Why There’s SO MUCH TRAFFIC on I-95 in Virginia | What is Being Done to Fix It?

I-95 between Richmond, VA and Washington DC seems to always have lots of traffic. On this video we take a look at some of the causes and what the state of Virginia has done and is doing in the future to address it.
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[@SeanA099]

To get even more specific, the section between Fredericksburg and DC is the worst. Hopefully improvements in the railroads will provide alternatives for commuters and travelers

[@JordanPeace]

Yeah, increased VRE service and higher density near its stations is the best way to keep people off of I-95 for local travel. Basically the same effect as reversible express lanes for commuters if they’re not gonna commit to a NJTP style setup with tolls on all lanes, and even then a large reason why NJ doesn’t have the same traffic issues is the incredibly frequent service of NJTransit and Amtrak and dense urban development along the Northeast Corridor getting people into NYC and Philadelphia.

[@history_leisure]

All day service on the Fredericksburg line is a must. US301 wasn't mentioned but looks like it should be the bypass for longer distance (car) travelers. You can basically take 301 all the way from Kings Dominion to Six Flags America aside from last mi-which is about 3hr-using a bit of 95 and 495 could shave off a bit depending on time of day. So I guess my idea would be to increase VRE service to entice locals, and find someway to add some pros to US301 for people to use it as a bypass if DC is not the final destination or for coaster enthusiasts going between Kings Dominion and Six Flags America

[@truckercowboyed2638]

It would probably help building a separate set of lanes for cars and one for trucks, trucks need to travel regardless not everything can go on rail..... perishables can't sit on a siding for days.....

[@history_leisure]

@@truckercowboyed2638 We were only speaking on passenger rail by moving commuters to VRE-and I added maybe try to encourage people who would go through DC to take US301 (or a new spur route paralleling it) as a bypass and only make I-95 for people further out where DC is their destination and truck traffic

[@12345slage]

Electrify the rails down to Richmond

[@georgelomarro4677]

The problem with this section of I-95, is MARYLAND, as much as it is Virginia. If I-97 was extended south from Annapolis paralleling US301 all the way to I-295 in Richmond, a huge amount of traffic could just bypass the DC metro entirely. It also would eliminate the congestion in Waldorf MD.

[@zacharyyoumans9614]

Honestly I think it’d vastly worsen congestion in Waldorf. The sheer volume of cars that would take that route would spill onto the local roads similar to the 95 corridor. I do agree that there needs to be more options to cross the Potomac river though.

[@rocketmanVA703]

I have been saying this for YEARS!!!

[@O_P_Productions]

There was a proposal to do this a few decades ago when 97 was being built, I believe the map is on roads to the future but the idea was to cross 97 (or 297) north of quantico near va234 or take it all the way down to the Harry nice 301 bridge. Problem is, Maryland has fought all additional river crossings. Having lived in MD/Nova all my life traffic is only going to get worse because they’re 20 years too late on improvements.

[@dtvjho]

@@zacharyyoumans9614Any express bypass would have to be overbuilt, e.g. a 4x4 with an eye to take the existing congestion off of 301. Delaware's piece of 301 is already an expressway, so Waldorf needs a bypass

[@alanstevens1296]

@@zacharyyoumans9614 It could be built as a turnpike style road, with widely spaced interchanges only at major highways. That would prevent increases in local traffic due to the new highway.

[@jonathanstensberg]

The most important thing VA is doing is starting to prioritize passenger rail-like NJ has done for decades.

[@TXnine7nine]

Now if they could only extend the VRE went all the way to Richmond.

[@GENIUSA1A]

@@TXnine7ninethey needed the VRE out west to DC suburbs instead of metro imo

[@craighannon4532]

NJ just became decent. until recently it sucked just as bad.

[@jhmcd2]

VRE has been around for decades, but they have always had it in the mix. The problem is the bridges going into DC, and its the reason why you will not see it go to Richmond anytime soon. The bridge is at capacity. It can't handle anymore traffic, and it has been for probably 10 - 15 years now. The trains are packed from my understanding. There has been talks of a second rail bridge or at least another way into Union station, but that requires Congress to act. So in the end, its easier to expand I-95 than to expand the rail line.

[@BLACKxALERT]

If the VRE gets extended to Richmond and Petersburg would be an awesome addition to the area. I also wish that the state, city and counties would invest into light rail in the Greater Richmond area too. A light rail that runs East-West on Broad St from Short Pump to RIC and a North-South line from the south of Ashland to Rt 288 (south of the river) that splits into three lines to serves Hull St (Road), Midlothian Turnpike & Rt 1 to Ironbridge area. Wishful thinking I know but, it could happen.

[@SomeNerdSomewhere]

This stretch of road is the bane of my travel existence. However, I think your assessment is completely correct; there is no better option for going South-to-North (or vice versa) along the East Coast. Thank you for covering this specific topic; it reduces my rage at least slightly.

[@desertodavid]

@Ch00Hbacca. I disagree. I don't understand why nobody's talking about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that's existed for decades. When I traveled between eastern North Carolina and Points North say Albany New York, I would take that route. Yeah it's a little slower but much more Scenic and more relaxing. After I crossed the Delaware River I would get off of 95 as soon as I could near Trenton and take Highway 206 also a very relaxing and scenic route to I-287 which completely avoids the Newark/ New Jersey Metro areas.

[@wingracer1614]

@@desertodavid Depends on where you need to go. It's a nice drive if you're going to Wilmington, Philly, something like that. Hagerstown, MD, not so much. I did once go from Atlantic City to Richmond via the Cape May ferry and CBBT. That was a LONG way around but I just didn't want to deal with 95.

[@finkelmana]

I spent most of my life in Northern VA and working in the DC Metro area. People who arent from that area genuinely dont understand how bad traffic in that area can be. I have sat on the Capital Beltway for 4+ hours literally without moving an inch. Its not uncommon for relatively short commutes to turn into multi-hour ones. There have been times where I was trying to drive somewhere and traffic was so bad that I just give up and went home. I live in Virginia Beach now and it amuses me when people down hear complain how bad the traffic is.

[@NineInchTyrone]

I carry a piss bottle 😂

[@checkyoursix5623]

Always go to the bathroom before you leave home. Or carry a milk jug in the trunk. 😬

[@JabrenHarris98]

EXACTLY!!!!!😂😂😂😂😂 like I go to ODU I get so pissed off down here in the 757 because they literally don’t know how to drive and then say traffic is bad. Like no I’m from Nova y’all don’t know anything about rush hour traffic and what it’s like to live in a small dense area overly crowded. Y’all just drive too slow causing traffic especially in that tunnel from Hampton to Norfolk

[@slinkeyj3]

Being exactly opposite of you (coming from Portsmouth, now living in Alexandria), I miss the 757 traffic when I go back down to visit lol. People down there are surprised when I say I miss it

[@JabrenHarris98]

@@slinkeyj3 🤣🤣🤣🤣 that’s crazy because I hate y’all traffic more than I hate nova traffic. I thought nova was bad but no y’all take the icing on the cake

[@ZCAman]

I live in NJ. When I go south to visit my family I jump onto 301 in Delaware and take 301 down towards north of Richmond, Virginia. If you leave early enough, most of the lights are green, and you don't hit any traffic. 95 is ridiculous from NJ to Richmond.

[@gru-ninja]

The fact there are only direct connections over the river between Maryland and Virginia (I-495, US 13, US 15, and US 301) really funnels drivers onto I-95 from the north end. Also converging in Richmond is the Hampton Roads traffic via I-64.

[@butcheredalive]

I always take 460 if im going up that way, especially at night. 460 at 1:30 AM is the definition of bliss when it comes to driving. Nobody on the roads so you can safely turn up the music and roll the windows down without being annoying, 55-60 mph speed limits most of the way there, and it feels like a back road. Just make sure your high beams are working lol

[@donaldflorio1085]

​@@butcheredalive⁸⁸

[@JimAllen-Persona]

You hit the nail on the head.... no alternate route. If there's an accident by the exit for Quantico, forget it. You can't get off the road because the exits are too far apart and in order to get emergency equipment in - it has to come in by helicopter. I'd love to see an alternate roadway between Springfield and Fredericksburg.

