Alternate routes to Blue Sky...

[Scott]

Some may know this already, but I've tried about every possible alternate route from the DC area to Blue Sky (Manquin), and here are a few tips:

1. About 90% of the time I-95 is backed up between DC and Fredericksburg, Rt.1 is empty. I don't know why, but the masses on 95 either don't know of the existence of Rt.1 or they mistakenly think it's backed up too---almost never is. So if 95 is a mess, take Rt.1!

2. The only trouble spot on Rt.1 is the traffic light in Fredericksburg at the Rappahannock bridge. I'm still trying to figure out a way around that!

3. From Fredericksburg to Manquin, an excellent alternate route is to take Rt.2 to Bowling Green, then pick up Rt.301. No matter what's happening on I-95, this route is just as fast, far more scenic, and almost always empty. (Just hang a left off 301 onto Rt.30 to get to Manquin.)

4. From Rt.30, some of you may know the crazy back-roads way to Blue Sky (via Rt.604). That's a scenic way to go, but it's just as fast to take Rt.30 all the way east to Rt.360 (at Central Garage), then hang a right on 360 and cruise down to a right on the other end of Rt.604 to Blue Sky.

5. Unless you're dying to go through Mechanicsville, it is not faster to get to Blue Sky by taking I-95 all the way down to I-295 East, then heading north on Rt.360. So don't do that! (Unless you're coming from Richmond.)

Hope this helps someone!
Scott

[rancerupp]

3. From Fredericksburg to Manquin, an excellent alternate route is to take Rt.2 to Bowling Green, then pick up Rt.301. No matter what's happening on I-95, this route is just as fast, far more scenic, and almost always empty. (Just hang a left off 301 onto Rt.30 to get to Manquin.)

I always take this route and have NEVER seen traffic. I think it is FASTER than Rt1.

Rance