Bypassing the DC Beltway

[LabattBlue]

When traveling through DC(coming down US15 through PA) trying to get on 95 south, is there an easy way to bypass the beltway without going significantly out of the way?

[Punching Bag]

Depends on where south of beltway you are going.

You can take US-15 to Point of Rocks thru Leesburg.

Then it depends if you are going to Fairfax County or someplace south like Dumfries, Richmond, etc.

 

Try route from Leesburg to where you are going.

 

Why are you trying to avoid beltway?  Pretty low traffic post COVID-19.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Do they no longer advocate the I-81 south to I-66 east, then dropping down US-17 to tie in with I-95 at Fredericksburg, Va.?

[Seasons1992]

@plenzmd1

[plenzmd1]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

When traveling through DC(coming down US15 through PA) trying to get on 95 south, is there an easy way to bypass the beltway without going significantly out of the way?

where ya coming from, where ya going to, and when are you going? Thx for the callout @Seasons1992

 

God, you have got to get rid of the avatar Seasons!!!!!

[plenzmd1]

52 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

Depends on where south of beltway you are going.

You can take US-15 to Point of Rocks thru Leesburg.

Then it depends if you are going to Fairfax County or someplace south like Dumfries, Richmond, etc.

 

Try route from Leesburg to where you are going.

 

Why are you trying to avoid beltway?  Pretty low traffic post COVID-19.

If traveling south of Fredricksburg, 15 to 29 to 17 to 95 is a route, but if doing anytime during rush hour..meaning 2-8PM..that is a pretty brutal route as well.

41 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Do they no longer advocate the I-81 south to I-66 east, then dropping down US-17 to tie in with I-95 at Fredericksburg, Va.?

again, depends on time of day and where you starting from. If trying to get to anywhere south of Fredericksburg, and starting from Buffalo, and want to avoid DC, better going 219-80-....-99-76-522-37-81-66-17-95..and stay in center lane of 17 right until you get to 95. Massive backup to get on 95, but there is a light right before the entrance...you will always find a spot to merge in, always!

 

If 15 is convenient , can always consider heading through BMore, and south 301...all depends where you starting and where you ending

 

I know every route from the east coast LOL..drive tons for job, and also to from Buffalo/Richmond for many Bills games

Edited May 12, 2020 by plenzmd1

[Seasons1992]

18 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

God, you have got to get rid of the avatar Seasons!!!!!

 

You can come pry it out of my cold, delicious tuna sandwich....

[Richmond_Bills]

I use Waze and it typically always routes you correctly based on traffic.  

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

17 minutes ago, Richmond_Bills said:

I use Waze and it typically always routes you correctly based on traffic.  

 

Now why would I want to use something as instantaneous as that when I can get AAA/CAA to send me a Triptik a week ahead?!

*
?

[Seasons1992]

11 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Now why would I want to use something as instantaneous as that when I can get AAA/CAA to send me a Triptik a week ahead?!

*
?

 

There are a ton of people here who have no idea what this is.

 

 

[Mr Info]

Another option if time is more important than $ is to use EZPass to get past the DC traffic. You will prob still run into a backup where EZPass terminates around Quantico. 
Let Waze know you have EZPass and you can relax while moving past traffic in the public lanes.

[Just Jack]

A couple years ago when going to the Outer Banks NC, to avoid DC we headed east and went down through Delaware.  I don’t remember the exact route, I’d have to check a map, but I was fighting my GPS for most of it.  

 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

 

 

[LabattBlue]

Just looking at alternate routes to 95(south of the beltway) when  heading anywhere between NC and Florida.   No immediate plans or destinations.   Just I always seem to find traffic trouble when traveling the beltway on the past

[plenzmd1]

37 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Just looking at alternate routes to 95(south of the beltway) when  heading anywhere between NC and Florida.   No immediate plans or destinations.   Just I always seem to find traffic trouble when traveling the beltway on the past

not quite sure what ya mean here Labatt? Coming from Buffalo to NC? Heading back from there? 

 

If i understand correctly, you could catch 522 at Hancock MD, then the 37 to 81 to 66 to 522 in Front Royal..take that south to 64 East, to 288 South, that to 95 South of Richmond. 522 is one lane  for about 10 miles through and past  Berkely Springs  and can get a bit slow depending. But after that pretty nice drive to 64..one lane for the most part but not a ton of truck traffic, and breaks up the highway drive. Thats trhe way i come home from Buffalo most often

2 hours ago, Richmond_Bills said:

I use Waze and it typically always routes you correctly based on traffic.  

