Baltimore harbor crossings (Towson, Rockville, Catonsville: travel, house, commuter)

[Tom Lennox 70]

If I'm travelling through Baltimore on a weekday, which is the best way through the city in terms of both avoiding heavy tolls and traffic? Usually I just take I-95 straight thru.

What about looping east on I-695 and the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

I-895 via the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel? I've seen those signs on 95 that try to direct traffic to the "Interstate 895 bypass" or something.

Or looping west on I-695 through Towson and then back onto 95 near Catonsville?

[psychofan]

Originally Posted by Terrapin2212

If I'm travelling through Baltimore on a weekday, which is the best way through the city in terms of both avoiding heavy tolls and traffic? Usually I just take I-95 straight thru.

What about looping east on I-695 and the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

I-895 via the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel? I've seen those signs on 95 that try to direct traffic to the "Interstate 895 bypass" or something.

Or looping west on I-695 through Towson and then back onto 95 near Catonsville?

What time of day? I believe tolls at Fort McHenry, Harbor Tunnel, and Francis Scott Key are all $2 cash though when I had the commuter EZpass plan the toll at McHenry was $0.50 each way. You may burn more gas by going around I-695 than going straight through plus you never know when I-695 might back up.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by psychofan

What time of day? I believe tolls at Fort McHenry, Harbor Tunnel, and Francis Scott Key are all $2 cash though when I had the commuter EZpass plan the toll at McHenry was $0.50 each way. You may burn more gas by going around I-695 than going straight through plus you never know when I-695 might back up.

Probably between between noon and 3 PM. Next week I'm visiting some friends in Baltimore then heading up to Perry Hall for some different friends too then heading home to Rockville. What time also depends on whether we decide to take a detour to Bel Air to eat at Waffle House. Is that worth it by the way? There isn't a Waffle House in Montgomery County and everyone says its such a great place to eat with a unique atmosphere.

So yeah, anyway I'd say around noon to 3PM southbound from either Perry Hall or Bel Air passing through Baltimore City. More specifically, I recall that the Fort McHenry bridge only has a toll going northbound but not southbound (the way the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is tolled going eastbound but not westbound). Is the toll plazas on the I-895 harbor tunnel and the Key Bridge on the northbound or southbound sides or both? Also in terms of distance are those two similar to going straight on 95?

[psychofan]

Not positive about Harbor Tunnel but McHenry charges both ways. Traffic should flow very easily between noon and 3pm on I95. You should have no problems at all. Coming back, the peak rush hour southbound ends after about 6:30-7pm so it should not be an issue if you return around that time. In terms of distance, I would say they're probably similar, but I would probably take the Harbor Tunnel.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by psychofan

Not positive about Harbor Tunnel but McHenry charges both ways. Traffic should flow very easily between noon and 3pm on I95. You should have no problems at all. Coming back, the peak rush hour southbound ends after about 6:30-7pm so it should not be an issue if you return around that time. In terms of distance, I would say they're probably similar, but I would probably take the Harbor Tunnel.

Thanks, I'll probably try the harbor tunnel this time and see if its faster. I'm spending the night at my friends place in Federal Hill and only heading into the County in the morning, I'll probaly get up early cause I probably wont' sleep well cause its goign to be on a couch and drunk

[sobo16]

If you're coming from the Northeast side of the city, you could always go around the top of the beltway through Towson and then take I-70 West to either Route 97 or 27 into Montgomery County.

[psychofan]

Originally Posted by Terrapin2212

Thanks, I'll probably try the harbor tunnel this time and see if its faster. I'm spending the night at my friends place in Federal Hill and only heading into the County in the morning, I'll probaly get up early cause I probably wont' sleep well cause its goign to be on a couch and drunk

Wait, if you're leaving from Federal Hill to go northbound up to Harford County, I would just get onto South Hanover Street in Federal Hill and then take a left onto McComas Street which leads to the ramp onto I-95 North into the Fort McHenry Tunnel. That is the absolute best and most direct route. You will get onto I-95 and into the McHenry tunnel within 5 minutes from Federal Hill.

Southbound I would then take I-95 to I-895 for the Harbor Tunnel.

[notdancingqueen]

Both tunnels charge both ways. I would skip the bridge and 695 at the time you are traveling -- there shouldn't be any traffic (or not much, anyway). I like the pp's suggestion for directions. Barring that, I tend to favor the Harbor Tunnel (895) because it seems like less people know about it and it's often less crowded.

Jackie