Delaware Road Meet - 12/16/17

[cpzilliacus]

Didn't realize US 40 was so bad. In that case, what's US 40 like on a Saturday? Asking because I was planning to use it to get down to TRB (new mileage and shunpike Delaware).

If you want to take U.S. 40 to get the miles, it will get you there - although if you take it into Baltimore City, the going often gets slow.  There is a fair amount of retail along U.S. 40 in the suburban counties of Baltimore (Harford, Baltimore (County), through the city, then Baltimore (County) again and Howard County).

Also, regarding shunpiking, U.S. 40 is of course a good way to avoid the $4 Delaware Turnpike toll.   But there is no toll for southbound traffic on I-95 in Maryland, except at the Fort McHenry Tunnel (of course, taking U.S. 40 across Baltimore City shunpikes the Fort McHenry Tunnel toll).

Here is the track across Baltimore City (including the former I-170 "freeway to nowhere") in case it interests you.

[cl94]

Didn't realize US 40 was so bad. In that case, what's US 40 like on a Saturday? Asking because I was planning to use it to get down to TRB (new mileage and shunpike Delaware).

If you want to take U.S. 40 to get the miles, it will get you there - although if you take it into Baltimore City, the going often gets slow.  There is a fair amount of retail along U.S. 40 in the suburban counties of Baltimore (Harford, Baltimore (County), through the city, then Baltimore (County) again and Howard County).

Also, regarding shunpiking, U.S. 40 is of course a good way to avoid the $4 Delaware Turnpike toll.   But there is no toll for southbound traffic on I-95 in Maryland, except at the Fort McHenry Tunnel (of course, taking U.S. 40 across Baltimore City shunpikes the Fort McHenry Tunnel toll).

Here is the track across Baltimore City (including the former I-170 "freeway to nowhere") in case it interests you.

Sweet. Thanks. I was planning on doing a decent amount of Baltimore City roadgeeking on the way home, as I know there's quite a bit in the area (although not as much now that some of the I-170 stubs were removed for a park and ride).

[74/171FAN]

I'm definitely interested in attending.

[dgolub]

I'm thinking that I may take a rain check on this one.  It's a busy time for me with my move coming up, and this is a long trip to do back and forth in one day, especially without a car.

[yanksfan6129]

anyone driving up to this from the BaltiWash area?

[Alex]

Good point about the parking situation at the Farmers Market. My friend Donna runs a store there, so I inquired with her about that. If it appears that parking will be a bear, we can shift to the Delaware Turnpike Service Plaza, which should have ample parking. Was thinking if we all meet there, the north side has a number of tables and chairs that we could use. Plus there's the old Turnpike toll booth out front.

I may be able to head down for this one!

The only issue with the Farmers Market location will be Christmas shopping traffic (not that any other location will be much better).  Otherwise, I'm fine with it...been by there a few gazillion times; never been in there.

A spot that I always found interesting to view, but no actual road work to look at or near as far as I know, is on DE 9 Augustine Beach Access Area...pretty much due east of the 301 construction.   The view is of the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station across the river in NJ.  Also in this area is a small bit of land on the NJ side of the river that's actually Delaware jurisdiction.

For those in the area Friday or Saturday night, and who enjoy looking at Christmas lights, there's a large display on Rt. 71 (Red Lion Rd) just south of the 1/13 interchange in Bear.  Looking it up to make sure they still do the lights, I found out an older person walked out of their car to view the lights and directly into the path of a moving car, sadly killing him.  There's a few other large displays in the area as well.

The riverside area long DE 9 at Augustine Beach was always a favorite spot of mine to watch thunderstorms when I lived in Newark. There was a boat ramp/parking area that we sometimes used. If there is interest, I am sure we could incorporate a stop that way in the afternoon, and a look at the Reedy Point Bridge from the canal access road below.

I have some video from the 1990s of that house near Red Lion. His driveway had a street blade naming it "Santa Claus Lane". When I last drove by it, DelDOT had set up construction barrels on the shoulders of DE 71 to help with the parking and help slow down traffic.

What about US 40? Cross at the Key Bridge or go around/through Baltimore, maybe stay in Havre De Grace (few hotels on US 40 in that area that are cheap). You can get US 301 heading back west. The Bay Bridge on a Friday afternoon will be quite congested if you were using that to avoid traffic.

How is 40 northeast of I-695? Stop-and-go with lots of signals?

I probably wouldn't be crossing the Bay Bridge until early Saturday morning unless I opt for the Sleep Inn at Grasonville as my overnight stay. I'm not finding anything reasonably priced on Kent Island.

