Favorite/least favorite stretches of freeway, Mid-Atlantic Edition

[Takumi]

My favorites:
I-195 in Richmond (in light traffic)
I-64 between the eastern I-295 interchange and Williamsburg
VA 895
NPS section of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
I-66, especially once it gets away from the DC suburbs
I-77

Least favorites:
Capital Beltway
Dulles Greenway
I-264 in downtown Norfolk

[Ian]

If it counts as Mid-Atlantic, I-68 through Sideling Hill, MD is definitely my favorite. I-68 in general is a great drive.

Least favorite would have to be the stretch of I-95 between the Baltimore and Capital Beltways.

[hbelkins]

I love I-64 from Beckley, WV to Lexington, VA.

Not a big fan of I-81. The scenery is great but the truck traffic is awful.

[F350]

Favorites:

US-15 between Frederick & PA state line
US-15/US-11 in Harrisburg
US-340
I-85 between Petersburg & US-58

Dislike:

MD-158
I-99
US-30 in Coatesville, PA (not the bypass)

[1995hoo]

Once upon a time I would have listed US-50 between the Beltway and Annapolis because it was a road where you could go REALLY fast and usually you'd get away with it. I once made it from Springfield to the Bay Bridge in under 45 minutes (average speed over 80 mph). I almost never drive as fast as I used to, though.

I love the reversible express lanes on I-395 and I-95. I'm decidedly unhappy about the prospect of losing free access to those lanes south of Edsall Road when the HO/T proposal becomes reality.

I like I-66 once you get west of Manassas; I also like the part of VA-28 that's a freeway, and ethanman62187's love for that road doesn't change my opinion because I remember back when it was a rural two-lane road and I shudder at how bad it would be today.

I-85 used to be one of my favorites. I used it to go back and forth to school at Duke and it was a relaxing change of pace after driving down I-95 from Fairfax, or else a quiet respite after the beat-up old portion of I-85 in North Carolina (it was in terrible shape during my three years at Duke). I seldom use that road these days, however, so it's not on my list simply because I haven't driven it often enough recently to have a valid opinion.

I would like the Dulles Greenway if it weren't so expensive. It offers a substantial time savings over VA-7, especially coming from the direction of Alexandria as I do. As it is, when I'm going out that way I suck it up and pay the toll. If the Dulles Toll Road toll does in fact double next year, I'll be finding a different route to use to connect to the Greenway (probably the Fairfax County Parkway and then cut across to VA-28 via West Ox/McLearen combo).

I think my least favorite freeways are I-66 between Fair Oaks and the Beltway (due to traffic and general anarchy, especially people illegally driving in the shoulder lanes) and I-66 inside the Beltway (because it's always so damn slow except during HOV hours). I don't like I-81 either, not so much due to the trucks themselves but rather because other drivers seem unable to deal with the trucks in an intelligent fashion.

[Takumi]

I haven't been on I-81 in years, so I don't really have an opinion on it. Virginia's portion of I-85 is somewhere in the middle for me. Lately when I go that way I take US 1 because it's more interesting from a photography standpoint with the alternating 3-lane sections and abandoned businesses.

[cpzilliacus]

Once upon a time I would have listed US-50 between the Beltway and Annapolis because it was a road where you could go REALLY fast and usually you'd get away with it. I once made it from Springfield to the Bay Bridge in under 45 minutes (average speed over 80 mph). I almost never drive as fast as I used to, though.

Indeed.  Along with  I-70 between Hancock and Hagerstown and between Frederick and Baltimore, this is a prime case for raising Maryland's statewide maximum speed limit to 75 MPH.

I love the reversible express lanes on I-395 and I-95. I'm decidedly unhappy about the prospect of losing free access to those lanes south of Edsall Road when the HO/T proposal becomes reality.

Though extending the restricted lanes south to Garrisonville in Stafford County is not going to happen without tolls (I would love to see them extended all the way south to the I-295 interchange at Glen Allen, Henrico County, Va.).

I like I-66 once you get west of Manassas; I also like the part of VA-28 that's a freeway, and ethanman62187's love for that road doesn't change my opinion because I remember back when it was a rural two-lane road and I shudder at how bad it would be today.

Agreed regarding I-66, especially through PEC-land between Haymarket and I-81.  It's one of my favorite drives in the D.C. area.

I-85 used to be one of my favorites. I used it to go back and forth to school at Duke and it was a relaxing change of pace after driving down I-95 from Fairfax, or else a quiet respite after the beat-up old portion of I-85 in North Carolina (it was in terrible shape during my three years at Duke). I seldom use that road these days, however, so it's not on my list simply because I haven't driven it often enough recently to have a valid opinion.

I like Virginia's section of I-85, though I do not drive it frequently - it's another road that cries out for a speed limit of 75 or even 80 MPH, and relaxing after the heavy traffic on I-95.

I would like the Dulles Greenway if it weren't so expensive. It offers a substantial time savings over VA-7, especially coming from the direction of Alexandria as I do. As it is, when I'm going out that way I suck it up and pay the toll. If the Dulles Toll Road toll does in fact double next year, I'll be finding a different route to use to connect to the Greenway (probably the Fairfax County Parkway and then cut across to VA-28 via West Ox/McLearen combo).

I like the Greenway in spite of its cost.  And, of course, the ICC (also in spite of its cost).

The annoying thing about the (higher) Dulles Toll Road tolls is that they don't benefit the users of the Toll Road.  At all. 

I think my least favorite freeways are I-66 between Fair Oaks and the Beltway (due to traffic and general anarchy, especially people illegally driving in the shoulder lanes) and I-66 inside the Beltway (because it's always so damn slow except during HOV hours). I don't like I-81 either, not so much due to the trucks themselves but rather because other drivers seem unable to deal with the trucks in an intelligent fashion.

