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

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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?

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@parrott350]

Yep You are correct 'Mileage Mike'. Poor planning. Express lanes suck. In general, VDOT suffers from lack of vision and forethought. They just listen to NOVA. In VDOT's mind Virginia ends at Culpeper. They NJ Turnpike is an excellent idea, and the other one I saw that was great is "I-97 was extended south from Annapolis paralleling US301 all the way to I-295 in Richmond" That works. You should drive I 64 from Richmond to Hampton Roads. Talk about ineptitude. 40 years to late on expanding it to 8 lanes. Another bad implementation is I 77 north of Charlote NC to Statesville. Instead of building four lane highways all over NC in rural areas, they should have rebuilt 77 between Statesville and Charlotte to 8 lanes in the 80's, and they have a high gas tax ! Great video's liked and subscribed. best regards chuck.

[@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.)

[@KhmerH20]

this is why I don't bother listening to candidates speak anymore. why bother? they never accomplish what they said they're going to do.

[@dcseain]

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

[@KhmerH20]

Holy!

[@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

[@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.

[@DRL1320]

The solution is regional and high speed rail to give an alternative to one person per car traffic.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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."

[@victorharden5906]

I reside in DC but stay often in Rockville with family. I travel 95/495 5 to 6 days a week. I have driven all over the states and have never encountered such incredible traffic and bad driving habits as I have in Maryland and Virginia. I commute from Rockville to National Harbor for work. Most bridges are in disrepair, street/highway lights along this route are inoperable. When leaving 95 for 495 heading towards 50, the bridge that connects 95 to 495, white stripes down the middle are so faded, you have to rely on the yellow line on the outside to steer your path over the that particular bridge. There seems to be no traffic laws, from what I witness. CONSTANT TAILGATING, which leads to over 90 percent of the accidents I’ve seen or witness, crossing multiple lanes to switch lanes or get to your exit. I only see troopers at accidents, not enforcement. (Don’t blame them) And finally super excessive speeds driven by groups of cars on a daily basis. Speed limit on 495 is 55 mph. I do 70, and cars are zipping by me. If anyone reads this that could forward to the legislators or anyone who could help address this, please,by all means share it with them. 495 on the Maryland side is poorly designed which also leads to significant backups. 95 is a huge safety risk for anyone. Speed and drunk driving is a constant. I leave Rockville before 515am to get to work on time and early. If I leave after 530am, I’m late to work. That’s how terribly bad traffic is on 95 and 495 particularly.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@crispywhiskers]

born and raised nova, lived all around the DC metro area on both sides of the potomac. once took a family vacation to VA beach, we left at 6am and took 95. WE GOT THERE AT 6PM.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@JasonBranford]

This video and analysis are outstanding! I live in NJ and have lived in Virginia. If I may add a further note: In NJ, We have a rich and extensive network of free local roads and highways that have developed organically over a hundred years or more. I can easily get to any point by avoiding the Turnpike or Garden State Parkway. Surely, these alternatives lessen stress on the main highways. Northern Virginia doesn't seem so blessed. Densely populated planned communities appeared suddenly in the past several decades, with no investment in road infrastructure or public transportation. This adds to all the other factors listed in this awesome video.

[@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.

[@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…

[@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.

[@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.

[@edwesby5752]

I-95 in Virginia is not the only headache on that route. If you have ever driven from Virginia and points north of there south to Florida you will notice that there are traffic jams in NC and SC. That's because those two state have only 2 lanes each side vs three lanes in GA, Fl and points north.

[@georgeselby3376]

We've driven that section of I-95 for most of my life. I can remember the 15-20 years it took them to 3 lane FL and GA, and it was a pain, but what a difference now. NC and SC and VA need to get I-95 3 laned (at a minimum) posthaste.

[@johnkarpiscak1134]

Timing is everything. Leaving FXBG at 5:00am gets you to DC in an hour provided no one sneezes on I-95. Heading south from DC about 230pm will get you to FXBG in 1.5 hours, again provided nobody sneezes going south. Taking a carpool and using HOV-3 will I take a bit less time. The train (VRE) can be more expensive than driving depending on the car, milage, and how mant times a week one commutes.

