Recommended driving routes from our area to West Point
(Provided by club members in Maryland, DC and Virginia -
if you have a favorite route from your home, please send it to
wppc-mddcva-owner@west-point.org.)
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I live North of Baltimore and typically drive I-83 North to I- 81 to I-84 in Scranton, PA, across to West Point. It is 20 - 30 miles longer on the map but the lack of congestion more than makes up for it. My typical run rarely exceeds 4 hours. I had one occasion to go up directly from my work south of Baltimore this year and choose the I-95 route for that trip because it is significantly shorter mile-wise. Mapquest put it at 249 vice 294 for my normal route; however the trip took me over 7 hours due to road construction in Delaware and accidents on the southbound side of I-95 and the Garden state parkway that significantly backed up the northbound lanes.
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We live in Manassas and of course our GPS wants us to go the typical route to WP, 395, Jersey Tnpk, and so on, well we buck that and upset the GPS voice (who of course keeps telling us to make u-turns and get back on their preferred course, until finally it re-computes). We go either 15 (past Gettysburg to I-81, or I-66 to I-81 and it easy from there. I believe we pick up 17 or 9 and it is about 6 hours, no traffic, no tolls, and a beautiful leisurely drive. Just another option, you might consider when you weigh dealing with traffic and tolls, especially on long weekends and the holidays.
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As a USMA grad who lives in Lovettsville (NW of Leesburg) and who grew up in NJ, I always take the I-81 route (I-83 to I-81 works also). You also have the option of taking I-84 at Scranton to WP or I-78 or I-80 to I-287 in NJ. I-78 always has some construction and the trucks usually take that to NYC. I-80 gets the rest of the trucks to NYC and the road is a little beat-up since it is a main east-west artery across the U.S. The smoothest ride (traffic and road) is through Scranton, plus there is rarely any stop-and-go traffic. Psychologically, for those of us traveling in cars, it is great to be constantly moving until you arrive at your destination. My total mileage is a little over 300 miles and I usually make it in either direction in under 5 hours.
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We live in Burke (Fairfax County) and have tried all the options over the last 3 1/2 years. We prefer to take the 95/Harbor Tunnel/NJ Turnpike/Palisades route. Yes, sometimes it is horrible and we have sometimes detoured (northbound) onto 295 after the Delaware Memorial Bridge and then back to the Turnpike above whatever exits are having trouble. I have never had a good experience with the Garden State Parkway. Our best time with the 95 route from Thayer Gate to Burke, just under 5 hours. By far, in our opinion, the worst legs of the trip are simply getting away from DC and Delaware.
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I-83 North to I- 81 to I-84: This is the only route I've ever done from Washington DC. There is a nice hotel right off I-84 Middletown on 17M that is only 35 minutes from West Point so we've stayed there a couple of times this fall when the local hotels were full. There is also the really great advantage that the first exit into New York on I-84 actually touches New Jersey so I get gas about 50 cents a gallon cheaper than New York prices. I fill up go into New York do visiting and then fill up again for the return trip. The drive time is fairly reliable and the traffic is always moving. I can't imagine doing anything else.
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We've tried all manner of ways to get there, and to be honest we use the clock. If you leave on Saturday morning of a non-holiday weekend at 5 a.m. you'll be there between 9 and 10 easy. I try the State Web sites for ongoing construction projects then do a work around. But in the end, it's all about the time of day you leave. Hitting rush hour in Baltimore, or on that little stretch by New York City can make a huge difference! I'm about to sign onto the train option!
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