<p>We are driving from the northeast to central Virginia then onto North and South Carolina. I want to avoid NYC and 95 as much as possible. Are there really busy “trucker” highways besides 95 that we should avoid? This is my first trip driving down south and I’m a little nervous.</p>
<p>If you give me specifics as to exactly where you are starting from any stops and where you will ultimately end up. We live in NY and were planning a driving trip to Atlanta and wanted to avoid 95. The triptik from AAA and mapquest had us go on 95. I found a more westerly route and asked AAA to compare the distance. The advisor was shocked when the mileage was virtually the same. Also, depending upon where you are in VA, there are many nice places we’ve been to. You can PM me if you don’t want to give everyone your itinerary.</p>
<p>What day and what time are you traveling? When we head northeast from northern Virginia we swing over to 81. On the maps and directions it always shows as longer, but we always get there faster than going on 95. Although there are a lot of trucks sometimes, it does not seem to be as bad. Avoid 95 in Virginia between DC and Fredericksburg in the summer unless you travel late at night. It tends to be a parking lot most of the time. However, we have not had problems with 95 south of Richmond into the Carolinas.</p>
<p>In some ways I think 81 is worse - all those tandem trailers! Actually it’s fine - we use it to get to Lexington VA when my parents lived there. Usually cut over at Newark, but you can do it at the GW bridge and probably various other points north. I don’t think 95 from NY to DC is that bad except Thanksgiving weekend.</p>
<p>Depends on where you want to end up. What schools are you planning to see in NC and SC? We are in NC. In NC and SC, I-95 goes through the eastern parts of both states.
Traffic there is not really that bad because there are no major cities along 95 in NC or SC.</p>
<p>From where are you starting and what area do you need to hit in central Virginia. I live in Baltimore and drive to south central Virginia all the time. I have used every possible route I think and still usually revert to 95. I also drive quite a bit on 81 because my daughter’s school is on 81. I hate 81 - I’d take 95 over it. 81 is much more dangerous than 95 or 64. You can take Rt 1 much of the way but it is a really ugly drive much of the way with lots of slow areas and stop lights.</p>
<p>The best route does vary based upon time of day and day of week. </p>
<p>As a multi-year veteran of the drive (I start in the south however), given that you are starting somewhere near Boston, here is my best advice.</p>
<p>If you are going to be approaching NYC anytime near rush hour and can avoid Hartford CT at rush hour, Take 84 west to the NY thruway (287) south. Continue on 287 to 78 (Easton). Fill your gas tank at exit 7 just before you leave NJ (Pilot or TA) as gas is much more expensive in PA. Continue on 78 until you hit 81 Southbound (just west of Harrisburg). </p>
<p>Not sure where in the Carolinas you want to go. If you want Central NC (Raleigh) or Eastern SC take 77 south. If you want Western NC (Asheville) or Western SC (Greenville, Spartanburg), take 26 south once you get to the tri-cities area near the VA TN border. Gas prices in VA are best at exit 205 or near Wythville (exit 100?).</p>
<p>If you are traveling during off-peak hours, you can avoid the I95 mess (bad pavement, trucks) on the Merritt Parkway. The speeds vary a bit because it is more hilly, but no trucks are allowed. If you are coming straight down I95, you can scoot over to it at exit 38 (Milford). If you are coming through CT on 91 south, get on the Wilbur Cross Pkwy (state rd 15) just south of 691 (don’t remember the exit number). It will take you to the Merritt Pkwy.</p>
<p>The Merritt Parkway will dump you onto 287 at exit 9 (how you get back) near I684. Take 287 across the Tappen Zee bridge to where the thruway (87 N) and 287 split continuing on 287 as in the previous directions.</p>
<p>Truck traffic on 81 is not as bad as people make it sound. I can generally set my cruise control at 74 and not have any problems.</p>
<p>I think it is worse on 95. Especially considering the cities you have to pass through on 95.</p>
<p>Good luck and PM me if you would like any more feedback on the route.</p>
<p>Depending on where you are starting, you can enter PA on your favorite interstate, and head to Harrisburg. From Harrisburg:</p>
<p>1) Take US 15 south past Gettysburg to Frederick MD. There pick up I-270 toward DC. Follow I-495 around the west side of DC to I-95 and continue south. Just be forewarned that the intersection where you get on I-95 is an ugly one.</p>
<p>2) From Harrisburg, head S on I-81 to Virginia.</p>
<p>I dislike the DC to Philly stretch of I-95, in part because we inevitably face it on holiday weekends. We’ve learned to do the I-270 to US 15 to Penna. Turnpike route instead. The time works out to be a bit less even though there are more miles because the volume isn’t so awful. The Penna. Turnpike between Harrisburg and Philly is in the process of being widened, and although there are trucks, it is much less stressful than it used to be.</p>
<p>Morning rush hour in the DC area is 6 am to 10 am. Afternoon rush hour is 3 pm to 7 pm. For local traffic, try WTOP FM 103.5 , “traffic and weather every ten minutes on the 8s”.</p>
<p>Additional note: If I have read your posts carefully, you are planning to visit Emory and Henry? It is not far off the route. You might also consider stopping in Harrisonburg and visit James Madison. James Madison literally straddles 81, so you can’t miss it. Plenty of gas and food opportunities there too, as food opportunities (outside of the regular fast food) are not that plentiful along 81.</p>
<p>My daughter just finished her freshman year at JMU - stopping off there would be great but it won’t be nearly as appealing without all the kids on the quad. It is not a school that you can judge by the view from I81 - you will just keep driving if you do that. </p>
<p>The key is where in NC you are headed. If it’s Appalachian State, then you’re headed in the right direction. That’s a really nice school by the way - Boone NC is a great place, especially for kids interested in the outdoors - nicest people in the world. Anyway, if you’re headed east in NC to the Greensboro/Raleigh/Durham area, then you either go 58 or go back up 81 to hit better roads.</p>
<p>Taking the longway is always the fastest way to taking the longest time.
