Rte. 15 Stop Light Madness (Richmond, Leesburg: home, beach, cars)

[NC211]

Just a complaint - came home yesterday from the beach (NC), went rte. 17 off 95 to 15 to Leesburg. Man, the traffic lights through the Haymarket area are just maddening! Get up to speed, and stop. Get up to speed, and stop. Get up to speed, and stop. And now they're doing it at the northern end of that run in Leesburg where 15 meets up to Rte.7. I think there are like 5 or 6 stop lights within a 1/2 mile. And they all seemed to be timed to catch the wave of cars coming from the previous light. And more are coming. I get why they're needed. But their timing is awful!

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by NC211

Just a complaint - came home yesterday from the beach (NC), went rte. 17 off 95 to 15 to Leesburg. Man, the traffic lights through the Haymarket area are just maddening! Get up to speed, and stop. Get up to speed, and stop. Get up to speed, and stop. And now they're doing it at the northern end of that run in Leesburg where 15 meets up to Rte.7. I think there are like 5 or 6 stop lights within a 1/2 mile. And they all seemed to be timed to catch the wave of cars coming from the previous light. And more are coming. I get why they're needed. But their timing is awful!

Haymarket - Just avoid it. It's actually faster, I think, to just continue north on 17 and go through The Plains and Middleburg and then east on 50 to pick up 15. You avoid all of the new development areas.


As for the Leesburg area, there are only three lights on the 15 Bypass around Leesburg. Yes, it may get crowded, but only three.


Honestly, Rt 17 down near Fredericksburg is the most maddening.

[NC211]

Hey thanks for the tip Spencgr, this is an awesome suggestion! Looking at the map, I can see the linking road (Halfway Rd), and can easily see your point. We'll try it next time. We go down there quite often. We've found the route to avoid 95 between Richmond and DC, and now hopefully have found the route to avoid the mess that is Haymarket too. Thanks!

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by NC211

Hey thanks for the tip Spencgr, this is an awesome suggestion! Looking at the map, I can see the linking road (Halfway Rd), and can easily see your point. We'll try it next time. We go down there quite often. We've found the route to avoid 95 between Richmond and DC, and now hopefully have found the route to avoid the mess that is Haymarket too. Thanks!

Even if it doesn't turn out to be faster (I feel it is), it's a much better drive. Note, however, if you are doing it again before November, cut across the south side of the actual town of Middleburg on Federal Street instead of Rt 50, as there is road work continuing through the Fall. They are alternating directions through town on 50, and the delay could be 10-15 minutes.