Best way to avoid DC traffic on late Sunday morning.

[LAX]

Trying to plan my drive back to the Northeast from FL in June. I am contemplating staying overnight at Richmond, VA, so will likely be passing through DC in the late morning on a Sunday. What's the best route to avoid DC traffic? Looking at Google Map, is taking 301 to bypass DC a bad idea? Or would taking 495 around DC a good alternative? Thanks in advance.

LAX

 

[mikehn]

Traffic on Sundays around DC are generally not bad. I wouldnt worry about traffic around DC. Having said that, there could be beach traffic on Sundays going north bound on I95 from Richmond.

 

[jeff_h]

Unless there is road construction going on in some spots, I-95 North along Richmond-DC-Baltimore should be fine on a Sunday morning. However if you wait and come through on late Sunday afternoon or evening, you will probably spend an extra 30 minutes or so in the stop-n-go while staring at brake lights.

Good luck!

 

[rwdavis2]

301 is full of stop lights and not a good idea. Google maps on a phone is the best was around DC. Our experience driving around the DC area for year is to take whatever route it gives you and if it changes take that too. Check a map of the DC area just to get a little familiar with the various interstates.
I-295 through the District can have slowdowns even on a Sunday. If the northbound Express lanes on I-95 are open, use them. They take you around the west side and can save time. The toll on a Sunday is less than $5.

 

[LAX]

Thanks all. I guess I will just go 95 all the way. I can't remember which of the weekend days the last time I drove through DC (either Saturday or Sunday), but it was not morning (probably early afternoon & definitely before 3PM) and I ran into a gridlock on 95 heading north. It was so bad that I ended up getting off the freeway and drove on surface streets until I was somewhere near Silver Spring before getting back on the Interstate.

LAX

 

[Leigh L]

Thanks all. I guess I will just go 95 all the way. I can't remember which of the weekend days the last time I drove through DC (either Saturday or Sunday), but it was not morning (probably early afternoon & definitely before 3PM) and I ran into a gridlock on 95 heading north. It was so bad that I ended up getting off the freeway and drove on surface streets until I was somewhere near Silver Spring before getting back on the Interstate.

LAX

I think this is a good plan.
I live just west of DC and weekends are not nearly as busy on I-95 in the area or on I-495 as they are on weekdays, but the later you get in the day, the busier it will definitely get. When I drive to NY on a Saturday (fairly often), I tend to leave really early these days to get a jump ahead of it. Friday nights are 100% out lol.

The stretch on I-95 between Fredericksburg and Quantico is always busy most times I've driven through, but I don't think you'll have too much of a problem going north on Sunday morning here. We just did it MLK weekend going north on a Sunday and it was a breeze. 1 hour from Fredericksburg to home, which is about right if there is no traffic. If you do run into traffic in this area, Route 1 is a potential workaround. It a stop and go with the traffic lights and lower speed limit, but we sometimes take it if Google shows an accident or other significant delays on I-95 NB.

Since you're just going around DC, you might also want to check both ways on the Beltway to see which side has less traffic when circling the District. Last summer we did the opposite of how we'd normally go coming home from Maryland (so opposite way than you'll be going). It was longer, but faster.

 

[martikus]

Where in northeast? Most people I know who live in New England avoid 95. Take I-77 to I-81 and then other roads. Faster due to I-95 craziness.

 

[LAX]

Where in northeast? Most people I know who live in New England avoid 95. Take I-77 to I-81 and then other roads. Faster due to I-95 craziness.

Thanks for the suggestion. We are going to Southeastern PA, so kind of limited in options unless we really go out of the way.

LAX

 

[Tiki_Sara]

Traffic will be very light on Sunday AM, I see no reason whatsoever to avoid