[@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.

[@triatheletewolf7279]

From just south of Richmond, using the bypass lanes in DC to NYC it was $78 ($22, just to cross the GW) in tolls back in May. That is CRAZY!!!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@yeyeTF2]

i grew up in near manassas, 5-10 minute drive from that busy stretch. i just thought that's how interstate/highways looked like. it wasn't until I graduated and moved out west that I realized how bad traffic really was there. sadly, these images of backedup lanes are nostalgic for me and not making my brain wonder "whys there so much traffic on this road" LOL

[@brianleeper5737]

I think a lot of folks who never left Virginia think the stuff that happens here is perfectly normal.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@buk6708]

As a Augusta, Georgia to NYC person, we starr driving at night to get past dc morning traffic. Great trip if done properly.

[@jeffm9770]

You're definitely right about the NJ Turnpike. It's smooth sailing until you get to the bridge or tunnels.

[@robwinemiller9712]

have traveled this road many times heading to south carolina for the last 20+ years, this section of road has always been a struggle, no matter time of the day. traveling from PA, we used to travel at night, and it was good for awhile, then people started do the same. we have tried so many other ways to avoid this area. i'm not one for sitting in traffic, i would rather travel longer distances then sit. just works on my nerves, lol. we have finally found pretty good way around dc, and richmond to get from our starting point to around and right below richmond right before the 295 interchange. its tad longer and going thru some small towns, and lights, but way less stressful more (me) us. like you stated after that then pretty much smooth sailing for rest of the trip unless an accident or something. we used to use rt 3 or rt 17, but so many lights and just as bad as 95 in that area. best of luck to you all and safe travels

[@alansewell7810]

This brings back horrible memories of driving in D.C. Traffic in and around D.C. is bottlenecked by the few bridges across the Potomac, jammed with humongous traffic going into or through the city. When I travel to D.C. from Atlanta I take the I-81 "backdoor" from Knoxville to the Shenandoah Valley, then cut into D.C. from the west on I-66.

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

95 is TERRIBLE in Virginia. My wife and I were coming back to Pennsylvania from Myrtle beach, and decided we wanted to take 95 and spend the night and do a little sightseeing in D.C. on the way home. Sadly, all of our "sightseeing" was done on the stretch between Fredericksburg and the Beltway. 😂 It took 10 hours to get from South Carolina to our hotel room in the Maryland suburbs. And we spent over half of that 10 hours just driving through Virginia. We actually got right through Richmond without any major problems. The fun started when the "variable speed limit" dropped to 35 near Fredericksburg for no reason.

[@SandBoxJohn]

I-95 was in fact built in a piece meal between Fredericksburg and Springfield. The reversible express lanes were originally built to used by busses only then later allowed HOV4 as well. HOV4 was later reduced to HOV3. The extension of the reversible express lanes only happen because of the revenue stream from tolls.

[@NfidelNet]

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

[@Bernard-fo2qo]

The last time I was on 95 in Virginia in 1998 on a weekend night it took me 20 minutes to change from the middle lane to the right hand lane so I could get off at an exit. Solid wall to wall traffic.

[@spw6086]

As I mentioned on your NJTP video we travel down south from southern NJ to SC, NC and GA to see grandkids and the most hated (IMHO) is the Baltimore/DC/Richmond section. If it just me (and the dog) I will take Rt13/Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel/Rt 52 route, it's an hour or so longer but you can very easily lose an hour in traffic. If my wife is with me we don't go this route as she doesn't prefer tunnels. We have also tried taking Rt 77 through Charlotte up to Rt 81, but again it is more miles out of the way and can ad too many hours of travel. Thanks for the insightful videos.

[@fldon2306]

Mike, driven I-95 in VA a lot! Best time is after 1:00am to 4:00am🥱 Also, big hills on 95. Just takes one “4 wheeler” to crowd/pull in front of a semi, and now it’s Crawling up that hill at 45 mph, not 70. The accordion effect is seriously detrimental. Agree on need for N&S Express lanes or, better, the NJTP option separating 4 wheelers and trucks. Many tourists from the NE and New England just take 81 down to 77, I’ve done similar taking 64 to VA288 loop around SE Richmond (less hills than 81&77!).

