JAX, Florida- I-95 or I-295 enroute to Daytona

[Foy]

I'm leaving for Daytona at 00:dark:30 tomorrow morning. It's been 9 years since I drove down there, and that time I took the I-295 beltway around the west side of the city both coming and going inasmuch as I passed by at rush hour each time. I-95 through the city center is a fair amount shorter. I will pass through between 1 and 2pm tomorrow.

Should I shoot through the city or take the beltway at that time of day?

Thanks much,

Foy

[AZBuck]

Taking I-295 around the west of Jacksonville is just 10 miles longer than going through the heart of downtown. There might be a significant time saving by going west instead of straight through the city, but I doubt that there could ever be more than about a 10 minute saving by using I-95, On the other hand, there is a third alternative, and that is to take FL-9A around the east side of the city. This is only 2½ miles longer than I-95 and hits fewer suburbs than I-295. Just make sure that construction has completed before you use it!

AZBuck

[Foy]

It's hard to figure sometimes, but in some places it's better to run the ball right up the gut than to run the sweep. The highway through the city, as well as I can recall it, is good driving, but very congested at rush hours. The I-295 belt route to the west was extremely congested at rush hours when I was there 9 years ago.

I see the new route to the east on the maps, too. I'll be working the CB a little on the way down and will see if there's a current consensus as to the best way to go.

Foy