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Thanksgiving in Baltimore


champagne123
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Returning from a cruise on Thanksgiving Day.  Never really thought about traffic ..but now I am second guessing myself.  We have to drive back to NJ, and I know Thanksgiving Day Traffic in NJ is horrific.  Seriously debating staying in a hotel in Baltimore, that night.  We would prefer to be on the road, but don't want to take 8 hours to get home, in bumper to bumper traffic...via 95.   Any ideas? 

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If you do a few Google searches for Thanksgiving week traffic, you’ll find analysts saying that early on Thanksgiving Day itself is a better day to travel. (Not that there won’t be traffic on any day of that long holiday weekend.)  On Friday, you are going to have a mix of the regular Friday traffic, holiday traffic, people heading to malls, etc.  I think your best bet will probably be to get off the ship as early as you can (walk off if you are able) and hit the road.  If I were that close to home after a cruise, I think I’d want to just get home, not spend the night in Baltimore.  But if you do decide to stay over, I would get a really early start on Friday.  

 

Good luck either way, and enjoy your cruise! 

 

(I assume since you live in NJ that you have an Easy Pass. That is not a trip to take without one!)

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I answered the other thread you started on this.

 

But in general, I find that traffic is worst on Wednesday afternoon/evening.  Then not bad until Saturday evening and all day Sunday.

 

But traffic around the malls will be VERY heavy on Friday.

 

On T-day itself, morning is bit heavier than afternoon/evening (people are in eating or watching football).

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I have driven from Baltimore to NYC on Thanksgiving morning.  Generally, before noon is just fine.  Later than that, you start running into traffic with people going to dinner.  Should not be an 8 hour trip.  That will be on Sunday.

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Having driven I #95 north and south from Harford county to Baltimore  for 40 plus years for work, I can tell you the traffic  will be worse as the morning progresses.   You may hit your first slow down about a mile or so after you exit the tunnel. You next back up will begin before exit #74 North as the  lanes will go from 4 to 3. Your other back up will be before  the Susquehanna  Bridge and continue up to the toll plaza.

 

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On 10/24/2018 at 8:45 AM, Turtles06 said:

If you do a few Google searches for Thanksgiving week traffic, you’ll find analysts saying that early on Thanksgiving Day itself is a better day to travel. (Not that there won’t be traffic on any day of that long holiday weekend.)  On Friday, you are going to have a mix of the regular Friday traffic, holiday traffic, people heading to malls, etc.  I think your best bet will probably be to get off the ship as early as you can (walk off if you are able) and hit the road.  If I were that close to home after a cruise, I think I’d want to just get home, not spend the night in Baltimore.  But if you do decide to stay over, I would get a really early start on Friday.  

 

Good luck either way, and enjoy your cruise! 

 

(I assume since you live in NJ that you have an Easy Pass. That is not a trip to take without one!)

 

 

Uh oh.....no, I do not have an  EZ pass.  Do the tolls via NJ to Maryland not accept cash?  They do in NJ.  We rarely are on Toll Roads, but when we are, NJ takes cash.  I don't even think I have enough time to receive one, as we leave in two weeks. 

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23 minutes ago, champagne123 said:

 

 

Uh oh.....no, I do not have an  EZ pass.  Do the tolls via NJ to Maryland not accept cash?  They do in NJ.  We rarely are on Toll Roads, but when we are, NJ takes cash.  I don't even think I have enough time to receive one, as we leave in two weeks. 

 

OMG -- I thought everyone from NJ was given an EZ Pass at birth!   Yes, you can pay cash at the tolls, BUT you will likely be waiting in very long lines, whereas there are dedicated lanes for EZ Pass that let you breeze right through (waving at all the folks in the next lane over backed up for 20-30 minutes with their cash).

 

There are EZ Pass Customer Service Centers in NJ where you can apply in person.  You might even be able to get the EZ Pass then and there, I don't know.  But I would really advise you to check into this right now, and get one if you can.  Please, do yourself a favor and give them a call today and check into it.  Here are some useful links from their web site:

 

https://www.ezpassnj.com/en/about/csc.shtml

 

https://www.ezpassnj.com/en/about/faqs.shtml

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Omg!  You are the best.  Thank you for this info.  Going to Newark or Camden are really out of the question for me..as they are the two most "unsafe" cities in NJ.  (had to do jury duty years ago in Newark)  Holy #$@#.   I will call and see how quickly via mail, I can get one.  I can't seem to find that info on the link you sent me.  Thank you again for the info and advice!!!!

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20 hours ago, Tony O said:

Having driven I #95 north and south from Harford county to Baltimore  for 40 plus years for work, I can tell you the traffic  will be worse as the morning progresses.   You may hit your first slow down about a mile or so after you exit the tunnel. You next back up will begin before exit #74 North as the  lanes will go from 4 to 3. Your other back up will be before  the Susquehanna  Bridge and continue up to the toll plaza.

 

 

We are local.


I ride the train to DC. 😄

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2 hours ago, champagne123 said:

Omg!  You are the best.  Thank you for this info.  Going to Newark or Camden are really out of the question for me..as they are the two most "unsafe" cities in NJ.  (had to do jury duty years ago in Newark)  Holy #$@#.   I will call and see how quickly via mail, I can get one.  I can't seem to find that info on the link you sent me.  Thank you again for the info and advice!!!!

 

In MD, you can buy one at the supermarket in the checkout lanes.

 

I had to replace one that was acting up, and the replacement was in hand in 2 days by mail.

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