Alternate Route (trying to avoid 95 and 81…NJ, PA, VA)

[nomoretslt]

Already fretting the trip home from NJ. Coming up we stay on 95 until Fredericksburg then take 17, 15, 581, 83, 81, 78. It adds miles and time, but 95 is horrific North of Richmond. When we get on 81, it’s only for 18 miles. I’m trying to get on 95 south either at Richmond or a bit below. I know we could take 81 south to 64 to Richmond, but two lanes with lots of tractor trailers has its own set of issues. I was thinking of staying on 15 south through Opal, VA and head for the Charlottesville area and get on 64 there. 64 used to be a pleasant roadway but haven’t been on it in years. We’d rather be slow on 15 than being like a parking lot on 95. Anyone familiar with this route I’m thinking of?
Im surely not used to this cold weather any more. It’s 2 degrees here.

 

[amycurl]

You can take US 29 from DC down through VA and NC (29 connects to 85 in my town, and 40 if you need to scoot east.) it’s a beautiful drive and my GPS takes me through the Rockfish valley in VA to avoid having to drive through Charlottesville. You pass numerous wineries and distilleries in the valley; we’ve often thought about making a weekend trip just to stay there, it’s so lovely.

29 has raised there speed limits since I first started taking this route 30 years ago, and there are far fewer trucks then 81.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[nomoretslt]

@amycurl thank you for that info. A neighbor also gave me their tips (NJ refugees also). I’m going to figure out a combo of yours and theirs. We live close to the beach in NC. Thank you very much.

 

[joestein]

Just get up and leave at 1am. You wont have much traffic.

I do it all the time when I am traveling down south - the key is to get past Washington DC before it gets too busy.

 

[Brett]

I agree, try leaving very very early
I use Route 29 to Rt 17 to get around the south of Washington I-95 traffic back when I was commuting to Northern Va

 

[nomoretslt]

I’m closer to 70 years old than 65. No way I’m leaving at 1 am. Not a fan of driving in the dark either. leaving at 6 am, hoping to be home by 5 pm. We are not far from Easton PA so 78 to 81 and then we will make a choice.
Thanks for the input.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

As a former trucker (20 years), I also never liked the I-95 area between Baltimore and Fredricksburg VA. It can be as bad as, if not worse than, I-95 through NYC. The toll lanes are great if you're on them, but there is always a bottleneck where they dump back onto I-95. Taking US highways, regardless of state, is usually more scenic with less traffic.

TS

 

[nomoretslt]

@simpsontruckdriver absolutely agree. DH and I are weighing the differences. 95 is out of the question….getting on below Chesterfield is our goal…..not in a real hurry so 15 to 29 to 64 or maybe 81 to Staunton/64/chesterfield.
on another note, Don’t know if you are working today/tonight, but as as DVC member that spent Christmas in WDW a few years ago, thank you for your service!! It is truly amazing to experience WDW at Christmas, and even more amazing that cast members such as yourself move us around ”the world” during these crazy holiday periods. I hope your passengers are pleasant the next few days.

 

[pedro47]

Do you have an EZ Express Lane pass ?
You can used an EZ Express Lane pass from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.

We also disliked I 95.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

on another note, Don’t know if you are working today/tonight, but as as DVC member that spent Christmas in WDW a few years ago, thank you for your service!! It is truly amazing to experience WDW at Christmas, and even more amazing that cast members such as yourself move us around ”the world” during these crazy holiday periods. I hope your passengers are pleasant the next few days.

In the last year of driving buses, figure 2500 guests per week, I think maybe 3 were not in a good mood. On Christmas Eve, everyone was happy yet exhausted. One girl, who was probably between 5-8 years old, came up to me, exclaimed MERRY CHRISTMAS, then ran back to her parents laughing!

I prefer driving WDW buses over driving a tractor-trailer, far less stress and I don't have to eat and sleep at truck stops every night. Not to mention, traffic is zero compared to I-95 in the northeast or I-10/I-5 in the Los Angeles area.

TS

 

[WinniWoman]

I’m closer to 70 years old than 65. No way I’m leaving at 1 am. Not a fan of driving in the dark either. leaving at 6 am, hoping to be home by 5 pm. We are not far from Easton PA so 78 to 81 and then we will make a choice.
Thanks for the input.

I’m with you! I don’t do dark and I’m a morning person- though even that’s tough for me now that I’m older.

Anyway, after our only trip down to Virginia from NY many years ago, which turned out to be a nightmare, we have never traveled south again. And now that I won’t fly anywhere looks like we definitely won’t be ever going south.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I’m with you! I don’t do dark and I’m a morning person- though even that’s tough for me now that I’m older.

Anyway, after our only trip down to Virginia from NY many years ago, which turned out to be a nightmare, we have never traveled south again. And now that I won’t fly anywhere looks like we definitely won’t be ever going south.

I guess you won't ever need a Star on your driver's license.......






.

 

[Carolinian]

I have always liked staying off the crowded interstates as much as possible. From eastern North Carolina going south, I take US 17 as far as Savannah rather than I-95. If I am driving north, I start on 17, go through Williamsburg but hit I-95 again at Fredericksburg, and from there to DC is the worst part of 95. Lately, if I have a meeting in DC, I am prone to drive to Fredericksburg, get a hotel there and then take the commuter trains into DC.

My first year in law school when I was at Stetson and my parents lived in Charlotte, I would drive a route of US 21 to Columbia then route 121 to Florida, 2 lane roads most of the way. 121 was known as the Woodpecker Trail, and once a popular way to go to Florida before the coming of interstate highways.

