Quote Originally Posted by dragon49 View Post
If there is no northeast snow or other adverse conditions, I'm also assuming that the first day of the trip should be relatively traffic and problem free.
Assuming that there will be no traffic problems on I-95 between NY and Richmond is kind of a fools errand.

I will guess that being that Jan 1 is on a Friday this year, so holiday traffic should be relatively low - plus the pandemic limiting travel - it probably is about the best case you could hope for. Still, it does not take much, like a single crash, to cause cascading problems and back ups.

You're looking at about 1200 miles for this trip, which is the upper limit of what we recommend for a 2 day trip - and usually that would not include traveling through this hyper-busy corridor. Your 11 hour maximum is probably still close to a best case.

I would again say the key will still be to stay flexible, and make sure you know where you want to go so you have an idea of all your options. For example, rather than staying on I-95 which will take you through Philadelphia, you'll be better off just sticking to the NJ Turnpike all the way to Delaware. Similarly, there are lots of alternative routes through and around Baltimore and DC, which may be better options, depending upon the traffic. Try to stay as alert and informed as you can - but do your best to look at those options before you leave, so you have some idea before you need the info.