the roads are narrow in some places, with a lot of industrial equipment in use (especially at night). Drive with caution.

 

[jlawall]

How many hours is it to the ship from Philadelphia on 95 by driving?

 

[GEM53]

jlawall

It's 1024 miles from Phila to Port Canaveral. Depending on your driving habits, ie. avg speed, rest stops etc., and traffic conditions you could make it to the port in 16 hrs.

 

[jlawall]

Thanks for your help Gem

 

[cruiselovinbunch]

In regards to your post about driving I-95:

We spent a day at WDW and then went on to a 7-day cruise this past July. We drove from Newark, Delaware (about 1 mile from the Maryland state line) to Orlando in about 16 1/2 hours -- two adults and two kids ages 3 and 6. We arrived at Port Orleans at 9:30 p.m., spent the next day in WDW, spent that night at Port Orleans, then left at 8:30 for Port Canaveral. It was a pleasant one-hour drive from WDW to the port, and after studying the directions we got from Dave's Tribute website we arrived without incident. I-95 between Delaware and Richmond, VA is a bit of trouble as far as volume and congestion, but south of Richmond there's virtually nothing stopping you until you get to Jacksonville, FL. In fact, at times we didn't even see another car for several miles. If you have young children, you might want to invest in or at least rent a VCR or DVD player (with headphones of course!) to break the monotony -- we didn't run ours nonstop but it did come in handy when the girls were sick of looking at trees and talking to us

We've driven to WDW a few times, and on this last trip we discovered it was just as easy to stop for restroom (and food) breaks at the many Cracker Barrel stores along the interstate -- the restrooms are clean, the staff members are nice, the meals are hearty, and you can stretch your legs and pick up some snacks in the shop.

Good luck, and happy travelling!

 

[jlawall]

thanks for your excellent advice...it's food for thought!

 

[younginspirit]

Thanks for your input everyone! Bev

 

[SueEllen]

I ditto the Cracker Barrell stops! We always stop for our breakfast/lunch/dinner at one. In fact, I know the location of all of them from VA to FL (hehehehe, I can almost give you the exit number for each also!) I do keep a cracker barrell map in my car that tells each location and exit number.

Jacksonville area is usually the worst traffic that we ever hit from Richmond to Orlando.

Sue Ellen