 

Problem with waze on a long trip is it some what locks ya in. I love Waze, but not on the trip around DC. Also, I am one who likes to KNOW how long it is going take, and going through DC anytime outsdie 8PM -$AM is a tough to do that

1 hour ago, Mr Info said:

Another option if time is more important than $ is to use EZPass to get past the DC traffic. You will prob still run into a backup where EZPass terminates around Quantico. 
Let Waze know you have EZPass and you can relax while moving past traffic in the public lanes.

And get another mortgage on your house, or be rich like @Mr Info...if coming from 15 to 495 to 95 South during a typical afternoon rush hour, getting the HOT lanes at Tyson and talking them to termination south of Quantico will be at least $40, prolly closer to $50. And save at best 20 minutes coming down 17 to 95.

 

Just remember, me and Mr (mis) Info live 15 minutes apart, he aint never drove with me to a Bills game(outside the Jacksonville playoff game), Mr. fancy pants has to fly everywhere he goes!

Edited May 12, 2020 by plenzmd1

[billsfan5121]

So I live in Fredericksburg and work in DC. Traffic is a non-issue right now. What was normally a 2-2.5 hour commute is now 1:15. No need to bypass the beltway right now.

 

[Wacka]

1 hour ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

There are a ton of people here who have no idea what this is.

 

 

Used this to move from Hartford, CT to  Sunnyvale, CA  (stopping in Buffalo) back in 1995.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Wacka

[LabattBlue]

11 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

not quite sure what ya mean here Labatt? Coming from Buffalo to NC? Heading back from there? 

 

 

I normally would be traveling down US15 coming from NYS. Going back same way US15 North through PA

Edited May 12, 2020 by LabattBlue

[Mr Info]

3 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Just remember, me and Mr (mis) Info live 15 minutes apart, he aint never drove with me to a Bills game(outside the Jacksonville playoff game), Mr. fancy pants has to fly everywhere he goes!

Tell you what, Mr Cratchit. You can drive with me to the games next year & we can drink the entire way in an autonomous EV. That is the only way I am driving to WNY again. 

[Marv's Neighbor]

I'd stay on US15.  US15 runs just W of Dulles Airport.  Just stay on US15 S into Virginia to US17 E, to I-95 S.  US15 can be congested between Point of Rocks MD and the S side of Leesburg VA.  Once you pass Leesburg, it moves OK.  That keeps you away from the Beltway.  I-95 is slow N of Fredericksburg VA till you get across the Rappahannock river because they're widening I-95 and widening the bridge.

[Rico]

On 5/12/2020 at 12:04 PM, Seasons1992 said:

 

You can come pry it out of my cold, delicious tuna sandwich....

The only food worse than Miracle Whip is onions.

[plenzmd1]

11 hours ago, Rico said:

The only food worse than Miracle Whip is onions.

there is no food worse than Miracle Whip, period, full stop.

[ExWNYer]

On 5/12/2020 at 11:54 AM, plenzmd1 said:

If traveling south of Fredricksburg, 15 to 29 to 17 to 95 is a route, but if doing anytime during rush hour..meaning 2-8PM..that is a pretty brutal route as well.

again, depends on time of day and where you starting from. If trying to get to anywhere south of Fredericksburg, and starting from Buffalo, and want to avoid DC, better going 219-80-....-99-76-522-37-81-66-17-95..and stay in center lane of 17 right until you get to 95. Massive backup to get on 95, but there is a light right before the entrance...you will always find a spot to merge in, always!

 

If 15 is convenient , can always consider heading through BMore, and south 301...all depends where you starting and where you ending

 

I know every route from the east coast LOL..drive tons for job, and also to from Buffalo/Richmond for many Bills games

 

This is pretty much my preferred route between Richmond and Jamestown. I always look forward to driving by Blue Knob State Park just for the immature chuckle it elicits from me every time. I experimented once and took 33W from the West End up thru Mineral, VA and avoided I-95 entirely. It took a little longer but knowing that I had escaped the potential nightmare of I-Hate-95 was worth the added time. At least I was constantly moving.

[plenzmd1]

15 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:

 

This is pretty much my preferred route between Richmond and Jamestown. I always look forward to driving by Blue Knob State Park just for the immature chuckle it elicits from me every time. I experimented once and took 33W from the West End up thru Mineral, VA and avoided I-95 entirely. It took a little longer but knowing that I had escaped the potential nightmare of I-Hate-95 was worth the added time. At least I was constantly moving.

If ya ever want a really pretty ride, take 33W all the way to Gordonsville, then head to Sperryville, head over to Washington VA, ctach 522 there and head on up from there. Beutiful back roads, awesome scenary...ads about 20 minutes but especially in late October just gorgeous.

