Cyanna

Perhaps it was pent-up congestion following 2 stormy days that kept post-Christmas travelers off the roads, but getting from New York to Baltimore by our usual routes was a nightmare today (Dec. 27). The pavements were clear, no wind to speak of, just about 5 times more traffic than the roads were designed to carry.

Some hints if you can't possibly avoid this corridor.

1. Avoid the Delaware Bridge unless you have an EZ Pass. They routinely have only a handful of cash-toll gates open and back-ups are epic. Today out of about 16 gates southbound (from NJ to Delaware), only 4 were open - there was about a 3 mile back-up and took us about an hour to get through. According to my iPhone traffic map, it got worse as the afternoon went on.

2. Avoid the express "cars only" lanes on the NJ Turnpike. They jam up while the "trucks, buses and cars" lanes tend to move. HOWEVER, when those express lanes end, the merge creates a misery that lasts to well beyond Trenton. In general, there was little "express" about the Turnpike in general. I had to wonder if taking I-295, which parallels the NJ Pike south of Trenton, might have been a good alternative. (Comments anyone?)

3. The Maryland section of I-95 was also a misery - congested with accordion stop-and-go from beginning to end, with a few teasing miles of open road every so often. Once we got through there, we heard on XM radio traffic that a few accidents had occured where we'd just been and that traffic had been brought to a halt. My iPhone confirmed that.

4. We've learned to expect a mess around and south of DC (from Alexandria to Richmond) so we took our usual detour from Baltimore via I-97 to 301 through Waldorf and La Plata across the river to Ft. AP Hill before re-joining I-95. We pretty much sailed through taking that route, while hearing on XM's traffic (and confirming via iPhone) that I-95 from DC south was a parking lot. If it's bad south of Fredericksburg, we stay on 301 to 295 around Richmond.

What I've learned: we may travel between NC and New England via I-81 to Harrisburg PA if we have to go north again.

Ackislander

Thank you for posting this. It is useful information for anyone traveling that miserable route after a holiday or extended bad weather. We had similar experiences last winter after the "hurricane" in Westchester and Fairfield County and after the big snow in Maryland.

nytraveler

I think it's obvious that this was a special event caused by the blizzard. Many people who had planned to travel earlier waited until they felt more confident the roads would be clear - so you got returning holiday traffic added to regular workday traffic. (We had family on LI returning to near Baltimore who were supposed to go home Sunday but waited because of the storm.)

gail

People in our family travel Boston-NC several times/year and have tried both routes. I still prefer the more eastern route (over I-81) in general, although one must be careful in timing and lucky to avoid congestion around metro areas of Boston, NYC, DC, Richmond. I think what you encountered had more to do with pent-up volume from delayed travelers and also those unable to fly or take train - plus some bad luck. Add to that increased volume just an accident or 2 and you have the makings of a long trip.

DD just left Boston area to drive this trip today - will let you know how she does. (going as far as DC area tonight then on to NC)

Cyanna

Added note: Google Maps clocks this trip (Chapel Hill - Boston) at 13 hrs (or just under). We made it going north in closer to 12 with a lot of lucky timing. This time, going south, it took us 15 1/2 hard hrs. Arduous.

Added, added note: it's easier to avoid critical cities' rush hour going from south to north than v.v. because Phila-Balt-DC-Richmond are all clustered. You can skirt NYC somewhat going via Tappan Zee (NB: Most GPS programs will INSIST you take the GW Bridge, which is insane except at 1 am. Ignore the GPS). Our only back-up northbound was in Danbury CT!

gail

Agree about Tappan Zee Bridge. We find only way to hope to avoid all 3 metro areas is to leave at 6 AM and hope there are no delays in NJ - so you get to NYC metro area after rush hour and DC by mid-afternoon - but then you still have to deal with Fredericksburg/Richmond. Our trip is 20 miles north of Boston to Burlington/Greensboro area in NC - and trip takes anywhere from 12.5 - 16 hours. Daughter is driving this for first time alone today - not that I am nervous or anything.

Cyanna

Hope she's staying OUTSIDE the beltway overnight ;-) There's a nice Courtyard in Waldorf MD right near a Panera bread!

At least the weather's absolutely clear.

gb944

There's a reason that I don't travel around the holidays... too many amateur drivers, all wanting to go in the same direction at the same time.

In about a week, I'll be making a much longer trip in much time, since all the sheep have got it out of their system during the holidays.

Ackislander

I strongly agree that S to N is much easier (1.5 to 2 hours) than N to S.

If you hit DC at 9-9:30, you miss the morning traffic. About New Brunswick, NJ, I start listening to 1010 WINS for traffic. If it is bad on the GWB, the Major Deegan, or the Cross Bronx, we get off on the GSP and take the Tappan Zee.

More often than not lately, we have gotten to this area around 2:15 and have stayed on the NJTP and gone across the GWB with little trouble long before rush hour. We then take the Hutchinson River Parkway to the Merritt and Wilbur Cross and on to Hartford and Boston, missing the rush hour traffic on the Merritt handily.

Southbound, we hit Washington as rush hour begins and are in heavy stop and go traffic all the way to Fredericksburg. 301 is great in good weather, but I get scared on the bridge if it is wet and windy.

gail

Cyanna - thanks for the weather report and suggestion - she has a friend who lives NW of DC outside of Beltway - so that should work regarding traffic - and she is leaving at some extremely early hour in the AM to finish drive to NC