Wash D.C. Traffic?

[BugSlayer]

Live between Wash D.C. and Baltimore and planning a trip to Titusville, FL area in March. I can time my departure so that I am through DC (95 & 495) in time to miss the rush hour but it looks like the return trip will put me in the thick of it as far as timing & rush hour.

Instead of trying to get around D.C. in a 39' plus toad, would it make more sense to take 64 West from Richmond and opt for Rt 29 North @ Charlottesville to eventually get Rt 15 to Frederick & Rt. 70?

Are there other options I am ignoring or should I just shut up and do it? Looking to hear input from those who have done this before in rig. I have only done it in a car and that causes me to ask the question now.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Russ

[BugSlayer]

Live between Wash D.C. and Baltimore and planning a trip to Titusville, FL area in March. I can time my departure so that I am through DC (95 & 495) in time to miss the rush hour but it looks like the return trip will put me in the thick of it as far as timing & rush hour.

Instead of trying to get around D.C. in a 39' plus toad, would it make more sense to take 64 West from Richmond and opt for Rt 29 North @ Charlottesville to eventually get Rt 15 to Frederick & Rt. 70?

Are there other options I am ignoring or should I just shut up and do it? Looking to hear input from those who have done this before in rig. I have only done it in a car and that causes me to ask the question now.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Russ

[Mike Robertson]

Russ, Another option is to get off of 95 on Rt 207. I don't remember the exit number, its the first one past Kings Dominion. Rt 207 turns into Rt 301, crosses the Potomac and continues through La Plata & Waldorf and up towards Baltimore.
Mike

[Allegro Happy]

Hi Russ, we are in the same predicament as you. Go down 83 to 95. Hubby is ok with 95 driving around DC. But I usually take a nap We usually do this Sunday real early am down, but home is Sunday afternoon.. UGH Good luck. We tried 15 north, but found it was just as bad with signals, traffic etc.

[BugSlayer]

Sue & Mike,

[BugSlayer]

Sue & Mike,

Thanks to you both for the response. 270 to 301 may be an option. Our return trip will be with one other coach so I suppose we will figure our options and do what seems right at the moment. I am close to Rt 100 which gets me to 95 with no problem. I should get to 95 about 0430 so, like you, I will be through the mess before it really gets bad. Return trip will be on a Tuesday and will have us hitting D.C. area later afternoon to early evening. That is when it turns into a parking lot! I guess you gotta 'pay to play'?

Russ

[camper1b]

I have driven dozens of times around the beltway to points south and have this observation. Going south, the single biggest problem I've had is where 495 meets 95 below DC. There is a 5 year construction fiasco going on that sometimes makes it high adventure there. Coming up north, (which you will be doing during rush hour), I have been relatively lucky. The only places I get held up appreciably (never an accident when I come through - I know, I'm lucky) is the I-66 split and the I95 split north of DC. If you can handle the idiots, and you don't have a lot of choice on timing, I'd just hope for the best and go at it. If you're held up for even an hour or two, it's probably still faster than other alternatives.

Hope this helps.

[BugSlayer]

Rich, Thanks, it does help as your experience is in line with mine. I find the same two trouble spots although a friend at work just went through the southern 495/95 junction and told me the construction has eased and the two lane 'bridge' is now open. As he explained it, this removes the bottleneck and traffic is much better there. Time will tell. I'm sure your right on the timing also, if I get stuck for an hour, my return will still be faster than either of the other routes.

Thanks,

Russ

[Larry]

I live in Frederick, and still won't do the route 15 way,due to the 2 lane road and slow traffic. I try to time the DC beltway to a little later in the evening. I never tried the 301 route, but a friend lives south of Annapolis and travles that way with good success.
Larry