I agree regarding the section of I-66 between U.S. 50 (at Fair Oaks) and I-495.  It's broken-down and the "cheapness" of the HOV lane upgrade that was done in the early 1990's really hurts.

[1995hoo]

....

I think my least favorite freeways are I-66 between Fair Oaks and the Beltway (due to traffic and general anarchy, especially people illegally driving in the shoulder lanes) and I-66 inside the Beltway (because it's always so damn slow except during HOV hours). I don't like I-81 either, not so much due to the trucks themselves but rather because other drivers seem unable to deal with the trucks in an intelligent fashion.

I agree regarding the section of I-66 between U.S. 50 (at Fair Oaks) and I-495.  It's broken-down and the "cheapness" of the HOV lane upgrade that was done in the early 1990's really hurts.

I will concede that the recent resurfacing has been a COLOSSAL improvement on that stretch. The road surface itself is in pretty darn good shape now (I most recently used it last Wednesday coming back from the courthouse in Fairfax). But the HOV lane and the shoulder "lane" are serious problems, as well as simply having way too much traffic crammed into way too small a space. Hopefully the addition of a fifth lane on the Beltway from I-66 to Route 7 (once all the Beltway work is done) will help matters, though it obviously won't be a cure-all.

[cpzilliacus]

....

I think my least favorite freeways are I-66 between Fair Oaks and the Beltway (due to traffic and general anarchy, especially people illegally driving in the shoulder lanes) and I-66 inside the Beltway (because it's always so damn slow except during HOV hours). I don't like I-81 either, not so much due to the trucks themselves but rather because other drivers seem unable to deal with the trucks in an intelligent fashion.

I agree regarding the section of I-66 between U.S. 50 (at Fair Oaks) and I-495.  It's broken-down and the "cheapness" of the HOV lane upgrade that was done in the early 1990's really hurts.

I will concede that the recent resurfacing has been a COLOSSAL improvement on that stretch. The road surface itself is in pretty darn good shape now (I most recently used it last Wednesday coming back from the courthouse in Fairfax). But the HOV lane and the shoulder "lane" are serious problems, as well as simply having way too much traffic crammed into way too small a space. Hopefully the addition of a fifth lane on the Beltway from I-66 to Route 7 (once all the Beltway work is done) will help matters, though it obviously won't be a cure-all.

Agreed regarding the pavement.  Big improvement.

But I-66 narrows (headed from west to east) at precisely the place where it should be getting wider (just east of the U.S. 50 interchange).

[1995hoo]

....

I think my least favorite freeways are I-66 between Fair Oaks and the Beltway (due to traffic and general anarchy, especially people illegally driving in the shoulder lanes) and I-66 inside the Beltway (because it's always so damn slow except during HOV hours). I don't like I-81 either, not so much due to the trucks themselves but rather because other drivers seem unable to deal with the trucks in an intelligent fashion.

I agree regarding the section of I-66 between U.S. 50 (at Fair Oaks) and I-495.  It's broken-down and the "cheapness" of the HOV lane upgrade that was done in the early 1990's really hurts.

I will concede that the recent resurfacing has been a COLOSSAL improvement on that stretch. The road surface itself is in pretty darn good shape now (I most recently used it last Wednesday coming back from the courthouse in Fairfax). But the HOV lane and the shoulder "lane" are serious problems, as well as simply having way too much traffic crammed into way too small a space. Hopefully the addition of a fifth lane on the Beltway from I-66 to Route 7 (once all the Beltway work is done) will help matters, though it obviously won't be a cure-all.

Agreed regarding the pavement.  Big improvement.

But I-66 narrows (headed from west to east) at precisely the place where it should be getting wider (just east of the U.S. 50 interchange).

Agreed, it's a massive problem, but in fairness I'm not really sure what they can do unless they come up with some sort of PPTA solution, and even then there's a serious space problem in the section with the Metrorail tracks in the middle. The idea of a barrier-separated HOV facility like the one on I-395 has been noised about periodically, but the space and the money don't exist.

[amroad17]

Favorite:

I-64 from I-81 to Charlottesville (esp. Rockfish Gap)
I-66 from I-81 to Marshall
I-81 from PA to Syracuse (I consider NY to be in the Mid-Atlantic)
US 17 from I-64 in Chesapeake, VA to Williamston, NC (I know--not entirely a freeway)


Least favorite:

I-95 from Fredericksburg, VA to Trenton, NJ
I-270 in MD
I-78

[WillWeaverRVA]

Favorites:

I-195 in VA
I-295 in VA
VA 288 north of US 360
I-68
I-64 between Charlottesville and I-81

Least favorite:

I-95 (and I-395 in VA/DC, and I-495) in any part of this region. North of Fredericksburg is choked with DC/Baltimore/Philly traffic, Fredericksburg to Richmond is boring, Richmond is traffic hell with the bridge replacement project, Richmond to Petersburg is insane, south of Petersburg has tremendous truck traffic.

I-64 eastbound in Hampton Roads (I almost always use I-664 and take the long way around...it's a nicer drive, anyway)
I-270 in MD

I-66 inside the Beltway

I-85 between Dinwiddie and I-95 (pavement is in bad shape)

[roadman65]

The Pennsylvania Turnpike from New Stanton to Carlisle and from Harrisburg East to Valley Forge.  Although the rest in the Philadelphia area is not bad, but no scenery.

The NE Extension Pa Turnpike is great from the Lehigh Tunnel to Clarks Summit.

The Gandy Bridge in Florida (US 92 from Tampa to St. Pete) I think is cool as well as the FL 60 Causeway.

These are my favorites. I have more, but this is it for now.