Philly To Orlando - Driving - Avoiding Washington DC On I-95

[fedexreg]

I live in northeastern Maryland, right off exit 109 in Maryland. I would recommend Rt 301.

Take I95 to Exit 1 in Delaware (Rt 896). Follow it south through some rural parts of Delaware to 301. Follow 301 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Follow the signs for 301 (its actually Rt 50/Rt 301) into Bowie, Waldorf, and other Charles County Maryland towns. Staying on Rt 301 across the Potomac then following the signs for I95, it will bring you out at 95 mile marker 103, about 25 miles north of Richmond.

There are some traffic signals that will make you think you are progressing slowly, but once through the Bowie, Md area, you will be able to progress rather well. I would guess from the time you exit 95 in Delaware until you reenter 95 north of Richmond, with no accidents or other man made traffic hazards, you will make it in 4 hours. Approx 273 miles from exit 103 in Va to Lumberton (exit 17?).

Good luck!

 

[WillCAD]

I live in northeastern Maryland, right off exit 109 in Maryland. I would recommend Rt 301.

Take I95 to Exit 1 in Delaware (Rt 896). Follow it south through some rural parts of Delaware to 301. Follow 301 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Follow the signs for 301 (its actually Rt 50/Rt 301) into Bowie, Waldorf, and other Charles County Maryland towns. Staying on Rt 301 across the Potomac then following the signs for I95, it will bring you out at 95 mile marker 103, about 25 miles north of Richmond.

There are some traffic signals that will make you think you are progressing slowly, but once through the Bowie, Md area, you will be able to progress rather well. I would guess from the time you exit 95 in Delaware until you reenter 95 north of Richmond, with no accidents or other man made traffic hazards, you will make it in 4 hours. Approx 273 miles from exit 103 in Va to Lumberton (exit 17?).

Good luck!

That's the LONG way around to US 301! And these days, with the redecking project and emergency repairs, ANY route that takes you across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is not a good one, at any time of day or night. Simple accidents routinely shut the bridge down for hours at a time, and it's the ONLY way across the bay.

A better way is to stay on I-95 into Baltimore, then split onto I-895, which leads to I-97, then to MD 3. MD 3 becomes US 301 farther south.

See this Live.com route map for details:
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&encType=1&cid=B4C854751B57754F!184

 

[razor7874]

just a quick question guys is there traffic in washington dc on saturdays too?

 

[GranddadTom]

It's not bad on the beltway on Saturday. That having been said, right now there is a great deal of construction on the Virginia part on the western side of the Beltway (they are adding an HOV lane) so it's best to go around the Beltway in a clockwise fashion if coming from the north. BUT, the Beltway is not the problem on Saturdays. It's Rt. 95 in Northern Virginia that is a nightmare on Saturday mornings in the summertime. Everyone is leaving town and heading for the Virginia and North Carolina beaches and all of the roads out of Washington are extremely crowded then (including Rt. 301 which is an even worse option). If you can get to the point where you get onto Rt. 95 in Northern Virginia early (before 7:00 am would be great) you'll have no problems.

 

[Cmbar]

just a quick question guys is there traffic in washington dc on saturdays too?

Depends on when you are traveling. If you are traveling in the summer time then yes, it is crowded and you will do well to get to/through the No. Va part of I-95 early in the morning. Lots of people go to the North Carolina Beaches and Kings Dominion on the weekends here and the norther stretch of I -95 from Springfield to Fredericksburg is a Nightmare.

Anyone have an opinion on whether to use the HOV lanes that doesn't allow the trucks in that area. My DH and I always argue whether we should jump in those lanes or not.

 

[dgaston]

Coming from New England, I'm a big fan of the longer, more scenic, 84-81-77-26-95 route. If you wish you can drop back to 95 on 64, puts you there just south of Richmond, avoiding all that northern VA traffic.

 

[Missytara]

It would ruin my vacation to try to drive through Wilmington/Baltimore/Washington at that time of day. I go home and take a nap and head out at 10 or 11 pm. DW takes over at dawn and we are at WDW by noon or a little after.

Who would have thought 3 people from Delaware on the same thread that will never happen again.

bookwormde

Make that four people from DE.....

Another alternative, if you have to leave at that time (which I would never leave anytime that would land you in that area in the height of rush hour - is to go through DE and take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. A lot of lights through DE, but you are sure to only catch the rush hour traffic around Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

But I agree with everyone else; either leave much earlier or much later......