directions from Philly

I havent been down to Myrtle since %26#39;04, last time I went I took:

95 S to 495 W around DC, rejoined with 95 S until i hit SC, took 38 E to 501 and 501 into Myrtle.... this seemed to be a pretty efficient route, but I%26#39;m open to suggestions on making the trip quicker. I%26#39;m leaving on Saturday morning at about 5am if that helps.

directions from Philly

When I%26#39;m coming back into the beach from being out of town and coming in on 95 N I%26#39;d exit on Rt 74 east to Rt 701 south, to Rt 9 South, to Rt 31 South...then depending on where you are staying at the beach you have a number of exits off Rt 31...if staying right in MB you%26#39;d take the R. Grissom exit..... this will keep you off Rt 501 which can really get backed up at certain times of day.

:)

directions from Philly

Just so you know, I live right near the Wilson Bridge. The traffic will be a nightmare coming through there around 7 am on Saturday if construction is going on. Philly is about 2.5 hours from the bridge and on Saturday mornings the construction for the new bridge is going on. Sometimes they close the bridge sometimes they don%26#39;t. You will need to listen to the traffic reports once you enter the DC area. (1500 am) or whatever the signs direct you to. I will check my local reports to see if they are closing the bridge. (295 exit right at the bridge will be your detour)

I always use 395 which will take you past the Pentagon which will take you to the Springfield mixing bowl where you would get out after that confusion. This always cuts about 15-20 minutes when going 95 south.

After that you can follow MBConcierge directions. I go that way as well. It%26#39;s through small towns, and some lights but actually it will cut about 1.5 hours out of your drive. The further north you stay in MB the shorter time as well. 1.5 is staying near the Breakers.

Great info, thanks so much you two.

MBConcierge, approximately where is the exit for Rt. 74 (I%26#39;m assuming it%26#39;s in NC somewhere, but how far in?%26lt;coming from the north on 95S)

MrsMaryland, so you%26#39;re suggesting my route should be 95S to 395 (which direction does that go?) and then back to 95? I%26#39;m a DC-area rookie, but I%26#39;m great with directions -- just in that area all the ';95%26#39;s'; confuse the heck out of me.

And wow, cutting 1.5 hours off the drive going that way?? That%26#39;s awesome - I don%26#39;t mind going through towns as long as there%26#39;s not TOO many lights.

I%26#39;m staying at the Carolina Grande on 26th N %26amp; Ocean Blvd. so I%26#39;d probably take the Grissom exit off 31.

Thanks again for the help.

Rooster...

You%26#39;ll catch Rt 74 just south of Lumberton in NC, probably less than 40 miles from the state line. Then since you are staying at the Carolina Grande, you will take the Grissom exit off Rt 31, stay on Grissom until you reach 29th Ave N. At this light you will see Broadway at the Beach on the opposite right hand side of the street, you will turn left here, take 29th Ave N down to Ocean Blvd, turn right, and the Carolina Grande will be about 3 blocks down on your right hand side!

Have a safe trip! And yes, its amazing how much time this route can save you! Rt 31 is 6 lanes at 60 mph (posted speed limit) and not alot of traffic, compared to Rt 501!

:)

Cool, sounds good - I just Google Map%26#39;d my way from Lumberton to Myrtle along your suggested route and it seems very easy - thanks so much!

Well, to get to 395 there is no direct route for you. You don%26#39;t want to do 495. That is way out of the way and it takes too long.

Just stick with the bridge. And if it is closed then the detour (they will have signs) will be 295 which will take you to 395/Downtown exit through DC then through VA/ right past the Pentagon, your just going around the bridge getting out at Springfield Mixing Bowl.

Nice little scenic view. You can actually see the Washington Navy Yard, The Capitol Building, the Monument, The Jefferson Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, The Pentagon, all withing a 1 mile of each other just driving by.

295 is just the BW PKWY once you get to the DC line. 395 is just the Northern VA (Pentagon, Pentagon City, Arlington, National Airport) thoroughfare. I Know it sounds confusing don%26#39;t worry.

At the time of morning you will be coming through, I don%26#39;t see the Wilson Bridge as being a problem. Most locals are sleep that time of morning. I couldn%26#39;t find anything regarding the bridge closing on the local reports.

Read the following excerpt from an article from the Washington Post this morning.

Wilson Bridge Milestone Billed as One to Bypass

By Steven Ginsberg

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, June 8, 2006; Page A01

Some driver will make history this weekend as the first to cross the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge now that one of its two spans is completed, but project managers planning for the opening warn that the honor may not be worth waiting through hours-long traffic jams.

Lane closures and detours needed to switch traffic from the old bridge to the new span could cause backups that could stretch for miles and last one to four hours, depending on how many drivers stay away, project officials said. The restrictions will last from 8 p.m. tomorrow until 5 a.m. Monday so workers can realign the Capital Beltway to feed into the new bridge.

If all goes according to plan, the first vehicle to cross the bridge will pass sometime Saturday afternoon or early evening.

While the work progresses, the outer loop of the Beltway in Virginia will be reduced to a single lane for up to four miles, ensuring backups for at least that stretch. Interstate 95 traffic will be detoured at Springfield, where drivers will be directed to the western half of the Beltway or north on Interstate 395 to minimize the number of cars crossing the bridge.

Additionally, the ramp from Route 1 to the outer loop will close at 8 p.m. tomorrow for the remainder of the weekend. The ramps from the outer loop to Interstate 295 and Route 210 in Maryland will close at 8 p.m. tomorrow and reopen midday Saturday.

Project officials said that if 60 percent of normal weekend traffic avoids the area, delays will last about an hour. But if only 50 percent take another route, delays could last as long as four hours and backups on the Beltway could stretch 14 miles. Officials also expect backups on I-95 south of Springfield because of the detours.

A second weekend of traffic-stopping closures is scheduled for July 14 to 16, when inner loop traffic moves over to the new bridge.

Yikes - if I stick to my familiar route of hopping on 495 W until it rejoins 95, will that bypass all of this mess? Thanks again so much for your help (I certainly didn%26#39;t want to be stuck in a huge backup on 95, the drive is bad enough as it is!)

Yep. You will surely miss this mess. If you know that way go for it.