NY to Disney Aug 10 . .. leaving a 1:00 PM?

[Tomh]

Anyone have experience / advice on the best route for leaving NY at 1 in the afternoon?

Usually, we drive straight down 95, but I am more than a bit concerned that the traffic in the DC / Northern VA area is going to be an absolute nightmare.

Wondering if anyone has experience with 113 / Chesapeake Bay Bridge / Tunnel, or I 81 in the afternoon evening. Would either of those likely be a better choice for us?

 

[cranbiz]

Leaving at 1pm may put you in the DC area at a bad time. A lot depends on where in NY you are. The traffic on 95 in VA is usually a mess until 7-9pm

 

[artesian]

I would doing the 78-81-77-26 route if leaving that time. Yes it longer but the traffic won't be white knuckle

 

[jec6613]

If you can put up with the driving in traffic and get through NJ by 3:30-4 PM, take the Ft McHenry tunnel and then the outer beltway around DC, and with any luck you should hit Fredericksburg by 8 or 9 PM.

The other route is the 78 to 81 to 77 to 26, then reconnect to I-95. I-95 is still about 2 hours faster, but the drive isn't nearly as bad traffic-wise.

Edit: I just read the August part. Definitely take I-95. DC is basically closed for business in August, and has the lightest traffic out of any time of the year.

 

[Tomh]

Ah, jec6613, something that I hadn't even considered. I've hit terrible traffic in that area, but I've always gone through on the weekend.

If commuter traffic isn't a worry, then 95 will be my route of choice.

 

[jec6613]

It's not that it isn't a worry, it's just lessened, and the other routes add so much time over I-95 even on the worst of days that it's difficult to justify.

 

[Tomh]

I had thought that 81, at least from here, was only about an hour and a half difference in time, and was figuring that any significant holdup on 95 would more than make up for that difference.

 

[jec6613]

When I drove it, it added closer to 3 hours (I-81 isn't traffic free either, and has lower speed limits more strictly enforced). Figuring 45 minutes for the NJT and 45 for Bmore and DC, that still brings you out quite far ahead.

 

[Tomh]

There is something to be said for familiarity as well, and I've done the 95 route a fair number of times now, 81 never. GPS helps a lot, but I've totally managed to screw up even with the GPS. Getting lost wastes plenty of time.