The Top 5 WORST Cities to Drive Through on the East Coast

On this video we take a look at the top 5 worst cities to drive through on the East Coast of the United States.
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[@gannon3816]

As a life long east coast resident, the drive from Philly to VA is soul sucking. Richmond to DC too.

[@likeistolesumthin]

That or anywhere around Elizabeth NJ thru Stanford, CT on i95 is brutal.

[@Chris_at_Home]

I’ve driven up the east coast a few times heading to eastern Connecticut and south of DC I’d cut west and take 81 to 84. It a lot more relaxing and scenic.

[@programmingwithian]

Agreed the section specifically around Fredericksburg makes me want to claw my eyes out.

[@catgirl_eva]

I agree with you 100% on Richmond to DC. My little sib lives in Woodbridge and I've actually taken to picking them up late at night just to avoid most of the nonsense between Hampton Roads and the DC suburbs.

[@imrightyourewrong7441]

I like that drive because I like to see parts of Kings Dominion.

[@jonathanbowers8964]

The problem with Atlanta is the constant lane switching in an environment that is actively hostile to lane switching.

[@thesharinganknight9859]

Aye man, are you gonna let someone inside for someone to cut you off? No. Keep Atlanta dangerous 😈😭

[@sarysa]

I drove through i75 on my four wheeler about a year ago around maybe 10pm, and the sheer volume of traffic combined with aggressive behavior makes me wonder how there hasn't been a pileup that would make Louisiana superfog blush.

[@woxyroxme]

They do this in Cincinnati too, if people would just pick a lane and stay in it the traffic would move a lot faster

[@rustyshackleford6637]

​@@sarysaI think Atlanta is designed in such a niggardly manner.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

And the nearly 100mph is to much on a car

[@jacktion1546]

Mike’s not exaggerating when he says the BQE is backed up 24/7. I used to get off of work between 11PM-midnight, and sometimes it would take me 45 minutes to go the 6 miles back to my apartment.

[@thesharinganknight9859]

I live in Atlanta and 45 for 6 is INSANE. That's how many miles my house is to l-20🤦🏾‍♂️

[@leechjim8023]

Probably would pay to ride a bike!

[@jacktion1546]

@@leechjim8023 Unfortunately, I needed the car. Part of my job was delivering food and supplies to some of our outposts, and possibly doing some delivery service if the orders were too big for our bicycle delivery guy.

[@thelonelywolf88]

Not quite an expressway then huh?

[@iNick90]

That's crazy I can go 45 miles in 1 hour in Seattle

[@sharonthetrucker2297]

As an over-the-road truck driver, I choose to go through many of these cities late at night. I make my drive enjoyable by not stressing about the traffic on the road but enjoying the views. I enjoy going through cities at night when everything is lit up.

[@goldtigre4979]

Boston has got to make this list. With I-90 and I-93, I-95 and 495 acting as beltways, routes 9 and 20, it still has wait times of around 4 miles an hour on most weekdays

[@dogevb370]

thats what i expected

[@shadow6543]

Boston’s really not that bad once you experience the Greater Toronto area 😂

[@goldtigre4979]

@@shadow6543 worse than 4 miles an hour? Because I’ve been to Toronto and it didn’t seem as slow to me

[@staciamwalrus]

This is the one that I was most surprised didn't make the list

[@maroon9273]

Especially getting into the southeast expressway with no breakdown lanes and Route 1 north of Boston. Both are the worst highways in Boston (from revere to peabody)

[@edmanley3681]

I was recently dishearten as to how difficult it was to get through DC. I found 95 south of DC very backed up all the down to Fredericksburg for no apparent reason.

[@caydencalhoun4507]

I-95 is probably one of the worst interstates as far as traffic goes.

[@TheBolligerMabillardLover]

Northern Virginia is the worst, that and Connecticut.

[@jacktion1546]

The best way to avoid driving through NYC is to get off I-95 at the Garden State Parkway and take that straight up to the New York Thruway. Much quicker than the I-287 loop, but you’re going to have to pay tolls.

[@stuartaaron613]

You can also take the Jersey Turnpike up to the Palisades Parkway, and then take that up to the New York Thruway.

[@kirstynloftus826]

@@stuartaaron613when we’ve gone to massachusetts to visit family this is what we’ve always done! So much easier AND it’s prettier too

[@jacktion1546]

@@stuartaaron613 You can, but I prefer to avoid that whole pre-GW convergence of I-80, I-95, Route 4, & Route 46. It’s always backed up. Besides, the GSP is generally a much more pleasant highway than the NJTPK. Especially once you get north of Paramus.

[@Marquipuchi]

not like crossing the Geo Wash bridge isnt 10 dollars anyways. And taking cross bronx... 21 to enter SI, 10 to cross the Verrazzano, 10 more for the Triboro.

[@xtremeentertainmenttv9664]

@@Marquipuchitriboro is 7

[@TheDorlens18]

One major thing they did in Baltimore was getting rid of the toll plaza after the tunnel on 95, it’s just ezpass cameras now and it helped with the awful backups that would happen there ALOT

[@user-li6es1so1k]

I quickly learned to take the I-895 Harbor Tunnel Thruway. Heading towards the tunnel from either direction, I-895 didn't have exits only on ramps. You had exits once you went through the tunnel. And the trip was only about a mile longer than I-95. Limited exits had the effect of reducing traffic. I haven't been through there in a while though.

[@kirstynloftus826]

@@user-li6es1so1kI was there last summer (2022) and it was pretty smooth for midday on a summer weekend!

[@1972Ray]

@@user-li6es1so1k When I commuted (34 years) I always took the Key bridge instead of the harbor tunnel. My issue was the 14 years it took to redo the interchange of I95 and 695 on the northeast side with the express toll lanes. A 20 mile trip would often stretch into a 3 hour drive.

[@Mackerdaymia]

South Carolina seemingly has the same problem as Belgium in Europe. Situated on a massive transport corridor but no money to keep the roads in order for the volume of traffic using them.