I've driven US 40 east from Harford County into Cecil County, and can echo some of the other comments about Cecil being fairly decent (though development has slowed it through Elkton a lot more in the last two decades) and there being a fair number of signals and such through Harford. My usual way to DE from the Baltimore area is to take MD 155/161 north up to US 1 and cross the Conowingo Dam, shifting to MD 273 east into Newark. My most recent trip along US 40 through Harford was during heavy rain and a bit of a slugfest. Still found it better than I-95, which was completely clogged.

What would the meet cover?  I was down there back over Memorial Day weekend and clinched the current US 301.  Trying to figure out whether or not there'd be anything.

Alex and I have texted about other projects in the area, and two that came to mind but don't sound all thaty doable from a stop standpoint, are the reconstruction of I-295 at US 13/40, and the DE 141 interchange with I-95. There's an interchange project underway on DE 1 at Little Heaven where they are turning the southbound lanes into a c/d type roadway, but probably too far south given the limited daylight.

[hbelkins]

Found a reasonably-priced place on Riva Road in Annapolis, so that's where I'll be on Friday and Saturday nights. I still plan to take US 301 instead of I-95, though, because it will no doubt be less congested.

However, a new wrinkle has been thrown into my route planning. See the Road Trips board for info and a query.

[epzik8]

Marylander from Harford County here, I would like to go, but it depends on if I'm able to.

[Laura]

Sorry I'm late to the party, but totally interested in attending! (I haven't been active on here and hadn't seen a Facebook invite. Thankfully Steve mentioned it!!)

HB and everyone else: you are welcome to stay with me and husband at our house in Baltimore, MD!!!

Scott: we can give you a ride, too.

Epzik8: where in HarCo do you live? I grew up in Edgewood and Jarrettsville!!!!

I'm at work and will catch up on reading the whole thread later.

[cl94]

Alex and I have texted about other projects in the area, and two that came to mind but don't sound all thaty doable from a stop standpoint, are the reconstruction of I-295 at US 13/40, and the DE 141 interchange with I-95. There's an interchange project underway on DE 1 at Little Heaven where they are turning the southbound lanes into a c/d type roadway, but probably too far south given the limited daylight.

Several of us can easily tie the first two into our drives down and neither is particularly far from the meet, so anyone who wants to see them could easily tack on a few miles of driving. I'll actually be passing DE 1 Little Heaven two times in the next 6 weeks, so no opposition here if that gets left out.

[Alex]

Sorry I'm late to the party, but totally interested in attending! (I haven't been active on here and hadn't seen a Facebook invite. Thankfully Steve mentioned it!!)

HB and everyone else: you are welcome to stay with me and husband at our house in Baltimore, MD!!!

Scott: we can give you a ride, too.

Epzik8: where in HarCo do you live? I grew up in Edgewood and Jarrettsville!!!!

I'm at work and will catch up on reading the whole thread later.

Meant to share the FB event page here, thanks for mentioning it.   

https://www.facebook.com/events/149543379001771/?ti=cl

[hbelkins]

Can anyone suggest the best route from Annapolis to Haymarket early on a Sunday morning, say around 9 or 10 a.m.?

I drove that route in reverse on a September Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago, and the consensus was I should take the southern half of the beltway. Would that advice still hold true on a Sunday morning?

[froggie]

On a Sunday morning it doesn't really matter.  I know you don't like cities and urban traffic, but if you need to clinch US 50 through DC and/or US 29 through Arlington it would be a good time to do so.

[hbelkins]

On a Sunday morning it doesn't really matter.  I know you don't like cities and urban traffic, but if you need to clinch US 50 through DC and/or US 29 through Arlington it would be a good time to do so.

I have 50 in DC, so that's not a factor. Just needing to get out to Winchester (most likely via I-66 and US 17) by the fastest and shortest route possible (if they are one and the same; if not, fastest vs. shortest is preferable).

I'm thinking I can get all of 360 on Friday, so that leaves Sunday to try to get that stretch of WV 29 that I suddenly realized I hadn't clinched if the weather is good in that section of West Virginia.

[Mapmikey]

On a Sunday morning it doesn't really matter.  I know you don't like cities and urban traffic, but if you need to clinch US 50 through DC and/or US 29 through Arlington it would be a good time to do so.

I have 50 in DC, so that's not a factor. Just needing to get out to Winchester (most likely via I-66 and US 17) by the fastest and shortest route possible (if they are one and the same; if not, fastest vs. shortest is preferable).

