To avoid DC traffic on a Friday morning....

[Nissi]

What time would we need to leave Long Island?

Mapquest gives DC as being 5 hours and 22 minutes from my home. We were thinking of leaving at 4 a.m. but that would put us in DC about 9:30

Leaving at 3 a.m. sounds a little unreasonable. We are travelling with a 4 year old who can actually go to bed the night before about 7:00, giving him about 8 hours of sleep. He most likely won't fall back to sleep in the car either. Hmmm...what would be the ideal time to avoid traffic in NYC, NJ and DC? How about leaving at 5 a.m.?

 

[egile]

Arriving at the Beltway after 10, the worst of rush hour is usually over. Just make sure to go over the Wilson Bridge (do NOT take 495 through Tyson's Corner, it's a disaster).

 

[vicki_c]

Stay east, not west around DC.

 

[crzy4dsny]

The DC traffic you will hit will be in MD. People heading south into DC. I would strongly suggest leaving EARLY. 3:00 am is pushing it, you will hit some traffic in that area. I leave at 2:00 am for the most part, one trip at midnight and sail right thru. If you think LI traffic is bad it doesn'nt even compare to DC traffic! Im not sure where you are on LI, but judging by the time estimate to DC you are somewhere in mid Suffolk. Leaving at 5:00 am you will still hit some traffic in the DC area, it should be starting to wind down. You can not leave home a minute after 5:00 am or else you will get stuck in major traffic here. That would put you in NJ about 6:15 so you may hit traffic there. Im not sure what the right answer is for you, everyone travels different. I can only tell you that I like to get out real early and miss all the traffic. Have you checked the "2,000 mile + thread"? There is a lot of good info there.

 

[ssawka]

The DC traffic tends to be quite a bit lighter on Fridays because many government workers have the option of taking every other Friday off. Also, as PP said, if you hit DC after 10:00, most of the traffic should have subsided by then.

 

[Nissi]

Thanks everyone. CRZY, you nailed it. We live in Ronkonkoma. I'll take this all under advisement and make a decision with my husband. I can't see leaving at 2 am or even 3 am as I am sure, we will be tieing up all the loose ends of packing and leaving the night before. Probably won't make it into bed til midnight as it is. We may have to suck it up and deal with NY traffic so that we don't hit DC traffic, maybe leave at 6 a.m. Or like the pp said, 5 am. Well thanks for taking the time to help us.

 

[gillep]

DH and I have family in NY and we live just outside of D.C., in Northern VA, so we drive from NY to DC way too often!!!!!! We have tried pretty much every combination and no matter what we hit traffic somewhere. We find what works the best for us is leaving Midtown at 5am then usually the worst of the traffic is that darn bridge in Delaware (seriously don't charge me over $4 if you can't get me across your bridge in an efficient manner) Also as others have said stay East around D.C. avoiding Tysons Corner at all costs.

 

[NJRRK]

I say leave around 5, you won't hit much traffic in NJ since you'll be going opposite the majority of traffic. 5 puts you just ahead of the NYC and Philly rush hours. It also puts you after the DC rush hour. We usually leave about 6, but we don't have to go through NYC.

 

[mikehn]

Although not as bad as DC traffic, I wouldn't discount Baltimore traffic.

 

[NJRRK]

Although not as bad as DC traffic, I wouldn't discount Baltimore traffic.

The OP is from NY, Baltimore traffic is nothing compared to NY, DC, LA, even Atlanta, from what I've heard.

 

[PSUGuy]

I don't know if this will help, but I drive straight through to Myrtle Beach from North East Pa., Wilkes-Barre to be precise, and we hit the road about 8 pm, which puts us on the DC beltway around midnight or a little after. That's about as uncrowded as 495/95 is going to get.

Bill From PA

 

[GranddadTom]

You have a couple of windows that you can fit through in order to beat the worst of the New York and Washington traffic. It’s about a four hour drive from New York to Washington. You can try to get through each before their morning rush hour – which for you means leaving home by 12:30 am – or you can go through New York before their morning rush hour and get to Washington after theirs. To do this you need to leave around 4:00 – 4:30 am. Any later and you get in trouble in New York – any earlier and you’re getting into the end of Washington’s rush hour. Waiting until after New York’s rush hour is over puts you into Northern Virginia around 3:00 pm which, on a Friday afternoon, spells T R O U B L E. And certainly take the advise already offered about going to the East on the Washington Beltway – not so much because of the construction in Virginia but because the direction of heavy traffic flow in the morning is coming down Rt. 95 and going West into Montgomery County and it can remain slow well past 10 am.

 

[3darlings]

You have two problems to add to the mix. The DE tollbooth on 95 is under construction and is an absolute mess right now (and it appears will be for quite some time). You also have the major construction project on 95 which starts north of Baltimore and goes up to the tunnel. You really don't want to hit either during rush hour. I would actually suggest you leave later and plan to get to DC by 2. If you get to the VA side of 95 by around 2, you are generally fine. I agree that 3 is probably too late but I have come through at 3 and it is fine. Any later and it is not pretty!

 

[crzy4dsny]

You have two problems to add to the mix. The DE tollbooth on 95 is under construction and is an absolute mess right now (and it appears will be for quite some time). You also have the major construction project on 95 which starts north of Baltimore and goes up to the tunnel. You really don't want to hit either during rush hour. I would actually suggest you leave later and plan to get to DC by 2. If you get to the VA side of 95 by around 2, you are generally fine. I agree that 3 is probably too late but I have come through at 3 and it is fine. Any later and it is not pretty!

We got stuck in the toolbooth construction two Sundays ago. It REALLY stunk!!

 

[Elmo007]

I have never done this but what about taking 78 west to 81 south and the catchin 95 south of DC. Its more miles but you pass NY, Philly, Balt and DC

 

[nytimez]

I have never done this but what about taking 78 west to 81 south and the catchin 95 south of DC. Its more miles but you pass NY, Philly, Balt and DC

I think that'll take you way out of the way, especially from Long Island.

I think OP will be fine -- or as fine as can be under the circumstances -- if the wheels are rolling by 5 am at the absolute latest. As others mention, you'll get out ahead of the NYC traffic and hit DC after the morning rush.

 

[HeatherC]

If it were me, I think I may actually leave later...like 9am. That way you miss the NY rush hour and can be through DC before the evening rush. Plus you would be more rested if you won't be able to get to bed until after midnight the night before.

We left at 3am this summer for a trip and by 10am we were dragging and neither dh or myself wanted to drive. Coming home we left later and felt much better

Have a great trip no matter when you leave!