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

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.

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

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.....

@@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

Electrify the rails down to Richmond

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

I have been saying this for YEARS!!!

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

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

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

I carry a piss bottle 😂

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

​@@butcheredalive⁸⁸

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

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

@@desertodavid only if you're in eastern north carolina or virginia will it work

Lots of traffic on that route now too.

@@georgelomarro4677 What could be generating that traffic?

@@TheEpicDiamondMiner Many DC commuters in southern Maryland.

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

That "alternate roadway" is called route 1 lol

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

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

@@doridore1234 It's typical rural VA.

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

​@@surfacetension😊

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

@@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

@@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

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

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.)

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

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

Just don't speed 😂

The tolls apparently ended around 1992.

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

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

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

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.

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

@@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.

@@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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

@@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.

@@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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

​​@@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.

@@truckercowboyed2638 That too.

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

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.

The southern section of Florida's Turnpike (close to I-95) used to be the only straight through path because I-95 wasn't finished. I've had the misfortune of driving that section of the turnpike recently and can say that I would do anything possible to avoid the section now. It's still 2 lane in parts, the road itself is terrible, and traffic was far worse than any time I've been on I-95 in the area.

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

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

@@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!