Why Is I-70 West of Frederick Crowded? (Baltimore, Hagerstown: living, low cost)

[Hudlander]

I can't use the cruise control until I pass I-81 almost 80 miles from DC or Bal.
On I-66, as soon as I pass Haymarket at Route 15 it's all open road.

I don't understand, taking I-70 to I-81 isn't a major route for truckers or anybody.
NY/BOS traffic to the south is already on I-81 if not I-95.
Port of Baltimore to the west traffic uses I-83.
I just don't see the reason why it's not smooth like I-66 is west of 15.

[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.

[westsideboy]

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.

This is correct.

1. Maryland's geography creates these kind of bottlenecks
2. I-70 is both a major commuter corridor and a heavily traveled through road from the East Coast to the Midwest and back again.
3. Friday the gridlock increases heading west as the downstate people head west to recreate for the weekend, or visit family. On Sunday, the gridlock is heading back east again as people return to work.

[dkf747]

They need an alternate route. I still remember October 2001, when an accident close 70 West on Friday night, the one before Columbus Day. All of the traffic was routed onto US-40. It took hours and hours and hours and... to get from Frederick to Hagerstown, where it reopened. There is no other way to get through. I sometimes wonder what will happen if it was ever needed as an evacuation route.

[ki0eh]

On some of these weekends it might not be crazy to take US 220 from Cumberland north to Bedford, US 30 east to Breezewood (as I-70/76 PA Turnpike can also clog between Bedford and Breezewood), I-76/PA Turnpike east from Breezewood to Harrisburg West and I-83 south into Baltimore County.

This used to be even better but Sheetz built a new store in Breezewood and they changed the lanes. The maneuver described above used to be two lanes counter-flow but now it's only one thru to either I-76 or US 30 east, with a dedicated left into (effectively) Sheetz. Grrr.

[that412]

Originally Posted by dkf747

They need an alternate route. I still remember October 2001, when an accident close 70 West on Friday night, the one before Columbus Day. All of the traffic was routed onto US-40. It took hours and hours and hours and... to get from Frederick to Hagerstown, where it reopened. There is no other way to get through. I sometimes wonder what will happen if it was ever needed as an evacuation route.

There's always Alt 40, through Middletown and Boonsboro. I've used it during crazy accident stoppages on I-70 when the officially marked detour is U.S. 40, which, as you noted, quickly becomes a mess itself. Alt 40 never seems to get too crowded.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by that412

There's always Alt 40, through Middletown and Boonsboro. I've used it during crazy accident stoppages on I-70 when the officially marked detour is U.S. 40, which, as you noted, quickly becomes a mess itself. Alt 40 never seems to get too crowded.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH.

No! No! No!- Please, Alt 40 can barely handle the traffic it is subjected to daily let alone people who want to use it as a bypass to 70! I want to be able to turn out of my side street! the capacity Al least 40 is open road and doesn't slow down to 30 mph town main streets.

Seriously US-40 and Alt-40 cannot begin to work as a bypass for I-70, they just don't have the capacity.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH.

No! No! No!- Please, Alt 40 can barely handle the traffic it is subjected to daily let alone people who want to use it as a bypass to 70! I want to be able to turn out of my side street! the capacity Al least 40 is open road and doesn't slow down to 30 mph town main streets.

Seriously US-40 and Alt-40 cannot begin to work as a bypass for I-70, they just don't have the capacity.

When I lived in Frederick, I normally used Rt. 40 on Fridays and Sundays rather than I-70. Except for the stretch through Hagerstown, it is pretty smooth sailing. Heck, if you get it right, the lights are timed in Hagerstown that if you are going the speed limit, and hit a green one on the move, you can make it through them all.


But as for Alt. 40....yeah, you can keep it. It is a very windy road and not a good through road to anywhere except the communities it serves.

[that412]

I only invoked Alt-40 as an alternate route when both I-70 and regular 40 are totally clogged, as per this poster's complaint:

Originally Posted by dkf747

All of the traffic was routed onto US-40. It took hours and hours and hours and... to get from Frederick to Hagerstown, where it reopened.

Of course Alt-40 is not ideal as a regular bypass, but it's hardly excruciating if the other options are bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-70 or U.S. 40. I'd rather be moving constantly at 35-40 mph with the occasional traffic light than inching along on a bigger, faster road.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by that412

I only invoked Alt-40 as an alternate route when both I-70 and regular 40 are totally clogged, as per this poster's complaint:



Of course Alt-40 is not ideal as a regular bypass, but it's hardly excruciating if the other options are bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-70 or U.S. 40. I'd rather be moving constantly at 35-40 mph with the occasional traffic light than inching along on a bigger, faster road.

I'm sure if both were clogged then people would be trying Alt 40? If it was as clogged as it was that afternoon, I'd take any route over the hours we spent on 40.