Fastest way to D.C.?
Need your advice: A new commuter is planning a trip from Frederick to 18th and L NW in downtown Washington. The new commuter has heard this should take about an hour, but can’t believe that. (Neither can I, not during regular commuting times.) The new commuter and I are thinking it would be best to allow two hours, whether the trip is by car all the way, or by transit. Do you think that’s too conservative? What would be the best driving route? After driving down I-270, would you use Connecticut Avenue to reach downtown Washington, or swing farther south and drive along the George Washington Parkway before entering the District via the Key Bridge? On a transit trip, I think I’d drive to Shady Grove and take the Red Line to Farragut North. That would be faster than a MARC train trip from Frederick to Union Station and a
Construction of Delaware I-95 High-Speed E-ZPass Lanes to Begin
Construction of new high-speed E-ZPass lanes at the I-95 Newark toll plaza will begin in mid-April, the Delaware Department of Transportation announced. The $32 million project will extend from the Del. 896 interchange to the Otts Chapel Road bridge …
Gas Prices Climbing Toward $3 a Gallon
After months of relative stability, gasoline prices now appear to be on their way up, with forecasts calling for $3-a-gallon fuel by this summer.
According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, the average price of a gallon of regular gas reached $2.78 Friday but leveled off over the weekend. Today’s price — the highest in a year and a half– is 6 cents more than a week ago and are up 13 cents over the past month.
Rising crude oil prices and a recovering economy are propelling the increase, and with the summer travel season approaching, the Oil Price Information Service is projecting that gasoline will hit the $3 mark between April and June.
Gas Prices Creeping Back Up
The price of gasoline, which had been unusually stable in recent months, took a turn upward over the past week and could go even higher, AAA Mid-Atlantic reports.
The national average price of a gallon of regular gas hit $2.705 Moday, up 6 cents from a week ago. The Maryland average lagged the national figure by 3 cents, at $2.675.
With the price of crude oil on world markets close to $80 a barrel, AAA is warning that prices could be on the way up.
Even with the recent uptick, gas prices remain remarkably stable. The Maryland average has remained between $2.47 and $2.72 since June — a big break from the wild swings of previous years.
Hurricane Season Ends Without a Scratch
The Atlantic hurricane season ended Monday with barely a whimper: Not a single hurricane came ashore in the United States.
I-95 Gas Price Update - Saturday, November 28, 2009
Below are average posted prices as of Saturday, November 28, 2009 for unleaded regular gas for selected I-95 exits
| Houlton, ME | : $2.87/gal | Springfield, VA | : $2.56/gal | |
| Bangor, ME | : $2.73/gal | Dumfries, VA | : $2.49/gal | |
| Augusta, ME | : $2.73/gal | Fredericksburg, VA | : $2.48/gal | |
| Portland, ME | : $2.72/gal | Ashland, VA | : $2.54/gal | |
| Portsmouth, NH | : $2.64/gal | Richmond, VA | : $2.54/gal | |
| Seabrook, NH | : $2.70/gal | Petersburg, VA | : $2.49/gal | |
| Danvers, MA | : $2.67/gal | Emporia, VA | : $2.50/gal | |
| Dedham, MA | : $2.63/gal | Roanoke Rapids, NC | : $2.57/gal | |
| Mansfield, MA | : $2.63/gal | Wilson, NC | : $2.59/gal | |