[sherpa]

20 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

If ya ever want a really pretty ride, take 33W all the way to Gordonsville, then head to Sperryville, head over to Washington VA, ctach 522 there and head on up from there. Beutiful back roads, awesome scenary...ads about 20 minutes but especially in late October just gorgeous.

 

My neck of the woods.

[Seasons1992]

13 hours ago, Rico said:

The only food worse than Miracle Whip is onions.

 

 

[That's No Moon]

On 5/12/2020 at 2:58 PM, Just Jack said:

A couple years ago when going to the Outer Banks NC, to avoid DC we headed east and went down through Delaware.  I don’t remember the exact route, I’d have to check a map, but I was fighting my GPS for most of it.  

 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

“Recalculating” 

 

 

Well, once you get to DE it's DE route 1 south either to us 13 past Dover or us 113. I prefer 113 because it has fewer lights and rejoins 13 at pocomoke city, md. Both ways suck on Friday and Saturday and the opposite direction on Sunday.  Once you are in that area there really aren't a lot of ways to get around the traffic and it's the primary way to the de beaches and ocean city md from the entire east coast. Traffic can be truly ugly. Anyway, Then you take 13 all the way down and across the Bay Bridge to 64, 64 to VA 168, VA 168 to US 158 158 across to Kitty Hawk to NC 12.

 

Traffic on 158 and 12 can also be ugly because, again, there are no alternate routes to speak of. The best you can do is time your trip so as not to arrive from 10am to 6pm on Saturday. That's the worst. Several mile backups before you cross to Kitty Hawk then stop and go traffic for 10 miles to Duck. Once you pass Duck it's ok to Corolla but getting to Duck is abysmal at that time. I haven't gone Further south so I can't comment about that if you are going to Nags Head or Hatteras.

 

 

13 hours ago, Rico said:

The only food worse than Miracle Whip is onions.

Given that onions pay most of the bills in my house im going to have to disagree with you there.

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

there is no food worse than Miracle Whip, period, full stop.

Does Miracle Whip qualify as food? It's edible, but that doesn't make it food.

[ExWNYer]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

If ya ever want a really pretty ride, take 33W all the way to Gordonsville, then head to Sperryville, head over to Washington VA, ctach 522 there and head on up from there. Beutiful back roads, awesome scenary...ads about 20 minutes but especially in late October just gorgeous.

 

That's pretty much what I did...headed thru Sperryville. Very scenic drive without the white-knuckling highway chaos of 95/495.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

On 5/12/2020 at 10:11 AM, LabattBlue said:

When traveling through DC(coming down US15 through PA) trying to get on 95 south, is there an easy way to bypass the beltway without going significantly out of the way?

 

Once you get out of NYS if you start on 390

 

Take 15 ALL the way to Warrenton VA then turn onto 17 East or South into Fredericksburg VA

 

Jump on 95 from there @LabattBlue
 

 

Fredericksburg may have a backup but it's better than DC during the day.

 

OR   Drive at night.  Leave Buffalo Rochester area at 10 PM  and pass through DC at roughly 2 AM.

 

Easy as ******* 

Edited May 18, 2020 by SlimShady'sSpaceForce

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Which route travels the furthest through the most lenient states for 'open container'?  

*
(ducks, runs out of forum...)

Edited May 18, 2020 by Ridgewaycynic2013
farthest vs. furthest

[Seasons1992]

4 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

there is no food worse than Miracle Whip, period, full stop.

 

Good news! I have a date coming over tonight for porch dinner, and I'm making nice BLT's with Miracle Whip. Shame me, make fun of me, I don't care. Can't wait! It's hard out here for a divorced 42 year old with my average looks.........but still easier than if I looked like @plenzmd1. 

 

@Royale with Cheese would steal her quick, but he's not available.......

[plenzmd1]

30 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

Good news! I have a date coming over tonight for porch dinner, and I'm making nice BLT's with Miracle Whip. Shame me, make fun of me, I don't care. Can't wait! It's hard out here for a divorced 42 year old with my average looks.........but still easier than if I looked like @plenzmd1. 

 

@Royale with Cheese would steal her quick, but he's not available.......

 a porch dinner? So called cause no way in hell any woman ever agreeing to come in your house?

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

did you type porch dinner when you meant pouch dinner?  

 

[Ned Flanders]

On 5/18/2020 at 11:36 AM, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

 

Once you get out of NYS if you start on 390

 

Take 15 ALL the way to Warrenton VA then turn onto 17 East or South into Fredericksburg VA

 

Jump on 95 from there @LabattBlue
 

 

Fredericksburg may have a backup but it's better than DC during the day.

