Beltway Traffic on FedEx Game Days?

[RL04]

I have to be in Montgomery County on Sunday afternoon, the day of the playoff game (which starts at 4:30pm).

When is traffic on the inner loop of the Beltway (Northern Virginia into Maryland) at its worst?

Thanks.

[Slateman]

Pretty awful. Around 1-2 hours prior to game time. My advice is to get in the left hand lane and take the least crowded exit. They don't seem to advertise that you can take other exits and get to Fed Ex. Especially if you have a GPS.

[comish4lif]

I have to be in Montgomery County on Sunday afternoon, the day of the playoff game (which starts at 4:30pm).

When is traffic on the inner loop of the Beltway (Northern Virginia into Maryland) at its worst?

Thanks.

Coming from where? If you go through the mixing bowl and across the American Legion Bridge, you may not hit any 'Skins traffic...

[RL04]

Sorry ... over American Legion Bridge.

Don't know why anyone would go over Wilson to get to Montgomery County.

So, if I'm going over the American Legion Bridge at least two hours before kickoff, I should be ok?

I thought people tail-gate and therfore try to get to the stadium two hours before game time.

Thanks.

[MarquisDeSade]

I thought people tail-gate and therfore try to get to the stadium two hours before game time.

If you get there two hours before game time you're going to be pounding your pud looking for parking until the third quarter.

[comish4lif]

Sorry ... over American Legion Bridge.

Don't know why anyone would go over Wilson to get to Montgomery County.

So, if I'm going over the American Legion Bridge at least two hours before kickoff, I should be ok?

I thought people tail-gate and therfore try to get to the stadium two hours before game time.

Thanks.

The Legion Bridge on a game day shouldn't be a problem....

[GburgNatsFan]

The first and only time I went to Fed Ex, for an exhibition 'skins game, I left my house in Montgomery County two hours before game time and got in to the stadium in time for the 2nd quarter to start.

Sorry ... over American Legion Bridge.

Don't know why anyone would go over Wilson to get to Montgomery County.

So, if I'm going over the American Legion Bridge at least two hours before kickoff, I should be ok?

I thought people tail-gate and therfore try to get to the stadium two hours before game time.

Thanks.

[1995hoo]

I got the impression the original post is not asking about getting to the game, but rather what to expect the traffic to be like on the Virginia side of the Beltway over the Legion Bridge prior to the game. It shouldn't be all that bad unless there's an accident. If you have an E-ZPass you can always use the Express Lanes in Virginia if you want. They might not make much difference on a Sunday afternoon, but if the Tysons area is busy they do allow you to blow past all the slow traffic in the general lanes.

Depending on where in Montgomery County you're headed, the Beltway east of Wisconsin Avenue (MD-355) can sometimes pose a problem due to roadwork. A football afternoon can be a good time to use the Intercounty Connector to bypass some of that, again depending on where you're heading. I'd rather pay a toll and keep moving at 55–65 mph than sit in slow or stopped traffic on the Beltway.

[RL04]

I got the impression the original post is not asking about getting to the game, but rather what to expect the traffic to be like on the Virginia side of the Beltway over the Legion Bridge prior to the game.

Well, half right.
I thought it was pretty clear:  "I have to be in Montgomery County on Sunday afternoon, the day of the playoff game."

I have traveled on the beltway a couple of times in the past on home game days and with all the cars with team flags and such it was pretty obvious that game attendees are a good part of the traffic.

But I never paid that much attention to when I was traveling in relation to game time and I certainly didn't take notes.
So, I was asking what inner loop traffic is like on the Beltway on game days and approximately how long before game time does it get bad.

The other thing to keep in mind, is the exact spot of where I'm going is not that important.
If the traffic starts at Route 50, or at I-95, it can still be felt many, many miles further back.

Sorry for any confusion.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I hit the perfect storm driving back from my grandma's place in joisey a few years ago...managed to run into heavy traffic for the Eagles (I guess many of whose fans are from S. Jersey), the Ravens, and the Skins, in that order.  I think there may have been an Orioles game as well just to add to the general clusterpuck.

[CALSGR8]

Ravens and Skins at home this weekend as well as Metro Challenges!