Why Is I-70 West of Frederick Crowded? (Baltimore: traffic, route)

[kcmo]

Enforcing staying to the right and letting people pass on left would take care of 90% of the problem. It's a very high volume route, especially on Fridays and Sundays, but most of the actual congestion and delays are caused by people that just don't know how to drive. I spend half my time passing people in the far right truck lanes because people can't seem to get their modern cars to go above 55 mph for some reason. It's the same problem with 95, 66 etc out outside of DC. People just don't understand that with the volumes of traffic the interstates around here carry, all it takes is ONE slow driver in the left lane for a few miles to trigger a delay that can last hours behind them.

[seanlax]

kcmo:
Literally my life on route 50 and 113. It's not that hard to figure out!

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by Crystal Lance

It is major path from Pittsburgh and midwest to DC area which is probaby most visited city in US. Plus a lot of people from DC commute to Hagerstown area for low cost of living. There is also no other easy way to get to 81 in Maryland due to the mountain range.

But that doesn't make sense.

IF the traffic was due to it being DC/BAL to PIT/the west then I'd expect I-70 to be unpleasant past Hagerstown.

Yet instead, right after you pass I-81 it opens up a lot.
I can never use cruise control before I-81 but can right after.

Clearly there is a major drop-off there and I don't get why.
I will assume the I-70 to I-81 traffic is heading south, since it would make no sense to take I-70 to I-81 north.

So what is it?
Truck traffic from Philly/Baltimore/North of DC going SW on I-81?
Because when I have taken I-81 from Hagerstown south, same thing, it's crowded.

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

You have Int 70 and Int 270 merging into one highway going west. And the OP can't understand why that creates congestion? Really?

I can't understand WHY that congestion suddenly, rapidly, eases past I-81.
Didn't think there was a lot of I-81/SW VA traffic.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

But that doesn't make sense.

IF the traffic was due to it being DC/BAL to PIT/the west then I'd expect I-70 to be unpleasant past Hagerstown.

Yet instead, right after you pass I-81 it opens up a lot.
I can never use cruise control before I-81 but can right after.

Clearly there is a major drop-off there and I don't get why.
I will assume the I-70 to I-81 traffic is heading south, since it would make no sense to take I-70 to I-81 north.

So what is it?
Truck traffic from Philly/Baltimore/North of DC going SW on I-81?
Because when I have taken I-81 from Hagerstown south, same thing, it's crowded.

There's cities, towns, and businesses all around Hagerstown. There's not much after 81, so lots of cars exit at one of the exits. There's quite a few towns down 81 South in WV. It's pretty busy there.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

I can't understand WHY that congestion suddenly, rapidly, eases past I-81.
Didn't think there was a lot of I-81/SW VA traffic.

A lot of traffic from the east coast heading south/southwest takes I-81 to avoid I-95. It is a big truck route to TN, AL, GA, TX and west. Especially in the winter to avoid weather further north

[htownterp]

The part of MD that Hagerstown is in is only twelve miles long from top to bottom. There's quite a lot of people living in Franklin County PA and Berkeley County WV that commute to Hagerstown, Frederick, and the outer edges of DC suburbs to work as well. But still...on Fridays and Sundays, traffic can still be backed up west of Hagerstown heading toward Cumberland/Breezewood.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by htownterp

The part of MD that Hagerstown is in is only twelve miles long from top to bottom. There's quite a lot of people living in Franklin County PA and Berkeley County WV that commute to Hagerstown, Frederick, and the outer edges of DC suburbs to work as well. But still...on Fridays and Sundays, traffic can still be backed up west of Hagerstown heading toward Cumberland/Breezewood.

Yes, and because the interstate is 2 lanes from I-81 to the I-68 juncture, the traffic can get very bunched up and heavy. The REAL change isn't seen unless you stay on I-68. Traffic congestion there is always because of construction or an accident.

[santafe400]

I think it actually use to be a bit worst 10 years ago. I remember I-70 west of I-695 was still a wide open 3-lane highway, until you entered the city of Frederick and all of a sudden I-70 was reduced to just 2 lanes in one direction. I think truck traffic has a-lot to due with the congestion that occurs on the Hagerstown to Frederick stretch of I-70. Remember, that a sizable minority of trucks pick-up and drop-off loads from in and around the port of Baltimore. Medium sized population centers that service nearby I-81 as well, especially Harrisburg serve as important hub and warehouse centers for freight traveling up and down the eastern seaboard.

[dkf747]

A portion of 70 West of 695 is only 2 lanes, not 3. It becomes 3 after a few miles.