[@CC-ni6pl]

I commute from the Baltimore area to Richmond, I just use 301. Sometimes I don’t even jump on 95 where it meets 207, I keep going to US 1 and take the back roads to get to where I need to. When you take into account traffic creeping on 95, 301 takes about the same time to get from the Baltimore area to Richmond (bypassing DC).

[@kcroyals85]

Actually, I come up from Newport News. I sometimes take RT 17 North all the way through Fredericksburg. It takes about 30 minutes or so longer for me but it is such a beautiful drive,

[@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.

[@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.

[@mauricedegroff5669]

The Springfield exchange has always been a super hassle even from the 1950s when I first started driving back when it was called Shirley Highway. It was a tricky situation when they first open the beltway because the signage is a big problem but when you get close to Springfield exchange you must know which lane to be in because it’s extremely hard to change if you’re already there, so good luck to anybody that gets there for the first time in their life.

[@tonylevine2716]

The infamous “Mixing Bowl!” 😂

[@NathanAdamsCars]

As someone from Northern VA, I generally prefer back roads once I get to Fredericksburg on the way back home. RT17, Joplin, PWC parkway, etc

[@J1mboB]

Over the years, my family has typically gone through Leesburg to get to Western MD from central NC. May not be quicker, but less stressful. Feels like an outer DC bypass that connects Fredericksburg to I-70 in Frederick is the only real solution that keeps long-haul traffic out of DC mess.

[@borzoibobmarciszewski6388]

I've given up on I-05 for my trips between the Baltimore area and Williamsburg. Just a little to the east is US-301. Fewer lanes with slower speed limits and local traffic, but it flows the way that it's supposed to and offers places to bail out for fuel (vehicle and human). The only toll encountered is for the Harry Nice bridge across the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia.

[@GeraldM_inNC]

Last June I drove from the Raleigh area to Pennsylvania and back again. Both ways the traffic between Richmond and Baltimore was a nightmare. I left on Sunday afternoon but it was a nightmare anyway. It literally took double the time that Google predicted.

[@kevins9145]

I just moved out of that area, and I got flashbacks from this video lol. Do not miss that area at all!

[@enique1103]

Oh boy.......this brings back memories of driving from Hampton to DC last summer. It was bad.

[@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.

[@Gmtail]

That part is hell for sure. I usually leave around 2330-0000 from NJ when I drive to Florida. It usually gets me through pretty well as it's in the middle of the night.

[@Tker1970]

We drive this often from Baltimore to Williamsburg. We always hope the express lanes are open the direction we need...

[@stephenbenner4353]

I never use the express lanes. I have had some fun experiences though. In 2022 I luckily passed through mere hours before it got shut down for days by a snowstorm, and earlier this year I was driving home from Maine and ended up diverted through a Philadelphia suburb because there was a fire under a bridge.

[@Modeltnick]

I’m traveling to the Philadelphia area from Florida. I’ve taken 301 northbound in VA over the Nice Bridge. Lots of congestion that route also.

[@VeryLegitPerson]

its gotten worse since the new Nice bridge opened. much more truckers now, many truckers avoided the old bridge at all costs. not an issue anymore

[@Modeltnick]

@@VeryLegitPerson Thanks for your response! I haven’t driven that way for quite awhile. I remember the Nice Bridge was a white knuckle drive, especially with trucks coming the opposite way. That whole area was getting congested before the new bridge. I’ll take my chances on 95!

[@cityskylines11]

I make this trip between Richmond and DC almost every weekend. I usually hit traffic just north of RVA and then again in Fredericksburg. For the most part 95 in NOVA is not as bad as it used to be. The traffic will slow down but I rarely hit any dead stops unless it's rush hour. The interchange of 95, 395 & 495 has been the real game changer to me. When I was young I can remember my parents complaining about having to take me to football practice somewhere in that area like Springfield. It was for sure to be a stand still spot. The toll lanes in both directions on the beltway are a big part of that improvement. As for Fredericksburg, the problem now is the construction of the center toll lanes has not yet crossed the Rappahannock River and that is a natural choke point already. People who live west of 95 (which is quickly becoming the majority) have to get on the interstate to cross the river to access the city and almost all of the shopping or commercial areas. Once the construction is completed, it is said that the congestion will be greatly relieved. I understand why they say that but on the other hand I have a hard time believing it. Personally I like to take 95 most of the trip and then use a combination of the center toll lanes and US hwy route 1 where needed.