[@christianmuttart3987]

Washington should've been higher up honestly, 95 is ALWAYS jammed from Dumfries up to the Springfield interchange, and 495 (excluding 95 concurrence) and 395 are not much better alternatives.

[@jackinab0x600]

I live in the DC Area but thankfully rarely have to take I95, a few months back I was heading down south for vacation and left early in the morning (6AM), as soon as I got on to 95 from FC Parkway I just saw cars on the northbound end for miles and miles, even uptil Fredericksburg. One day I was heading home from Arlington and missed my turn to 66, Map told me to take 395 to Springfield Interchange to 495 to 66, good god it was fucking terrible.

[@bgorg1]

DC area on a weekend can be as soul sucking as rush hour. To me this isn’t even close. 95 near Savannah can be really bad

[@user-ch1ls6sg1y]

THANK YOU for including I 95 in South Carolina...not only overcrowded but potholes...semis...crazy drivers...yikes.

[@kevw172]

I absolutely agree with DC. Even in 2015 when I was just 11 years old I remember driving to Florida on i95 from Philly and still can feel the agony sitting on the beltway for hours.

[@apexone5502]

It was like that even when I was a kid in the ‘80s. One of my most enduring memories of visiting or traveling through DC is being stuck in traffic on the beltway.

[@frotobaggins7169]

Even when it's not busy, it's dangerous. I was coming home one night around midnight on the Baltimore inner loop, 695, the road was desolate, nobody but me and there in the middle, against the barrier, was a van upside down. There was debris littering the entire 4 lanes of the hiway. It was relatively straight so I have no idea what happened.

[@timpmoriarty]

Wild that Boston isn’t on here, especially with South Carolina included. That state barely has more people than just the metro area of Boston, it couldn’t possibly be worse. Consistently top 3 worst traffic in the country, the roads are famously confusing, and traffic usually lasts from 6am to 9 pm. Northbound the pike is usually backed up from the CT line, 95 is backed up from Providence. Southbound is often backed up a few miles into Maine (in the summer up to Kennebunk). 93 isn’t even worth considering if you’re passing through.

[@dg321_]

Yeah even out into the suburbs you are gonna hit slow traffic anytime the sun is out.

[@xtremeentertainmenttv9664]

Nobody really goes through Boston just to pass through it

[@ethanator6015]

Rhode Islander here. My family and I used to go through Boston to get to New Hampshire for vacations. I still remember getting up at 3:30, and getting into Boston as the sun rose. Four years ago, we started taking I-495, found a Cumberland Farms as a pitstop, and it’s been a more enjoyable drive.

[@p__wing]

Boston has some of the worst traffic in the Western World -- super wild it got spared from this list.

[@gangoffour6690]

I was born, raised and went to school in Boston and lived there until I was 40 years old. I've driven around the U.S. (the entire country ) 10 times. Boston has the worst most aggressive drivers I have seen anywhere. Boston should be #1 worst city to drive in.

[@GABESTA535]

I've heard the reason South Carolina puts no money into I-95 is because it goes through such a sparsely populated area. Apparently when 95 was built, SC wanted it to go through Charleston and the feds said no because the point of 95 was to get through SC as quickly as possible and building it through Charleston would have added many hours to travel time between Florida and the Northeast.

[@chill1224.]

Well as a Floridian I’m happy they told them they couldn’t do that bc it already takes long enough to get out of Florida but I feel like that led to South Carolinas state troopers being on bs. I swear they’ll pull you over if you have a Florida license plate, no matter how good youre driving. They tryna meet that quota (and a sprinkle of racism, don’t take this the wrong way tho I love South Carolina lol).

[@pokemonred2005]

Would alternative routes not have made sense? I-95 is by far one of the worst ways to get between New York and Boston because of its route along the shore, so a more inland route via Hartford and Springfield tends to be preferred. Could this not have been how it worked in SC?

[@rustyshackleford6637]

​@@pokemonred2005I think they've been very niggardly in how this was planned. If you don't want to use 95 then your only other choice is to work your way to 81. I think there should be more choices to relieve traffic on those two.

[@nooneofconsequence3847]

Y'all seem to be forgetting about this thing called "geography"

[@thomasfrangipani85]

@@chill1224. Stop with the racism, they write all the outsiders passing through.

[@Dragonwolf920]

I think an honorable mention should go to the Norfolk, VA Beach, and newport news area, absolute nightmare

[@likerockcrazy29]

The amount of potholes I encountered going northbound on i-95 through SC from FL to NC was abysmal. Never have I drive through such a bad interstate.

[@w-josh]

A lot have been patched up from the previous bumps but its still not a solution…

[@LegioXIVGemina]

The right lane is particularly bad. Then you have to deal with the ragers if you occupy the left lane doing anything less than 90.

[@RPlavo]

Republicans don’t like to fund infrastructure fyi

[@robtk3]

I assumed they were caused by cannonballs from all the Civil War Reenactments.

[@VidaBlue317]

​@@robtk3I live in SC near Savannah. Yes, cannonballs can be an issue, but there's also tons of logging trucks - at least in my area.

[@DarkSideMaceWindu]

I'm glad you put South Carolina on here, 95 in SC is horrendous.

[@rpm773]

I used to do the drive from PHL to Boston on a regular basis and PHL to eastern Long Island, too . The thing that can be said about getting through New York is that least there are a few different options if you know them. Sure, there are times when it's just going to suck, but if you plan around those times and otherwise know the road map, you can survive. Fun video, thanks for doing it!

[@sarysa]

Some trucker perspective: - Most of the time I've had decent luck with I285 Atlanta. Aside from all the 50mph traffic in the right two lanes anyway. - NYC...unless near max weight (due to the grades), regardless of time of day, I try to take i81 to i84 when headed to New England if it can make a lick of sense. If not, I'll end my day around Vince Lombardi and go through at night. (but I'm graveyard shift anyway so...) - Surprised you didn't mention i495 for DC. About the same distance, it's usually only clogged during rush hour. Dishonorable mention goes to the area between NYC and New Haven, CT. I try to avoid day driving here, and it's another reason why I love i84.

