Traveling I-75 Need Advise

[hammie59]

Will be traveling to FL from Detroit MI, leaving on Good Friday. Not sure how to gauge rush hour in all the major cities that we'll be hitting that first day. We plan on stopping half way, probably in Chattanooga. I need a plan of action as far as best time to leave. I'm not worried about the second day since it's a Saturday. Every time I do the math, it seems like we're hitting rush hour somewhere. Is it even that bad on Good Friday? Although, I'm sure there'll be a lot of traffic in general from my state alone, just trying to escape

 

[sammielynn]

Chattanooga should not be to bad on Good Friday, Atlanta is the place you want to miss rush hour. Saturdays and Sundays Atlanta is not to bad, unless there is a ballgame. On a work day I try to avoid Atlanta at Lunch and after 4:30.

 

[sam_gordon]

Will be traveling to FL from Detroit MI, leaving on Good Friday. Not sure how to gauge rush hour in all the major cities that we'll be hitting that first day. We plan on stopping half way, probably in Chattanooga. I need a plan of action as far as best time to leave. I'm not worried about the second day since it's a Saturday. Every time I do the math, it seems like we're hitting rush hour somewhere. Is it even that bad on Good Friday? Although, I'm sure there'll be a lot of traffic in general from my state alone, just trying to escape

I'm guessing the worst city between Detroit & Chattanooga would be Cincinnati. I would avoid evening rush hour there. I75 just after you cross into Kentucky can easily get backed up. I would try to get through there by 3-4p.

Chattanooga is ~10 hours from Detroit. I'd want to stop around 7-8, get dinner, and get to sleep for the next day. So, arrive Chattanooga @ 7p means leaving Detroit @ 9am. Four hours to Cinci, and you're through there at 1pm.

I don't know what rush hour is in Knoxville, but you'd be hitting that with that time frame (around 5:30pm). To avoid that, either leave at 10am (get into Chattanooga @ 8pm) or 7am (get into Chattanooga @ 5pm). That gets you through Cinci at between 11am & 2pm, so no problem there.

Just my opinion.

 

[disneyjunebug]

If you leave at 9:00 in the morning, you will get to Knoxville about 6 PM (hubby has driven it many times when we lived there for 25 years -- he's originally from Pontiac). You will miss the worst part of Rush hour in K-town. It's another 1.5 hours or so to Chattanooga. There are a lot of places to stay on the Eastern side of Chattanooga that are nice, but not too expensive wiith lots of restaurants right at the Hamilton Place Mall exit.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I'm guessing the worst city between Detroit & Chattanooga would be Cincinnati. I would avoid evening rush hour there. I75 just after you cross into Kentucky can easily get backed up.

Actually, there's usually a bigger backup getting onto the bridge than after crossing the bridge. I agree, you gotta get through Cincinnati before 3.

I'm including breaks here. I'd allow about five hours from Detroit to Cincinnati. Another 4 1/2 to five hours to Knoxville. And another two hours to Chattanooga. That's about 11 1/2 to 12 hours. But also includes several rest stops and a nice lunch break.

Leave Detroit by 9 AM, you'll be in Cincinnati no later than 2. You'll miss Knoxville rush hour, getting there about 6 or 6:30. And you'll be pulling into your motel in Chattanooga by 8:30 or 9 PM.

HTH.