| Attleboro, MA | : $2.64/gal | Selma, NC | : $2.59/gal | |
| Pawtucket, RI | : $2.64/gal | Fayetteville, NC | : $2.60/gal | |
| Providence, RI | : $2.64/gal | Lumberton, NC | : $2.58/gal | |
| Warwick, RI | : $2.59/gal | Rowland, NC | : $2.57/gal | |
| Wyoming, RI | : $2.65/gal | Dillon, SC | : $2.54/gal | |
| New London, CT | : $2.71/gal | Florence, SC | : $2.49/gal | |
| New Haven, CT | : $2.83/gal | Manning, SC | : $2.50/gal | |
| Bridgeport, CT | : $2.85/gal | Santee, SC | : $2.48/gal | |
| Greenwich, CT | : $2.84/gal | Walterboro, SC | : $2.50/gal | |
| Rye, NY | : $2.87/gal | Savannah, GA | : $2.52/gal | |
| New Rochelle, NY | : $2.79/gal | Richmond Hill, GA | : $2.55/gal | |
| Bronx, NY | : $2.96/gal | Darien, GA | : $2.57/gal | |
| Secaucus, NJ | : $3.02/gal | Brunswick, GA | : $2.59/gal | |
| Woodbridge, NJ | : $2.92/gal | Woodbine, GA | : $2.63/gal | |
| East Brunswick, NJ | : $2.72/gal | Kingsland, GA | : $2.66/gal | |
| Bordentown, NJ | : $2.48/gal | Yulee, FL | : $2.66/gal | |
| Cherry Hill, NJ | : $2.51/gal | Jacksonville, FL | : $2.63/gal | |
| Penns Grove, NJ | : $2.48/gal | Saint Augustine, FL | : $2.73/gal | |
| Wilmington, DE | : $2.45/gal | Palm Coast, FL | : $2.76/gal | |
| Newark, DE | : $2.46/gal | Daytona Beach, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Elkton, MD | : $2.51/gal | Orlando, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Perryville, MD | : $2.45/gal | Cocoa, FL | : $2.63/gal | |
| Aberdeen, MD | : $2.55/gal | Palm Bay, FL | : $2.68/gal | |
| White Marsh, MD | : $2.56/gal | Fort Pierce, FL | : $2.71/gal | |
| Baltimore, MD | : $2.54/gal | Cape Coral, FL | : $2.78/gal | |
| Greenbelt, MD | : $2.56/gal | West Palm Beach, FL | : $2.75/gal | |
| District Heights, MD | : $2.56/gal | Miami, FL | : $2.76/gal |
For more I-95 information, visit www.i95exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida!
Traveling along Florida’s I-4? Gas prices are now available for selected cities along this route as well. Visit www.i4exitguide.com
Avoid The Delaware Turnpike!
The average traffic speed on the Delaware Turnpike is about 23 mph, with two crashes and congestion between the Maryland state line and Interstate 295. Tell me you’re not going to pay $4 for this! Use U.S. 40. At least you can stop for coffee and a bathroom break.
Getaway: Crossing Delaware for Thanksgiving
Even if you saw the Commuter page on getaway routes and Monday’s online discussion about Thanksgiving travel, I’ve got some more advice from travelers about getting through Delaware, the bane of so many Northeast trips. The letter below arrived in response to my toll avoidance route, which goes like this: From I-95 north, take Route 279 toward Newark, Del. Take Iron Hill Road on the right. Turn left onto Chestnut Hill Road. Then turn right onto Route 896 (South College Avenue). I-95 will be a quarter-mile down the road. Dear. Dr. Gridlock: I worked in Washington for 20 years and can sympathize with the frustration posed by the Delaware Toll Plaza. I live just a few miles from this expensive impediment to travel and I’d like to offer some local advice. Iron Hill Road straddles the Delaware/Maryland border and receives very little maintenance attention from either one. It is a
I-95 Gas Price Update - Monday, November 23, 2009
Below are average posted prices as of Sunday, November 22, 2009 for unleaded regular gas for selected I-95 exits
| Houlton, ME | : $2.88/gal | Springfield, VA | : $2.57/gal | |
