I95 around DC, a ? for driving vets.

[dylansdad]

Heading south on 95: I know to avoid DC at rush hour (before 4pm?) but what is the best way around? Is it 495 and then pick up 295 or just stay on 495? Triptic from AAA picks 495 but I would like some (lots) of advice from a driver. Thanks SAM

 

[Pig Pen]

We have driven down numerous times...stay on 495!

Once we accidently got on 295 and it was a nightmare. We were in a blinding rainstorm and everyone was going 75 mph, 6 lanes of traffic, and it was bumper to bumper (about 7:00 pm).

Our last trip, we hit D.C. in the middle of the night, stayed on 495 and it was a piece of cake.

 

[oldkeywest91]

We drive down twice a year & I have always taken 495 to I95 South, I have heard many horror stories about 295! Just avoid the rush hours!!! I find that once you pass the DC area the trip is a breeze! Have a safe trip.

 

[dcfromva]

dylansdad

Heading south on 95: I know to avoid DC at rush hour (before 4pm?) but what is the best way around? Is it 495 and then pick up 295 or just stay on 495? Triptic from AAA picks 495 but I would like some (lots) of advice from a driver. Thanks SAM

I would follow AAA recomendations. I think it will be a smoother, more enjoyable ride if you take I495. I 495 has lots more lanes than I295. Since we live in the Washington DC area, we often take 295--it is a shorter route for us, but 295 between Baltimore and the beltway is mostly 4 lanes (2 on each side) with lots of traffic. Inside the beltway, 295 south is 4-6 lanes (mostly2 on each side) with no shoulders in places (and even more traffic) and it always seems like there are lots of rough road (patches) on the road.

On the map, it looks like 295 and 395 should connect. 395 takes you right through the Capital and then connects to I95 on a more direct route. However, there is no easy way to connect to 395 from 295 when you are coming from the north. So, that means you have to continue southbound on 295 and go over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to connect with I95. (WW bridge is often backed up with traffic. )

I think you will be happier if you are south of Washington by 3:00pm, if you want to avoid the brunt of rush hour. The place where I95, I395 and I495 connect (Springfield) is always a bottleneck and there is also the added attraction of a huge road project at that interchange. No matter which route you take, you will have to go through it. It always seems to us that there is a lot of traffic (like big trucks) until getting south of Richmond and then things start to open up a bit.

-DC

 

[kbeverina]

Keep in mind that if for some reason you do hit the DC area during the afternoon, you can use the HOV lanes that run between the northbound and southbound lanes as long as you have 3 or more people in the car.

If you take 495, you'll hit 95 South at the 495/395/95 interchange and you'll want to start heading to the far left lane (at the same time cars will be merging to the right to exit 95 into Springfield). There will be signs telling you if HOV lanes are open, if they are, you'll get on them with a left entrance ramp. You can stay on them until they end, just past Dumfries--there will be a sign saying everyone must exit, you'll exit to the right onto the left lanes of 95 South. There's a bit of a back-up here with cars dumping back on to 95, but shortly after that it's pretty smooth sailing, the worst is behind you.

Coming north on your return, they will be open going north from about 10 or 11pm (can't remember what time they open them up again, maybe someone can post) through the next morning. We take them even when it's not rush hour, you never know when an accident can close lanes on 95. That's also a left entrance ramp, shortly after the Triangle/Quantico exit. You'll see signs when you hit the Springfield area to exit to get on to 495 again. You can also take them all the way up to DC if you decide to go that way and exit on to 395.

Good luck!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Sigh.
You know traffic is bad when people start wishing you "good luck"
But I agree. Tho there is no easy way around or thru DC, I495 via the Wilson Bridge route has proven for us to be the best of a bad lot. The approach to the mixing bowl is better from that direction (tho not by much) and I495 has a bit less traffic than the Dulles Airport/Tysons Corner portion of 495.
The problem is, of course, that for some unknown reason, I95 does not exist (as such) around DC.
I95 and I495 (the capitol Beltway ) are one and the same--hence the nightmare driving conditions.
They say all that construction near the mixing bowl will help. Maybe. But probably when I'm too old to even drive! They've had construction in that area for YEARS now, and absolutely no improvement.

 

[dcfromva]

Uncleromulus

They say all that construction near the mixing bowl will help. Maybe. But probably when I'm too old to even drive! They've had construction in that area for YEARS now, and absolutely no improvement.

You are absolutely correct about it taking years. I think it is now on year 3 of a 10 or 12 year project. They are working on currently working on extensive flyover ramps.

Web site to the construction efforts

-DC

 

[dcfromva]

Probably even more confusing is that when reporters give traffic reports regarding the beltway, they always refer to the "inner loop" or the "outer loop" of the beltway and then a geographical location. I've lived here for 17 years and I always have to think about it for a second, I can imagine that it is even more confusing for someone just passing through the area. The inner loop traffic is going clockwise and the outer loop is the traffic that is going counter-clockwise.

Ex. If you were coming from NY around on the VA side (I-495) southbound and you heard a traffic report saying that the outer loop of the beltway at Springfield was backed up to Annadale--that would impact you. But, if they had said the inner loop at Springfield, that would not impact you.

-DC

 

[doombuggy]

While I have never driven to FLA, I have driven on I-95 many times in the area you speak of. I am from Philly, and have family in Rockville, MD and Stafford, VA (Quantico). I always take I-495 (the Capitol Beltway), even if i am going to VA (must take it to get to Rockville). I have found that there are always cars around there no matter what time of day, just be patient, and alert. I always get back on to I-95 (not far past Tyson's Corners, a right exit, where many of the cars go, hence the bottleneck). Potomac Mills is exit 156, I think off of I-95, and would be a great quick pit stop for you (run in to the Disney Cat. Outlet in Neighborhood 4 ? near the food court). This is like Franklin Mills, if you are close enough to PA area to have visited that mall.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[kbeverina]

Getting on 95 South from the Tyson's Corner/Toll Road portion is worse than ever. There used to be the predictable times that you knew you'd be sitting in that exit ramp off 495 to get on to 95. Now it's all times of day and night, weekdays, weekends, doesn't matter. Several times we've spent nearly an hour from Braddock Road to 95 South and now we avoid it altogether if possible. Coming from Loudoun County, Herndon, Reston area we take 28 South to the Prince William County Parkway and then to 95. Coming from Fairfax, Fair Lakes area we take Fairfax County Parkway to 123 to 95 South.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Another vote for I 495! We drove through about 1:30pm and it was a breeze. HAPPY DRIVING!

 

[candleonwater]

From one who travels this portion of the beltway daily... The eastern stretch of the beltway (from college park down to the mixing bowl) is thought more of as 95... and the western part is 495. The stretch between the Woodrow Wilson bridge (MD/VA line) is always chancy... but if you can get through by 3:30 you should hit NO back up at Springfield. However, if you come from the west (past Tysons Corner) on 495... that right hand exit is USUALLY backed up the two miles to Braddock Road. It doesn't matter what time of day. Unless something out of the ordinary happens, the woodrow wilson bridge is a better option.