Best route, avoiding 195, DC to PA

Question

I drove to Richmond yesterday from Chester County, PA, southwest of Philadelphia. I95 had so much construction going on that what should have been a five hour drive (at most) took eight hours. The highway was closed in one area just south of Wilmington. The detour down to Newark, where we could get back on I95, by itself added almost an hour to the trip. The leg of the trip from my house to Baltimore alone took 3 1/2 hours. It usually takes under two hours.

The northbound side of the road is closed in the same area south of Wilmington, as well, and the construction is happening on both sides of the road up and down the highway.

I am heading back from Alexandria to the Philly area on Monday. I really want to avoid I95 the whole way,if possible. Suggestions?

Answer

If you want to drive from Alexandria/Washington DC back to Chester County, PA while *avoiding I-95 as much as possible*, you have several reliable alternative corridors. All of them add a little distance, but they usually offer smoother flow, fewer construction zones, and far less stress than the problematic Delaware stretch of I-95.

Below are the best non-I-95 options, including how to follow each one, pros/cons, and which travelers they suit best.

1. The Easiest and Most Reliable Route: I-270 → US-15 → US-30 → Local Routes Into Chester County

This route avoids I-95 entirely and keeps you far west of the Delaware construction mess. It is the most commonly recommended alternative for DC–SE Pennsylvania trips when I-95 is bad.

From Alexandria: Take the Beltway (I-495 Inner Loop) toward Maryland.
Stay on I-495 to the I-270 split, then take I-270 North toward Frederick.
At Frederick, pick up US-15 North toward Gettysburg.
Continue on US-15 to the US-30 East turnoff.
From US-30, head east through York & Lancaster County.
Use any of the major roads (PA-10, PA-41, PA-772, PA-340, PA-322 depending on your final destination) to enter Chester County.

Why choose this? Smoothest traffic patterns, minimal construction, very scenic, and reliable even on busy travel days.

Possible drawbacks: US-30 has traffic lights and can slow in Lancaster County, though it is usually nowhere near as bad as I-95 through Delaware.

2. I-270 → I-70 → US-15 → PA-283/PA-30: A Slightly Faster but Longer-Mileage Variant

This version is often a bit quicker because it uses more limited-access highway before joining US-15.

Take I-495 → I-270 north toward Frederick.
Instead of joining US-15 immediately at Frederick, stay on I-70 West briefly to the next US-15 exit (it’s a faster merge point).
Continue north on US-15 toward Harrisburg.
Join PA-283 East toward Lancaster.
Pick up US-30 East or local Chester County routes from there.

Why choose this? Slightly more highway driving and potentially fewer slowdowns than US-15 + US-30 alone.

Drawbacks: A bit more mileage; still avoids I-95 completely.

3. The Most Direct Non-I-95 Option: Baltimore → I-83 → York → US-30 → Chester County

This lets you use *some* Baltimore-area interstates but still bypasses all the Delaware I-95 closures.

Take the Beltway (I-495) around DC toward Bethesda and Silver Spring.
Follow to I-95 North only as far as the Baltimore Beltway (I-695), or avoid I-95 entirely by taking I-270 → I-70 → I-695.
Take I-83 North from Baltimore to York.
At York, join US-30 East into Lancaster County/Chester County.

Why choose this? Often the fastest non-I-95 route, and I-83 is typically smooth.

Drawbacks: Requires dealing with parts of the Baltimore Beltway, which can be congested at certain hours.

4. A Complete “Backroads Adventure” Option (if you hate all interstates):

If you want to avoid almost all major highways, this scenic route works but takes the longest.

Alexandria → George Washington Memorial Parkway → Clara Barton Pkwy.
Cross into Maryland and take local roads to MD-97 or MD-650 toward Damascus.
Pick up MD-27 → MD-26 → US-15 near Frederick.
Then follow US-15 → US-30 → Chester County.

Why choose this? Very low stress, very scenic, minimal construction.

Drawbacks: Adds the most travel time; slower roads.

Which option should you choose on Monday?