Taking the shortcut is always the easiest way to getting lost. </p>
<p>If you are a guy, follow directions.
If you are a gal, don’t follow his directions
If…
:)</p>
<p>If you’re driving through New Jersey, and you take the New Jersey Turnpike all the way down to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, you ARE avoiding 95. That stretch of road is not part of I-95, although most people think it is.</p>
<p>Whether it’s better or worse than 95 is open to question.</p>
<p>I don’t think 95 is a particularly terrible road myself, unless you’re in one of its more crowded places, such as Stamford, Connecticut or Baltimore, at rush hour. But most places are awful at rush hour.</p>
<p>Note regarding the recommendation to come around DC on 495. There is construction all along that stretch now in VA and rush hour has been extending past those times. The stretch from the 495/95 interchange to Fredericksburg is bad so often it is hard to say when to go. However, you can also check the roads around DC and 95 down past Richmond on a mobile device using mobi.traffic.com. It will show you which roads are backing up and which are clear. Note that is normal to have 2 slow areas on 495 and at least 2 on 95S. If the traffic site says it is only yellow you are normal. You can make the decision accordingly.</p>
<p>Seems like almost all the route options have been covered. We live near Hartford, CT and have driven D to NC (to Wake Forest) several times. With the exception of 1 trip done on a Sunday when H went down 95, we have always gone on 81. The time was almost exactly the same – but it probably would have been longer on 95 on another day. One warning for driving the 81 route through VA – watch your speed! H swears his car cruises best at 80, but even he sets the speed control for closer to 70. On our first trip down 3 years ago VA was having a “speed trap” weekend or some such – there were state police about every 5 miles the entire length of 81.</p>
<p>Though goaliedad gave some great advice, I would disagree with taking Route 78 from 287. Route 78 has been under construction for what seems like forever, and there is heavy traffic on that road at rush hour and unpredictable construction-related delays during non-rush hour times. Just a few weeks ago, my husband and I sat in standstill traffic on 78 at 8 p.m. for over an hour while they moved construction vehicles on and off the roadway. </p>
<p>If you are going to head west to 81, and if you are coming from New England, I would recommend taking I-84 west through CT, into NY, and then into PA. The ride is usually pretty smooth (again, I wouldn’t try it at rush hour – very congested through CT and NY, especially west of Hartford). You can pick up I-81 south in Scranton and take that as far south as you want (it will take you through Wilkes-Barre and Harrisburg, among other places).</p>
<p>Sally, I take that route all the time from PA to MA, where my daughter goes to college. 78 to 287 to NY Thru (87) to Mass Pike to 91. The length is longer, but you don’t go through any major cities, so it takes less time. Recently, the delays on 78 haven’t been as bad as they were the past two years, although yes, you run into traffic. Nothing on 78 compares to 95 between New Haven and New York, though.</p>
<p>84 West can be a nightmare, even outside of Hartford. Once upon a time, we would breeze through there on our way to NE, but we hit major traffic at both Waterbury and Danbury during my daughter’s first year, hence the Mass. Pike route.</p>
<p>DC is always problematic.</p>
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<p>You are correct about the history of construction on I78. I have made 3 round trips through there in the last month. I did have a 20 minute delay on one trip - more due to weather than the construction. It does appear though that they are finishing up the work in that zone, although you might want to go online with the NJ department of transportation to see if there is any more work planned.</p>
<p>Your alternative is a good route as well, although I don’t like it as much in bad weather (probably not a problem for the OPs trip). You do miss the cheap NJ gas prices, though.</p>
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<p>I had a very bad eastbound trip through that same stretch (I84) the day after Xmas. I hit the CT state line at 5 PM and arrived at my hotel in Windsor CT at 7 PM. I never saw an accident. Probably would have been just as bad going through NYC/New Haven, though.</p>
<p>I agree with the 84-81 advice-- I think that 78 in Pennsylvania tends to have a ton of trucks, all moving quite fast. 81 isn’t too bad at least through VA. 84 can be awful through Ct, however the same is true of 95, so I’m not sure of a really good way to go. The 84 hudson crossing is also much better than the Tappan Zee</p>
<p>While I said that 95 isn’t that bad, I should say, avoid the section of 95 that goes through the Bronx at all costs. Once at noon it took me 45 minutes to go one exit. There wasn’t even an accident - just too many cars and trucks.</p>
<p>We take 78 all the time to take son to CMU, I wouldn’t say it’s too bad, occasional slow downs, mostly due to construction.</p>