I'm leaving NC around 3 pm this friday...how long do you think it will take me to get to Philadelphia taking into consideration I will miss rush hour traffic in D.C.? Also..is there usually rush-hour traffic around I-95 in Richmond going north? If so, are there any alternate routes to get around it? Thanks

Take I-295 around Richmond.

It's very apparent if you're coming up on I-95.

If you're coming up on I-85, you can still take that one. Take I-95 South at the end of I-85, and in about 3 miles is the I-295 North bypass.

BTW, NC is still a very big state. Where are you starting from? Have you checked mileage and driving times on sites like mapquest.com or maps.google.com?

It takes me about 5 1/2 hrs from Williamsburg.

I am starting in Wake Forest, NC...and I have checked mileage and such its around 380-400 miles...is I-295 usually more jammed than I-95 at rush hour? I know generally people go fast on I-95 in that area..does that help to quell the traffic at all?

You're hitting Richmond right at the 5pm rush. I don't think you'll want to be on I-95 there. Take the I-295 bypass.

Traffic around DC at 7pm will still be pretty bad, so I think you'll arrive at Philly no sooner than 9:30 or 10pm.