Va. Beach..Rt17 or 95?
- Thread starter willie
- Start date
Agee
Well-Known Member
about 50 miles out, you start running through the small towns, once you get into Glouster, Yorktown even more local traffic. You need to pick-up 64 once getting down around Yorktown. That being said, 95 to 64 is quicker, if you pick a time to avoid 95 traffic and the delays due to 64 road work and delays associated with the Williamsburg area. If its a Holiday weekend, I'll choose 17 to avoid 95/64 issues. Of course the biggest delays are the Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel. Pay attention to the traffics signs, if the HRBT is backed-up, take the Monitor Merrimac alternative. Little longer, but your not sitting in traffic.
I do this drive a lot when heading towards OBX. It comes down to two things: 1) Your preference of time vs. quality of drive and 2) When you're driving.
If I am heading south mid-week to go fishing, I do the whole 95 to 295 to 64 route. At that point, I am trying to get there as fast as possible. On the way home though, it's usually a little more relaxed pace and I am appreciate the scenery of 17. Being that I am running 17 into 301 and coming across the Nice Bridge, I like that I only have to drive 301 in VA (speed trap central) for 15 minutes as opposed to an hour when coming off 95.
If you're hitting in mid-rush hour, I tend to stay on 64 as the added cars on 17 coupled with the lights tends to make it a faster drive.
If I am heading south mid-week to go fishing, I do the whole 95 to 295 to 64 route. At that point, I am trying to get there as fast as possible. On the way home though, it's usually a little more relaxed pace and I am appreciate the scenery of 17. Being that I am running 17 into 301 and coming across the Nice Bridge, I like that I only have to drive 301 in VA (speed trap central) for 15 minutes as opposed to an hour when coming off 95.
If you're hitting in mid-rush hour, I tend to stay on 64 as the added cars on 17 coupled with the lights tends to make it a faster drive.
1stGenSMIB
Active Member
Route 17!
I recently went to Hampton and took Rt 17. We've found the best route is to jump over to I-64 at the McDonald's (Fort Eustis Blvd., Rt 105) a few miles after the Yorktown Bridge. This gets you off Rt 17 before you have too many traffic lights & Rt 105 is now finished and paved and easy.
We also had a GREAT meal on the way home at Ann's Diner in Glenns, VA. It is near the intersection of Rt 33 & Rt 17, a little south of Saluda. The kid that is running it named it after his Grandmother. Nice, fresh food, and reasonably priced, and it isn't a chain.
We were also towing a boat, so not being on the Interstate pissing off the faster traffic was nice.
I recently went to Hampton and took Rt 17. We've found the best route is to jump over to I-64 at the McDonald's (Fort Eustis Blvd., Rt 105) a few miles after the Yorktown Bridge. This gets you off Rt 17 before you have too many traffic lights & Rt 105 is now finished and paved and easy.
We also had a GREAT meal on the way home at Ann's Diner in Glenns, VA. It is near the intersection of Rt 33 & Rt 17, a little south of Saluda. The kid that is running it named it after his Grandmother. Nice, fresh food, and reasonably priced, and it isn't a chain.
We were also towing a boat, so not being on the Interstate pissing off the faster traffic was nice.
Last edited:
I made that trip every weekend for 10 years. The majority of the time, 17 is quicker because of 95/295/64 traffic issues. 17 is now 60 MPH in a good stretch out of Port Royal. Cops leave you alone at 4-5 above the posted. As somebody said, jump of at Rt 105 5 miles south of the Coleman Bridge. The HRBT can be an issue. The signs will let you know the back up if there is one. My experience is if the back up is less than 4 miles or so, it is better to just suck it up and go with it. The MMBT/664 route is longer. As stated, Annies is a good place to eat! Also Lowrys in Tappahannock. An enjoyable trip if you aren't in a hurry going back is to get off at Saluda and take Rt 3 through the Northern Neck of Va. Nice drive but 1.5 hours longer. Bottom line, I always go 17 now because the odds are better time and traffic wise.
Beta
Smile!
