Alternate driving routes to avoid holiday traffic

Richmond and Outer Banks Heading to Richmond or points south? Interstate 95 is the most obvious choice, but it's also the one most likely to get backed up.

Instead, try U.S. 301 through Waldorf, La Plata and King George over the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge. (Google Maps)

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South on I-95 in Virginia Another option is to hop on U.S. 1. You might encounter a few lights through Dumfries, but eventually those fade away and you will encounter fairly clear roads.

Bonus: U.S. 1 runs parallel to I-95, which means you can keep tabs on traffic while enjoying a smooth ride. (Google Maps)

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South out of Northern Va. This trick is especially good for people coming from Northern Virginia or points west. Take U.S. 50 until it turns into U.S. 29, and then shoot down on Va. 620 to U.S. 17. This will take you to both I-95 and U.S. 1. (Google Maps)

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Philly, N.Y. and points to the North Going north on I-95 can be just as painful as heading south. The most direct route to Philadelphia and New York can get clogged on the best of days.

If the New Jersey Turnpike has you ready to jump out of the car, consider taking U.S. 1 north. The trip without traffic comes out to about six hours, which is what you would encounter on I-95 with traffic.

But like the southern option, taking U.S. 1 allows you to drive parallel to I-95, which means you can jump on any time if traffic allows. (Google Maps)

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Another northern option Another option is to take U.S. 1 to U.S. 40 East. It only adds a few minutes more than the U.S. 1 options, but can be a little pricey because of local tolls. (Google Maps)

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Detour through Annapolis If you have plenty of time on your hands, consider taking a detour through Annapolis. You can stop for lunch and enjoy the view before continuing north. (Google Maps)

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Delaware Beaches For those going to the Delaware beaches, there's some bad news: You don't have many options when it comes to crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, unless you're willing to go through the Baltimore area and all the way through the First State.

This coastal alternative on U.S. 1 south will take you to Dover, Rehoboth and Ocean City. (Google Maps)

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Options after crossing Chesapeake Bay Once you've crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge heading to the Delaware beaches, there are a bevy of ways to get to Dover, Reboboth and Ocean City. Try some of these smaller roads for traffic-free driving, WTOP's Dave Dildine says. (Google Maps)

Do you have a secret route you want to share? Email it to WTOP at backroads@wtop.com

Deep Creek Are you camping this holiday weekend? If you're heading to Deep Creek Lake State Park or points west, forget I-270 or I-70. Those highways fill up quickly, especially near Frederick County.

Instead, try U.S. 50. (Google Maps)

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Another Deep Creek/Western Md. option A second option would be to take Va. 7 through Reston, Sterling, Ashburn and Leesburg. (Google Maps)

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