Maryland

Road Tripping? Best and Worst Times to Leave for the Fourth of July

The absolute worst congestion in the D.C. area is expected on Sunday, July 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

What to Know

  • More than 1 million people are expected to hit the roads around D.C. for the Fourth of July holiday, and that means traffic congestion
  • The busiest traffic day around D.C. for the Independence Day holiday will likely be Sunday, July 7
  • In general, you can beat the traffic by leaving early in the morning or late in the evening

Fireworks, cookouts and spending time with friends and family are some of the best parts of the Fourth of July. Sitting in traffic might be the worst.

If you're planning a driving trip in celebration of America's birthday, you'll have more than 1 million D.C.-area residents to keep you company on the roads, AAA predicts. A carefully planned commute could save you a lot of time stuck in traffic.

Nationwide, Wednesday, July 3, could have record-level delays because holiday travelers and commuters will all be on the road. In general, aim to leave early in the morning or late at night to avoid traffic.

Traveling on the Fourth? Leave early. The Virginia Department of Transportation's travel trends map predicts little to no congestion on roads until about 9:30 a.m. After that, expect substantial stretches of the Beltway, I-95 and I-64 to be moderately to heavily congested until about 8:30 p.m.

HOV restrictions on I-66 and I-395 will be lifted in Virginia on July 4, along with rush hour tolls on 66 Express Lanes inside the Beltway.

Travelers could encounter isolated spots with bad traffic on Friday and Saturday, but the major roads aren't expected to be too busy.

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Overall, the most congested time for round-trippers in the D.C. metro region will likely be on Sunday, July 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., AAA and INRIX predict. With everyone hoping to relax at home before getting back to the grind, you'll want to either get an early start or leave late, savoring those last hours of vacation.

VDOT's travel trends map indicates that same problem period on Sunday, especially on I-95. The most problematic stretch of that road is between Fredericksburg and Lorton: Avoid it from 10 a.m. through midnight.

And if you're headed over the Cheseapeake Bay Bridge, bring your patience throughout the holiday week. The Maryland State Highway Administration generally advises going over before 10 a.m. or after 10 p.m. NBC4 will let you know when Maryland releases more information about travel times.

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