[@arthurpasseri4590]

I'm surprised that Hartford, Connecticut wasn't on the list! The running gag is around the Interstate 84/Interstate 91/Connecticut Route 2 is that you might take the wrong exit. Connecticut is now going to fix the area around the area.

[@arthurpasseri4590]

84 is good, but it is still a bit flawed, especially around Hartford, when the Hartford Beltway (the Interstate 291/Interstate 484/Interstate 86) was planned to help avoid Hartford. Unfortunately NIMBYs fought it and most of the beltway was not built, only the 291 between Windsor to South Windsor. Connecticut is now trying to fix it.

[@sarysa]

@@arthurpasseri4590 I made this exact mistake the first time I went up 91. It's less confusing on the 84 eb side.

[@alexmanne]

Besides traffic, you probably avoid a ton of tolls doing 81 and 84.

[@MTM358]

It's 75/85 in Atlanta that's horrific. 20 and 285 aren't as bad.

[@juozasluksa9967]

The list makes sense to me as a NoVA resident with family in New England that I visit quite often. As for going around NYC, it's either the Garden State Parkway, Major Deegan to Cross County, or the Palisades up to the bridge crossing at Nyack/Tarrytown. It's just easier, these days, to travel at night if possible.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

It took my wife and I 10 hours to drive from Myrtle Beach to Washington, D.C. over the summer. Over half of those 10 hours were spent in Virginia, along the stretch of 95 between Richmond and the Capital Beltway. Come to think of it, there isn't a single city on the East Coast that I DO like driving in or through. Except maybe for Winston-Salem. I've never had any problems or issues down there.

[@eugenewalton7336]

I just did the I95 drive from Miami to Portland ME - northbound through NYC and southbound using the i84/81 route around the megalopolis. I always try to avoid the DC and NY metro areas for their traffic woes and have learned that sometimes going right through a city instead of using the ring road can save time - if you time it right. A new subscriber here and what I see I really like. Drive safe. E

[@GT-dh5nk]

I'm a native New Yorker, and I was surprised to see NYC at #1, it's laid out fairly straightforwardly (I think) but that's probably a result of it being what I've always known as city driving. As a fellow traveler who loves seeing this country behind the wheel, I would say Boston is by far the most difficult city to drive in. Anymore, whenever I visit, I just park wherever I can and walk or catch an uber.

[@Hakimworldwide]

Also native New Yorker, he nailed it the BQE was and still the reason why I don’t like driving into BK at all. But if NYC is listed #1 here, that gives me confidence and strength to endure the roads anywhere.

[@BiznessWizard]

I could not agree with you more about Boston. It also would have to rank as the east cost home of the rudest drivers in the land.

[@Devki24]

My parents drive from Maine to Florida and back every year and NYC is by far the part they complain about the most. They’ve been doing it for 16 years and their answer about the worst part has never changed.

[@jimwinchester339]

The one redeeming thing about NYC is that there are a healthy number of alternate routes in many cases. For example, coming into NYC from the northeast (Ct.), you've got I-95, the Merrit/Hutchison River Parkway, the Bronx River Parkway, I-287 (as covered) to the Saw Mill Pwy, and in a pinch, US-1.

[@CC-mg3ho]

I live in CT and on i-95 from Milford to New York City the traffic is horrible it's always horrible sometimes it should only take you maybe an hour to get there but you're definitely going to probably take you an hour hour and a half maybe even longer depending how bad the traffic is at what time you go down there

[@NSPIREGuru]

I lived just north of Baltimore. I could drive to or from Richmond in 3 hours if I did it late at night. It took 6 hours if I did it during the day.

[@zikolojii]

95 in SC is either backed up or you're hitting potholes from Savannah to Florence

[@RPlavo]

Republicans don’t like to fund infrastructure fyi

[@scpatl4now]

I haven't watched yet but guessing Atlanta is in this video

[@scpatl4now]

Yeah, I figured it would be there...#2 even...lol. I had to drive home from dropping my parents at the airport a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday and there was a huge wreck on 75/85 Northbound which would be my way back home, so I took 285 around the east side and it was bumper to bumper as well on a Sunday afternoon. They have found some kinda room on the top end perimeter because they are building extra express toll lanes. That seems to be the states answer to Atlanta traffic...build express toll lanes on everything.

[@w-josh]

Really the only thing they CAN do is build up and tolls make 💵 If you’re traveling up I-85 there is almost a 100% gurantee for traffic on the Downtown Connector & I-85 from the Spaghetti Junction to Jimmy Carter Blvd; sometimes even as far as I-985.

[@MileageMike485]

Oh but of course

[@planetbarrett6055]

Yep

[@Brady_Stewart_238]

Yeah

[@user-bs1zo6tr2g]

I've driven through all these cities and highways you mentioned and can agree with the order of difficulty. I could feel the stress of driving through Atlanta and New York especially. Atlanta seems more stressful because I like the New York City scenery much better. Driving in the U.S. seems like a dream compared to other places I've seen like Lagos, Nigeria or Bogota, Colombia.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

Be difficult to look at anything in Atlanta with every person doing nearly 100mph, it's rediculous, traffic up ahead almost slamming back of other cars, because of everybody doing top speed

[@Megasteel32]

@@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164 get the fuck out the fast lane then. signed, ATL resident.

[@CoCotheTurtle]

@@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164 I have to agree. The reason why the traffic in Atlanta is so slow is because everyone is going 100mph.

[@ralphb.3802]

Great video. We drive from Philadelphia to Florida every winter pulling a trailer. I prefer Route 1 to the Baltimore beltway to avoid tolls and the 95 traffic along this stretch. The Washington beltway area is terrible. Last year, it was raining when we went around Washington. There was 4 accidents on our route and our average speed was around 10 mph. On the way home the GPS put us on 395, not fun when pulling a trailer driving through downtown Washington. I’m thinking of taking 81 next time. 95 through South Carolina is exactly how you described it. You can tell when you cross the boarder from North Carolina. This section of 95 is like a war zone. Poorly patch pot holes and a bump at every expansion joint. The inside of the trailer looks like it was in a earth quake after driving on that road. Thanks for the video.

