Driving to FL, best route through DC

[Malsua 1,422]

Heading south in at some point in the near future and leaving from South Jersey so 81 is out.

I've done 95 but it's been a long time.     Is it better to take 95/295/95 or 95/495W/95?

It'll probably be on a Saturday morning but not much I can do about that.

My firearms will be cased in the back so that's not going to be an issue.

I've done 295 Around Richmond, is that the better choice still rather than straight through?

I think the last time I went to FL on 95 was in the late 90s so I have no idea where all the construction is these days.

Thanks

[GunsnFreedom 245]

The construction changes almost daily around that place.  If you're going Saturday morning I wouldn't worry too much unless there is a march or something going on.  If that happens you're screwed anyway.

Just plug the destination into Waze and let it figure the route out.

[bhunted 887]

Screw DC... cut through Delaware.


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[Silence Dogood 468]

Driving around or through DC or NoVa is horrible these days.  Make sure that, as a minimum, you are using Google Maps (the one with the real time traffic) so you can be directed around the inevitable accidents and delays.

[Malsua 1,422]

I was planning on using my GPS that avoids traffic and Waze on my phone and best guessing it as we go.   Whenever they both say the same thing, I know it's my best option.  The thing I was hoping to hear was "don't ever take XXXXX road" or something like that.  I know that whole area sucks.

 

 

[siderman 1,136]

yea the DC area is a crapshoot. we've done the 95 drive 20 times in the past 10 yrs and our preferred window is to get thru the entire beltway area between 10 AM- 2 PM we will not go anywhere near DC/northern VA close to rush hrs and the PM rush time starts around mid afternoon. Richmond, we used to take the 295 bypass but soon realized going thru Richmond proper (95)even in rush hr wasnt bad at all, busy, but no comparison to up here. Not much of a time dif anyway 295 is more for the VABeach/Williamsburg crowd. Google traffic is your friend. We also did the 81 trip, much nicer scenery but we got so screwed down in SC between the eve rush hr and construction we're traumatized about doing it again.  Once did Bergen Cnty to Vero in 18 hrs.

ETA: forgot the Sat part, shouldnt be too bad as long as its not summer, fuggetaboudit then!  95 one big clusterfuk till NC.

[gfl216 226]

Leave your house at 4AM, that should put you in the DC area around 8 or 9. On a Saturday it shouldn't be that bad.

[Sevenshot 98]

don't go during rush hour and use a live GPS (Google maps, waze,  etc). Avoiding accidents is the key. 

[mjrfd99 88]

On 2/27/2018 at 10:20 AM, gfl216 said:

Leave your house at 4AM, that should put you in the DC area around 8 or 9. On a Saturday it shouldn't be that bad.

Yep 3 am leave here and past DC any day of the week before 7 am.

The traffic comming north from VA at rush hour is usually 20 miles long. 

[HBecwithFn7 296]

If I-81 is not an option (sorry it isn't... it's my favorite way to go),  the next best thing I believe would be the Eastern Shore route down US-301 to US301/US50 and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  You can get to it via I-95 (Del. Tpk). Go down Del. Route 1 (accessible from the Del. Tpk).  You'll pass right by the Cabela's and the Christina Mall.  Take that to Del. 896 (Boyd's Corner Rd.).  That will lead you directly to US-301 S.  Take that all the way down the Eastern Shore and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and through Annapolis (across US-50) to the Capital Beltway.

Yes, it's still MD, but less risky. The point is to avoid the Harbor Tunnel area and the tunnels, themselves.  That's where the MTAP will be with their ALPR cameras.  Furthermore, depending on the time of day, being on that section of the Capital Beltway might be less stressful than other parts or by going down the JFK directly.

This will also work if you have to go through DC itself because US-50 starts/ends as "New York Ave. NE" in DC.You drive right by the Natl. Arboretum.