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RVThere · 04-07-2013, 04:04 PM

Spent the most of part of the last 4 days driving back from Sugarloaf Key, FL to NJ.

By far the worst traffic I've seen in doing this trip for the last six years.

The state of Georgia improved I-95 for its 110 or so miles by widening it to three lanes. Great if you are going southbound but stinks if you are going northbound as SC did not follow suit. So you have 3 lanes of traffic zipping along at 70 mph that suddenly has to merge into 2 lanes. The backup on Friday night was about 15 miles in GA and, so I hear, extended into SC all the way to I-26. I ditched the traffic at the SC Welcome Center and stayed there overnight with many, many other MH's and truckers.

Woke up at 4:30AM to get on the road by 5AM and beat any other traffic. Flew through SC and NC in the morning hours. Hit VA late morning and sat in traffic from the state line all the way to Emporia (about 11 miles). Tried to turn on to a parallel side road but many other cars had the same idea and that did not help.

After Emporia, thought I was home free until I hit Richmond. Never took the 295 bypass as I've always sailed through Richmond. Not this time. More traffic. After about 5 miles, managed to get off on I-64 W and took that to Rt. 15 N to Rt. 17 N along the east side of the Shenandoah MTs.

We made it to a WalMart in Martinsville, WV where we got settled and then got promptly kicked out as that WalMart does not allow overnight parking! Went down the road to the Cracker Barrel where we had dinner and stayed overnight.

Woke up again today at 4:30AM to get through the last 200 miles with no traffic!

Next year, I may try to find a way to cut off 95 earlier and get to I-26 to 77 to 81.

Twomed · 04-07-2013, 04:11 PM

Why does everybody have to leave on April 1st ???

Tom N · 04-07-2013, 05:07 PM

But on the positive side...........SC has the lowest gas and fuel pricing in the east.

I also just drove from FL to PA. Left FL Palm Sunday. US301|I-95|I-26|I-77|US19|I-79 Rain, wind and cold weather but light traffic.

-Tom

Bill Davey · 04-07-2013, 06:07 PM

Sunday 4/7 and I-95 North was a PARKING LOT for about 25 miles from I-16 to the SC border. Not too many RV's/snowbirds, just a lot of traffic and only 2 lanes as mentioned previously. Anybody know if it's this bad during the week?

RVThere · 04-07-2013, 07:32 PM

At 9:30 PM, Google Maps with Traffic is showing i-95 clear (green) all the way up to VA. Red slow downs in Emporia and in Richmond.

If you have a Smartphone, you may want to keep Google Maps handing tomorrow.

Safe travels!

336muffin · 04-07-2013, 07:50 PM

I feel your pain, I do not and will not travel on Holiday weekends. End of Easter is almost as bad as 4th of July. We drove through Atlanta, Ga. Saturday night with the cruise set on 60mph! It was 1:00 AM! I travel at night a lot. Less stress, less traffic and better fuel mileage.

kennyb79 · 04-09-2013, 10:38 AM

I left Myrtle beach and headed west of I-95 on 38 to 73 and 74 north up thru greensboro (rte 220?) all the way up thru roanoke. I found it all to be very nice roads, mainly divided highway, and very little traffic. it was a nice way to get to 81. first time I'd ever been that way, I've always done I-95 to 17 to 66, this new way was a lot more relaxing and I don't think it was much longer. sit in traffic for an hour or two and you can lose a lot of time. there was a campround at dixiecaverns just of 81 that looked kind of cute and easy to get to.

ejm4 · 04-09-2013, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyb79

I left Myrtle beach and headed west of I-95 on 38 to 73 and 74 north up thru greensboro (rte 220?) all the way up thru roanoke. I found it all to be very nice roads, mainly divided highway, and very little traffic. it was a nice way to get to 81. first time I'd ever been that way, I've always done I-95 to 17 to 66, this new way was a lot more relaxing and I don't think it was much longer. sit in traffic for an hour or two and you can lose a lot of time. there was a campround at dixiecaverns just of 81 that looked kind of cute and easy to get to.

I'll have to take a look at that route. We travel South several times per year. I prefer 95 to 81 and normally use the 81 - 66 - 17 - 95 route.