[@brianleeper5737]

There are alternate routes, they're just crappy 2-lane country roads filled with potholes, like the so-called Pothole Rd (Poplar Rd) in Stafford that's commonly used to get to US17 from Prince William County and points north.

[@doridore1234]

That "alternate roadway" is called route 1 lol

[@doridore1234]

@@brianleeper5737 I drove down poplar rd towards 28 through catlett for the first time a few months ago and I had no clue where the fuck I was. It was kind of gnarly

[@JJJJ-jw8hc]

my family was driving southbound on i-95 from NYC to NC and there was a wreck somewhere in VA, we decided to hop off the interstate and onto US-1 there but my lord like the guy said us-1 there is p much a local road, i suppose we made the choice of local traffic over interstate traffic lmao

[@brianleeper5737]

@@doridore1234 It's typical rural VA.

[@TheEpicDiamondMiner]

Traffic gets so bad from Richmond to DC on I-95, that many people take US 301 to get from Virginia to Maryland.

[@georgelomarro4677]

Lots of traffic on that route now too.

[@TheEpicDiamondMiner]

@@georgelomarro4677 What could be generating that traffic?

[@byrongreene6234]

@@TheEpicDiamondMiner Many DC commuters in southern Maryland.

[@sasz2107]

I have traveled this route many, many times, for decades. Believe it or not, it's actually better than it once was. When they built the flyover ramps for the Springfield interchange in about 2007 or 2008, that improved travel through that area. Before you used to have to exit I-95 to stay on it - and it was a 1 lane exit - it was ALWAYS backed up through there. The new separate lanes at exit 130 in Fredericksburg is relatively recent - those may have been open since 2021 or so. It was worse before. And the NJ Turnpike express lanes for cars only - they only built the section between exit 6 and exit 8A in about 2012 or so. Before that, the express lanes ended right near exit 8A - and there was ALWAYS traffic there. I used to try to take alternate routes through NJ, such as I-295 and US 130, but since the express lanes were extended southward to exit 6, I never have to do that anymore. It flows so much better. I have tried to take alternate routes to avoid I-95 in northern Virginia, such as US 1 and US 301 - but both of those routes are equally as horrible as I-95 due to all of the red lights. You simply can't win driving through this area - you have to put up with it. One area that is bad southbound that you didn't mention is the area just north of the Occoquan River. There are 3 entrance ramps in this area in a row and the road narrows from 4 lanes down to 3 right as you go over the bridge for the Occoquan River - and there is ALWAYS traffic here. Couldn't they just make I-95 4 lanes in each direction from DC through Fredericksburg and then narrow the road down to 3 lanes south of Fredericksburg? That would at least help.

[@surfacetension]

The reason they can't build 4 lanes to Fredericksburg is the owner of the HOT lanes (yes, they're privately owned and operated, and get most of the tolls as well) won't allow it. Virginia is contractually obligated not to improve I-95 in a significant way because of the HOT lanes. The owner wants the through lanes to be as painful as possible, so you'll go into the HOT lanes and pay their extortionist prices. I actually like the idea of making the entire stretch a toll road at a much lower price, then making the center lanes car-only. I doubt we ever see that, though. Oh, and Virginia IS planning to improve the Occoquan exit by removing the entrance ramp onto south I-95, as well as eliminating some traffic lights near the overpass, but it probably won't be done until 2030 or so.

[@KellyHughes-ns6qw]

Ditto. The HOV were used strategically by me as they crept south. F burg to Alexandria for many years.

[@anydaynow01]

Agreed, that reversible express lane was just a terrible idea in hindsight with the amount of growth in the area. There is plenty of room to have a two lane Express lane going in both directions.

[@scottthom5314]

​@@surfacetension😊

[@David-sc2ir]

Remember the years of construction on the mixing bowl? LOL, did they ever finish it LOL?

[@stalegum]

When I lived in Fayetteville, NC and visited my parents in South Jersey, I used to use I-95 to just north of Richmond, then take US 301 through Maryland via the Bay Bridge all the way to Delaware, avoiding D.C. AND Baltimore traffic.

[@adammurphy4931]

US 301 is a godsend between Wilm DE and Richmond. The stretch between Waldorf MD and the US50 JCT can be a bit of a pain but still very worth it as a bypass of Balt-Wash imo 👍👍👍

[@georgelomarro4677]

I agree - 301 is a decent alternative to sitting in traffic on 95, but you will still sit in two hours of rush hour traffic between Crofton and Waldorf. At least 301 has WAWA! Ahhhh... Hoagies and coffee!

[@DTD110865]

​@@georgelomarro4677They've also got Horne's.

[@comfyslippers3155]

Yeah, I can't believe he didn't even mention 301 even if to say it's a bad idea. Also, anyone else miss Stuckey's?

[@anydaynow01]

That is the way google has been sending the past few times I've gone up to NYC, it can be a bit sketchy on some of the back roads to get there but once on it it's a nice ride.

[@kayl456jenna]

I95 has to turn into complete and utter HELL before Google Maps considers 301 a worthwhile alternative. All those stoplights (in MD) really kill the travel time; the VA side is a more laid-back ride.

[@kylestraveljournal]

I've traveled on just about all I-95 a few times and this section is bottom 3 for sure. No matter what time it seems like it's always backed up. It's in competition with the entire state of South Carolina and pretty much New Haven, CT to the George Washington Bridge. Those three areas are 9 times out of 10 gonna cost you time. I 100% agree with the NJ Turnpike idea, its genius. Anytime you can keep trucks away from cars it will ease congestion.

[@lobecosc]

As a DC resident, I find this very interesting. Typically, if I'm going to South Carolina to visit family, I would use I-295 South (DC-Maryland) to US 301 South to US 207 South to I-95 South just before Richmond. It's usually smooth sailing after that. When I went to Norfolk this summer, I used 301 South to I-295 (Richmond bypass) and took I-64 East. Most people in DC avoid the area and take 301 South to I-95 due to the congestion.

[@jhawkkw87]

I can affirm as I use the same route to avoid the DC congestion. It can sometimes be a little slow getting through Waldorf, but rarely is it as bad as I-95. They also finally replaced the decrepit Harry Nice Bridge over the Potomac last year which removed one potential bottleneck since the old bridge was only 2 lanes and the new bridge is 4 lanes which helps traffic flow better.

[@JabrenHarris98]

@@jhawkkw87y’all talking about the back way in Waldorf that takes you to La plata and you cross the bridge into King George, Va or is it a different route crossing into Va?

[@whereisthedollar]

We don't need everybody using this route, because it could be as bad. 95. You should consider deleting it, Thanks LOL.

[@bford3977]

Same!!! I did a lot of traveling to SC from DC and 301 was always the best bet. I would take it to Hanover MD, pick up 295 which dumps you on 95 well after Fredericksburg. The only traffic was when they were renovating the Nice Bridge. I'm only on 95 if I'm not driving LOL

[@Da__goat]

I’m very surprised that Virginia hasn’t created its own city run commuter rail/long distance system. It has a large, wealthy population and could absolutely benefit its populace by connecting up DC and Norfolk via Richmond, and Virginia Beach is a popular tourist destination. And they could also run trains along I-64 and I-81 connecting Richmond and DC to the Valley. And then extending that service into WV would be really easy.

[@greenne]

Virginia Railway express and MARC run commuter rail in the DC region

[@daniellewis1789]

Virginia is building their own state owned passenger priority tracks (including a second Long Bridge across the Potomac) to turn the VRE into a more regional, bidirectional service. They'll also more than double Amtrak service, reaching just about hourly service to Richmond and more frequent service to Roanoke (and soon, to points west), Charlotte, Raleigh, and Southeast VA destinations, with an east-Richmond-west Amtrak line on the way too.

