Wash DC traffic ~ Friday nite

[dwkwootton]

Can someone advise on how heavy the traffic is bypassing Washington DC on Friday nights? I'm sure that Friday rush hour is about the worst, but what time does it start (if at all) to slack off? 7pm? Thanks!

 

[Jamesbyr]

A limited answer: the best way to get around DC on a Friday evening (8 PM) is to go right through it, at least from the Baltimore area. 495 to US 50 (New York Avenue) and a left onto I-395 just after New Jersey Avenue. You can then get into the express lanes on 395 which become the express lanes on 95 south of the beltway. Good luck.

 

[Selket]

I live in the DC suburbs but I don't often drive that side of the city. Just wanted to mention that WTOP 1500 on the AM dial is the major traffic reporting radio station in the area and can be very helpful. They broadcast the traffic report every 8 minutes 24 hours a day.

I think the commute can depend on whether or not there are accidents or rain. Probably hitting it after 8 pm is best - the later the better but not too late cause sometimes they set up work zones and shut down lanes at night.

Good luck!

 

[bdcp]

I wouldn't do 395. New Jersey Ave?? Why would you recommend that? That takes you right through DC, not around it and right through some of the busiest parts of town, not to mention traffic lights. Bad advice! I have lived here in the DC area most of my life. I would just bite the bullet and drive straight down I-95. It's the most direct and the Springfield Interchange work is progressing and it's getting much better. Like anywhere else, some days traffic is heavy and there are accidents and other days it's just heavy and moving well. It will be somewhat slow til you get south of Fredericksburg. It's almost always heavy til there. Actually, WTOP broadcasts traffic and weather every 10 minutes on the 8's. I listen to them every morning although I'm not on the beltway on my way to work. The weather is from the weather channel reporter and Doug Hill from local ABC channel 7. I have driven the DC beltway since I was 16. The best times to go through are fairly early on Sat or Sun mornings, before 9 am. But, the beltway itself doesn't back up as much as going through town. Just check out the 14th street bridge during rush hour. Usually at a standstill.

 

[Renysmom]

BP is correct.. DO NOT go thru DC, try and go around DC on one of the beltways to 95 south.. Rush hour starts about 3:30 and ends about 8:00 Monday thru Friday. If its a holiday or if its raining or snowing your drive will take longer. For planning purposes if you must hit 95 South anytime between 4-7 plan on a 2 hour drive from DC to Fredericksburg. Also, since this is the dinner hour plan on stopping at the Potomac Mills exit if 95 is moving very slow, lots of places to eat and relax instead of sitting on the road and there is a Disney Store in the mall. It does makes sense to stop and eat instead of getting caught in the traffic.

Don't forget that 95 has HOV from DC south for 20 miles, I forget if its HOV3 or HOV4 but if you have the occupancy take advantage of it.. Make sure you listed to WTOP as advised, best traffic report on the radio.

Also, VA department of trasnportation (www.vdot) constantly updates their website on construction on 95.

I've lived her my entire life, let me know if you have more questions.

 

[aec]

I WTOP 1500 on the AM dial is the major traffic reporting radio station in the area and can be very helpful. They broadcast the traffic report every 8 minutes 24 hours a day. Good luck!

Actually the WTOP traffic is every 10 minutes on the 8 (i.e. 3:08, 3:18, 3:28, 3:38 etc.)

If you don't know the DC slang it can be kind of confusing to follow the traffic report. Both 95 and 495 are both called the beltway. You're on the "inner loop" if you are going clockwise, "outer loop" if counter clockwise. The "mixing bowl" is where 95, 495 and 395 come together in northern virginia and it can be crowded at any time. South of DC on 95 there are one way carpool lanes in the center of the road. If you have 3 or more people in the car you can use these lanes (HOV 3). If they are open in the direction you are going it is usually a good idea to use them. Friday afternoon is notoriously bad. Starts early and ends late. If you are approaching DC from the north around 7 you should be a the tail end of things, but to get there at that time, you would have been going through or around Baltimore during their rush hour which can be really bad too.

 

[bdcp]

Just follow the signs for I-95 south to Richmond (or north to Baltimore). There are also electronic signs over the interstate in several locations. They will warn you of closed lanes, construction or Woodrow Wilson bridge openings and what radio station to tune to, to hear traffic info. Bridge info is also available on the web.

Try this site: http://www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm

It has info on I-95 and links to construction, lodging, alternate routes, etc.

Also, here is a link to the Wilson Bridge opening schedule (it's a drawbridge):
http://www.wilsonbridge.com/cms/cms-openings.htm

 

[dwkwootton]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Seems that our plan is not looking good and we need to make an alternate plan. We're driving from Philly to WDW starting out Friday nite (tomorrow!!!!!!!!!) and our estimate for hitting DC was approx 6 or 7 pm. Clearly, we should leave later or even select an entirely different route until we are south of DC. So, my original one question is now multiplied to those of you so knowledgeable .... should we simply leave later or choose a completely different route? If a different route, is the best/only option the one that takes us to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel?

 

[bdcp]

The worst that will happen is you'll sit in some traffic. The most likely is that it'll take you an extra hour or two which is what taking an alternate route will cost you anyway (since you have to go so far east or west). Situations like this are why we always leave early in the am to travel anywhere. We live west of DC and have our own route to get to I-95 south of Occoquan, but that's because of where we start out. Straight down 95 is still the most direct route for you.