I'm thinking I can get all of 360 on Friday, so that leaves Sunday to try to get that stretch of WV 29 that I suddenly realized I hadn't clinched if the weather is good in that section of West Virginia.

don't use 17 from Marshall to Winchester unless you need to clinch it.  Speed limit is 45 the entire way from 66 to 50 and enforced.

 

[Alps]

Can anyone suggest the best route from Annapolis to Haymarket early on a Sunday morning, say around 9 or 10 a.m.?

I drove that route in reverse on a September Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago, and the consensus was I should take the southern half of the beltway. Would that advice still hold true on a Sunday morning?

I would say the southern half is better than the northern half in general.

[hbelkins]

I would say the southern half is better than the northern half in general.

That's pretty much been my experience anytime I've been on it. I may just let Waze tell me the best way to get around that morning.

don't use 17 from Marshall to Winchester unless you need to clinch it.  Speed limit is 45 the entire way from 66 to 50 and enforced.
 

That's exactly why. I've been from DC to Winchester via 267/7 and 50, so using 17 would get me new mileage on that route.

[Duke87]

Is the plan to meet up at 10 or 11? The OP here and the FB event disagree on this.

[Alps]

Is the plan to meet up at 10 or 11? The OP here and the FB event disagree on this.

11

[Alex]

Is the plan to meet up at 10 or 11? The OP here and the FB event disagree on this.

Moved it to 11, will adjust the OP. If anyone cannot make it til noon, it's probably OK as I figured we'd all shoot the breeze for that first hour.

I also am bringing a small and medium bin of maps and brochures to give away to anyone interested.

[hbelkins]

Any decision on whether to do it at the Farmer's Market, or move it to the service plaza?

[cl94]

Any decision on whether to do it at the Farmer's Market, or move it to the service plaza?

This, and what is the rough itinerary/time frame for the meet itself? That'll allow me to plan a route after the meet and it will determine if I hightail it to my hotel in Lewes or meander to clinch a few more things.

[Alex]

Any decision on whether to do it at the Farmer's Market, or move it to the service plaza?

This, and what is the rough itinerary/time frame for the meet itself? That'll allow me to plan a route after the meet and it will determine if I hightail it to my hotel in Lewes or meander to clinch a few more things.

I asked my Mom about the parking situation at the farmers market, and she said if the weather is good, it will be busy. The extended forecast shows 40 and sunny.
Asked my friend Donna (she runs a booth in the market) about the parking again to corroborate that it could be an issue. So I am leaning more toward shifting the event meet up to the I-95 Service Plaza. Will post again here to confirm that.

Also I will be in Delaware some time on Friday. If I can get there early enough and borrow a cooler from Mom, I will see about getting drinks lined up for everything that attends. Will have a better idea on my time frame on Wednesday, when I start heading north from Florida.

[PHLBOS]

The extended forecast shows 40 and sunny.

Asked my friend Donna (she runs a booth in the market) about the parking again to corroborate that it could be an issue. So I am leaning more toward shifting the event meet up to the I-95 Service Plaza. Will post again here to confirm that.

Also I will be in Delaware some time on Friday. If I can get there early enough and borrow a cooler from Mom, I will see about getting drinks lined up for everything that attends. Will have a better idea on my time frame on Wednesday, when I start heading north from Florida.

While the extended forecast for Saturday looks decent; you might have some weather issues on Friday if this extended forecast becomes reality.  Nothing severe mind you; just something to be mindful of.

[Alex]

Any decision on whether to do it at the Farmer's Market, or move it to the service plaza?

This, and what is the rough itinerary/time frame for the meet itself? That'll allow me to plan a route after the meet and it will determine if I hightail it to my hotel in Lewes or meander to clinch a few more things.

As far as the time frame goes, I am thinking wrapping things up by 4 should be reasonable.
Looking at the US 301 corridor and coordinating with Alex, looks like seeing the toll road at the new SR 299 overpass is one stop, perhaps also just north from there at the SR 15 overpass, which would provide a glimpse of the wye interchange where the two-lane spur will branch off. Further north, a stop at the Jamison Corner Road overpass and dumbbell interchange.

Other stops could be Dutch Neck Road along the south side of the C & D Canal for a view of the Reedy Point Bridge.
The Augustine Beach Access Area further south along SR 9 for a view of the Hope Creek Generation Center and the sliver or Delaware on the NJ side of the river.

Also the St. Georges Trailhead, located on the north side of the C & D Canal, could be a stop with views of the SR 1 and Georges Bridges (US 13).

Thoughts and suggestions are welcome.