[@triptheroad]

There already is a commuter rail lol, they need to add more times though

[@doridore1234]

@@triptheroad Yeah I found out the hard way that the VRE was a commuter only rail when I took it all the way to Fredericksburg from Springfield, and got fucking stuck in Fredericksburg cause there were no northbound trains in the evening

[@triptheroad]

@@doridore1234 if that train ran 24 hours I'd absolutely take it to DC whenever I could. My hours are unpredictable sometimes and weekend service is lacking. 95 on the weekends is terrible, would be great to be able to take the train into DC for a night on the town and not have to worry about parking at the same time

[@billcalhoun3044]

I drive between Chapel Hill and Boston frequently and Fredericksburg is constantly the worst part of the drive. To your point the express lane never is open to my way of travel. Spot on analysis which is frustrating as a solution does not seem imminent

[@babyyoda8195]

I did this exact same drive from 1998-2003. 12 hours total. I don't remember this much horrendous traffic in the DMV area

[@paulpetersen3764]

This has been the situation since I first worked for AAA in 1970 - I-95 between Washington and Richmond was a choke point that many people wanted to avoid. I've always peeled off I-95 onto 207, a few miles north of Richmond, then taken 301 north to the Delaware Mem. bridge. It is usually slower, but more predictable, and generally more relaxing.

[@J1mboB]

My in-laws used to go this way. The one time I listened to my wife and used it, we were in stoplight hell for hours and she knows never to suggest again

[@papilgee4evaeva]

@@J1mboB Yeah, I learned that if it's any time near rush hour, 301 isn't any better than 95. At least on the Maryland side. Outside of that, that route has been more or less ok. I bet the new bridge makes life easier as well (haven't crossed it yet).

[@davestewart2067]

The “new” bridge was under designed. No emergency shoulders. No separate walkway or bike path either as there should have been. Very bad and poor decision making. A final insult from Pete Rahn.

[@bigcamracing219]

We live in New Hampshire and are truckers so we opt to get off I-95 in Fredericksburg onto US 17 and run up to I-66 to I-81 and on up to I-84 in Pennsylvania. This route on paper would be more than an hour longer however in practice knowing the traffic through DC, New Jersey, New York, and up through the coast of Connecticut it seems a more fluid route.

[@degafreak98]

I used to live right in Warrenton area where they mentioned bringing in weigh stations through there. Never found out what happened with that project.

[@David-sc2ir]

I agree, I'd rather drive farther and stay moving then to just sit in a traffic jam... if you go ANYWHERE in the D.C. area you WILL get in a traffic jam. Rule #1, never go on I-95 without a full tank of gas :)

[@Mrjman7777]

I drive frequently from southern VA to DC. I take 29 every time, there’s never any traffic, it does have low speed limits but I will get there at the same time or faster than 95.

[@DaGameGuy]

The best thing they can do is extend I-97 to Richmond so it bypasses 90% of the DMW.

[@j.mieses8139]

Coming from Richmond I never like taking that stretch of road going up to NOVA and DC. Like you said does not matter what time of day it is you will encounter traffic. Luckily the Amtrak route between the two areas has improved things.

[@DAP91Si]

Very good presentation. So much money and construction for lanes that only run in one direction was ridiculous. I'm too cheap to use the express lanes but it doesn't matter since they are usually running in the opposite direction when I'm stuck in traffic.

[@davidstoyanoff]

I95 also carries all traffic from Virginia's 2 and 3 metro areas to DC. Norfolk and Richmond. These metros are rapidly growing and joining the northeast megalopolis.

[@JabrenHarris98]

Norfolk traffic is dumb. It’s not even that crowded like Nova. Y’all just be driving slow

[@jeffyang4936]

You also forgot how to mention how much of a RACKET speeding tickets in Virginia are. It is notorious for having some of the strictest speeding laws in the country and over eager cops

[@ArmyOne519]

Just don't speed 😂

[@rickcobos1724]

Happy to drive 5 under and when there’s hardly no traffic and I’m in no hurry, go as low as 50-55 for many reasons. I had no issues in the notorious Emporia.

[@randyprice264]

We travel I-95 regularly to visit family in southern Maryland. We get on from I-85 in Petersburg and and get off at Ruther Glen ... VA Route 207. We do notice the slowdown northbound where I-295 joins, but it usually speeds back up fairly quickly. On the return trip to North Carolina, we occasionally find ourselves in a slowdown when entering I-95 from VA 207. Sometimes that takes several miles southbound to clear.

[@alanstevens1296]

US-301 in Maryland has over 50 traffic lights between the river and US-50. Horribly congested during peak hours. I avoid it.

[@beegee7573]

This is such a good piece. I have driven from nova to richmond a good 500 times or so I would say over the last 15 years and it always is congested as soon as you head fredericksburg! I will say that leaving around 9 to 10 am can help with traffic in my experience. I can get to ashburn to the target in fredericksburg in 55 min cause traffic is lite. The constant construction gives me hopes they are making more lanes. Having an ez pass saves some time but gets costly during peak times!

[@jaws5671]

virginia as a whole is a perfect state for regional rail, and this corridor is a future high speed rail route. The best thing to get rid of traffic is to put trains servicing the same destinations

[@tipsovr2626]

As a lifelong Virginia resident, our interstate highways suck. They are woefully inadequate for the amount of traffic. Also, NOVA keeps encroaching further and further south bringing more and more houses, businesses and people, with no increase in travel lanes south of Frednecksburg.

[@jeffe9842]

I lived in the DC metro area for roughly 20 years, about nine of those in Woodbridge, VA. All I can say is I-95 and the Beltway had the worst traffic I had experienced (I've been all over the country in many metropolitan areas larger than the DC area) and only got worse over time. I've been gone for about nine years, now, and can only imagine what it's like. This video didn't cover the Beltway, but I've seen that they've split part of it into express and local lanes. In watching campaigns for local elections during the time I lived in the DC area, candidates would talk about how they would improve the traffic problem. Once they got elected, silence. lol

[@AlohaChips]

I've lived in the DMV, specifically NoVA, all 36 of my years. As large and as powerful as the NoVA contingent probably is in the state government, I doubt they have real majority to push the kind of funding and political will that would be needed to implement a cohesive and fully effective transportation solution (one able to solve problems for the whole area long term). And the problems with solving this area's traffic don't even stop with effectively advocating for support from the rest of VA politicians, either. We also need political and financial cooperation from MD, DC, and the Federal gov to implement solutions for problematic traffic corridors that have sections that cross borders ... which is pretty much all of them. So that means the politics of all these other areas also becomes a sticking point to getting things done. Same goes for MD and DC trying to come up with solutions on their ends. Anyway what I'm getting at is, no matter how hard the people that get elected for NoVA's representation to the state promise, and no matter how savvy they are at bipartisan and inter-government negotiating, it's a big ask. I am always skeptical of such promises. These are nice to hear but I think the honest reality is that they are beyond the power scope of the position. It's very common for politicians in general, though, to oversell how much they'll actually have the ability to get done if elected. The political borders in this area are starkly mismatched to the social and economic reality ... and the traffic problems are just one of the most obvious ways this shows, imo. Which is why whenever the rest of the state gets resentful of NoVA's influence and general alignment to the Northeastern corridor's megalopolis, and start grumbling about breaking it off from Virginia because they don't like how much attention we do manage to take from the larger land area of the state, I always just say "Wait, so you *want* to make a North Virginia? Listen here, buddy ... don't threaten me with a good time." (It certainly wouldn't solve the majority of the problems ... but hey, at least it would take the interests of the rest of the state off the negotiating table.)

[@jimgorycki4013]

I remember when my parents, my brother and I moved from Queens, NY to Florida in 1972, there were stretches of I-95 in Virginia that were toll booth. When I last took I-95 from NJ to Florida, I did notice on the NJ Turnpike some bottleneck except for that stretch that had cars&trucks / Cars only lanes. Going through Virginia the traffic jam in the morning and in the afternoon was appalling. There were no express lanes completed at the time. There was also lane re-surfacing done at different times on both I-95 and I-85. I think making the whole road toll might work, but then some will take alternates. For example, in Delaware and Maryland there are so many tolls my goodness. I ended up taking US 40 between Newcastle DE and just outside of Baltimore and taking the beltway around Baltimore.

[@dtvjho]

The tolls apparently ended around 1992.

[@CC-ni6pl]

The toll booth stretch of 95 was in Richmond. They ended the tolls in 1992 because 295 opened up.

