Strategies to avoid holiday traffic on I-95

[doodle]

We just returned from WDW Sun. 12/28 and the traffic on I-95, both directions, was terrible. We have made the trip many times - Thanksgiving, summer, etc. and it was the worst we remember. What strategies do you use to avoid the traffic at peak times? We think driving through the night might have been better. It is about a 10 hour trip for us. Thanks for any help!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

From where are you driving to WDW?

Driving late at night does not assure that you won't have problems. We find that some of the most dangerous driving on I-95 comes after midnight.

 

[doodle]

Actually, it was the return trip home from WDW to NC. Thanks!

 

[7thdwarf/dopey]

We are driving down this Friday from Pa. and this I-95 holiday traffic issue didnt even dawn on me!
I hope that more drivers will see this thread and keep us updated.

 

[gometros]

We drove down on the 20th and 21st and the only real traffic we hit was coming off of the Washington Beltway onto I-95.

 

[Belle1962]

This site would help with potential construction delays:
http://www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm

You may want to check each state and see if they have a DOT website or phone number to call for automated info on traffic.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Unfortunately, you probably found the solution in your original post--travel at nite or as "off normal" hours as possible.
I-95 is a beast that cannot be tamed and in the major city areas (ie especially Wash DC) it grows worse by the day.
We drove down to Williamsburg Va. earlier this month and even that short trip was a nightmare in the DC area. I recall some sort or other of construction there since the early 1970's--nearly 30 years!! And it's worse now than ever....

 

[doodle]

Bumping back up in case holiday travellers are home now and may have some ideas. Thanks!

 

[dgaston]

Because we have been caught in horrible holiday traffic around DC we decided to take 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 this year. We drove straight thru from CT to FL on 12/23-24 and returned 1/03-04. While this is a longer route it was much less stressful for me, and I arrived feeling better than other years when we have made the trip.

We did hit slow construction traffic from north of Daytona to Jacksonville on 95 on our return trip, and slow traffic again south of Savanna. Other than that the trip was very smooth, and much better than those horrific delays in the DC area (one was even at 3 am!!!).