I-64 to I-95 between va beach and washington

That isn't unusual. The Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News area is the largest deep water port on the east coast. Lots of cargo ships, lots of semis hauling that cargo, and lots of folks moving that cargo from semi to ship and vice versa. Then add the Norfolk Naval Base traffic.
On I-64, if you time the entrance to the Hampton Roads Tunnel just right, you can get run over by an aircraft carrier. :)

I've been going out there for several years now and although the traffic out there is usually pretty bad this is the first time I've been in it for that long. Between va beach and richmond there were only a few spots where you weren't going 30-35mph and then it was the same way up 95 to where I got off at rt 17. Some of the most rude and dangerous drivers on the road too. I've ran into that every time I've went out there.....not sure what the Northeastern U.S. drivers are asked on the driving test but there can't be much on there or at least not much they retain. :D

We try to avoid I64 through the tunnel and onto Richmond, even though we only live 3 miles from I64 in Virginia Beach -- we take US460 then I295 if heading north. Even at 15 miles longer, it is less frustrating.

I know the road very well, as when I was working I usually drove to DC for a meeting about once a week. Returning south on Fridays was a killer. Traffic is better after the majority of the tourists leave.

my next trip out that's going to be my plan.....figure out some alternate routes so we don't have to fight traffic for hours. Sounds like you have it figured out. I would want to avoid 95 too though.

You hit it at a good time. Try it on a Sunday afternoon! Or, even better, try it on a holiday weekend.

we drove into va beach on the sunday prior.....the trip in wasn't too bad really. Heavy traffic but nothing to write home about. At the time I was on the walkie with my buddy following me and told him I bet most people leave on Sunday so our trip out on Saturday wouldn't be too bad. Don't think he didn't remind me of that statement the whole afternoon on the way home Saturday :D

I'm changing a few things next year. We always stop for lunch and it's almost always at 1 of the flying J's off I-95 because I like using those for fuel when towing. The fueling part is great.....the eating lunch part adds at least an hour to the trip it seems. Next year we're packing sandwiches and hitting a rest area after I fuel up. We always travel in on Sunday and leave on Saturday because I pick up and drop off my camper at a property in PA we go to several times during the summer so I just keep my camper there. I'm going to adjust those days some or our entire vacation to try and travel through the week if we can. If we can't change the days I'll be doing some traveling at night I think.

We have not done it for several years so not sure how Rt 17 is today but from the peninsula I64 to Rt 17(Newport News area) to DC to avoid I64 to Richmond & I95

I've been looking at that....from our starting point it's only 4 more miles to just stay on 17 vs getting on 95 then 64. Mapquest lists it at 31 more minutes but with traffic on the freeway what it is there's a solid chance 17 would be much faster. At least last weekend it would've been. The unknown for me is how traffic is once you get east of 95.

Something to also consider is getting off I-295 on US301. Go north on US301 until you get to Bowling Green, then jump over to I-95. Stay on I-95 until you get to US17 just north of Fredricksburg.

0rion wrote:
my next trip out that's going to be my plan.....figure out some alternate routes so we don't have to fight traffic for hours. Sounds like you have it figured out. I would want to avoid 95 too though.