[@erwina4738]

Why is there even express lanes in the first place? That doesnt help much with the growing traffic and we already fucking pay for infrastructure via taxes. Some fucked up shit if you ask me.

[@ablewindsor1459]

A friend of mine got through the bill that removed the tolls from most highways and BRIDGES back in the late 1970s. Going into Effect took a while.

[@newsreal4994]

This video is great! I was smiling all the way as I can share the frustration and time lost having spent many hours on this road. I really liked how you said, "traffic stops north of Fredericksburg for no reason." It is so similar to my "you are in the woods and come to a standstill for no reason."

[@Garrettb214]

I agree with your statement about the reversible express lanes. The 2 sets we have in Atlanta along I-75 are nice when they are heading your direction, but traffic is often backed up the other way and it would be nice to access them going the other way. Flipping direction usually takes an hour or more so it's not something that can be done if an accident occurs or something in the general purpose lanes.

[@ChrisSl8]

Great video as always, and I totally agree with the NJ Turnpike solution. Was just on the newer stretch of 3-3-3-3 roadway today and it really is an incredible and efficient piece of infrastructure. As far as avoiding the I-95 mid-Atlantic mess, I really enjoy the combination of Garden Staten Parkway/Cape May Lewes Ferry/US-113/US-13/I-64/US-58 to I-95 south of Emporia. It's not perfect and can be a little slow with traffic lights in areas, but if you have the extra time its way more scenic and relaxing. It also helps to live on the Jersey Shore I suppose, which makes the ferry part much more reasonable. A few years ago I had a trip from NJ to Florida planned and ended up taking I-76/I-81/I-77/I-26 to I-95 in Georgia as a way to try and bypass the mid-Atlantic mess, and felt the same way about the excess amount of trucks and lack of capacity. Ultimately we would have had to take this route anyway as a few days before we left, Hurricane Florence closed I-95 in most of North Carolina for about a week, which probably contributed to the clusterfuck we experienced on I-81/I-77.

[@JackDaniels-tx4qx]

I would use the US-13 and US-113 combo, but not only is it significantly longer, but the fact that I have to pay $20 just to cross the Chesapeake Bay and pay more still to use the PA Turnpike means I would be better off taking US Highways 17 and then 15 headed from Fredericksburg all the way to Harrisburg.

[@ChrisSl8]

Oh yeah if you're coming from Central PA I wouldn't take 13/113 either. For me coming from the Jersey Shore it's basically a straight shot south with the Delaware ferry, which is also expensive with a vehicle. But it's not a drive I do often and I'm not under a time crunch or budget, so I'm okay with it.@@JackDaniels-tx4qx

[@justinpatino4428]

I lived smack in the middle of this area in Prince William Co. just north of Fredericksburg. There is a geographical & and property issue. It is the only thoroughfare through this stretch. With a river with no bridges on the east, and Marine Corp Base Quantico on the west. There are no other ways through this stretch, so everyone has to either go on hwy 1, which stays within a 1/4 mile of 95 just east and no other options. Combined with all the issues you mentioned, this is the primary reason that causes all the other problems to be amplified.

[@brianleeper5737]

I can get from Manassas, VA to Fredericksburg,VA without using either I95 or US1, using 2-lane roads. Roughly the same distance, and the time is often shorter if I95 is backed up as usual.

[@jayhache5609]

@@brianleeper5737 It’s practically a straight shot from Manassas to F’burg via Route 17, which is a nice country four-lane.

[@brianleeper5737]

@@jayhache5609 Route 17 doesn't go to Manassas. The most direct way to get to route 17 from Manassas is to use 28. South of Nokesville, 28 is a two-lane road with way too much traffic.

[@jayhache5609]

@@brianleeper5737 Didn’t say it did, ergo “practically”. But yes, 28 is no good. I used to use 15/29 to get to 17. Much better than 95, imho. As is the 2-lane option.

[@miguelrosario7302]

When I was looking to buy a home in the DC metro area in 1992 (I had been commuting by car from a Maryland suburb to Fort Belvoir, VA, for two years, it was clear to me that I had to buy a home in a place where I could avoid I-95 as much as possible: I chose Odenton, Maryland. The Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) train runs from Baltimore to Washington, with a convenient station stop in Odenton, MD, that doesn’t charge for parking. I’ve been living in San Antonio, TX, ever since 2010; but, when I’ve returned to the DC metro area to visit friends and family, traffic has only worsened. Mass transit is the best way to move around if your destination is along, or at the end of, the train/subway/light rail tracks you are riding on.

[@HunterBidenCocaineBag]

That drive up to I-95 north and seeing the Richmond, VA skyline never gets old. I've already paid for the road with my taxes, so I'm not using any road that is tolled.

[@ryanstevens2722]

Thanks Mike, I live in Southern NJ along the NJ Turnpike and you could also mention that I-295 runs parallel to the NJ Tpke from Delaware to NJ mid-state. Sadly, I-295 has been plagued by a construction project at the I-76/Philadelphia interchange since March 2013 with no end in site. This is a major bottleneck. The project has been criminally mismanaged. In March 2021 a new section, never opened to traffic, suddenly collapsed from poor design and materials. After 2 years work finally restarted this summer. But it is a viable alternative to the NJ Tpk and it's FREE.

[@mjtjgilbert123]

I commute from Long Beach Island to Delaware County, PA and mannn I'm WAITING for that interchange to be done

[@NaanProphet]

295 is a great alternative with the exception of that interchange. Man, it bogs things down. Plus, if you're coming from 42 South and want to go on 295 S, you have to do that stupid u turn in Gloucester City just to access it.

[@ryanstevens2722]

I understand the direct connector ramp to I 295 South should be open by year end.@@NaanProphet

[@joes7930]

State rte 29 runs north from NC through Virginia to DC and is an alternate but NEEDS INTERSTATE UPGRADING to be a viable north south Rte alternative. Cities like Charlottesville also have been adverse to bypassing and upgrades which hamper development. All traffic from big cities in North Carolina (Greensboro , Winston Salem, Raleigh, Durham and even Charlotte )would take rte 29 to DC if it was upgraded instead of going over to 95 via 85 relieving some of I 95 congestion. Parts of rte 29 to DC are up to interstate standards(around Lynchburg for example). I see cars from North Carolina all the time going down rte 29 in virginia. Just make Charlottesville build its bypass!! Who in NC takes rte 29 north to DC instead of 85/95? Show of hands?

[@Wokisan]

Yep, Over the past 50 years Lynchburg, Danville, and Culpepper all built their bypasses. Charlottesville got the funding for their bypass but killed it at the last minute.

[@trainsandroads]

I don't even think about using 95 anymore and have been using 29 exclusively for at least 2 years now. Even with all the lights, Charlottesville and my personal "boredom" of some stretches, the travel time is still more reliable than 95. Though it does help that I live not that far from 29 on the NC side

[@Atlridesharejay]

I grew up in Greensboro NC and lived in DC for 5 years and my sister is in Reston and daughter in Arlington. We now live in Atlanta so we’ve made this trek a few times. Coming from the Carolina’s I’ve used both the 85-77-81-66 route to specifically avoid 95 and 85-US29 which I think is the best alternative. Conversely, you can slide over to US15 if you’re coming from the East side and avoid the Fredericksburg-DC hassle. I have a friend here in ATL who works for USDOT and he says the HOT lanes are used much more than HOV which is why they’re preferred. I think they’d do better everywhere if the tolls were lower, but that’s a data exercise. Reversible is just an attempt to make the best use of available real estate.

[@callmejay05]

In addition to DC, Fredericksburg is rapidly developing and expanding too. Also, there are two humongous shopping centers along 95 along this route: Potomac Mills and Central Park. Shippers, shoppers, and employees likely contribute to the omnipresent slow traffic between Fredericksburg and DC.

