tolls down I95

[LovinPooh]

What do you think the approx cost of tolls driving from the northeast straight through. I try to make sure I have enough cash set aside for these. I know the George Washington is alot as well as the turnpike and then there are a few around Baltimore.
Does around $25-30 sound right?

 

[GranddadTom]

Good news. There are no tolls south of Washington.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

There is a toll at the DE/MD line. I haven't been through that one (I go around) but I think it's raised to $5. There is another one in MD before you get to Baltimore but it's only in the north-bound lanes which is $5. The ones at the tunnels in Baltimore are $2, I think. Those are the ones closest to me that I can tell you. Hope this helps.

 

[NJRRK]

The GWB will be $8.00, on your way North, free Southbound.

The NJ Turnpike is $6.45 from GWB to Del Memorial Bridge.

These are for cars, without E-Z Pass.

Where are you coming from? Are you sure you want to use the GWB? Using the Tappan Zee and then the Garden State Parkway to the NJ Turnpike might be a better option, you won't save tolls or miles but you could save time!!

 

[garmich]

What do you think the approx cost of tolls driving from the northeast straight through. I try to make sure I have enough cash set aside for these. I know the George Washington is alot as well as the turnpike and then there are a few around Baltimore.
Does around $25-30 sound right?

Here is a complete list of tolls along I-95:
http://www.i95exitguide.com/tolls/index.php

I see that you live in NH. You should consider opening a Fastlane account with the Massachusetts Turnpike. I have an account and really comes in handy when driving down I-95. A transponder is attached to the car windshield. At the toll booths on the Mass Pike, you go through lanes reserved for Fastpass users and you don't have to stop to pay the toll. The toll is deducted from your account. And the really nice thing about it, is that it can also be used for EZPass tolls all along I-95 (roads & bridges). You NEVER have to stop to pick-up a ticket or pay a cash toll.....NEVER.

http://www.massturnpike.com/travel/fastlane/fastlanefaq.html#1

And lastly, avoid going over the George Washington Bridge. You WILL be caught in massive traffic jams. I always use I-84 through CT and then go over the Tappan Zee Bridge (north of NYC). I rarely have any problems with traffic using this route. After the Tappan Zee, I get on the Garden State Parkway and then I get on the New Jersey Turnpike (south of NYC).

Also, here's a suggestion for coming back on I-95 northbound. When we came back in August, there was a massive traffic back-up at the Deleware Memorial Bridge toll plaza, so we continued northbound on I-95 and drove past Wilmington, DE. At Chester, PA, we exitted onto Rt. 322 and went over the Commodore John Barry Bridge into NJ. NO TRAFFIC at all!!!....and......NO TOLL. The toll is only for westbound traffic. We then proceeded onto I-295 (no toll) and we got onto the NJ Turnpike at Bellmawr, NJ.

 

[LovinPooh]

Thats where I get confused is around the GW bridge area. Coming off into NJ is scary and stressful LOL! That is the only part of the trip we hate. Always feel like we are going to get lost at some point. Nevermind I absolutely hate bridges. There are a few on the way down that I have to close my eyes through. Sorta like the tunnel in Baltimore. I close my eyes all the way through. When the radio comes back on... I open my eyes

I have always used Mapquest and its sent me over the GW. So that is what we used. Is there less confusion with the alternate route? We really hate going through NYC. We are small town NH folk
Other travel websites i should try??

I love that I95exit guide site.

I also get confused with the tolls being different going north to south. I forgot that you only pay going north in some spots. I am pretty sure the DE/MD line is now at $5. I think that is what we paid last year.

I think to sum it up.... driving through the northeast sucks!!!!
Smooth sailing after DC. Another area I hate.

I wish DH wasnt so afraid to fly

 

[garmich]

I have always used Mapquest and its sent me over the GW. So that is what we used. Is there less confusion with the alternate route? We really hate going through NYC. We are small town NH folk
Other travel websites i should try??

I hate Mapquest! I prefer to use Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/

Google Maps prints out a nice itinerary and map. And it allows you to modify the route by dragging the suggested route on the map with your cursor. And it updates the itinerary information reflecting the changed route. Also zooming and panning the map is much easier than in Mapquest.

 

[LovinPooh]

thank you!
What cant you do with Google???? lol

 

[garmich]

thank you!
What cant you do with Google???? lol

Check out the "street view" feature in Google Maps. It's wicked cool!

 

[shafke]

Here are our tolls from a recent trip to VA. I think once you are past Baltimore there are no more tolls on I95

NJ Tpke from exit 13 (Goethals Bridge): 4.25
DEL MEM Bridfe: 3.00
Newark Plaza (Delaware I think) 4.00
Fort McHenry Tunnel: 2.00

These are all using EZ Pass so there is a slight discount.

If you are planning on crossing the GW you are going to need to add a bit to the NJTP and also the NY Thruway coming down I95. I would say $20 down and $30 back since you only pay the GW one way.

That being said... don't take the GW unless you absolutely have to. There are other routes you can take.