[@rayfridley6649]

I wish to add I-95 between Richmond and Washington, DC. Traffic is near standstill.

[@americangiant1003]

And seriously a reason no joke, the Commonwealth of Virginia and even Amtrak needs to upgrade the tracks to create higher speeds for Rail Service. No reason why there is not a hourly train service between Richmond and Washington, DC 7 days a week.

[@rogerlevasseur397]

In the times in the past when I needed to go from New England and drive south of New York, I either used I-287 to cross the Hudson, or stayed further north and take I-84 to cross the Hudson at Newburgh, then get onto 87 and 287.

[@JimTheFly]

I live in NJ just outside of NYC, and I've travelled down to south Florida for family vacations for years, and oh god do I feel so much of this. A couple things I want to add, but I want to start with a hopefully positive idea: Driving down to Florida, a number of years ago we started using an alternate route that avoids a LOT of I-95, bypassing Baltimore, D.C. and Richmond and it's been a huge help. It starts at US-13 in Delaware, but then shifts over to US-50, like you see in the DC section of the video. But instead of hitting the Beltway, we turn onto US-301 at Bowie, MD and take that down to I-295 outside of Richmond, which we take around and down past Petersburg. Granted, some of the roads are a bit slower as far as maximum speed, and there's a lot of 1-lane-each-way on that road but... we manage to go from up here down to South Carolina in about 10-10.5 hours and can stop there for dinner and a night's rest. I suggest this path to all my friends who drive down and they've rather liked it. As far as NYC goes... it's a nightmare. If you haven't driven in NYC, the best description of things I can give is this: I have a friend who lived in Queens near LaGuardia Airport. To get there from my house by transit, I would walk 1/2 mile, take a light rail to get to the PATH over to World Trade Center, then take the E train to Queens and then the 7 Train to 90th, then walk about 3/4 mile to her place. This would usually take around 90 minutes. I once drove her home from a friend's place which was only a couple minutes from my house to her place in Queens. The round-trip was between 3.5 and 4 hours. The most direct route is about 20 miles, and even at mid-day is expected to take around 70-75 minutes. (Spoiler: If never goes that fast). Oh, and in addition to the BQE, NYC has the Long Island Expressway, the most ironically and accurately named road. How? Because it's never any kind of express while you're on it, so its nickname is also self-descriptive, because it certainly is a L.I.E.

[@nothingtoseaheardammit]

I used to drive from Raleigh to the Eastern Shore of MD and back when I was in college and I'd always take 301 instead of I95. I'll deal with a dozen stoplights along the way than the insanity that is I95 through northern virginia.

[@frotobaggins7169]

Agreed, The Long Island Expressway is more aptly called a parking lot. 3 lanes each way creeping along, bumper to bumper at 3mph for 15 miles, UGH.

[@HeAndHimStudios]

It's nice to hear an explanation as to why traffic in Atlanta is so bad. I love visiting, but driving around and through the sprawl is a nightmare, to the point that I arrive to everything an hour or two early because I can't be sure there won't be a traffic standstill when I arrive.

[@cad5000]

I am surprised Boston wasn’t on this list over Baltimore.

[@ghettojesus2]

@@cad5000 agreed. people treat the freeways in boston like a battle royale and the surface roads have one of if not the most bizarre layout ive ever seen. not to mention since theyre old, theyre also extremely narrow.

[@Modeltnick]

I always take I-295 around Petersburg and Richmond. It’s a good wide highway that’s lightly traveled. Been taking the trip from Florida to Boston for many years and there are alternate routes around NYC that aren’t bad. CT can be a nightmare on I-84. I-95 is always full of crumbled pavement on the right edge probably because it floods a lot and freezes.

[@PhillieP215]

I'm surprised you didn't include Philadelphia. I-95 & I-76 get pretty bad and rough crisscrossing Center City and other parts of Philly.

[@rickdesper]

Philly is easy to avoid: hop across the river and take the NJ Turnpike.

[@Jnicks01]

@@rickdesperthe way a bypass should work

[@alexlowe2054]

Atlanta resident here. I'm glad someone recognizes the one thing our city has that very few other cities in the US can boast: the worst traffic in the southern US. All the things you pointed out are true. Bad public transport, a horrible lack of alternative roads, and intersections that clog up the highways. I was at an event with people from multiple US cities, and nearly every one of them was surprised at how bad the traffic was. The Dunwoody area, right at the north of the perimeter, is currently undergoing one of the largest traffic reconstruction efforts I've ever seen in my life. Every intersection is being completely reworked with a ton of bypass roads, giant exchange bridges, and practically every intersection is changing to a diverging diamond intersection. I'm not sure how much it'll help, since reducing capacity on the highway will only encourage more people to start using it, which will just put traffic right back where it was before all the construction. The last few weeks traffic on 285 between Dunwoody at GA 400 and i-75 has been absolutely horrible, even at times of the day that shouldn't have bad traffic. The reason? They're building a replacement bridge for one of the smaller roads going over 285. The act of closing down that single small bridge is causing substantial diversions to the interstate exit, which has two interlocked roundabout that backs up the traffic trying to exit the interstate. I've never seen such a giant traffic mess caused by shutting down a single minor bridge when there are four other bridges to cross the same section of 285 within a mile. It's currently graveyard shift hours, and Atlanta and New York are the only eastern cities with any traffic congestion. We need help.

[@greenbrown7776]

The greater ATL metro road system is so overtaxed, so taut and so reliant on just a few corridors that just one problem that seems like it should be localized and minor can have an effect miles and miles away. It's entirely possible for a problem on 400 to ripple effect and screw up going east to Augusta on I-20. It's crazy.

