Route 301 During Rush Hour Question (Baltimore, Bowie: live, price, safer)

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by GoPhils

^This (which it kinda seems was the other option the OP was considering)...My parents drive from Philly area to Hilton Head once a year and this is the route they usually take. OP would be hitting Baltimore and even DC at a bad time if leaving Philly at 3:30. This route would avoid most of the traffic and I believe would even be less in the way of tolls. 301 around Waldorf can be annoying, but it could still be faster than 495/95. By the way, I hope you don't have to drive this all in one day!

eh....I guess that could work. I just think by the time he reach Baltimore, the traffic should be winding down. He'll likely deal with traffic in Delaware anyway. Regardless I think we can all agree that 301 is the best route south of DC.

[MDguy99]

Originally Posted by Carameldude

Hmmm, if I was from the Philly area. I would take hwy 13 south and that will take you through Delaware, lower eastern shore of Maryland, southeastern Virginia (Norfolk area), and the small towns in eastern North Carolina.

Yes. I don't understand why the OP doesn't just take 13. Doesn't make much sense to me to cross the Bay at all when he's traveling to a coastal destination anyway. Might as well do 13 since it would be about the same time but with much better scenery and no real traffic to speak of when compared to anything in central MD. Do yourself a favor and take 13!

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by MDguy99

Yes. I don't understand why the OP doesn't just take 13. Doesn't make much sense to me to cross the Bay at all when he's traveling to a coastal destination anyway. Might as well do 13 since it would be about the same time but with much better scenery and no real traffic to speak of when compared to anything in central MD. Do yourself a favor and take 13!

That way adds about 45 lower-speed miles, but it certainly is a nice drive.

[Cruzincat]

Originally Posted by MDguy99

Yes. I don't understand why the OP doesn't just take 13. Doesn't make much sense to me to cross the Bay at all when he's traveling to a coastal destination anyway. Might as well do 13 since it would be about the same time but with much better scenery and no real traffic to speak of when compared to anything in central MD. Do yourself a favor and take 13!

The OP only mentioned SC as the destination. Once crossing the bridge/tunnel, heading for South Carolina, there is not a good route to continue on for I-95 in NC. Also, if he leaves Philly at 3:30, he only has about an hour and a half of daylight left. Sight seeing is tough at night.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

That way adds about 45 lower-speed miles, but it certainly is a nice drive.

As opposed to 45 miles or more of traffic clogged freeways adding hours to a trip? Isn't this a no-brainer decision?

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by dkf747

As opposed to 45 miles or more of traffic clogged freeways adding hours to a trip? Isn't this a no-brainer decision?

Not really.

50 miles of slowed 95 driving, opening up to the usual 75 mph driving

vs.

200+ miles of 60 mph on highway 13, complete with traffic lights and speed traps, then the driving slowly through the Hampton Roads sprawl on Highway 58 to 95? And with all that, add an extra 45 miles to it?

It's certainly a "brainer." People have different preferences.

[pcity]

I'm actually liking 13 here, but only because of the time OP is leaving.

3:30 from Philly puts you in Bowie, MD at the 50/301 split around 5:45ish (assuming no traffic). 301 is not going to be fun at that time.

Let's assume you take 50 to 95 instead: That puts you at the 495/95 split in Springfield, VA a little after 6:30 (again, assuming little Beltway traffic). 95 won't be at its worst at this time, but it will still be stop-and-go in places.

So my preferred route out of the ones OP mentioned would be 301-50-95. I'm assuming average traffic on an average day. The problem with that is that traffic is so variable in the DC area- one accident can screw everything up.

Now, assume you take 13. Yes, it's out of the way and there are lights, but you take the variability of DC traffic out of the equation. You hit the Hampton Roads area at 8 at the earliest, so you're way past rush hour. On average, 13's going to take more time than 95, but 95 has a lot more variance.

[MDguy99]

Originally Posted by Cruzincat

The OP only mentioned SC as the destination. Once crossing the bridge/tunnel, heading for South Carolina, there is not a good route to continue on for I-95 in NC. Also, if he leaves Philly at 3:30, he only has about an hour and a half of daylight left. Sight seeing is tough at night.

Stick it in Google maps. There's no problem with our proposed route. Who cares about the sun setting early. At least he'll have an hour and a half of light. He'd be just outside Dover, Delaware at that time instead of just outside Baltimore. I'd rather see an hour of country sights in Delaware at twilight and sunset than suburban traffic in Maryland.

Originally Posted by dkf747

As opposed to 45 miles or more of traffic clogged freeways adding hours to a trip? Isn't this a no-brainer decision?

Exactly. The time would wind up being close to the same. And much more pleasant. Do as you will, but don't say I didn't warn ya.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by MDguy99

Exactly. The time would wind up being close to the same. And much more pleasant. Do as you will, but don't say I didn't warn ya.

I'm still not sure that average PM slowness on 95 is going to make an extra 45 miles time-effective. It's really a matter of preference.

My personal preference is to drive through Delmarva, HOWEVER I would not get off Rt 1 at exit 97 in Dover for 13, I'd stay on 1 until it reached 113 in Milford and take that instead clear to Pocomoke. Faster, fewer stop lights, no 25 mph Greenwood speed trap. Maybe 5 miles out of the way.

New Church VA (just across the MD line from Pocomoke) is another popular place for a speed trap (limit drops to 40 I think). And watch your speed on the bridge-tunnel (toll $12, cash only) as well.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

And watch your speed on the bridge-tunnel (toll $12, cash only) as well.

The bridge-tunnel takes EZ-Pass now too.