Baltimore/DC evening rush hours Fri/Mon
Apr 6, 2015, 12:47 pm
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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Baltimore/DC evening rush hours Fri/Mon
My family and I have to drive from Lancaster, PA to Alexandria this weekend, heading down Friday evening and returning Monday afternoon. Any tips on trip times to avoid rush hours would be appreciated. Route will be 83/695/295 on the way down, reverse on the way back.
If we hit the 83/695 junction north of Baltimore at 6:15 pm on Friday, I'm assuming we'll miss rush hour traffic, but if we can avoid sitting in traffic by leaving half an hour later, we'd love to know about it!
We'd like to stay as long as we can on Monday afternoon, but can't wait rush hour out. Any advice on what time we need to leave Alexandria to be north of Baltimore before Monday afternoon rush hour starts?
Thanks!
If we hit the 83/695 junction north of Baltimore at 6:15 pm on Friday, I'm assuming we'll miss rush hour traffic, but if we can avoid sitting in traffic by leaving half an hour later, we'd love to know about it!
We'd like to stay as long as we can on Monday afternoon, but can't wait rush hour out. Any advice on what time we need to leave Alexandria to be north of Baltimore before Monday afternoon rush hour starts?
Thanks!
Apr 7, 2015, 8:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Alexandria, Va - National Airport (DCA)
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Having grown up in Harrisburg with family still there, I have done this trip literally hundreds of times.
Traffic around DC is unlike anything you'll typically experience in Central PA. And Fridays IME are the worst. I try not to travel anytime after 3 on Fridays. Hitting 695 at 6:15 pm heading south to Alexandria is not likely to be a fun experience. Be sure to pack your patience.
With absolutely no traffic, the shortest/fastest route is 83-S, 695-W, 95-S, 195 (towards BWI), 295, 95-S across the WW bridge.
Use caution with the B-W parkway (295). It used to be great but is often worse than I-95. Check your favorite map/traffic app to see the best way to go as you approach it - both south of 695 and inside the DC beltway (495).
On the return trip, if you hit 83-N on Monday by 4 (i.e. leave by 2:30-ish) you should be fine.
Enjoy your weekend in Alexandria!
Traffic around DC is unlike anything you'll typically experience in Central PA. And Fridays IME are the worst. I try not to travel anytime after 3 on Fridays. Hitting 695 at 6:15 pm heading south to Alexandria is not likely to be a fun experience. Be sure to pack your patience.
With absolutely no traffic, the shortest/fastest route is 83-S, 695-W, 95-S, 195 (towards BWI), 295, 95-S across the WW bridge.
Use caution with the B-W parkway (295). It used to be great but is often worse than I-95. Check your favorite map/traffic app to see the best way to go as you approach it - both south of 695 and inside the DC beltway (495).
On the return trip, if you hit 83-N on Monday by 4 (i.e. leave by 2:30-ish) you should be fine.
Enjoy your weekend in Alexandria!
Apr 8, 2015, 2:50 pm
#4
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
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i had the misfortune to drive from balt to dc on the past fri and mon down the BW parkway. south bound on fri at about 2pm, the parkway was seriously congested from NSA to dc. on mon, again south bound, congestion at 2:30, the backup had reached bwi. i think i95 may be better.
Apr 9, 2015, 3:13 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2004
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Posts: 8,215
For a longer distance, but less stressful trip, you might consider taking Route 30 to Route 15 to 270 to the Washington beltway to the GW parkway. There is a bit of a mess getting through York, but 15 is much nicer than 83 (a horrible road if you ask me) and 270 heading southbound doesn't have nearly the traffic of northbound. Once you hit the beltway all bets are off til you get to the GW Parkway (although it is a relatively short distance from 270 to the parkway.
Apr 14, 2015, 9:29 am
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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Posts: 2,940
Thanks everyone for the tips!
Based on all the warnings, we didn't leave Lancaster until 7 pm, and had no traffic issues on the way down.
Left Alexandria a little before 2 pm. Hit a couple of spots on the B/W where we briefly slowed to about 30 mph, but we were back up to full speed in fairly short order. Had a couple stop-and-go moments around Baltimore on 695, but they also cleared up pretty quickly.
Based on all the warnings, we didn't leave Lancaster until 7 pm, and had no traffic issues on the way down.
Left Alexandria a little before 2 pm. Hit a couple of spots on the B/W where we briefly slowed to about 30 mph, but we were back up to full speed in fairly short order. Had a couple stop-and-go moments around Baltimore on 695, but they also cleared up pretty quickly.
Apr 29, 2015, 12:15 pm
#7
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strategy worked too well
I thought waiting out rush hour on Friday for the trip down was great...then two days ago I got a $100 ticket in the mail (photo radar) from DC for going 61 in a 50 mph zone (on a freeway-like section of 295 at 9:30 at night).
Now I wish I would have hit a little more traffic so I wouldn't have to pay the fine...
Now I wish I would have hit a little more traffic so I wouldn't have to pay the fine...