 

OR   Drive at night.  Leave Buffalo Rochester area at 10 PM  and pass through DC at roughly 2 AM.

 

Easy as ******* 

Last couple of years, Waze has me getting on Rt. 22 just north of Duncannon, PA and staying on the east side of the Susq River, then hopping on 81 to 15.  Reverse going north. 

 

I was skeptical at first, but it's a much better route.  BTW, I've been using the 15 corridor for over 40 years now and still waiting for a Shamokin Dam bypass! 

[Seasons1992]

20 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

did you type porch dinner when you meant pouch dinner?  

 

 

@plenzmd1 as well in response................

 

No, porch. Nice touch, however! 

 

I said: "Question: Is Miracle Whip OK? If not, I'll go get real mayo. NOT a problem."

She said: "I dunno what that is. What do u use? None is fine too."

I said: "Miracle Whip is essential mayo but with a bit more flavor. You'll not be able to tell the difference."

She said: "Ok just very light amount. Im newer to condiments lol."

 

????

 

She loved the sando's however. 

 

Back to avoiding DC traffic.............

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

28 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said:

Last couple of years, Waze has me getting on Rt. 22 just north of Duncannon, PA and staying on the east side of the Susq River, then hopping on 81 to 15.  Reverse going north. 

 

I was skeptical at first, but it's a much better route.  BTW, I've been using the 15 corridor for over 40 years now and still waiting for a Shamokin Dam bypass! 

 

I avoid 81 like a plague.   Always construction going on or too many accidents.  

 

I like in the northern tip of VA and 15 is less than 10 miles away.  81 is over 25 miles away. 

[plenzmd1]

18 hours ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

@plenzmd1 as well in response................

 

No, porch. Nice touch, however! 

 

I said: "Question: Is Miracle Whip OK? If not, I'll go get real mayo. NOT a problem."

She said: "I dunno what that is. What do u use? None is fine too."

I said: "Miracle Whip is essential mayo but with a bit more flavor. You'll not be able to tell the difference."

She said: "Ok just very light amount. Im newer to condiments lol."

 

????

 

She loved the sando's however. 

 

Back to avoiding DC traffic.............

 

So you served sandiches on a date ..lordy. You need to be serving filet with your looks?

18 hours ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

 

I avoid 81 like a plague.   Always construction going on or too many accidents.  

 

I like in the northern tip of VA and 15 is less than 10 miles away.  81 is over 25 miles away. 

19 hours ago, Ned Flanders said:

Last couple of years, Waze has me getting on Rt. 22 just north of Duncannon, PA and staying on the east side of the Susq River, then hopping on 81 to 15.  Reverse going north. 

 

I was skeptical at first, but it's a much better route.  BTW, I've been using the 15 corridor for over 40 years now and still waiting for a Shamokin Dam bypass! 

81 between hagerstown and Roanoke is some of the worst highway in the US i swear. So many trucks use it to avoid 95, hilly, they get side by side some times and just ride like miles. Causes a ton of accidents. Stay off it at all costs as well

 

Yep, have been doing that 22 thing since using waze as well when i head up from DC.

 

BTW Pennsylvanians like @CountryCletus must be the dumbest people in the world...based on the number of porn shops still open on 15, guess they haven't figured out porn is free on the internet.

[Seasons1992]

2 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

You need to be serving filet with your looks?

 

 

Hey pot, the kettle is calling...............

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

25 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

81 between hagerstown and Roanoke is some of the worst highway in the US i swear. So many trucks use it to avoid 95, hilly, they get side by side some times and just ride like miles. Causes a ton of accidents. Stay off it at all costs as well

 

25 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

BTW Pennsylvanians like @CountryCletus must be the dumbest people in the world...based on the number of porn shops still open on 15, guess they haven't figured out porn is free on the internet.

 

Yup, I had 2 kids in college at the same time.  One was at JMU and the other Ferrum.  I could be on the road 9 hours or more when the traffic was bad. 

 

[Not at the table Karlos]

I’ll be driving through DC in about a month. I’ve never been and wanted to take a quick drive by the monuments and possibly see the White House. Is there a quick way to do this? 
 

Were driving two cars to Myrtle Beach. Wanted to take one car into city and not lose much time.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

17 hours ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

I’ll be driving through DC in about a month. I’ve never been and wanted to take a quick drive by the monuments and possibly see the White House. Is there a quick way to do this? 
 

Were driving two cars to Myrtle Beach. Wanted to take one car into city and not lose much time.

 

there is no such thing as a quick ride into the District