[@thedanation]

Give Buffalo, Rochester, and Burlington VT a visit when you get a chance, beautiful cities

[@americangiant1003]

Sorry Danation. Beautiful weather in those regions from about May 1 until Mid November. However with the endless winters and 🥶 ❄️ from around Thanksgiving until Mid April almost every year, no thanks on living those locations year round. 😭

[@SkewtLilbttm]

Love the channel

[@KG-xt4oq]

Got very familiar with the 287 bypass around NYC for 6 weeks back in 2004. I was stationed in MA (just outside of Boston) and had to go to what was Joint Base McGuire-Dix-whatever for NCO Academy; I drove back/forth every weekend to be home with my wife and young kids and 287 was my route of choice to avoid NYC proper. Didn't mind paying the $6.00 toll on the Tappan Zee bridge, as it was called back then, and I had a 2001 VW Jetta VR6 that I loved to drive. Also, to piggyback on being stationed near Boston, MA, I would have put Boston at the #5 spot over Baltimore. Logan Int'l was only 13 miles from where I was stationed, but it would take longer to drive there than it would to the airport in Manchester, NH, even though it was 55 miles away. On one occasion, it took nearly 3 hours to get to Logan...UGH! And the Ted Williams tunnel collapse happened while I was in MA. And MA just sucks all around, especially the MASSholes on the road...lol. Atlanta should share #1 with NYC. NYC is bad mainly because of the dense population...if NYC's population was the same as ATL's, do you think traffic would be as bad? Charlotte, where I'm from and reside close to right now, would probably be #7 on a top ten list and will most likely crack the top 5 by 2030... Darkhorse top 5 by 2035: Asheville, NC.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

I’m on board with you for Boston but I’ve only been there once since the big dig was completed and it looked better. I too remember coming down 93 from NH and hitting a dead stop on that multi level highway and the crawl to the exit across from the old Boston Garden to get into the tunnel to Logan. BTW… I don’t care what the hell politician it’s named for, it will always be the Tappan Zee 😂 Same with the Triboro Bridge.. you can call it the RFK all you want, it’s the Triboro. If I was 10 years older, I’d probably tell you to shove the Jackie Robinson where the sun don’t shine, it’s the Interboro.

[@jayneel421]

@@JimAllen-Persona I agree totally on the names of the Triboro and Interboro. They're just such classy names that go with the NYC geography. Where else in the U.S. can you have a Triborough Bridge? Nowhere

[@kanealoha]

@@JimAllen-PersonaI’m with you 100% on the Tappan Zee and Triboro. I just can’t get used to calling them by their changed names. I never drive on the Interboro so it doesn’t carry the same kind of personal weight for me as the others do. Funny how it all works.

[@Marquipuchi]

I wish I was only paying 6 dollars to go through NYC. Whenever I visit my friend in Staten Island I have to pay 10 for the Triboro, 10 for the Verrazano (10 more for the battery tunnel if I don't want to wait 3 years on the Brooklyn Bridge. And if I ever want to go to NJ and come back its 21 bucks to enter!!

[@GI4JESUS]

Say JB-MDL

[@tugginalong]

Just north of his I-95 starting point, there is a stretch through Florence SC with 6 lanes but other than that, I-95 from Jacksonville Fl to Richmond VA is a nightmare. I drive through Baltimore and Philadelphia and you nailed it. Atlanta is like driving in LA or San Francisco (pre- Newsom apocalypse). I used to drive from SC to MS and I’d plan my trip based on the time of day I hit Atlanta. I drive through New York metro several times a year and it is a nightmare. Not only is the traffic horrible, the scenery is disgusting, especially in the Newark NJ are which looks like the highways are also garbage receptacles.

[@jamesb3511]

Mike you have some very good points! From driving OTR every place you mentioned is best to go through at night.

[@heresnotdave]

When bypassing NYC, I always take the Garden State Parkway to I-287 and the Tappan Zee.

[@Bobrogers99]

For years we drove from Boston to the west coast of Florida mostly on I-95, though we did deviate and go over the old Tappan Zee Bridge and down the New Jersey Turnpike. My first exposure to the Washington, DC Beltway was on a Friday afternoon at 5:00 during a snowstorm. While some sections of I-95 were easy and boring, some of the northern sections were stressful. After too many close calls, we eventually elected to fly to Sarasota.

[@dennis3351]

I often think up the worst scenarios as like driving threw a nyc tunnel and vehicle breakdown tying up tunnel system.

[@jimmounts8011]

On I-95 in SC you have a critical bridge over Lake Marion. It is well obsolete with no shoulders and is prone to accidents, especially coming over the high crown of the bridge. There are plans to build a replacement bridge within the next few years. If the current bridge ever has to be closed for repairs you’d be faced with a 70 mile detour.

[@rogueintellect]

The history of I-70 and I-83 in Baltimore explains the weird terminus of the former and the incomplete feeling of the latter. They were originally designed to meet in the downtown area, with I-70 following US-40 into the city (see also: Road to Nowhere), meeting with I-83 near the Shot Tower, then continuing on through Canton to meet I-95. This would have dramatically changed the look of several portions of Baltimore: West Baltimore would have lost its residential identity, Canton would never have gained its, and the Inner Harbor wouldn't have developed into the jewel of the city that it was through the 90's and 00's. Granted, that jewel needs a bit of polishing now...

[@johnalden5821]

Correct. The residents of Fells Point and Federal Hill apparently actively opposed any highway linkage to I-83 through their neighborhoods. It would have annihilated these historic neighborhoods without really improving through traffic in the Northeast corridor, IMHO.

[@Virtusstrong]

Great video sir!, of these picks and from what I’ve personally experienced I would say Atlanta is definitely a trip. One thing that plagues the East coast is just the fact that the population in most of the states and the metros that they bear have significant population, sprawl, and people from other states traveling or commuting for work. FL alone with over 22 million people, various metro areas, and tourist is a prime example. The 2 lanes for I95 in SC will more then likely cause you to worry about one thing an accident happening, if said accident happens well then it’s time to wait. Most of the counties that I95 goes through in the Carolinas and Georgia are relatively sparsely populated. There are stretches of I95 that I really enjoy and ones that I don’t but going from Emporia, VA to Port Saint Lucie, FL. most times it isn’t to bad.

