Thoughts on Northern NJ to WDW this Friday 9/30!

[picatinny]

We're leaving at 0500.

Instead of taking the usual I-95 all the way down like we usually do, I'm thinking of a different route this year. I-78 to I-81 to I-77 to I-26 to I-95.

Thoughts and comments are appreciated!

 

[grimley1968]

Is there some kind of "1 lane only for miles" construction going on on I-95? If not, your proposed route seems well out of the way, even if you hit rush hour in one of the cities on I-95. If you want more scenery and don't mind a longer travel time, that route probably is nicer than I-95 (I-81 is gorgeous in places). It's also a nice alternative if there's an offshore storm (like Irene, etc.). But if you want the quickest way to get to Florida, it's hard for me to imagine anything quicker than I-95 from NJ, even with all the traffic and cities.

 

[picatinny]

The NJ Turnpike has some construction on it for like 25miles. The extra hour the new route adds may even out or be shorter in the long run. Plus I would avoid the DC beltway at 8-9 am rush hour. At least that's what I'm thinking.

 

[katrina1122]

I'm not sure it's the same route you mentioned, but back in college we took I-81 from Radford, VA to NC and started heading routh east on a major highway and ended up just inside South Carolina (we missed S of the Boarder) and took I-95 south from there.

That trek from SW VS to SC took absolutely forever! It was like half our travel time. I don't know if you'd save anytime even if there was a lane closure on 95, but like I said i'm not sure you are taking the same route we did.

 

[grimley1968]

The NJ Turnpike has some construction on it for like 25miles. The extra hour the new route adds may even out or be shorter in the long run. Plus I would avoid the DC beltway at 8-9 am rush hour. At least that's what I'm thinking.

Ahh. But going on the route you proposed adds, by my calculations using Google Maps, at least 100 miles (I calculated NYC to Orlando). Plus you'd go on some roads that, while scenic, are also much curvier, etc. than I-95, I-75, etc. due to having to traverse the Appalachian ridge. I think you'd be more likely to save time by finding an alternate road in NJ that gets you around that Turnpike construction, and get on I-95 south of that.

I used to live in DC. In my opinion, the worst traffic during rush hour in DC is on I-395. I-495 really isn't that bad, especially if you can delay getting on it by 30 minutes or so. Maybe a breakfast break in MD would be beneficial? I have heard there's some construction going on near Tyson's Corner (on the west side of the beltway), so you might take the east side to avoid that. Wilson Bridge sucks, always has and always will, but it's not too terrible after rush hour. By the time you get on 95 south of DC, any rush hour traffic should be done, so the trip from there to Richmond shouldn't be all that bad.

None of these things, in my opinion, are worth going so far inland to get away from. And your route requires going through Charlotte, which probably has its own traffic to deal with these days. 6 of one, half a dozen the other, IMO.

I-75 has lots of construction on it, seemingly all the time, as it's finally beginning to show age like I-95. But unless the traffic is cut down to 1 lane, I don't find it all that bad to deal with.

 

[grimley1968]

Here's another thread, this one about the best way to get around DC: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2806114

Hopefully this could be a helpful bit of info in your planning. It's the opposite of the way things were when I used to live in DC (I hated crossing the Wilson Bridge), but is more current info than I can offer about the beltway.

 

[GranddadTom]

My thoughts on your plan are that it would be better to stick with Rt. 95 all the way for several reasons. Reason #1 Summertime is over and traffic on the highways is lighter, overall. Reason #2 the Washington Beltway will not be a big problem even when you plan on getting there (8:00 am ish?)(just make sure you go East). Washington’s big problem is Rt. 95 south of Washington but this will be no problem in the morning. Reason #3 Rt. 91 in Virginia is a very dangerous road – the most dangerous highway in Virginia. Why? It’s loaded with trucks. One-third to one-quarter of the vehicles. It’s very hilly which translates into trucks go up the hill at 50 mph and down the hill at 80 mph. It’s only two lanes wide so trucks camp out in the passing lane – often going under the speed limit (see comment about up the hill). I drive Rt. 81 a lot (because I have no alternative) but I much prefer Rt. 95. Reason #4 don’t forget about Charlotte or Columbia traffic.