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Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,813 posts, read 34,657,307 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sepulgeek
I never had trouble on the weekends when we used the Baltimore Beltway. I never drove it on the weekdays. It's pretty empty at night. We would usually hit at returning at around 10pm.
I worked in Owings Mills for several years. I would rather drive the Capital Beltway than the Baltimore Beltway. Although, by 10 pm it's not so bad.
Last edited by southbound_295; 12-14-2011 at 11:23 AM..
We either go 77, 81 to Front Royal 66 but I find that route so completely SNOOZING beyond Harrisonburg.
An good alternative is 29 N from Gboro. I know it is a bit longer but you hit enough cities to keep it eventful. Most of it is 4 lane. Plenty of Sheetz gas stations that stay open 24hrs with hot coffee and usually clean restrooms!
I find traffic every time I take 95 anywhere north of Fredricksburg. To me the chances of hitting it are not worth the effort of anytime I would save.
If there is snow 29 usually doesn't get hit as hard as the area thru 81 Shenandoah Valley and Roanoke section. It can get foggy and lots of 18 wheelers to deal with.
The in laws live near Dulles Airport/NOVA and we used to have season tickets to UVA and travel to Charlottesville many times a year.
I've taken both routes to NJ, but I thought the main purpose of going 77-81 is to AVOID DC. If DC is the destination, then I don't think 85-95 would be much worse. I don't drive 66 that much but you can probably hit a lot of traffic there heading to DC as well.
I also agree with alise in that although 77-81 is more scenic, it can be pretty boring...I think it's the fact that you're in VA for what seems like an eternity! One other negative is there are always a ton of trucks on that route.
But of course the traffic on 95 anywhere between Richmond and DC is so unpredictable. But on the plus side, more Wawas!
I worked in Owings Mills for several years. I would rather drive the Capital Beltway than the Baltimore Beltway. Although, by 10 pm it's not so bad.
Agreed - it can be pretty nasty. I lived in the area (Towson, Middle River, Columbia, Severn) for about 13 years. Generally, 95 was faster than going around unless there was a major wreck before the split going to either of the two tunnels. And its only $2 - saving $2 and adding a few miles is really kind of a wash.
And the M-Tag / EZPass thing made navigating the toll booths much easier. I actually still have mine in my windshield (a sure sign of a northern transplant).
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,813 posts, read 34,657,307 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tober138
Agreed - it can be pretty nasty. I lived in the area (Towson, Middle River, Columbia, Severn) for about 13 years. Generally, 95 was faster than going around unless there was a major wreck before the split going to either of the two tunnels. And its only $2 - saving $2 and adding a few miles is really kind of a wash.
And the M-Tag / EZPass thing made navigating the toll booths much easier. I actually still have mine in my windshield (a sure sign of a northern transplant).
The drivers on the Baltimore Beltway used to drive me nuts. There is a constant lane changing, for no apparent reason, that is unlike anywhere that I have ever driven.
I would take I77 to I81 though be careful in Fancy Gap as that's where quite a few accidents happen and especially in winter. Depending on when you leave you could hit a backup when getting on to I81 from I77 (we hit it around Thanksgiving one year). The other route I would take is I85 to 29N. When we moved from Concord back to the NoVa area last year this is the way we went to avoid the tractor trailers on I81.
I believe that 3 or 4 times I have seen the backup WAS on a Sunday.
Each time I was going south so the distance of the backup really stood out in my mind.
But most times it is clear sailing and I would prefer to take that way rather than I-95. The Springfield spaghetti junction is just too much of a hassle especially when you are pulling a trailer.
the sphagetti juction was a waste of money. Traffic is still horrible as it was before. Should have spent the money to add another lane to route one or another road.
the sphagetti juction was a waste of money. Traffic is still horrible as it was before. Should have spent the money to add another lane to route one or another road.
I don't care what time of day or night I would come through there........ it was never a straight shot without having to come to a stop at least once.
Also going southbound on 95 after you get out of Springfield. It all has to go down to 2 lanes eventually and it is always a mess.
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