Route 301 During Rush Hour Question (Baltimore, Bowie: home, vs, beach)

[Ryan73]

In a few weeks I'll be driving from Philadelphia to SC. Most likely will have to leave Philly around 3:30pm. I'm debating between my usual route (95S to Baltimore, listen to traffic radio and then decide on 95/Beltway vs BW Parkway) or taking 95S into Delaware then taking 1S to Middletown and eventually getting on 301 to Richmond. Any thoughts on which route would be faster at that hour? Mileage is pretty much the same. Any other options that are ok at rush hour? Thanks!

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Where in SC are you heading?

301 might be a good alternative but there will be lots of DC commuters returning home on it.

[Ryan73]

Heading down to Hilton Head.

I've taken 301 a couple of times on summer weekends to avoid beach traffic and that worked nicely. I just don't know if that jams up during rush hour like 95 does. If they're both jammed, I'd go with 95.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by Ryan73

Heading down to Hilton Head.

I've taken 301 a couple of times on summer weekends to avoid beach traffic and that worked nicely. I just don't know if that jams up during rush hour like 95 does. If they're both jammed, I'd go with 95.

I doubt it's as bad as 95, but I'm not familiar enough with this road to say for sure.

[North Beach Person]

RTE 301 can be a real ball of snot when it's busy. Lots of unregulated entrances along it, especially through Prince George's County (driveways, sub-division entrances), and from right below Bowie north to where it turns into I97 a lot of stoplights.

[Phyxius]

Even with it's stoplights and somewhat busy, 301 is still a better route than both I-95 and the Parkway. Drive as far as Baltimore, then use I-97 via I-895.

[Cruzincat]

Don't drive to Baltimore and take I-97 to 301! If you leave at 3:30PM, you will be hitting Baltimore at Rush hour or slightly near the end of it. Take 301 from the northern DE area to the Bay Bridge(US50/US301). The drive on 301 for the area east of the Chesapeake Bay will be so much more relaxing. At that time of day when you cross over the Bay Bridge, you won't hit any traffic until you leave US50 in Bowie(US 301 S) or closer to Washington(I-95S / I-495 inner loop). The evening rush hour south of Washington on I95 is horrendus most of the time. The US301 route will put you back on I-95 well south of the worst of it.

There are HOV lanes on I-95 south of DC during Rush hour, but when you get to the point where it merges back with the standard lanes, the delay is still pretty bad.

If you have an Android smart phone, get the Google Maps App and check out the traffic patterns. It can save you a lot of time.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Phyxius

Even with it's stoplights and somewhat busy, 301 is still a better route than both I-95 and the Parkway.

Not from my experience! I'm referring to the portion from Waldorf to the Nice bridge.

[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.

[GoPhils]

Originally Posted by Cruzincat

Don't drive to Baltimore and take I-97 to 301! If you leave at 3:30PM, you will be hitting Baltimore at Rush hour or slightly near the end of it. Take 301 from the northern DE area to the Bay Bridge(US50/US301). The drive on 301 for the area east of the Chesapeake Bay will be so much more relaxing. At that time of day when you cross over the Bay Bridge, you won't hit any traffic until you leave US50 in Bowie(US 301 S) or closer to Washington(I-95S / I-495 inner loop). The evening rush hour south of Washington on I95 is horrendus most of the time. The US301 route will put you back on I-95 well south of the worst of it.

^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!