Going through Washington

I live in NJ and the last 3 times I have driven back from M.B. I seem to make a wrong turn and wind up in the city of Washington? I even have a GPS and they tell me to take I395 and I wind up on Pennsylvania Ave. Can someone please tell me what to look for in this area so I don%26#39;t go wrong?

Thanks,

Ed

Going through Washington

Ed, When you%26#39;re in the Inner Loop of 495/95 the 95 exit is on the left about 5 miles past teh Maryland stsate line.

Do you take 295 bypass of Richmond?

Going through Washington

yes, I take the 295 Richmond. I never have a problem on 95 going south, it%26#39;s just coming home.

My GPS sends me I395 which takes me through the city. I think it should be I495 which I think is called the beltway. The exits seem very close together and I always end up on the wrong one.

Yes you should look for 495/95 North the outer loop, which is I the right 169A. Going straight the roadway turns into 395

check out the map

http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient%26amp;rlz=1T4DKUS_enUS267US267%26amp;q=washington+loop+95+map%26amp;um=1%26amp;ie=UTF-8%26amp;split=0%26amp;gl=us%26amp;ei=OJjGSYKeO4KstgfGsfT1Dw%26amp;sa=X%26amp;oi=geocode_result%26amp;resnum=1%26amp;ct=image

The other posters gave you the correct info -- at Springfield, you want to get on 495 North/East. I think the sign for 495 likely indicates something like ';495 to Alexandria';. From there it is about 30-35 mins around DC to get back on 95 North towards Baltimore. Since 495 is indeed a beltway, it really wouldn%26#39;t matter if you got on the ';inner loop';. It is probably no more than 10 mins difference on which route you take around DC.

Your GPS must want you to take 395 to 295 N (which can be tricky) or it wants you to take 395 to the end where it dumps you on New York Ave (Route 50) which will also get you to 295 N. Neither are as easy as just taking 495 around DC.

Ed:

I avoid DC like the plague...we hit horrible traffic there the last few times %26amp; I%26#39;d much rather take more scenic routes.

One of these times, try taking 50E to Norfolk %26amp; cross the Chesapeake via the Bay Bridge/Tunnel...if you never have it can be breathtaking on a clear day, just seeing the roadway disappear into the bay!

Traveling up the DELMARVA peninsula into DE, you can either take the Cape May/Lewes ferry (a real treat that saves a little time but somewhat expensive) or travel up Rt.1 to the Delaware Memorial into NJ.

Maybe a little longer but give it a try, especially if the weather is nice. I even take 17N the whole way to Norfolk sometimes, a little longer but more direct. I%26#39;m just not an interstate lover.

As others have stated 395 doesn%26#39;t take you the way you want to go you want 495/Baltimore.

But be careful if you haven%26#39;t been within the past 1-2 years because the exits aren%26#39;t exactly they way they used to be. Especially heading south because the exits are different. And note the change on the Wilson Bridge heading south as well.

If you ever get confused just remember you want to be going to Baltimore not Washington coming north.