Memorial Day Weekend Traffic to Norfolk Area

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by NoVA_Lurker

Okay, thanks for the info. We'll probably stick with 460 or 64, then. Since we'll be in the area pretty late, I'll just watch the traffic websites to see which is the best option once we get to Richmond.

460 will also require watching for deer. About every 5-10 miles, there is a small town/ village. I find it breaks up the monotony off the straight drive.

Interesting urban legend for the towns aligning 460 (which runs along the railroad).


"Popular legend has it that William Mahone (1826–1895), builder of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad (now Norfolk Southern), and his cultured wife, Otelia Butler Mahone (1837–1911), traveled along the newly completed Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad naming stations. Otelia was reading Ivanhoe a book written by Sir Walter Scott. From his historical Scottish novels, Otelia chose the place names of Waverly, as well as Windsor and Wakefield. She tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor, a small town in neighboring Southampton County. When they could not agree, it is said that they invented a new name, which is how the tiny community of Disputanta was created. The N&P railroad was completed in 1858."

[NoVA_Lurker]

Caladium - I did not know about the ferry. That might be the perfect thing for us to do. I will look into that. I've not had much time to do research and have never been to the area other than driving through on the way to the Outer Banks as a kid.

spencgr - Interesting stuff, thanks.

[NoVA_Lurker]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions regarding traffic and routes from Reston to Smithfield, VA. I was really nervous about traffic on the holiday weekend, but I'm very happy to say that we couldn't have asked for an easier drive in either direction. We left around 7:30 on Friday evening and made it to Smithfield in 3 hours 8 minutes (door-to-door). On Monday, we left around 9:10am and made it in 3 hours 7 minutes I monitored the traffic conditions online and it was "green" the whole way, so we ended up taking I-64 rather than any of the alternate routes that we considered. We did not end up doing much in the way of touristy stuff because we mostly just visited with family at the hotel when we weren't participating in planned events.

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and for those who traveled, hope the trips were easy!

[michgc]

Thanks for the follow-up! It will be useful for the next person. FYI: we had friends visit us in NC this weekend. When they hit Fredericksburg about 4 PM or 5 PM there was a huge backup. They had to get off and take Route 1.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by michgc

When they hit Fredericksburg about 4 PM or 5 PM there was a huge backup.

In my experience, there is ALWAYS traffic on 95 in Fredericksburg. Doesn't matter what time, or if you are going North or South.

[saganista]

Traffic in and around the Vienna/Oakton area was a breeze this weekend so long as one remembered the schedules for Rolling Thunder and ViVa Vienna! It was almost as if a lot of people had gone out of town or something.

[Darkseid]

I came up yesterday afternoon from Williamsburg and it was pretty smooth sailing until I got about 5 miles north of Frederickburg. But it wasn't all that bad. Just slower moving until I got north of Woodbridge. Perhaps that backup was just building up at the time I passed through