Alternate route around DC

[Goofy Pluto]

Hi everyone.

So in another post I put up called "Driving through DC on Black Friday" I was asking about driving through that area on that day. Doesn't seem like a great idea. So I'm trying to plan a possible alternate route now and just wondering, for anyone in the area between Baltimore and Richmond who might be familiar with the area down there, if this might be a better route:

From Philadelphia, 95 South to 895 around Baltimore to 97 South. Take 97 to Route 3 to 301 South. It looks like you'd be on 301 for a while to 295 South around Richmond back down to 95.

Is anyone familiar with these roads? Are they local roads? Are there lights to deal with or is it all highway? Would traffic be bad around those roads on Black Friday as well? I don't want to be stuck in a bunch of local traffic and stopped by a lot of lights trying to avoid highway traffic...

Any thoughts or information anyone? Thanks.

[robhink]

Its been a while since I've been down US 301 but I would have to think that the traffic on that local road would be much worse than you'd find on I-95.

After doing a quick search I found one major mall along 301 in St. Charles, I'm sure there might be others as well.

[tink'72]

Instead of driving through DC I take the Capital Beltway 495W exit 27 toward silver spring (crossing into Virginia). Then I get off at exit 57A 95 South and take that all they way into Florida. I hope this helps.

Have save trip!

[Rosanne]

I drove from NY and in order to miss the DC traffic, we left at 4 am. That way, we were through the D.C. area before their rush hour. A few minutes later, we would have been in a ton of traffic.

Also, definitely take the 295 route like you mentioned.

[mousetrapper]

I wouldn't take 97 South...it runs from the PA line through my county in MD (Carroll), all the way down to the DC suburbs (where I'm originally from)...it's a windy road with lots of traffic lights in spots, goes through residential areas here and there, etc. Not your best bet.

[vamaggie]

Instead of driving through DC I take the Capital Beltway 495W exit 27 toward silver spring (crossing into Virginia). Then I get off at exit 57A 95 South and take that all they way into Florida. I hope this helps.

Have save trip!

DO NOT DO THIS!!! This will take you past Tysons Corner (a huge mall!) and then past Springfield (another mall) and then past Potomac Mills (the 2nd largest mall in the US I think)

Coming from Philly you really can't avoid the DC area unless you go west and come into VA via Rte 15 which may not make sense either(it is a smaller road and would drop you in NO VA north west of 95). I would leave very early or maybe even leave Philly on turkey day night and stop somewhere south of DC to sleep and start out again Black Friday am. Good Luck!!

[TwoTinyWings]

Like a few others have said, you can't really avoid the DC area if you're coming from PA - what you can (and basically must) do is minimize your time on the Capital Beltway (495) and take full advantage of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (295). If you take 295 from south of Baltimore through to DC, you'll only have the bottom bit of 495 to deal with before you're back on 95 again. I also agree with the other posters who recommended driving at off times (getting up super-early or driving at night), since you don't want to be anywhere near Balt. or D.C. during rush hour times.

Hope this helps!

[pshokie]

Man-o-man do we need more roads and bridges around here.

Come on TwoTinyWings, get Maryland to build the outer loop!!! ;)

On a side note, I would not put it past VA to build either Rt 28 or the "Tri-County" Parkway (Loudoun/Prince Wiliam/Fairfax) right up to the River and say, well there ya go MD. Your Turn!

[spoiledraf]

Huge cuts coming in the Dept. of Trans. so no too many new projects are going to be funded. Gotta build new roads in Iraq first!

Just went through the DC area last week going to the Outer Banks and it was bumper to bumper. Fortunately, no accidents so although we didn't move super fast, we did keep moving at about 55 mph. I like the traveling in the middle of the night idea. Last time down, we left at 6 pm and drove all night. We had times where we didn't see another car on our side of the road for nearly an hour. But it wasn't through DC.

[jpH/keD]

I have been thinking about something to tell you that is good to do instead of telling you what NOT to do while driving thru NoVa. Like the other posters said driving very early or at night are best. Also we have 2 radio stations that have traffic every 10 minutes one on the 8s. 107.7FM and 103.5FM. One of them is WTOP and the other is a Washington Post channel. I live 6 minutes from Potomac Mills Mall in Prince William County but when I go north into Fairfax county I always use the radio stations for wreck info! Hope this helps! Have a safe trip! :thumbsup:

[Goofy Pluto]

Like a few others have said, you can't really avoid the DC area if you're coming from PA - what you can (and basically must) do is minimize your time on the Capital Beltway (495) and take full advantage of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (295). If you take 295 from south of Baltimore through to DC, you'll only have the bottom bit of 495 to deal with before you're back on 95 again. I also agree with the other posters who recommended driving at off times (getting up super-early or driving at night), since you don't want to be anywhere near Balt. or D.C. during rush hour times.

Hope this helps!

I haven't looked at this for a while, but thanks for all the responses. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if this 295 mentioned above is a local road or a highway. I want to stay off the local roads.

We're also thinking we're going to be leaving at about 3:00 in the morning now to avoid traffic, so maybe we'll just stick to 95. Thanks!

[mousetrapper]

I haven't looked at this for a while, but thanks for all the responses. I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if this 295 mentioned above is a local road or a highway. I want to stay off the local roads.

We're also thinking we're going to be leaving at about 3:00 in the morning now to avoid traffic, so maybe we'll just stick to 95. Thanks!

295 is the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.