Won't Philly traffic be a problem too? And the Delaware bridge and Baltimore? You're going to hit traffic all the way to Fredericksburg if you're leaving Philly around 4 which is what I'm guessing from your DC arrival timeframe. Could you leave really early Sat am? Like 4 am?

 

[laurenk]

I would advise not to do it. In actual miles we are about 40 miles south of D.C. During rush hour that would take about two hours.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Taking the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel would bring you into the Norfolk / Virginia Beach area at least an hour or more west of I-95.

One time I took a back way to Baltimore from I-95 between Fredericksburg and Richmond. I'm looking at a map and here it is in reverse --

Take I-97 south from Baltimore and pick up Route 3 south. According to the map this will run into US 301. Take and stay on US 301 south. This will take you past Waldorf and St. Charles and over the Potomac River into Virginia. You could either (a) take VA Route 3 west to Fredericksburg and I-95, or (b) stay on US 301, which will take you through Fort Hill (military base -- I'm assuming this isn't a problem, but when I went it was pre-9/11) and into Bowling Green, where you should take Route 207 to connect with I-95 about 20 miles south of Fredericksburg. I'm sure there are signs marking the way in Bowling Green. Staying on US 301 would take you down to Richmond, but that time of night I'd definitely recommend getting over to 95 if you can.

Definitely take I-295 around Richmond. Part of I-95 through Richmond has been designated a "safe highway corridor", is being heavily patrolled, and is more heavily fined than other stretches of highway.

Hope this helps. Have a safe trip!

 

[dwkwootton]

Again, I must start with how grateful I am for all this help. My knowledge of the area is so limited that hopefully my questions don't sound too stupid. As for changing our departure time to middle of the night, we could and will leave that option open, but that creates its own set of major problems. The best compromise may be to try to hit the DC area around 8 pm ... if I understand correctly that by 8 pm it may be worth trying? Also, I just looked over the map again and I wonder if the route I see that looks good on paper is actually a good route. It is this ... Route 301 through Maryland, crossing a bridge into Annapolis and staying south on Rte 301 east of Wash DC, taking me over a bridge into Virginia at Dahlgren, east of Fredericksburg. Is this a good possibility?

 

[dwkwootton]

I just read Obi Wans post, must have been posting same time as I was. This poster's route is a version of what I was saying, making the change in Baltimore instead of Wilmington. I just checked distances & times of this poster's route on Mapquest and it looks like to be ideal (but I know that Mapquest and real life don't always match up.) Follow up opinions would be much appreciated!

 

[kap10]

The one thing you may have going for you on Friday, January 7 is that it is the last day of the government leave year. If government employees (who make up a huge number of people going south on I-95 to Woodbridge, Fredricksburg area during rush hour) have an extra day or half day of leave, they will take it tomorrow (1/7/05) and make a long weekend out of it. A number of people that I know are off tomorrow for a "use or lose leave" day. It may not help much, but with our horrible traffic, it might make a bit of a difference. Traffic for me has been much better this week, even with the rain.

Good luck!

 

[dwkwootton]

Kap10, sounds good and anything will help LOL! What do you think of taking 301 south from Baltimore to Dahlgren, VA?

 

[Windjammer]

dwkwootton:

i just got back from taking the 301 alternate route to Hilton Head over the holidays from Southern NJ. This is a good alternate route but I am not sure how it is during the evening rush hour. We took Route 1 south in Delaware to 301 over the Bay Bridge to Route 50 to 301 South. This is a much nicer ride than taking 95 between Wilmington and Washington. The scenery- at least on the Delmarva peninsular is mostly farms.

301 is fairly congested from Route 50 through Waldorf but after that it was a great ride. We hit absolutely no traffic from Waldorf to the bypass in Richmond, which 301 runs direclty into. Traffic moved at about 60 mph for this stretch.

This may not be the fastest route if 95 is totally clear but the last two times I took 95 South we hit massive traffic between DC and Richmond. I would definately take this Route again. The trip south from Waldorf was great.

If you have any questions please ask.

Steve

 

[JudithM]

Coming south from Philadelphia, I would drive down the Eastern Shore through Delaware & into Maryland (US 301). Take 301/50 across the Chesapeake Bay, through Annapolis to the 301 South exit in Bowie. 301 crosses the Potomac near Dalhgrne, VA. ObiWanPinobi, gave good directions on 301 - no problem driving through Fort A. P. Hill. This route sure beats the crazy drivers on I95 from Phillie to Baltimore to DC to VA. Travel safely!

 

[bdcp]

You don't want to go 301 south through MD during rush hour. It will take longer and there are many traffic lights between Baltimore and Dahlgren. The worst is between Bowie and Waldorf/La Plata. I grew up not far from Waldorf and know that area well. That area has had a population explosion over the last few years and a lot of people commute into DC which means a lot have to commute home.

It's true that from Waldorf south til you catch I-95 again has light traffic, but getting through Waldorf can be painful also.

I've driven I-95 many times between VA and Baltimore and most of the crazy/fast/weaving drivers on I-95 have New Jersey and New York plates. That said, MD/DC and VA are no different than other areas I've driven in. Williamsburg to VA Beach is terrible also, but you just gut it out. Dallas traffic is horrible and so is LA and Atlanta. It's just part of populated areas. Ever try leaving on the GW bridge out of NY? That's usually at a standstill. Your choice really comes down to spending the same amount of time on the road, but going way out of your way using more gas,etc. or just dealing with it for the relatively short distance.

 

[Luvdisney]

Also wanted to mention WTOP Radio also broadcasts on 107.7 FM as well.