[@user-ip6mh5nv3i]

Mike, this was an excellent take on the problems with this section of I-95. I would like to share my thoughts on a different highway that would alleviate some of the traffic on this section. Being from southern NJ and traveling to Myrtle Beach, SC often, I always thought the government should turn Rt 301 into an interstate. This would divert excess traffic from Baltimore, Washington and Fredericksburg (why drive through these city's if you are not going there). The north end is already attached by interstate by a connecter to RT 1 in Delawear, with a short ride to I-95. The southern part goes through some small towns but I'm sure it could be engineered to bypass these. Keep up the good work, Thanks Mike.

[@jhawkkw87]

They just replaced the Harry Nice Bridge over the Potomac last year, so it makes it more possible now. The old bridge was only two lanes which would have been a major blocker for planning an interstate on US 301.

[@MaxPower-11]

The ultimate (but insanely costly) solution would involve a bridge/tunnel at Cape May, an expressway on the eastern shore of Virginia that would connect to the bridge and also to the existing expressway between Milford and Wilmington, plus an expressway between I-95 in North Carolina and Hampton Roads, Virginia. That would provide an alternate expressway route to I-95 between North Carolina and Philadelphia or New York City.

[@desertodavid]

I don't understand why nobody's talking about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that's existed for decades. When I travel between eastern North Carolina and Points North say Albany New York, I would take that route. Yeah it's a little slower but much more Scenic and more relaxing period after I crossed the Delaware River I would get off of 95 as soon as I could near Trenton and take Highway 206 also a very relaxing and scenic route to I-287 which completely avoids the Newark/ New Jersey Metro areas.

[@sunshineimperials1600]

Cape May residents would absolutely disapprove of any bridge or tunnel though. Already protesting against off-shore windmills that are visible only 1/4 of the year, imagine having a major Highway and bridge built next to them being loud and polluting for 100% of the year… yeah that isn’t happening.

[@davestewart2067]

Same as getting an Interstate grade upgrade in Delmarva south of Salisbury. Not happening although some improvements to US 13 would be useful

[@stonehenge55]

I last drove on this in 2008 between Richmond and DC and the traffic was backed up for nearly those 100+ miles, it was insane back then. Can't imagine now.

[@giarc0]

They’ve done a good job redesigning the 95/295 interchange north of Richmond. Unfortunately, now the traffic has just been displaced to the north by about five miles lol. And just think, half of those stuck on 95 north past 295 have just gotten done sitting for miles on 64 west coming from the Tidewater. Fun times.

[@thebatterymill]

A good argument made for the Washington Outer Beltway

[@cisium1184]

I wonder. As someone who has made the New Hampshire-to-Atlanta drive a bunch of times in the last year, I'm hesitant to even take the current beltways in NYC and BAL because of the time I know it will add. I'd rather take my chances with the traffic on the most direct routes. I just made the ride last week, and not even the BAL bridge collapse changed my route. I can't imagine I'm the only traveler who thinks like this. That said, if I lived in Savannah instead of Atlanta I would take the Eastern Shore route and avoid all that nonsense.

[@pickled51]

I can see why the center tolled lanes on the Interstates are called "Lexus Lanes". A couple of weeks ago I traveled I-66 from I-81 to downtown DC. Approaching the Lexus Lanes, the overhead signs said the current toll for the entire stretch was $18.65. I thought that was an outrageous amount to charge. Luckily the free lanes were moving at around 55 to 60 mph, so I did not think to use the Lexus Lanes even though I have an EZ Pass. But I would not have paid that amount of money to use them and many others did not either. I was able to count about 10 drivers using the Lexus Lanes from the beginning till the I-495 interchange where the Lexus Lanes end. These PPP (Public Private Partnerships) projects are a big waste of money and should be abolished. They do nothing to assist the average motorist and just put tax money into the pockets of private companies. As for I-95, I-97 should be extended south of Annapolis and down to south of St. Petersburg, VA at the I-85 interchange to provide an eastern alternate to I-95. Also a bridge/tunnel should be built between Lewes, DE and Cape May, NJ to provide a new road link east of I-95 to avoid DC, Baltimore, and Philly.

[@JhonnyBoi]

That’s actually pretty cheap. 66 usually goes up to around $40 in the morning. Just from the beltway to DC which is about 10 miles.

[@tonycaramuccijr2672]

As a richmonder, I say yes it to a expensive but I’m down to pay $20 to save 2 hours of my life, especially when it’s a frequent commute

[@georgeselby3376]

I drive there a 1-2 times a year, and gladly pay the Lexus price to bypass the traffic. I drove through there earlier this year and noticed the lanes extended down a bit more than the last time I used them.

[@byrongreene6234]

Guess you haven't driven on the PA turnpike in the last 10 years or so. It has become very expensive.

[@pickled51]

@@byrongreene6234 Yes, you are absolutely correct. The PA Turnpike is extremely expensive because the state of PA takes a lot of the toll revenue from the Turnpike to use on fixing the state roads of PA. That is technically illegal because toll revenue is normally used to maintain the toll road. Not other roads. But the PA legislature decided otherwise.

[@joed9491]

I would take many rides to the Northeast from the Charlotte NC area. I used to like I-95 but getting through D.C. IS always a nightmare so then I tried US 301 from the Richmond area to Delaware but there's a 14 mile section from La Plata to Brandywine, Md that slows you down with all the traffic lights. If they had a loop around that area like they constructed in Middletown, De several years back, I would take it all the time, even if I have to pay all those tolls. No more, I now take I-77 up to I-81 and loop around that way, taking I-78 if I'm going to NY or I-84 if I'm going to New England. Whether it be I-95 or 301, round trip that way to the NY area cost me around $60 in tolls. Over $80 if I go to Long Island. The I-81 route cost me a whopping $2 rountrip.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

I drove 95 over 20 years ago from the DC area to Fredericksburg. There were lots of traffic on the highway but the road wasn't congested, it was just busy.

[@CANNABISfreedomNOtaxes]

I grew up in a little mountain town in Northern California, and I-5 was the first interstate I drove on around the Redding area. Back in 1992 when I got my license it was pretty desolate even at peak hours on week days. Now its always packed with traffic. It went from 4 lanes to 6 lanes and it seems like there is 20x as much traffic now. I couldnt imagine having to drive somewhere like I-95 south of DC. Just the thought gives me anxiety.

[@uzin0s256]

LA has worse traffic. That why everytime i go there i use there metro.

[@CANNABISfreedomNOtaxes]

@@uzin0s256 I'm 700 miles away from LA.

[@Mapmaker1559]

The biggest problem with I-95 in Northern Virginia is that it's simply reaching capacity. So many motorists use this portion of I-95, local, regional, and long-distance, that the current transportation grid it's part of can no longer handle the amount of vehicles that use it. It's a big enough problem that no single solution alone is going to fix this corridor. It's going to take a combination of general-purpose widening, expanded transit, and new parallel freeways to truly relieve congestion on this portion of I-95 once and for all. I-95 itself needs to be widened to eight general purpose lanes from Richmond all the way to Springfield, regardless of express lanes, and the Blue Line of the Metrorail needs to be expanded to Woodbridge or even Dumfries/Quantico. Additionally, US-29 needs to be upgraded to freeway standards from Greensboro, NC to Northern Virginia and possibly renumbered as an interstate, and US-301 needs to be upgraded to freeway from Richmond, VA to Crofton, MD. Both of these freeways would allow for north/south alternatives for long-distance motorists.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

They also need to stop closing the express lanes which only adds to the morning or afternoon traffic.....there needs to be express lanes in both directions open not just one direction at certain times...

[@maroon9273]

​​@@truckercowboyed2638I think dmv need to stop widening local highway lanes and improve public rapid transits out of the beltway. Adding a local lane project is making the highway very congested. They need bus lanes and rapid bus transportation on those highways.

[@Mapmaker1559]

@@truckercowboyed2638 That too.

[@Mapmaker1559]

@@maroon9273 No. Transit alone will not fix congestion.

[@colormedubious4747]

Have you heard of VRE? That option already exists all the way from Springfield to Fredericksburg. No need to extend the Blue Line for trillions of dollars.

[@kayemtee5312]

I couldn’t agree with you more. We tow a boat back and forth to Florida every year. My problem is that the toll lanes don’t allow me to use them because I have more than two axles. Imagine the frustration of watching the traffic moving freely next to you while you are in bumper to bumper.

