"Traffic around Baltimore/DC Help" Topic

As my sons and I will be leaving with for Historicon tomorrow with BrigadeGames.com in tow, I wanted to get advice regarding the good and bad time spans for traffic around Baltimore and DC. I am traveling from NJ to Fredericksburg so any advice for traffic, best routes etc would be helpful. We have 2 vehicles with one pulling a stock trailer.

Thanks in advance

Lon

When I travel for work I leave the Atlantic City area around 8am and have no trouble the entire trip. All bets are off if some moron flips over an 18 wheeler on 95 though (that happened once, traffic was stopped up for hours)

[EDIT] – take 295 through New Jersey rather then 95 south from Philly, almost always a better stretch of road AND they were working on the bridge between Philly and the airport – which causes HUGE delays all day long (not sure if is still being worked on though)

Any issues coming down 95 from DC itself? I'm taking the train to DC and renting a car from there (I need a car for the weekend anyway).

Getting around Baltimore, I usually go straight down 95 through the mid town tunnel with no problem. Going around the western loop is no toll but the gas and time required more then make up for it.

DC – avoid the western loop (I have to go out 66 but YOU don't). The eastern loop or staying close to the city on 95 is usually your best bet.

>Any issues coming down 95 from DC itself?

Getting out of DC proper is a major hassle if you are not used to city driving, especially since some signs point to the most obnoxious route possible. Just be sure to get decent directions from the car rental place. Once again I would stick to the eastern exit if possible (I think the train drops you off near there)

TG- Union Station is close to I-395, which will link up with I-95 south of DC. The signs there are pretty clear, and it is only a couple blocks away from the station so there isn't much room for error.

As indicated above, when you hit the DC beltway (495) take the eastern circuit and cross the Potomac over the Wilson bridge and eventually turn back south on 95. The connections from 495 in VA back onto to 95 South can be a bit perplexing but your should be able to figure it out with out issue.

As far as traffic, avoid the typical rush hour times of 7:30am – 9:30am and 4:00 -7:00pm and you should be ok

For 95 South from WDC to Fredericksburg. Avoid PM rush hour (3:30 pm – 7:00 pm) and you should be fine. Unless there is an accident or a lost tourist, even the rush hour is not too bad.

I lived just South of Balmer and work just North of DC so I drive it every day. As Dynaman says stay East of DC. Don't try to go around it to the West unless you are way West.

The question of the road from Baltimore to Washington is 95 or 295. 295 prohibits trucks and commercial vehicle and is only 2 lanes and 55 mph. 95 is 4 lanes the whole way and 65 mph but is much busier.

South of DC the afternoon traffic is BAD pretty much from the Beltway all the way to Aquia which is just North of Fredricksburg.
Personally I like 295 from Baltimore until the DC Beltway and then 95 the rest of the way around. 295 in DC has speed cameras issuing tickets and the speed drops to 40 mph at some places.

Southbound I would avoid the Balmer-DC 95 section between 0730 and 0930. If you are in the afternoon I would avoid 295 from 1600 until 1830. Northbound on Sunday, take 95 all the way.

I'd leave about 0900 from North Jersey…puts you over the Delaware Memorial Bridge between 1030 and 11, thru Baltimore by 1230, on the DC Beltway (495, and do take the Eastern loop) by 1345, out onto 95 south by call it 1430 at the latest, just before the traffic REALLY heats up. You should hit Fredricksburg before their afternoon rush hour (maybe 1500-1530), even if you stop just after you get through DC to eat. Leave at 8 and it also works. Leave at 7 and hit your own rush hour!

See Ya,
Ashurman

Now, Lon, if kept all of that straight without a pencil and paper, you are clearly a much smarter man than I am.

Good luck!

Tom

Lon,
I agree with most of the above. I also live just south of Bal'mer. Google maps always sends me to MD-201S/Kenilworth Ave and then to I-295S. I recommend staying on 495/ DC beltway to the east side of DC to get to the Wilson Bridge. It may be a little longer distance wise but traffic flow is usually far better. The last two times I headed South I made it through the Wilson Bridge and 495-95S interchange (The mixing bowl) w/o too much trouble. Traffic can get dense around Quantico.

If you come down 95 in PA I recommend taking the 495 bypass around Wilmington. It is faster.

Good Luck, LBJ

I would recommend 295 simply for the reduced number of Maryland State Troopers. Maryland has speed cameras too, but mainly in construction zones (Not always!!!). 295 south the only speed camera currently is just past the Naval Research Center. Northbound there are 2, one at the Fire Academy and the other hidden behind the bridge abutment at Eastern Avenue. Just slow down when everyone else does. I never understood why people would watch the locals drop their speed by 20mph for no apparent reason and just fly by them (Enjoy your ticket!). It is only about 50 yards people.

The only thing you may run into in the afternoon during the week is south of DC when the express lanes merge with the regular lanes. That will slow some.

Do not use the west/north side of the beltway as there is a ton of construction for the Lexus lanes. If you stick with 95 on the beltway please beware that the express lanes into Virginia are almost always SLOWER than the local lanes. It is the reverse going back, though you lose the option if you take 295.

Oh, and a home field advantage note. IF the 295 exit onto the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is backed up keep going to National Harbor exit, take the left around the new Sunoco Station (and future home to another McDonalds) and then go up and merge onto the Beltway Inner Loop there. For some reason even though there is a dedicated lane for people coming from 295 to the inner loop thanks to the new bridge, everyone thinks they still have to move over right away, slowing the exit lane. You can save 15-30 minutes depending on how many idiots there are trying to merge late, which makes the bad situation worse.

Also agree with the 295 in NJ tip. You will see everyone stopped on the NJTP from there and wonder why they all are sheep over there.

Pack a porta pottie with you. You WILL sit in traffic at almost any time of day.

Flicking Wargamer, does the WW bridge still rise everyday around 4? I used to get caught there daily on my way home from the barracks. It got to the point where a bunch of us would carry a Hibachi grill, cooler, hot dogs/burgers, etc. and cook out and kind of party while we waited. We eventually grew to a good sized group who would hang out, eat, and jam away while waiting. Ah, the good ole days when traffic used to NOT get on my nerves.

Just drove it today. Left AC at 2pm and arrived in Fredericksburg at 7:45. All the traffic was in DC area and south. Would have left earlier but could not due to work needs.

Thanks all. Those going to Historicon, stop by and say hello.

Those that are not, try not to break the webstore while I am away

Lon
BrigadeGames.com

does the WW bridge still rise everyday around 4?

OK, what decade did you work down there?

The bridge hasn't opened during the day regularly since the last century.

Old WW Bridge:

New WW Bridge:

After all the people who didn't want the convention moved out of PA who have spent the last eight months trying to convince everyone that driving to F-burg would be hell, it will be interesting to see reports of people's actual experiences next week.

Leave at 12:30 AM and I will guarantee you will have no problems

Fredericksburg is only an hour away from this Virginian. I'll decide if its better than the Host after the Con.

Left Boston today at 7:00am.

MA…no problems
RI….no problems
CT….some congestion near NY border, but this is expected
NY…..no problems
NJ….no problems
DE…..no problems
MD…..no problems
VA…..a bit of traffic where the HOV and 95 merge

That was a breeze, took me 9 hours, I'm stunned really at how easy that was.

Keep the speeds down in MD, there are state troopers everywhere.

All I can say is there must be A LOT of people out of work and those who are working cannot afford to go away this summer, a lot of hand wringing and worrying over nothing………….travel safe everyone.