[@cityskylines11]

I forgot to mention that I have been using Amtrak a lot too. It's my favorite way to get between Richmond and DC. No traffic, no stress and you can take a nap even. I usually find a ticket for about $13.00 one way. Compared to the price of fuel you can't beat it.

[@JabrenHarris98]

😂😂😂😂😂😂lmao traffic in Nova is not as bad as it used to be is hilarious but true it’s not as bad it’s worse

[@cityskylines11]

@@JabrenHarris98 I don't know how old you are but if you were driving before the lanes were added on the beltway and before the work on the interchange of 95, 495 & 395, then you would know what I mean. There's just a lot of people crammed on roads that weren't built to accommodate them. But at least it's not how it was in the late 90s.

[@offwhitekicks9038]

I been so used to NoVA i95 traffic I just figured that’s how traffic was everywhere

[@paulsolovyovsky1702]

between Baltimore and Virginia is always busy. I used to travel from 83/695 to NoVa and it's the 2nd busiest highway in the US

[@EGD75]

I frequently drive between western Massachusetts and Richmond. I usually prefer to take the western route along I-81 to avoid 95. But when I do take 95, I will always take advantage of the express lanes when they are open.

[@userbosco]

Summer is the worst on 95. Campers, families on vaca, seems like every tourist in America is on that stretch between June and September. Its a nightmare.

[@jhmcd2]

I'd driven up and down this stretch of I-95 for nearly 30 years (God do I feel old), and I've seen it go from a quick segment home to basically a disaster traffic wise. You got pretty much the cause of the situation correct, but the solution isn't possible. You see the NJ Toll road was build as an alternate route to I-95 which traveled through PA through Philly and was always busy. Most of NJ which it traveled through is ether uninhabited or only sparsely until you get just south of Newark, making it easier to have built that road. Also, the idea of making I-95 a toll road from DC to Richmond was floated maybe 10-20 years ago, and it sank big time. It never made it to Congress, the locals didn't want it. This is how the HOV Express lanes became toll roads (they were free at one point), as it was a way to not have to raise taxes to pay for the road. Also, there was an idea to actually perform a similar move to the NJ Toll Pike, have the local truck only lanes with the interior car only lanes, but I think this was determined to not be possible initially, or they didn't plan on widening the highway that far. There were a number of plans at one point for widening this, but the assumption was always that the development we have seen wouldn't have happened...then it did. So the highway is effectively chasing the development. Keep in mind, much of this growth happened since 2003, and much of the highway expansion happened since 2010 all thanks to BRAC (the Base Realignment). It lead to shut downs of facilities out west with their operations heading to this area. As a result, everything from Aberdeen in MD to Fredericksburg in VA have seen explosive growth in the past 20 years. Much of the highway expansion has been done with local funds as the Fed has refused funding or only handed out paltry amounts. Now they have expanded VRE, the local rail solution, but its my understanding that it is at capacity and as it is heading into DC, there is no way to increase it without some major upgrades to the lines and bridges heading into the District. Also, the HOV lanes are mostly used by vacationers passing through, not commuters. The only real solution is ether a true through lane which they no longer have the land for (where would it start around DC?) or build out one of the larger roads which parallels I-95, and there is a way around this mess without taking to toll roads or going out to I-81.

[@hamthenoob3022]

As of more recent, they've added adjustable speed limit signs from Fredricksburg to Ashland, which act as a rolling roadblock to slow oncoming traffic from interacting with the current traffic

[@MylesV]

I was surprised this wasn’t mentioned in the video. I think it has the potential to help traffic, unfortunately motorists don’t understand and continue driving 70+ MPH until they hit the traffic that inevitably occurs around the Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg exits. Maybe VDOT could put more effort into educating motorists so they understand the reduced speed limits are intended to help decrease congestion ahead.