[@ConcernedCitizen627]

I have lived in the Alexandria area since 1965 with the exception of about 5 years. I drive the Springfield - Fredericksburg section every day. Have done so for the last 12 years. I commute in the opposite direction of the normal rush hour traffic, however that has major traffic issues as well. My commute can range from 45 minutes to 90 minutes in the blink of an eye. Normally it is just shear volume, few accidents. Many times it is construction. That can cause 20 - 30 mile backups. I am a license plate watcher so I notice that at least 50% of the plates are from out of state. That does not include Maryland since many in Maryland work in Virginia.

[@ajhare2]

I've always thought that a bypass highway should be built from Norfolk VA through Delaware reconnecting near Wilmington DE. It could have an offshoot connecting 95, 85, and 81. Actual mile distance would be longer than driving through Richmond and DC, but congestion would be less of an issue and speed up traffic just passing through. The Highway portions of Route 1 in Delaware could be converted to interstate, and then it could be expanded south.

[@jamesmorris2578]

I think connecting the new I-87 in NC with the existing one in NY via an expressway north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel and a new bridge or tunnel near Lewes feeding into the Garden State Parkway would help. That would, of course, necessitate building a freeway connection between the existing bridge and the current I-64 in the Norfolk/VA Beach area and designating a "truck 87" in NJ, since trucks aren't allowed on the northern section of the GSP. (I recommend the AC Expressway/ NJ-42 to I-295 to I-195 to the NJ Turnpike to the current I-287.) Then it's just a matter of redesignating I-287 in NJ as I-87 and coming up with a new number for the Major Deegan, like I-187

[@O_P_Productions]

The VA governor recently asked what could be done along 95, the idea of expanding the express lanes so they run in both directions was brought up as a possibility and deemed possible from an engineering aspect. They can’t outright expand 95 regular lanes in the areas where express lanes exist because of an agreement with the express lane operator, transurban. That lease was decades long I believe. We’re screwed until 97 is extended south from MD along 301 to VA.

[@dtvjho]

The regular lanes need to be at least 4-4, so if this lease prevents VA from widening 95, has no one thought of putting the needed money into an entirely new interstate-grade road? Kind of a bypass around those lease restrictions. Perhaps a 97 extension? Or a new route 40 mi to the west of 95, e.g. northbound 95->I64>US 522->US17->US15->I-70 to Baltimore. I can't see a lease restricting anything more than 5 mi off of 95

[@wszumi1]

Yes, the agreements signed by the previous governors are 70+ years long with Transurban. It also has a clause in there that requires Virginia to ask permission from Transurban to make any improvements to their transportation system that could adversely affect Transurbans profit. That clause includes improvements to I-95, Rt. 1, or improvements to the Occoquan Bridge. IF the state decides to do the improvements against the wishes of the Transurban, the state will have to pay Transurban for the perceived lose in profit.

[@JabrenHarris98]

Well my thought was they were going to extend the metro from Springfield to Fredericksburg considering it still Nova and I mean the Amtrak is already a thing from Richmond to DC so

[@O_P_Productions]

@@JabrenHarris98 Dude, they're not extending metro to F'burg ever. That's just too far for metro.... Regional Rail has to be utilized for longer distances such as that.

[@dtvjho]

@@wszumi1 How far off of 95 does this lease reach? I'm sure a new road 20+ miles away will be ruled out as an impact on their profit

[@jackinab0x600]

I live in the Area but mostly use 66 and 495 for going around, never I95. One time at ~6AM I was heading down south to Raleigh and was just awestruck on how much traffic there was North-Bound between Fredericksburg and FC Parkway. Just unimaginable, it kept on going for miles and miles. On another note, first time I took 95 to DC was during Covid, virtually 0 traffic on the entire route lol. I moved the next year and encountered traffic the moment I stepped into NoVA.

[@Mezekaldon]

There are basically two reasons why I95 is horrific between DC and Richmond. One is the Rappahannock River. In the first ~100 miles of waterway, from the mouth of the river to Remington, there are 9 bridges. Four of them are in Fredericksburg, one of those is 95. Compare that to the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia, which has at least 20 bridges before it gets out of the city, and more than 50 total in the first 100 miles of the river. The second reason is the also the reason the Rappahannock does not have bridges. When Virginia was being developed, it was designed as huge communities with basically one single access road. So the people living there have no other option but to leave their development and get on the main road. And then that main road just leads to 95 because it's the only viable way to get across the Rappahannock. These developments were intentionally designed to be dead end developments, and thus you do not have any roads or bridges out the back of the development connecting them with any thing else. The VA road system just doesn't have interconnecting small roads in the same way that PA, NY, NJ or so many other states have. Instead, their road system was intentionally designed to force every single car to drive on the same few main roads, causing enormous congestion. Take a trip from Holly Corner to Hunting Run Reservoir for example; 5 miles as the crow flies, but 17 miles by road, nearly all on the main roads of Route 17, I-95, and Route 3. Contrast that with a trip from Valley Forge to Collegeville in Pennsylvania. About 6 miles in a straight line, but 3 viable bridges across the Schuylkill River, and all three routes are around 8-10 miles of roadway. All VA really needs to do is get rid of the huge dead end communities by connecting them all to each other. This would stop forcing local traffic to use the main multi-lane highways for what could be a 10 minute drive.

[@petert4756]

There’s traffic because people don’t understand that they need to speed up going uphill & the people coming down that hill hit the brakes to avoid hitting the person in front ofc. And most of 95 from mm 130-160 happens to be very hilly

[@burntThread]

They also need to understand to put their phones away too

[@brianleeper5737]

They have this magical invention that's been around for years called "cruise control" that will do it for you, but I don't think the average Virginia driver knows what it does.

[@NihilistSolitude]

the express lanes were design for the rich men north of richmond

[@O_P_Productions]

No they weren’t. They were originally a bus only lane into DC. Get your facts straight.

[@brianleeper5737]

@@O_P_Productions The express lanes USED to be open (before they were converted into toll lanes) to all traffic outside of peak hours, like late nights and weekends. I95 regularly backs up on weekends.

[@O_P_Productions]

@@brianleeper5737 as I stated, originally, they were bus-only lanes when they ran down to Springfield in the early 70's. Then they allowed cars with HOV prerequisites a few years later. Then (as you stated) they restricted HOV usage to rush hours only with all other hours open to all vehicles however I can't find a reference to when the open vice restricted access times were implemented. I recall queueing up around 630PM on the southbound lanes waiting for them to change to "open" very well. Hope that clears up any confusion on your part.

[@brianleeper5737]

@@O_P_Productions These I95 reversible lanes were open to all traffic outside of HOV hours as long ago as 1998. Prior to that I never drove on I95 so I can't say. The net result of the high occupancy toll lanes is that lanes which used to be available for free outside of HOV hours are no longer. This seems to have increased weekend traffic congestion on I95.

[@O_P_Productions]

​ @brianleeper5737 I'm not sure what you're trying to debate here, I merely stated the lanes were originally bus-only lanes and followed up by stating that was in the 70's... maybe reread my comment? Furthermore, it was roughly 1975 was when vehicles were allowed and it was HOV4 / Open that you are referring to. The lanes were extended to Dumfries in the early 90's where they remained HOV lanes until the HOT conversion in the last 5 years. I-95 general lanes were expanded to 4 lanes down to near Lorton/Occoquan just before that, I can't quite remember when exactly but I think you're forgetting that. Any argument of congestion south of Dumfries being impacted by HOT lanes is moot and the HOT lanes expanded capacity in the area. The area you speak of being congested because of the HOT lane conversion is roughly 30 of the 100ish miles between Richmond and DC and yes, while the reducion of open lanes has impacted the capacity of ONE direction at a time only I think you're failing to recognize the capacity improvements to the general lanes of 95 in the 2000-2020 timeline.

[@keo0918]

The Richmond metro area is now the fastest growing region in Virginia but like you said, the worst traffic is between Fredericksburg and D.C.

[@ruffcustis]

Great vid. I grew up in NoVa and made dozens and dozens of trips to Norfolk from '59 onward. It's amazing to me the changes that have occurred. I remember some parts being a 2x2!