This is the best advice you can get.
17 is definitely slower than 95 unless you're driving at 2am and you hit every light on 17. Google map it.
That being said, 17 is much more relaxed than 95 and until you hit ~Yorktown it's smooth sailing. Once you start hitting the local traffic and the lights, it's quicker to hop on 64. But I usually stay on 17 all the way until it merges w/ 64 in Newport News. That's just a preference though -- I know I'm taking a slightly slower route.
NewsJunky
Member
Route 17 is a much nicer drive and moves right along because there is no traffic. Speed limit is 60 and 65 in some areas. Watch out for cops in medium. Look for Ft. Eustis Blvd (like another poster said) and cross over there to 64. Its the only way I go to VA Beach. Forget 95 and all the trucks.
Goldenhawk
Well-Known Member
This is excellent advice. I've been making this drive to relative's houses in the Virginia Beach area for 25 years. Both 17 and 95/64 are essentially equal on time, if traffic is not a factor. But 95 can go nuts in zero time, so I base the decision on a Google Maps with real-time traffic info, or the Waze app; I look at it as I approach the 17/301 intersection and decide which way to go. I also factor in how laid-back I feel; 17 is more leisurely, but it's also full of stoplights.
Fully agree about the speed limit; Gloucester (the last 15-20 miles north of the Coleman bridge) especially is a speed trap haven.
Fully agree about the Rt 105 flip from 17 over to 64 just south of Yorktown. AVOID AVOID AVOID the last segment of 17 thru Grafton to Newport News. It's a mess every time, and will nearly double the remaining drive time even though it's shorter. (Unless, of course, 64 is jammed.)
If you don't use Waze, try it. Seriously. Real-time rerouting based on traffic; real-time notification of user-submitted traffic and cops and red light cameras. It will automatically detour you if traffic builds up. It is SCARY accurate on arrival time; it learns your driving speeds and adjusts its predictions automatically. We drove from Florida to Virginia last month and we arrived within five minutes of its prediction after a 14-hour trip (with expected time slips for gas and food stops, of course), and it usually is correct within a minute or two for moderate drives such as to Waldorf.
I was going to say, usually take 17 like I'm going to Williamsburg but pick up I-64. I think you end up gong over the same bridge into Norfolk and the Va Beach.
Beta
Smile!
Good advice. Question for you: since Google maps links to the Waze app and uses that for accident data, what does Waze provide that Google maps doesn't? Usually I get real-time updates on traffic, plus road incidents, straight in Google maps. Is there additional info in Waze?
Goldenhawk
Well-Known Member
I've seen the "Reported on Waze" links in Google; they bought Waze a couple years ago. But I've found that the Waze app is MUCH faster at showing incidents. Google seems to wait until they've been (in my opinion) over-confirmed. Also, the Waze app allows you to see much more detail; Google will only show one incident in an area, while Waze will show each and every driver report, allowing you to see just how many different people are reporting the problem. You can also read comments by drivers, such as "Big accident; rig overturned; all lanes blocked." instead of merely "Accident reported by Waze".
On the other hand, I always switch back to Google Maps for route overviews (it's a pain to zoom out and get the big picture in Waze) and for finding nearby gas or food. Google's search tools are just better for that.
Beta
Smile!
Oh wow, that's the kind of information I've always been wondering about (which lane is closed?, etc). That could be pretty useful. Thanks!
personally
301 south across into va. continue 301 all the way to 295 [Richmond beltway] to 64
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dah...4161080a32e0173!2m2!1d-75.977985!2d36.8529263
301 south across into va. continue 301 all the way to 295 [Richmond beltway] to 64
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dah...4161080a32e0173!2m2!1d-75.977985!2d36.8529263
IIRC - Waze was developed originally as a crowd source commuter app ..... ie all the info displayed in Waze comes from Waze users ....
right down to the community modified maps [not sure how much this is still true - but it users used to be able to make corrections to the Waze maps]
RareBreed
Throwing the deuces
Can still make corrections. I've been using Waze for about two months and love it. Use it daily.