[@jamesellsworth9673]

This makes an interesting topic. I also enjoy viewing the local footage of each of these cities.

[@rashaud8032132]

As a OTR truck driver an Atlanta native i 1000% agree with this list

[@scottbarnard7459]

I absolutely hate passing though Atlanta and wish there was an alternative interstate that went from 75 south of Macon that went through Columbus and to Birmingham. That would reduce some of the traffic going through ATL and could provide an alternative route for north-south travelers.

[@chrislauterbach8856]

I totally agree with your NY rank. As a Long Islander who needed to get to PA when the City got that recent torrential rain/flood, it took me three hours just to get past the GW. You got a 👍 from me.

[@brianarbenz7206]

Good insights into Atlanta's car traffic nightmare. There were some specific planning mistakes, not just population growth. Thanks for the info.

[@streetconnectphotos3263]

#3 makes me feel validated in my feelings about that lol I’ve ran my fair share of freight (trucker) north on 95 and I despise that section of 95 going right into South Carolina more than any other section of it (except maybe DC because I have never not been stuck in traffic up there)

[@erictrumpler9652]

In my experience, southern Florida, West Palm Beach to Miami, had the worst traffic I ever had to negotiate. And while New York traffic is tough, I've always passed through or around it in reasonable time, due to the various options available, usually via GW Bridge or even Westside drive and one of the tunnels. The video misses the X-County Expressway, and Hudson PKWY option and mischaracterizes the I 287, option, which, coming from the north, feeds nicely onto the Garden State PKWY, and eventually the Jersey Turnpike... no need to loop back towards the the city in the south.

[@thedragonofdalzell]

5:57 SCDOT has already started upgrades to I-26. 26 in the Charleston merto is 3 to 4 lanes in each direction, expansion has started on both the nothern and southern ends of the Columbia Metro including "Malfunction Junction interchange" which is being rebuilt from a cloverleaf into a turbine interchange

[@juicebirdmedia1406]

I enjoyed this video.

[@torw5610]

I often drive from Charlotte to Pensacola, and I have to plan my trip around avoiding Atlanta at peak hours. I find it easier to drive thru the downtown connector rather than I-285. Also, I have driven Charlotte to Orlando twice and I’m glad I’m not the only one who dreads that awful section of I-95

[@lavaentity9621]

Made the drive from the northeast to costal Georgia a few times now, and I-95 from I-26 to the Savannah area is always a PAIN. Not only does traffic seem to spawn out of nowhere, the road is quite literally falling apart. Doesnt feel like it so much as been paved over in 50 years.

[@tomsweet5527]

Mike, I totally agree with list and order. Just drove from FL to VT and back this year. Went thru all those cities. I95 thru Ft Lee was horribly depressing! My trip thru DC went surprisingly smooth. Gods were smiling on us.

[@stratplayr6997]

Spot on about Atlanta. Just a lot of short-sighted planning years ago that did not anticipate the population growth in the 90's and today. By the time they wanted to actually do something to alleviate some of the problems (Northern Arc), it was too late. Now we're just stuck with what we've got. Your comment about the interchanges was a great insight to the whole thing. They just cannot handle the traffic, so everything gets bottlenecked wherever you go.

[@croberts709]

Glad to see that stretch of SC I-95 listed. That is awful. It has the accordion effect going on. You're in stop in go traffic, then it opens up, only to return to stop and go. It's so bad we now plan around it and try to stop somewhere just before the bad stretch for the night so that we can get down to GA as early as we can.

[@alexmcintosh-fq2bp]

An alternate route is I26 to North Charleston to I-526 to Savannah Hwy. (Hwy 17) then on to Savannah. It's slower but has more rural scenery.

[@croberts709]

I think we've been on that road when we wanted to take a more scenic route from Charleston to Savannah. Thanks.@@alexmcintosh-fq2bp

[@rickdesper]

Grew up in New England and went to grad school at Rutgers, so I've done a lot of drives through the NYC area. It would never have occurred to me to take the BQE. For me, the main two options are GW Bridge/Cross-Bronx or Tappan Zee Bridge/287/84. If for some reason you're driving at a low traffic time of day (early morning or late at night) the Cross-Bronx can be faster. But almost always I would take the Tappan Zee. Mike downplays the speed of this route by tying it to the 287 loop in New Jersey. But you can easily get to the Tappan Zee by taking the NJ Turnpike to the GS Parkway in North Jersey.

[@mariedelaurentis980]

Loved your intro scene of I-95 in Wilmington! Brought back memories. A million ramps at 60 mph and if you're getting onto 202 to King of Prussia (with 5 major highways all converging at once) you quietly lose your mind.

[@mrmuffer69]

I travel several times a year from NH to Phili area ALL mapping software takes me over the GW. No way no how. I always use I-287 over the Tappen Zee (it's still the Tappen Zee) to the GSP to either US-1 or the New Jersey Turnpike.

[@mrmusiclover4178]

Good video. Thanks! I agree on horrible Atlanta! I live 150 miles away.

[@jackpalczynski7884]

Boston to Florida: 90 to 84 to the end in Scranton. South on 81 (there has been construction between here and Harrisburg for 30 years) as far as possible, moving back over to 95 past at least Baltimore. Beltway around DC and then it's free flow to Orlando.

[@alanloeper3953]

During my 70 odd years of life (most in the SE Pa and Long Island w/ the last 12 years in FL), I've had the pain / pleasure of traversing each and every one of these cities either as a destination or passing through to somewhere else and agree for the most part. Would have liked to see your choice of (dis)honorable mentions - mine would be Boston and Miami. Living on Long Island for 29 years had me adapt to trading distance for congestion more often than not and when we had to go to PA to visit family / friends we almost always had to leave early enough to get through NYC before 6:30 AM or after 10 PM; fortunately all non driving family could sleep well in the car. Would often trade the cost of taking either of the two ferry's to CT when we could as both the wife and kids enjoyed it (weather permitting). Agree with gannon3816's comment about Philly to VA and Richmond to DC.