[@triptheroad]

​@@MylesVthe signage needs to be more aggressive and with threat of enforcement. The dynamic signs aren't very noticeable. But I do agree that they are helping the problem by reducing the dangerous speed differential caused by the bottleneck in Spotsylvania

[@Daniel-es9dq]

I’ve watched multiple videos about traffic and they are interesting. Good content. dc traffic is the worst.

[@cygnusx-1318]

Drive that section often. Depends on day and time of day. Obviously rush hour is bad in both directions, but rush hour is a lot of the daylight hours! Once left DC area at 3PM towards Richmond on Friday to avoid rush hour. Nope. Took like 2 hours to get to Fredericksburg. Midnight's not too bad :)

[@nrowland4103]

I live in the City of Fredericksburg between I95 and Rt 1. If given a choice, we always choose to go to Richmond rather than any point north of us. We drive 95 south and 1 for the return. If 95, always take the first exit 126 because the backup begins just up the hill from there before 130. From relatives in Elliott City, MD we knew to leave by 10 am “or else!”. My sister in law didn’t heed the advice and got the 5 hour treatment instead of two. Weekend summer beach migration is the worse and any issue on 95 can very nearly gridlock the whole of Fredericksburg with Rt 1 being stuffed (the Falmouth Bridge hugely long light cycle) with the Rt 3 access between 95 & 1 back up both ways; kick in the contribution from the pig path 2 to sneak over the Blue and Gray bridge to 3 east to find 301 if you missed it at Bowling Green…Mine Road/Landsdown cut over from 1 to 2/17 backed up…make a day of it.

[@beachypens5247]

*Grumbles* As a regular driver that lives in the area, I just want to take the Occoquan River bridge and redo it. That bottleneck is awful. I know they're working on improvements there, but it's backed up constantly.

[@concertvids34]

Last year I was heading home from visiting family in VA Beach on Good Friday with plans to stop in Baltimore for Yanks/O's. I called my aunt in Maryland when I was stuck just north of richmond and she led me off the highway to get to 301 to get to the baseball game. Me being in Connecticut 301 is the best alternative route to get back up east.

[@chief1b]

I drive to Richmond from Baltimore at least 5 -10 times a year and can tell you I hate the summer. Summertime is the worst and don't go down south past on the Weekends 9:30 am Painful. I get off at Woodbridge and take Route 1 to Ashland and depending on traffic either stay or just keep going into Richmond Proper. Coming up I usually leave in the late evening after 7:30 or 8:30 pm all the traffic has mostly died off and I can go faster. I did see in your video you failed to mention US 301. This also goes more east to 95 and is an acceptable, although mostly 2 lans in both ways in VA, up in Maryland more lanes and faster speeds except in the summer time. Also this way has a toll of $6, Easypass $3 plus more Troopers and county cops but if you go 55-65 your mostly good. Cheers!

[@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.

[@patmcbride9853]

I have relatives with a daughter in Boston. When they drive to visit, they always complain that they have no problems until they are going through Virginia.

[@davidleoboldt9668]

301 east of I95 does provide a good and pretty much only alternative to getting to DC -at least the east side where it's easy to connect with 495 and continue with any travel further north. The 2 lane bridge on 301 at Dahlgren VA that crosses the Potomac in to MD, and the only option over the river after the Woodrow Wilson/495 bridge, is being replaced right now with a new multi-lane crossing, and promises to make this alternative even more feasible. My Wife and I drive that corridor frequently (we live in SE VA) have learned to exit off of I95 on to 207, a direct 4 lane connection to 301, and make our progress to DC much more dependable and less stressful. I highly recommend anyone who drives that corridor to look at the 301 option, which is especially good if you're just trying to get past DC to Baltimore or Philadelphia.

[@t0n0k0]

Same issues with I5 between Tacoma and Seattle, super frustrating and there is no real alternatives either.

[@katyguy]

I like taking i-81 less traffic and faster . Every time i take i -95 i get in traffic north of Richmond . Ugh ugh.