OT: Alternative driving routes to DC?

[huskymaniac119]

I used to live in N. Va. ... Merrit to Garden State.

 

[CTyankee]

The section on 95 between Washington and Richmond always gives us the worst traffic problems. In the mornings, the HOV lanes will be northbound so the traffic southbound could be slower than the speed limit.

And there are two areas notorious for speed traps... Southbound and northbound on 95 between Emporia and the NC border as well as on 295 circling east of Richmond in the Hopewell district.

And if you decide to travel at night you could run into construction backups. The solution is to travel during the day during the weekdays or do your night travel on the weekends.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The section between D.C. and Fredericsburg is to be avoided at all costs during rush hour--northbound 6:30-10:00 and southbound 3:00-7:00 PM.

 

[MilfordHusky]

He, he, hee Milford is missing all the fun.

Wait, you guys are having fun and I'm still figuring out which side of the road I should drive on!

 

[UConnChapette]

The "normal" backup was complicated by a jackknifed semi. The estimated time between McLean/Tyson's Corner and Richmond - 3 hours and 40 minutes. Pulled off I-95, went down the Jefferson Davis Highway, stopped and had a nice italian dinner. By then the traffic cleared. Had to take the loop around Richmond due to construction that was going to cause another delay. Long day...hope this is the last time I have to take this route to Atlanta. Far prefer the Merritt/I287/I78/I81/I77/I485/I85 route.

Still, it was fun to see the DC office of the company my son did his internship with this summer. He will be working for them during the school year and probably after graduation - he came away from the internship with a standing job offer after he graduates. Strange place...they ride scooters and wave boards around the office, have their dogs come to work with them, have a masseuse and a chiropractor on site, bring their dogs into the office, and have a snack room packed with every snack you could imagine with a frig with soda, energy drinks and beer...and hard liquor too! Yes, they openly allow drinking on the job! Craziness, I tell you! All I can say is I got into the wrong line of business.

On to Atlanta tomorrow.

 

[alexrgct]

Somewhere, Jeff Davis is happy to know there is a highway named is his honor on which one can find decent Italian fare. It makes the entire War of Northern Aggression worthwhile.

 

[JACKofallTrades]

I used to live in N. Va. ... Merrit to Garden State.

Ditto... that's yer best start... both exclude trucks, and you don't have the huge holes in the pavement that 95 has (in spots).

And better now than in the future... the new Tappan Zee bridge toll is estimated to triple to $14, and perhaps $40-50 for trucks (?) (but knowing how cost-over-runs work, those are probably low figures ).

 

[CTyankee]

I used to live in N. Va. ... Merrit to Garden State.

I am not sure this route is correct as described above. Using the Merritt... implies to me that one is heading to the Hutch and thus to the George Washington Bridge via the Cross County Expressway. If that is the case, the Garden State is not the route which is appropriate after leaving the GW, but the NJ Turnpike.

If on the other hand one takes the Merritt to the Hutch to the Tappan Zee one can take 287 to the Garden State to the NJ Turnpike... But then again that adds at least 30 minutes more to the trip.

And the risk with the Merritt/Hutch is traffic and accidents. It is afterall a two lane hghway.

 

[JACKofallTrades]

I am not sure this route is correct as described above. Using the Merritt... implies to me that one is heading to the Hutch and thus to the George Washington Bridge via the Cross County Expressway. If that is the case, the Garden State is not the route which is appropriate after leaving the GW, but the NJ Turnpike.

If on the other hand one takes the Merritt to the Hutch to the Tappan Zee one can take 287 to the Garden State to the NJ Turnpike... But then again that adds at least 30 minutes more to the trip.

And the risk with the Merritt/Hutch is traffic and accidents. It is afterall a two lane hghway.

The Merritt is essentially parallel to 95 (from New Haven south)... you then take 287 west, over the Tap Zee, to the start of the GS Parkway (which parallels 95 South).

Yeah, it's probably a bit longer in miles, but I (for one) will never (NEVER!) drive 95 again thru NYC if I can avoid it. It's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride come to life. The GS Parkway can be crazy too (at rush hour, and in certain areas) even with it's 6 lanes in spots, but it's generally fine.

As far as accidents go, I'm not as familiar with the Merritt & points west... so you might well be right. But 95 (thru CT) has about 1 huge accident a week during the summer... sometimes stopping traffic for 6-10 hrs. It's usually tractor-trailer jackknifes. And this kinda stuff is becoming the new normal. Unless you're on a motorcyle, you're screwed.

 

[CTyankee]

Living in lower Fairfield County I can say unequivocally that I would never use 95 south (aka Cross Bronx Xwy in NYC) to go to New York or points beyond. Nor would I use 287 to the Tappan Zee and the Garden State to get to south Jersey and beyond. It just adds too much time from lower Fairfield County.

Having worked in New Jersey while living in Connecticut, I learned the best route to get to points south as well as into NYC was to take 95 to 287 west. 287 west to the Hutchinson River Parkway south. Switch to the Cross County Parkway west and drop down to the GW Bridge using the Saw Mill River Parkway south. In less than 45 minutes from my home I can be across the Hudson and on the NJ Turnpike.

From Hartford assuming non rush hour late morning travel, one could take a similar route as the Wilbur Cross (Route 15) turns into the Merritt which turns into the Hutch when crossing into New York.

 

[JACKofallTrades]

What you say makes perfect sense.

I'm from the eastern part of the state, and it's not often I travel to S-NJ or PA (anymore). As an occasional trip, I'm not worried about miles or time (working, rush hour etc) or saving 5 minutes or a toll. And I've always found the very northern end part of the Parkway about as empty as any major highway out there.... it's just more user-friendly compared to so many rat-races out there today. It's well marked, no trucks, and easy to get on & off.