[@Batlas]

I fully expected Miami to be on this list. 95/75/dolphin, etc are basically parking lots of most of the day. (75 was not as bad when I lived there, but have heard it's gotten so much worse). Though admittedly, I'd take Miami rush hour over driving 95 through SC so I get it. Last time I was in Boston they were still finishing the big dig, so... It's been a while. lol

[@georgeg.7124]

Good analysis of Atlanta.

[@TheRaggiesoft]

Coming from the south (trips from Virginia to Rhode Island), a combination of the Garden State Parkway and the Tappan Zee Bridge was supposed to add an hour of time. The Cross Brox was so backed up as usual that it only cost a few minutes. Surprised? Not really.

[@riskassure]

Good info! It seems that your videos are mostly centered on the east coast when it comes to highways and traffic… Do you plan to talk about other parts of US, like the west coast, in future videos?

[@adavirus69]

The situation in London is similar to that in Washington - only one beltway being an alternative

[@edwardrhoads7283]

I have never had a problem with Atlanta. However, when I drive through Atlanta I usually get there late at night. If I am going South I get a hotel just south of Atlanta. When going North I get one to the North. That way I pass through Atlanta late at night when the roads are not too bad and then in the morning I have already passed through the town so don't have to worry about it.

[@bgorg1]

There is no comparison between Atlanta and DC. DC has major issues with limited river crossings. DC has longest commuting time.

[@mopeygoff]

Living in Philly but growing up in the Jacksonville area, I make the trip up and down I-95 quite often. Absolutely hate the corridor from the big Alexandria flyover down to about Richmond. It is rarely quick and you'll go from 70-75 to dead stop quite often, for no apparent reason. Runner up is the SC corridor you mentioned. We call it "2 lane land".

[@biya1965]

For NYC, you forgot the Belt Parkway, that routes along the South Shore of Queens and Brooklyn and the Staten Island Expressway that connects the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the NJ Turnpike

[@JamesonJamestackSwick]

I remember in 2022 when we were going on vacation and we went to Florida and near Jacksonville was a massive car crash that backed us up for hours.

[@davep2945]

Living in Greenville, SC I have been through Atlanta more times than I can count and have gotten to know a few ways through and around the main traffic patterns if there is a problem. The dumbest part of their interstate is definitely the convergence of two major interstates in the middle of down town. Go just after 10 if you can and leave before three and you'll usually be fine though. The thing about Atlanta is the more lanes you put in the more lanes people have to move through to make their exit and that's where the problems come in. When you know where you're going and pay attention it's actually fairly easy to get around Atlanta. If you think you're going to get across eight lanes of traffic going 80 MPH because you were looking at your phone and didn't see the exit signs starting five miles in advance then you're S.O.L and will have to back track. If I need to get somewhere west of Atlanta then I go very early, like before 6 AM or just wait until about 10 AM and have rarely had an issue. I've used 120 and 400 on numerous occasions and not had a problem with those either. And the far east perimeter of 285 is rarely as bad as the north and west sides where all the people go and the southern side going towards the airport.

[@bigdripbobz1072]

Hey Mike, since Midwest, East coast, and the south are pretty much done (and I think you recently also visited michigan), is it fair to assume the mountain zone areas are to be explored next?

[@j.f.e.productions4098]

Unfortunately, other than a 10 mile section of I 95 near Hilton Head and the state line, and the I 26 interchange, SC will probably not do anything about 95 for a long time. The area just doesn't bring as much economic value to the state compared to I 85 which has been in a state of construction for over 5 years due to economic importance. It is important to consider that the Backroads can bypass that highway until the Savannah river where there are not alot of options to cross other than I 95 or the city of Savannah.

[@Savaaj]

Yeah the lack of economic value may also be another factor to why I-73 most likely won’t ever get built to Myrtle Beach (which is much needed) yet if it does get done, it may actually boost the economic value of I-95 possibly

[@DC.402]

I absolutely love when u upload 🔥🔥 now I think we should talk about how public transport affect sunbelt metros

[@phild8095]

I left the east coast 30 years ago. I don't miss the driving there at all. Iowa, cheap land, cheap food, easy commute.

[@carlk6669]

Not sure if you consider it part of the NYC metro, but I-95 in Connecticut is often a traffic nightmare.

[@kylestraveljournal]

agreed, its neck and neck between South Carolina and Western CT for the worst traffic on the east coast. Both are way worse than New York Thruway.

[@PremierAutoMan86]

Absolutely! I-95 from Stamford to Bridgeport is a nightmare.

[@cisium1184]

Provided you're not in a truck or pulling a trailer, the best route through Connecticut and New York is the Merritt Parkway-Hutchinson Parkway route. Either to 287 or down the Henry Hudson Parkway to the GWB. I-95 is a no-go.

[@arthurpasseri4590]

​@@cisium1184 When I moved to Florida, I asked Triple A to avoid NYC, so they got me 84 to 81 to the Blue Ridge. Beautiful area if you want to avoid NYC to DC traffic.

[@americangiant1003]

@@cisium1184 Or for those of you going to & from Boston/Northern New England to bypass NYC Proper is this other alternative. I admit it still gets busy sometimes but not as bad as the “parking lot” of I-95 aka the CT Turnpike. That is to use I-84 to I-684 to 287 to the Tappan Zee/Cuomo Bridge and follow The Garden State Parkway or even Interstate 287 to drive to say Central/Southern New Jersey and the Philly/Delaware region as well. Especially those of you wanting the NJ Turnpike or I-95.