 

[pumpkinboy]

don't take the GW unless you absolutely have to. There are other routes you can take.

Amen to that!
I would recommend avoiding not just the GW, but I-95 as much as possible. The traffic alone will slow you considerably, and the major urban centers make for a tough drive. This past weekend, I did the mountain route up from Georgia to Boston, avoiding I-95, and found it to be a very pleasant drive. The largest cities I went through were Charlotte NC (tho I went around) and Hartford CT! Google thinks it adds > 1 hour to the trip, but you can save that avoiding DC traffic alone, not to mention NYC, NJ, Baltimore and Richmond...

Here's what I would recommend:

• Come down from NH, get on to I-495 to the Mass Pike (I-90);
• Take the Pike to Sturbridge, and turn onto I-84 thru Hartford;
• After Danbury CT, turn on to I-684 into NY, following signs toward the Tappan Zee Bridge (always do "the Tap" around NY), this is I-87, the NY Thruway;
• Take I-87 to I-287 into NJ (a pretty part of NJ too), buy gas before you leave NJ;
• I-287 will take you to I-78 westbound into PA (stop at the Crayola place in Easton PA if you like);
• I-78 west will take you toward Harrisburg, and you'll merge on to I-81 before then;
• I-81 south will take you all the way thru the Shenendoah Valley in VA, lovely country, and into the mountains near the VA/NC border, also just beautiful;
• Turn on to I-77 south which will take you down thru Charlotte NC to Columbia SC (I stopped at a rather good winery in Mt Airy NC);
• In Columbia SC, you'll turn on to I-26 east toward the coast (tho you're actually headed almost due south);
• Then you'll re-join I-95 past Santee SC and straight on until you're turning on to I-4 to Orlando.

It's a nice route through some beautiful country. Plus the only tolls you'll get are in NH, then the Mass Pike, the Tappan Zee Bridge and perhaps one on the NJ/PA line.

Good luck

 

[garmich]

Amen to that!
I would recommend avoiding not just the GW, but I-95 as much as possible. The traffic alone will slow you considerably, and the major urban centers make for a tough drive. This past weekend, I did the mountain route up from Georgia to Boston, avoiding I-95, and found it to be a very pleasant drive. The largest cities I went through were Charlotte NC (tho I went around) and Hartford CT! Google thinks it adds > 1 hour to the trip, but you can save that avoiding DC traffic alone, not to mention NYC, NJ, Baltimore and Richmond...

We went to WDW in August and we didn't encounter any heavy traffic, all the way down to Orlando (from Springfield, MA). But that was because we planned it so that we would pass through all of the major cities at the right time. We NEVER attempt to drive through NYC. We always go by the Tappan Zee Bridge. On this trip, traffic seemed lighter than previous trips. Maybe it was because of the higher gas prices.

On the way back home (northbound), the only traffic we encountered was at the Delaware Bridge. But, we avoided it by staying on I-95 and getting off at Chester, PA and going over the bridge into NJ.

I've considered using the alternate route that you use, going through PA and Shenendoah, VA. In fact we are going to VA in 2009 and we're starting in the Shenendoahs, so we will use that route. If we like it, we may consider using that route when we go to WDW in 2010

 

[pumpkinboy]

Even tho it rained the whole route, I could tell it was really pretty country off I-81, and there were nice places to stop and see something.

That being said, it seems OP is driving in February. Winter in the mountains might not be that great an idea after all, but they can modify the route, and perhaps turn back toward the coast at about Harrisburg PA (down thru Frederick MD and I-270) and avoid most of the major congestion on the route. The big one they might want to plan for is the DC Beltway (495); hitting that at the right time will greatly help their progress.

Of course if they can plan to hit NYC at midnight, and the the DC Beltway at 5 AM, they should do fine, if they have enough drivers.

 

[LovinPooh]

Thank you for the very helpful tips. I greatly appreciate all the help. We are leaving around 3ish in the afternoon. Hopping onto I91. Going to try to drive until midnight-1am and then sleep. I am hoping, and I mean hoping, to make it out of DC if we promptly leave at 3:00. Of course who knows as far as traffic. If we take the I95 route it would be a push.
Thank you for the alternate to I95 route. I will run that by my husband. He is the one who drives... but I do the navigating. I hate to drive and he hates to read maps and signs... like I said, I wish we werent afraid to fly LOL!

He also hates I95. Had a run in with a NC state trooper last year and swore he would never drive I95 again. Of course him speeding wasnt an issue... it was because the cop didnt like him LMAO!!
So heres my tip for everyone that drives 95...there is a HUGE speedtrap on each side of the NC/VA border.... and they love to hand out court dates

 

[PortieOwner]

In Maryland I believe we are up to $2 each way for the Harbor or Ft. HcHenry tunnels, and $4 (only pay it one way) for the Tydings Bridge across the Susquehanna.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

In Maryland I believe we are up to $2 each way for the Harbor or Ft. HcHenry tunnels, and $4 (only pay it one way) for the Tydings Bridge across the Susquehanna.

The Tydings Bridge went up to $5 coming north.