What time does 95 S in Virginia start getting backed up in the afternoon?

[Anonymous]

DH, my 2 kids, and I are planning a trip to Georgia for spring break. We have done the drive twice before leaving on a Friday mid-afternoon which is always a disaster until we get to about Fredericksburg. We could do the whole drive on Saturday, but since the drive is long I would prefer to break it up and drive for 5-6 hours on one day and then 4-5 hours on another. For anyone who does this commute, what time does 95 S start backing up in the afternoon? If we leave around noon, would we probably be OK assuming there are no accidents? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Honestly, the area from the Mixing Bowl to Fredericksburg can be backed up any time of the day, 7 days per week. But you have a decent chance of getting out of town cleanly if you leave around noon.

[Anonymous]

It's usually ok until 3ish, but earlier would be safer on a Friday. You can use the carpool lanes!

[Anonymous]

I'd say leave before noon.

[Anonymous]

I can't remember exactly what time it was, but the best trip we ever had on I-95 south was when we hit it the moment they opened the carpool lanes to southbound traffic. If you can't time it that accurately, you really need to leave well before noon on a Friday.

[Anonymous]

I drive down to Williamsburg all the time on Friday afternoons...

On any given day, that route starts backing up by 3:30 or so. Its reliably complete gridlock by 5:30 every night.

Fridays are worse than other days though.

If its just a "normal" Friday, I'd aim to be on the road by no later than 1.

If its the Friday before a 3-day weekend, spring break, or any weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day, I'd say be on the road no later than noon.