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I95 Express lanes open (bye bye free HOV for Hybrids)

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by wjtracy, Dec 23, 2014.

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  1. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good point. i'm hoping everyone will be in the hov, and the rest will be smooth sailing.:cool:
     
    #21 bisco, Dec 25, 2014
  2. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    Where the new HOV lanes end, do they still feed the traffic into the left lane of 95?
     
    #22 El Dobro, Dec 25, 2014
  3. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I assume so.
    It's still the old system where the HOV flow direction is changed based on traffic patterns.

    Virginians don't like to pay tolls, so we will be in the heavy traffic lanes. So far in the new HOT lanes on the VA Beltway, the big story is lack of use. The major use is out-of-staters (MD DC etc) and women seem to like to avoid the traffic, they say. So we are hoping YOU will be in the toll lanes.

    By the way, the profit goes to a "private" company Transurban who built the lanes. We don't like to pay for roads either so this is how we did it.
     
    #23 wjtracy, Dec 26, 2014
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i will be happy to pay, not to sit in traffic. do you think it will be smooth sailing on a wednesday at 5-6pm?
     
    #24 bisco, Dec 26, 2014
  5. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    You mean this Wed? Which stretch? What happens is Beltway in VA is rush hour but the HOT lanes solve that for those willing to pay. But you got tons of MD commuters so as soon as you get to MD border you are stuffed.
     
    #25 wjtracy, Dec 26, 2014
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I think so but the new lanes go a bit further South
     
    #26 wjtracy, Dec 26, 2014
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    feb. 18th. we hit the beltway from 95 around 4-5pm, and usually go west. of course the beltway is packed, but then, jumping on 95s around 5-6pm has been the worse nightmare. just when it finally starts to let up, there's the sign for frederickburg, usually round 7:30 to 8pm. would we be better off coming around the east side, i think we tried it once and was about the same.
     
    #27 bisco, Dec 26, 2014
  8. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    My guess is that traffic will be slow to stopped from the I-270 ramps. The trip down the east side is longer but traffic should be moving faster.

    I hate the merge on to the westbound Beltway.

    Another idea is to take MD 295 from the Harbor Tunnel Thruway all the way down to the bottom of the Beltway. It seems to be a shorter route and, at least in some sections, should have less traffic. The few times I've taken this route the drive was less stressful.

    If you want to save a few bucks in Jersey, get off the Turnpike at exit 7 in Bordentown & pick up I-295. Both feed into the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Gas is usually lower around Paulsboro.
     
    #28 JimN, Dec 26, 2014
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  9. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    The top of the Beltway in MD is one of the nation's worst rush hour commutes, but sounds you are going counter to the main rush hour traffic flow. What we do is check traffic by smart phone (or WTOP 103.5) and if we think the top of the Beltway westbound to VA is stuffed, then we go the other way around which adds 10 minutes for us. Once you make it into VA you can take the new Express toll lanes either up by Tysons, or down by I95 if you come over that way. You gotta have EZPass.

    If I understand you are coming from North to south on I95, my guess go normal route down I95 down MD side of Beltway and then get on new Express lanes in VA. We get gaso just before leaving NJ to DE Mem Bridge after you get off TurnPike that's the cheapest gaso we ever see.

    Where the Beltway really jams up bad is northbound in evening on VA west side heading into MD up past Tysons, when the Express lanes stop and you are heading into MD, good luck.
     
    #29 wjtracy, Dec 26, 2014
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thanks, we also gas up at the last nj stop, and sc is also very good. speed pass, i'm falling farther and farther behind.:cool:
     
    #30 bisco, Dec 26, 2014
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