[@cxb262]

Grew up in the DMV in the 80s before moving north to the Philly 'burbs (which has traffic issues of its own). I have family on Long Island, and while driving there is frustrating, it pales in comparison to I-95 in NoVA. Heck, it took me over 20 minutes to drive one mile in Arlington one time to meet an old friend for dinner on our way to our family vacation point down south. SO glad my family moved away!

[@dcseain]

I've worked in Alexandria, VA with plenty of people commuting from Louisa, VA and Charlottesville, VA.

[@johnwm7039]

Living just north of Fredricksburg we experience this traffic all the time. The Express extension is now open all the way to FXBG. Still additional general purpose lanes are needed or a new bypass. Unfortunately, VDOT doesn’t seem to have any plans foolishly thinking toll lanes would do it. Additionally, the state would have to pay the builder/manager of the toll lanes ‘a fine’ if general purpose lanes are built which pull riders from the express lanes.

[@zacharywissen9658]

Drove this section of I95 on weekend of 9/28/23. Saw a Class c RV tire blowout 100 feet in front of me. Drove this portion from 295 to 495. Definitely remember the traffic near Fredericksburg. Overall traffic wasn't too terrible. GPS did detour off the highway heading back south.

[@dgross2009]

More important than the NJ turnpike is the more than 2 alternative routes in 295 and the Garden State PKWY. VA only has one alternative in Rt 81. And remember I95 is just across the bridge in PA. I95 VA can get deadly as in the snow pile-up a couple of years ago which happened about a week after my own very infrequent trips south on nightmare I95 VA. I missed the pay lanes which cost me almost an additional 2 hour drive to Charlotte.

[@snbitzer]

I recently traveled from Baltimore to VA Beach using I-95, and this video is spot on with regards to I-95 traffic congestion. Next time, I'll just drive down Delmarva to save me the headache of traveling this stretch of I-95.

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

I remember in 8th grade (2012) on a school trip from DC, we sat in traffic along 95 south for over an hour. We were before the original reversible lanes merged so somewhere in prince william county. I was able to finish some assignment no one in my class completed too.

[@carlpeduzzi3780]

Living in Northern VA, I have tackled 95 every day for the last 20 years. I have seen lanes get added and modified. I could go on for hours about the areas that I see as choke points that VA has tried to modify only to create a different choke point. Personally, I see the toll lanes on 95 as a mixed bag of issues. They can be good if you need to get between two points quickly - this is provided they are open in the direction you are traveling. I see 95 making this a switchable toll system because they (VA) didn’t need to pay for it. They allowed a private company (Transurban) to build the lanes, set the tolls, and manage the infrastructure while VA retains the ownership on the infrastructure. Since Transurban has now built lanes all over Northern VA (I-66, I-395, I-495, and I-95) this must be profitable for them and the State sees it as beneficial also. Has traffic changed? Not really. Do I use the toll lanes? Yes, in stretches when I need to. But, if I can, I use the VRE rail system when possible. The drawback with rail is that the stations are not as convenient. Though, for the same price as a one way toll, I can ride the train both directions, spend a little gas getting to the station, and not deal with the I-95 stress.

[@Dougc3157]

When visiting friends in Charlotte NC we avoid I 95 altogether from NJ. We go inland and take I 81 to go south. Great video.

[@45Steamer]

I think the biggest reason why there's so much traffic on I-95 in VA is because there's not enough commuter rail traffic between DC & Fredericksburg.

[@NfidelNet]

I feel you... 2:00AM on Sunday. Never a good time to drive that stretch

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

I drove that route for the first time myself in early December last year. Part of a greater "Orlando, FL to Saratoga Springs, NY" drive. Admittedly, I don't remember much of the stint south of Fredericksburg, VA, as it was getting to be pretty late at night and microsleep was beginning to set in. However, that was when a bit of a brilliant idea set in - bought a cheap hotel room for the night in Fredericksburg, grabbed a few hours of sleep, then checked out and set off again at just before 6 a.m. There is a Costco in Fredericksburg right near the on/off ramps for I-95 that opened at 6 a.m., so I fueled up pretty much right as they opened, then set off to beat as much DC traffic as I could. Honestly kinda worked out, as I didn't really hit proper "rush hour" traffic until I was already nearing the northern ends of Baltimore. I mean, yeah, there was traffic, but between learning to drive and commuting to high school in Houston rush hour, and having spent years commuting from Orlando to Lakeland for work 6 days a week and having to deal with the Tourist District, Disney, and US 27 traffic along I-4, I-95's traffic in VA in the late night and early morning hours was genuinely nothing. A couple of slower sections were had there and there, but I never truly had a spot that actually reached 'gridlock'. I don't think there was a stretch in DC or VA that I went slower than 45 mph along that whole remaining 40 mile stretch. granted, for me this is anecdotal, and your mileage may (and likely will) vary, both metaphorically and literally.

[@jordanch68]

Been driving I95 for years (PA to NC) I usually take 15 in PA to 17 Warrenton then pick up 95 South to Richmond( I95 exit 133) so I'm on 95 for about 35 miles. Another option is 410 but that's slower like going 17 all the way. Exit 130-133 on 95 is really bad now with the construction and traffic volume.

[@driveCore]

Perfect timing of this video post as I was just up there earlier today in the Ashland area. I was on Air Park Road beside I-95 and it looked just like how you've described. Bumper to bumper for no reason. I hopped on 95 from Lewistown Rd. and what you know, it was faster.

[@johncamp2567]

A comprehensive look at 95; interesting perspectives on solutions to traffic. (new subscriber, VA)

[@EuropeanUS]

DC suburbs already expended south of Fredericksburg, to Spotsylvania Ct. Now it’s rapidly developing. Counties below Spotsylvania are considered Richmond metro area, and they are growing as well. Ashland is another hot spot recently. I met many people who live in what’s considered Richmond metro, commuting to DC metro counties and reversed, people from Fredericksburg commuting to Richmond. That means whole Richmond metro is slowly becoming a part of greater Washington metro area. That’s going to be another challenge for VDOT in future…

[@XavierKatzone]

Amen - drove it back in '91 from Quantico & DC and it was always packed!

[@lukethompson5558]

Another factor is the hills. There should be flashing lights that say “upgrade- maintain speed”. Just a couple of people slowing to 40 mph creates horrible traffic

[@clownworldtimes6434]

Great video. Just want to drop in that I worked in downtown DC for many years and knew people who would commute from Richmond and as far as Short Pumpp

[@promodpratap2696]

We live in Greensboro, NC. For us (and for those coming from Charlotte or Atlanta), an alternative is to take US29 and the I-66 East to get to Washington. Slower, but much less traffic.

[@Atlridesharejay]

We always did this from Greensboro. It’s actually almost the same in time as the 29 route is significantly shorter in distance than 85/95. And way less stressful.

[@alexanderspenser4960]

Driven 95 for since the 70s. Been as far as Maine & Miami. But usually the beltway to Petersburg. Got a ticket one early morning in the full moonlight. The trooper said, 'that's the route you're on, not the speed limit!'

[@kcroyals85]

I drive I95 twice a week from I295 to RT 17. you are spot on about the traffic. I use the exit off RT 17 North, I think that will be a cluster but still need to see how that is going to work after construction is done.

[@timothymull8740]

If I'm ever headed from DC to Hampton Roads I take 301 S to Rt. 17 all the way over the Coleman Bridge in to Hampton Roads. It's a gorgeous rural drive without much traffic until you reach Gloucester, VA and get further down into the HR metro area.

[@thejerseyj5479]

Volume, it's the single most important factor in the equation. The US has gained 130,000,000 people since '67, when we hit 200,000,000. I used to be an OTR trucker and drove overnight mainly. 30 to 40 years ago at 3 AM there was hardly anyone on the interstates. Now, 3 AM and there is traffic. Our population growth has increased faster than we can build roads to handle it. And in my opinion it will only get worse.

