Best I-95 Drive Times On Thanksgiving 2017 In Maryland: MDTA

BALTIMORE, MD — More people are expected to hit the road this Thanksgiving holiday, and transportation officials are giving Maryland drivers an idea of ways to avoid the rush. Traffic is anticipated to increase on Maryland roads by 1.5 percent this Thanksgiving compared with last year, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).

Wednesday will be the heaviest day for travel, with Tuesday second busiest during the holiday.

More than 2.2 million are expected on Maryland highways, bridges and tunnels this Thanksgiving, according to the MDTA.

To help drivers avoid the traffic, authorities are offering up the best times to travel on I-95 in Maryland:

• Before 6 a.m. and after 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday
• Before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Thursday to Sunday

MDTA Police will be patrolling for impaired, distracted and aggressive drivers as well as those without seat belts. The agency will also have crews out helping stranded motorists; call #77 if your vehicle becomes disabled.

Construction-related lane closures will be lifted with the exception of the left shoulder on I-95 north of the Fort McHenry Tunnel.

In addition, two-way traffic will remain in effect on the Patapsco River Flats bridge on I-895 due to ongoing bridge deck replacement; the MDTA suggests taking an alternate route.

These are the projected traffic counts from the MDTA for Thanksgiving 2017, from Tuesday, Nov. 21, to Sunday, Nov. 26:

• More than 915,000 vehicles on Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95)
• Nearly 815,000 vehicles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (I-95)
• More than 530,000 vehicles on Bay Bridge (US 50/301)
• Combined 1,150,000 on Key Bridge (I-695), Harbor Tunnel (I-895), Hatem Bridge (US 40) and Nice Bridge (US 301)

Patch file photo of Fort McHenry Tunnel by Elizabeth Janney.

See Also:

• Thanksgiving 2017: Record Travel Likely, Tips From BWI Airport
• Google Predicts Best, Worst Thanksgiving Travel Times In Maryland