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Take I-95, plan your trip as to miss rush hours, it's the simplest, cheapest and easiest. I take I-95 fairly frequently, it's not that bad driving time wise if you miss the rush hours. NJ to DC, common, it's not a rocket science to avoid rush hour traffic.There is a lot of construction on the west half of I-495 loop in DC, so it's always better to take eastern half of the loop I-495 around DC, rush hour or not. As bad as you lead to believe I-95 traffic is, it doesn't come close to the aggressive intensity of the dense, fast moving LA traffic just before it's coming to the screeching halt. Actually, I get an impression that a small but noticeable portion of DC drivers is afraid of driving
Take I-95, plan your trip as to miss rush hours, it's the simplest, cheapest and easiest. I take I-95 fairly frequently, it's not that bad driving time wise if you miss the rush hours. NJ to DC, common, it's not a rocket science to avoid rush hour traffic.There is a lot of construction on the west half of I-495 loop in DC, so it's always better to take eastern half of the loop I-495 around DC, rush hour or not. As bad as you lead to believe I-95 traffic is, it doesn't come close to the aggressive intensity of the dense, fast moving LA traffic just before it's coming to the screeching halt. Actually, I get an impression that a small but noticeable portion of DC drivers is afraid of driving
As someone who's done BOTH routes plenty of times at various times of the day, I think I have some knowledge on this. Like you, I've worked at jobs in major cities and spent over an hr commuting each way to my job, so I also know about what traffic is! I did EXACTLY what you said and planned around the rush hour traffic a couple years ago (taking 95 through the night figuring I wouldn't hit that traffic). The 1 time I did that, there was construction I believe in Baltimore or DC overnight and we moved at a standstill.
Also, for the people coming from NJ around exit 8 (central Jersey), you need to pay multiple tolls. 1. your paying the NJ turnpike/ toll (prob 3 bucks or so), your paying tolls in delaware, through baltimore. From North Jersey it cost over 10 bucks 1 way just in tolls to make the trip to Charlotte going 95-85. You also slow up at the tolls.
If you're looking to just get to your destination and not to make pit stops for whatever reason along the way, get to I-81 and avoid the major cities.....
There is a BETTER chance you will run into more congestion if you take the NJ/DE/MD/VA route than if you swing over and head west...not saying you won't hit traffic in PA if you go the I-81 way, but again, what way will give you the best chance for you to keep MOVING? I-81 route no doubt. For 99% of drivers, I think that is prob most important thing....lol
I-81 is also a much prettier drive. The only attraction on the road going down 95 is going through Richmond. South of that there's nothing. I-85 through NC is extremely boring. It is extremely scenic doing the I-81 route.
Again, done this both ways plenty of times....good luck!
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CouponJack
As someone who's done BOTH routes plenty of times at various times of the day, I think I have some knowledge on this. Like you, I've worked at jobs in major cities and spent over an hr commuting each way to my job, so I also know about what traffic is! I did EXACTLY what you said and planned around the rush hour traffic a couple years ago (taking 95 through the night figuring I wouldn't hit that traffic). The 1 time I did that, there was construction I believe in Baltimore or DC overnight and we moved at a standstill.
Also, for the people coming from NJ around exit 8 (central Jersey), you need to pay multiple tolls. 1. your paying the NJ turnpike/ toll (prob 3 bucks or so), your paying tolls in delaware, through baltimore. From North Jersey it cost over 10 bucks 1 way just in tolls to make the trip to Charlotte going 95-85. You also slow up at the tolls.
If you're looking to just get to your destination and not to make pit stops for whatever reason along the way, get to I-81 and avoid the major cities.....
There is a BETTER chance you will run into more congestion if you take the NJ/DE/MD/VA route than if you swing over and head west...not saying you won't hit traffic in PA if you go the I-81 way, but again, what way will give you the best chance for you to keep MOVING? I-81 route no doubt. For 99% of drivers, I think that is prob most important thing....lol
I-81 is also a much prettier drive. The only attraction on the road going down 95 is going through Richmond. South of that there's nothing. I-85 through NC is extremely boring. It is extremely scenic doing the I-81 route.
Again, done this both ways plenty of times....good luck!
Jack, the poster is talking of taking the PA Turnpike. I'm going to go out on a limb & assume that this is refering to an area near Florence & Bordentown in South Jersey where you pick up a bridge that hooks you into the PA TPK & you swing down around the City of Philadelphia, to pick up the main TPK leg at King of Prussia.
Now, having commuted the Sure-Kill, that wouldn't bother me. . . I think that I should go back to the 1st post & verify that, because if that was I 676, that is the Sure-Kill.
Going south in NJ, why would any NJ resident pay tolls on the NJ TPK south of exit 7A? 295 runs parallel to the turnpike & is 100% free. People in South Jersey take 295. It takes you directly to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, to Wilmington, & there is an exit to the Commodore Barry Bridge to cross the Delaware south of Chester to get on 95 south there. If you paid tolls in NJ south of Princeton, that's your own fault.
ETA: OK, she did not say 676. That would not be a good idea for them. I do think that she's talking about the connector near Florence & Bordentown.
Last edited by southbound_295; 05-29-2011 at 09:22 AM..
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