[@harrisonghrist8303]

Greetings from Maryland's Eastern Shore region! To get to points south from where we live, we typically get there via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and Hampton Roads. We try to avoid I-95 as much as possible! I love going to amusement parks, and two I often visit are Virginia's two major parks: Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. Often when we drove to and from these parks via I-95, traffic was stop-and-go for much of the length between I-495 and Fredericksburg. On summer weekends, even the rural stretch of I-95 between Richmond and Fredericksburg experiences bumper-to-bumper traffic. Sometimes, we would take US-301 to get to Kings Dominion, but it is not much better, not only because of the numerous stoplights and at-grade intersections, but because US-301 can have traffic issues in its own right. The worst part is the section in Waldorf where MD-5 runs concurrent, mainly due to the large volume of commuters between D.C. and Southern Maryland. There are even more traffic hotspots along US-301 during holiday weekends and some weekends during the summer. Upgrading much, if not all, of US-301 to a limited-access freeway would create a viable reliever route for north-south travelers looking to bypass the Washington, D.C. metro area and possibly even Baltimore via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Eastern Shore of Maryland (FYI, you should do a video about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland as it is an extremely problematic corridor; I've driven across it enough to see its blatant issues). This would reduce a lot of the stress constantly being put on I-95 in both northern Virginia and Maryland.

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

I was born in 1973 and literally lived right off of I95 my whole life (Arlington, Falls Church, Springfield, Lorton, Dumfries). I finally couldn't take the traffic and high cost of living and left and headed west. I dread any time I have to head back to that area and deal with I270, 495 or I95 traffic.

[@drewr5119]

As a New Jersian the turnpike gets such a bad reputation for EWR Airport and the factories in that area people take for granted how great the turnpike is! It has 6 lanes on each side 3 devoted for cars and 3 devoted for trucks and buses in the other lanes. NJDOT sucks! But the Turnpike is privately owned which is why it's never bumpy and is a comfortable ride til you get to NY!

[@richardbradfield7437]

I have and do frequently travel the I95 route you described for the last 48 years between Richmond and D.C. It has always been a crap shoot on timing the probable congestion, and that leg has been “under reconstruction/improvement” the whole time. Overall, it seems the travel time over the those years has been, on average about the same, although I have endured traffic anomalies where it took 6 or more hours to travel the same distance as it usually took 2! I have experienced the traffic congestion drift further south over the years from Woodbridge to Fredericksburg and a bit south beyond. The Richmond area, with the I64 West/I95 North interchange, stop and go traffic has gotten progressively worse over the last decade. I could go on and on but won’t.

[@mack70214]

As a trucker (former) of 20 yrs, I learned how to navigate 95 when I go through Va. 1. Early mornings (before 5am) going north or south is usually clear 2. Going around D.C. on I-495 (before 5am) is usually clear north or south 3. Going south, If I had the driving hrs. to make it past Fredericksburg before 1pm and make it to the Richmond bypass before 2pm. it's all good. 4. Coming through Maryland, If I don't make it to D.C. before 2pm, I stop at the TA travel center at exit 41 (Jessup, Md. Not exit 57 in Baltimore, too dangerous) and wait till early hrs of the morning. 5. State troopers can be a hassle but follow the law and you'll be ok. 6. If there are any accidents, learn how to navigate alternate routes (US 1 and 301).

[@CicadaAppreciationSociety]

In the past coming from NC I've gone over to I-81 when going to New England. Passed all the DC and NYC traffic.

[@AlAl-wu7mp]

Going from NJ to SC I usually take a slower route of US301 from the D.M.B. to Richmond, Va. When I go through I95 I take the express lanes if they are open. I can't believe how much traffic there is in the section between DC and Richmond. I had thought for years everybody working in DC lived in Richmond until now. Thanks for the explanation.

[@Sayuri81554]

1960, give or take, in Stafford County north of Fredericksburg, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, families would ride out to see how the new road was coming along. The saying goes something along the line, they started building I-95 and have never stopped.

[@deebsooreal]

So I noticed you didn’t mention the use of MD-5 and US-301. A lot of people use that route to bypass going through Fredericksburg on 95 when heading south out of the DMV. Most take 301 south until they can pick up 95 again at the Carmel Church exit for 95 in Caroline County

[@bobfognozzle]

Another problem is driving in the left lane at low speed. This combined with the threat of jail for travelling more than 80 mph (which is only 10 mph faster than the speed limit). Raise the speed limit to 80, with jail time for driving in the left lane when not actually passing another vehicle.

[@coasterfanatic3]

Glad I’m not the only one who thinks VA should’ve gone the NJ Turnpike option. I live in VA and have used that part of I 95 a lot and that traffic has been a pain.

[@esw427]

I live in Prince George's county Maryland and travel to Williamsburg, Va and North Carolina a few times a year. I take 301 to 17 to Williamsburg and avoid that I-95 to I-64 traffic. When traveling to NC I will take 301 all the way to the I-295 bypass outside of Richmond to avoid all that traffic. You may hit a few traffic lights, but not that many. The 301 to 17 route is a nice scenic ride.

[@CampusautoCo]

Love the channel. Keep up the good work!

[@lamontjohnson5810]

As a DC native who grew up taking trips back and forth to Richmond a lot during the '80s to visit family, there are a few more things to point out about I-95 between this stretch. I noticed even today that while the approaches to the newer Woodrow Wilson bridge have done a lot to relieve nightmare traffic between Virginia and Maryland along I-95/I-495 (the Capital Beltway), not much has changed with I-95 itself since the '80s between Richmond and the Mixing Bowl (Springfield, VA interchange). This is a problem because not only has the DC area expanded further south down the I-95 corridor in Northern Virginia, but as you also pointed out, DC is one of the start/end points of the BOS-WASH megalopolis (since its nickname). I think one reason Virginia has gotten away with not expanding the lanes on I-95 in this section is that outside of NYC and Chicago, DC has one of the most extensive public transit and rail systems in the country (not much compared to European and some Asian major cities, of course). I know that a lot of commuters into DC from its vast suburbs either use public transit and rail directly to commute into DC or they simply drive their cars to satellite parking areas sprinkled around the outer metro area and catch an express bus to downtown DC or to a Metro train station where they can continue their commute via the subway. Sounds like a lot, but people do what they have to do to get to work. LOL I work from home now, so I don't have to worry about it.

[@JabrenHarris98]

Yeah folks who live in central Virginia imo are crazy as hell for wanting to travel that far up to Dc for work 😂😂😂. Like I get it more job opportunities compared to Richmond I mean Richmond is on the come up now because they’re getting big companies but still. During the pandemic when I got stuck in Petersburg with my grandparents I ended up taking classes online from GMU and there would be times when I had to drive up to the school for certain things. It already takes about an hour and half to get up to Fredericksburg but driving all way up to the north side of Nova is crazy let alone DC that’s 2 1/2 hours

[@VB1Koach]

The question, why the traffic is so heavy? Here is my observation: I recently went to VA to visit my family, in-laws, old duty station, and friends. From Richmond to Alexandria as noted in the video, there is traffic when there seems to be no actual cause to the slowdown. What I noticed multiple times is that drivers in lane 1, closes to the center, is usually driving at or just below the speed limit of lanes 2 & 3. Especially 3 multiple times. I noticed this dilemma quite a few times during my travels up and down the corridor. When this happened those who were driving above the speed limit had to slow down and or weaving through the traffic.

[@BlueRugBurn]

I'll tell you what the issues are : 1. People driving like they're the only people on the road and no one else on the road has anywhere to be. 2. Distracted driver, people on their phones, texting, talking on the phone, their passengers, etc. 3. North Carolina drivers. They bring their piss poor driving laws to Virginia, driving slow af, holding up traffic in all lanes, including the passing lanes. In NC, you can't even drive 1 mile over the speed limit and technically, there is no passing lane. So they apply those ridiculous driving laws to Virginia roads, especially when you get to the Petersburg 98-85 merge. 4. Truckers who should not have a CDL license. I've noticed an uptick in horrible tractor trailer drivers. 5. Older drivers who should have had their license taken years ago. 6. Young, new drivers who need to wait and practice more to get their license. 7. Inconsistent speed limits. The speed limit will differ based on the County. 301 is a good alternative to bypass getting to the DMV and you end up in Charles County, MD