 

[Big Matt]

I like Amycurl's route a lot and use it often heading south. I live right near route 15 near Leesburg Virginia and pick up 29 just south of Gainsville. Another idea would be to take route 13 all the way to Virginia Beach and go across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (toll) and head south via 17. One other idea that I also use is to go south on 301 whereever you can pick that up in Maryland and cross the Potomac River Bridge (toll) and pick up 95 well past Fredericksburg. Always take 295 and not go through the city of Richmond.

 

[pedro47]

I like Amycurl's route a lot and use it often heading south. I live right near route 15 near Leesburg Virginia and pick up 29 just south of Gainsville. Another idea would be to take route 13 all the way to Virginia Beach and go across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (toll) and head south via 17. One other idea that I also use is to go south on 301 whereever you can pick that up in Maryland and cross the Potomac River Bridge (toll) and pick up 95 well past Fredericksburg. Always take 295 and not go through the city of Richmond.

Big Matt, headed from North Suffolk, VA to Washington, DC.
what is the best route? We have try early in the morning and there is traffic, lunch time time and evening time there is traffic on 95.

Between 11:00 AM and 3 PM there is alway an accident on 95 North or South Bound.

When we are leaving DC on a Sunday morning out of Tyson Corner, there is traffic.

We purchase that EzPass Express Lane device. If does help, but there are still traffic back up on 95.

 

[WinniWoman]

I guess you won't ever need a Star on your driver's license.......






.

I don’t even know what that is. But if it’s something needed to fly I guess I won’t!

 

[elaine]

FYI for anyone doing the drive next year from NC-DC or further to NY/NJ:

• NB I95 (NC to DC/VA area) was above speed limit (Quantico-minor slow downs) on Christmas Eve late afternoon/evening, and
• SB I95 (VA-NC) Christmas Day (departing VA 3pm) and the 26th (departing 9am)-both times above speed limit.

I was surprised. Next year, as Christmas is on a Thursday, maybe it'll be the same traffic pattern with W/TH/Fr being low volume.

 

[nomoretslt]

Thanks for all the additional suggestions. I was fully prepared to take 15 to 29 and then go thru Cuckoo, VA (love that name) get on 64, get off before Richmond towards Chesterfield and get on 95 by Petersburg. We left at 5:45 am, got home at 4:30. Traffic was very light thru Allentown, 81 and 83…then 581 to 15 south. I guess most of the commuters in all of the DC suburbs took the week off. Since traffic was light, DH wanted to take the less mileage way of 15 to 17 to Fredericksburg to 95. 95 was great until it wasn’t. No accidents, no construction…just the screech to a halt and then crawl. Took the Richmond bypass and 95 was better after that. But too many left lane sitters. What is up with that? They sit in the left lane, nobody in front of them, then when you try to go around them they speed up.
I definitely want to try the Cuckoo way one day. We agreed that we may have to start overnighting on these trips north. Lots of nice places in Virginia to stop at.
Love seeing our family but did not like the snow and 2 degree temps.
Thanks again all and Happy New Year.

 

[Big Matt]

Big Matt, headed from North Suffolk, VA to Washington, DC.
what is the best route? We have try early in the morning and there is traffic, lunch time time and evening time there is traffic on 95.

Between 11:00 AM and 3 PM there is alway an accident on 95 North or South Bound.

When we are leaving DC on a Sunday morning out of Tyson Corner, there is traffic.

We purchase that EzPass Express Lane device. If does help, but there are still traffic back up on 95.

I would try this route:
Monitor Merrimack to 64
64 to 17 across the Coleman Bridge to Glouchester
Continue on 17 to route 3 to 301 across the Potomac River Bridge
Pick up route 225 to 210 (Indian Head Highway). At this point 210 takes you to just North of the Potomac River in Maryland near the new MGM Casino. Easy to get to DC from there

Or.....

Take 58/258 to 460
Go around Richmond on 295 to 360 toward Tappahannock to 301
or 295 to exit 104 (Carmel Church/Bowling Green) route 207 to 301 and continue as above.

These ways are longer, but your can bite off as much or all of 95. I like the first one the best, but if MM tunnel is closed or backed up just go 460. I've done trips to OBX, Williamsburg, Norfolk, from up where I live and I live by them. I've had trips from near Dulles Airport that have taken me 3.5 hours just to get to Fredericksburg due to the traffic.

 

[pedro47]

I would try this route:
Monitor Merrimack to 64
64 to 17 across the Coleman Bridge to Glouchester
Continue on 17 to route 3 to 301 across the Potomac River Bridge
Pick up route 225 to 210 (Indian Head Highway). At this point 210 takes you to just North of the Potomac River in Maryland near the new MGM Casino. Easy to get to DC from there

Or.....

Take 58/258 to 460
Go around Richmond on 295 to 360 toward Tappahannock to 301
or 295 to exit 104 (Carmel Church/Bowling Green) route 207 to 301 and continue as above.

These ways are longer, but your can bite off as much or all of 95. I like the first one the best, but if MM tunnel is closed or backed up just go 460. I've done trips to OBX, Williamsburg, Norfolk, from up where I live and I live by them. I've had trips from near Dulles Airport that have taken me 3.5 hours just to get to Fredericksburg due to the traffic.

Thanks you very much and wishing you a Happy New Year.
I just finished printing your direction. I liked the first one.

We live in the Harbour View neighborhood which is off The MM Tunnel.