[@clevelandwest9276]

Yes from Petersburg, VA to the Georgia state line on 95 is hell with two lanes i see in the Fayetteville area they're making three lanes but its to much thru traffic nowadays for two lanes this is not the 60's

[@catgirl_eva]

I'd love to hear your take on traveling through the Hampton Roads metro area in Virginia. We have three ways to cross the James River, yet two of them are so inundated with traffic that they often just result in people staying on the Peninsula or in Southside. Then there's the James River Bridge, which is probably the longest route to get between the Peninsula and Southside. And then, in Southside, if you make one wrong turn or miss your exit, you end up going through a toll area that has no toll plaza, getting hit with a $14 (last I checked) toll if you don't have an EZPass. On top of that, going from one part of Southside to another can be as short as a 15 minute drive (toll route) or an hour (no tolls). It's almost like they're punishing you for not having an EZPass. And for those who don't go through areas where one would be useful too often, it just doesn't pay to have one.

[@MikeSmith-rh5gc]

Hampton Roads sucks. They built the coliseum faster than they’ve expanded the 64 high rise.

[@MikeSmith-rh5gc]

@@kpauljohnson I wish I left 40 years ago. I envy you

[@jneale5204]

I worked in Hampton Roads for a while and I have worked in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia has longer backups.

[@morganboutwell8231]

Remember the good people of Hampton roads have repeatedly voted NO for a train that would ease traffic significantly through some of the major hotspots

[@williamsmith1738]

Try leaving Tysons Corner(headed in either direction)at 5pm going to MD.....

[@yeahthatguy810]

Great list! I am surprised Miami did not make the list

[@yeahthatguy810]

You nailed the problems with traveling thru Atlanta

[@kennethwilson1140]

I've driven though Atlanta, won't be doing that again and a couple of trips through Philly which is just soul crushing.

[@Markkos1992]

I know someone from high school that has been reporting pothole issues on I-95 south of I-26 in SC.

[@johnnyfox8934]

This is the video I pull up right after getting in after being stuck on the Beltway at 8:00 due to a traffic accident. DC is horrible. I go to Baltimore often but I usually go Rte 50 to I-97 which makes it easier. But the worst one on this list for me is SC. I expect Atlanta and NYC to be bad but South Carolina! I drove back and forth between DC and Orlando last December and the drive through SC was absolutely draining. I even goggled “why is I-95 traffic so bad in South Carolina” while I was stopped and not moving on the highway. Thank God for Google Maps helping me to avoid some of it.

[@kenmcnutt2]

I figured Atlanta would be #2. The north outer loop would make sense to build. I hope it happens someday.

[@alansewell7810]

I knew this was going to be a good one. It's like asking "Which gas station in town has the worst sushi bar?" (The worst one in my town is run by a Chinese lady who has a bait shop and buffet inside the gas station. Sometimes you see the distressed bait shop inventory on the sushi bar). My brother-in-law used to deliver cars to Jacksonville and Miami. He asked me which city had the worst drivers. I said Miami because their drivers flip you off after nearly running you off the road tail gaiting and swerving across lanes, whereas in Jacksonville they are just aggressive drivers without personal malice. Also agree with your takes on Baltimore, D.C., and that awful stretch of two-lane I-95 in South Carolina. I sometimes take the secondary routes that cut diagonal across S.C. to avoid I-95. I likewise by-pass Atlanta on secondary roads 40 miles east or west of the center of town. I expected this video to be a good one, and it was, confirming my worst experiences of difficult East Coast urban areas to transit. Due to increasing congestion, the Interstates are not always the best routes any more.

[@michaell874]

This spurns memories of driving to Florida from New York in the thickest fog in winter during the early 90s.

[@jasonkaiser1179]

The good thing about living in the NYC metro area is mass transit. LIRR, NJ Transit, PATH, Metro North RR (I call them the Connecticut Cattle Cars) and the regular MTA Subway make getting to and moving about Manhattan and some areas of the outer boroughs as stress free as possible.

[@JerEditz]

It makes sense as a majority of the population is on the east coast. While in the west coast most traffic is forced through major corridors within mountain chains. Los Angeles has three/four ways into the metropolitan LA area. I5 in Santa Clarita. I15 from Cajon Pass. I10 coming from Palm Springs and I5 from San Diego. and then all the state highways which just merge to the 4 main ways in.

[@MrKeepnit100]

You're spot on about Baltimore

[@jstelm]

Omg it’s almost as if we should stop investing in more lanes and start building decent transit 🙃

[@RPlavo]

Never going to happen we’re too individualistic

[@carringtonpageiv6210]

I drove through Washington DC in order to get to NJ from a family trip down in SC and I definitely flew off into the capital beltway to suck in some views! It wasn’t as busy as I thought it’d be in DC traffic wise!

[@powerpointpaladin6911]

Up to a couple years ago, I would have added I-64 from Richmond to Norfolk/VA Beach. But they have done a good job of expanding the lanes and now they are planning to fix the tunnel.

[@alexmanne]

DC, Atlanta, and New York are by far the worst cities that I've driven through on the east coast. Miami is an honorable mention just because it has the dumbest and most reckless drivers in the country. I agree about that section in South Carolina. I used to drive from Fayetteville, NC to Jacksonville often and it was always congested and slow.

[@jiggingjerks]

I’ve done the NY to Florida drive the past few years and this list is really accurate. I’d add an honorable mention the part of 95 that rolls through NC. It’s ALWAYS under construction

[@moneyonfleek305]

Yup I have a cdl NC & SC is two lane road which sucks! I hate going thru there smh

[@geardo3635]

All but 1 I have been to and agree with, I understand considering Philadelphia too.

[@thomasfrench2012]

In the summer of 1977 my uncle moved his family from Illinois to south Florida. That Christmas, and at least once a year until 1986, we drove down there. Without a doubt, dad always hated driving through Atlanta the most. Eight years later we went down there one last time for my cousin's wedding and on the way back he detoured us through Alabama just so he could avoid going through Atlanta altogether. He never went back, but I suspect that would have been the route forevermore.

[@DC.402]

06:28 Atlantas Autobahn always cracks me up. I've seen and experienced excatly y it has that name😂😂😂😂

[@wwsciffsww3748]

*Alpharetta Autobahn