| Bangor, ME | : $2.73/gal | Dumfries, VA | : $2.51/gal | |
| Augusta, ME | : $2.73/gal | Fredericksburg, VA | : $2.48/gal | |
| Portland, ME | : $2.73/gal | Ashland, VA | : $2.54/gal | |
| Portsmouth, NH | : $2.64/gal | Richmond, VA | : $2.54/gal | |
| Seabrook, NH | : $2.70/gal | Petersburg, VA | : $2.49/gal | |
| Danvers, MA | : $2.67/gal | Emporia, VA | : $2.49/gal | |
| Dedham, MA | : $2.65/gal | Roanoke Rapids, NC | : $2.56/gal | |
| Mansfield, MA | : $2.65/gal | Wilson, NC | : $2.59/gal | |
| Attleboro, MA | : $2.64/gal | Selma, NC | : $2.60/gal | |
| Pawtucket, RI | : $2.65/gal | Fayetteville, NC | : $2.59/gal | |
| Providence, RI | : $2.65/gal | Lumberton, NC | : $2.59/gal | |
| Warwick, RI | : $2.60/gal | Rowland, NC | : $2.58/gal | |
| Wyoming, RI | : $2.64/gal | Dillon, SC | : $2.56/gal | |
| New London, CT | : $2.72/gal | Florence, SC | : $2.50/gal | |
| New Haven, CT | : $2.85/gal | Manning, SC | : $2.50/gal | |
| Bridgeport, CT | : $2.85/gal | Santee, SC | : $2.51/gal | |
| Greenwich, CT | : $2.85/gal | Walterboro, SC | : $2.50/gal | |
| Rye, NY | : $2.88/gal | Savannah, GA | : $2.53/gal | |
| New Rochelle, NY | : $2.79/gal | Richmond Hill, GA | : $2.56/gal | |
| Bronx, NY | : $2.95/gal | Darien, GA | : $2.56/gal | |
| Secaucus, NJ | : $3.03/gal | Brunswick, GA | : $2.59/gal | |
| Woodbridge, NJ | : $2.90/gal | Woodbine, GA | : $2.63/gal | |
| East Brunswick, NJ | : $2.75/gal | Kingsland, GA | : $2.66/gal | |
| Bordentown, NJ | : $2.49/gal | Yulee, FL | : $2.65/gal | |
| Cherry Hill, NJ | : $2.51/gal | Jacksonville, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Penns Grove, NJ | : $2.48/gal | Saint Augustine, FL | : $2.72/gal | |
| Wilmington, DE | : $2.47/gal | Palm Coast, FL | : $2.77/gal | |
| Newark, DE | : $2.47/gal | Daytona Beach, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Elkton, MD | : $2.51/gal | Orlando, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Perryville, MD | : $2.45/gal | Cocoa, FL | : $2.62/gal | |
| Aberdeen, MD | : $2.57/gal | Palm Bay, FL | : $2.70/gal | |
| White Marsh, MD | : $2.56/gal | Fort Pierce, FL | : $2.72/gal | |
| Baltimore, MD | : $2.57/gal | Cape Coral, FL | : $2.76/gal | |
| Greenbelt, MD | : $2.57/gal | West Palm Beach, FL | : $2.75/gal | |
| District Heights, MD | : $2.57/gal | Miami, FL | : $2.76/gal |
For more I-95 information, visit www.i95exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida!
Traveling along Florida’s I-4? Gas prices are now available for selected cities along this route as well. Visit www.i4exitguide.com
Getaway Routes: Avoiding Delaware’s toll
[Join me for our weekly discussion of traffic and transit at noon. We can talk about the Thanksgiving getaway or any other transportation topic that's on your mind. Use this link if you'd like to submit a question or comment in advance.] Travelers have sent in some additional suggestions on how to avoid various problems typically encountered in the holiday getaway traffic. On the Commuter page in the Sunday Post, I offered my some alternative routes you could try this week. but here are a couple more. Dear Dr. Gridlock: I enjoyed your holiday travel column, but I think that there’s a better alternative than the 2nd choice you offer for avoiding the Delaware toll. Most of my extended family lives in lower Bucks County, Pa., which is just north of the city of Philadelphia on I-95. Here’s how I get there from the Washington area. I live in Arlington.