On the Road: Rush Hour on the Interstate

Evening Rush Hour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I plan my trip, I take into account the rush hour traffic of the cities I encounter. For some major cities the traffic problems begin around 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon and continue until 7:00. Even when I use the bypass, I still encounter traffic back-ups that are time-consuming. For example, I know if I leave my house at 6:00 in the morning, I will encounter rush hour traffic in Columbus, so I will leave earlier or later to avoid that situation. The last thing I want to do is spend my time sitting in traffic when I want to get to a destination that is hundreds of miles away.

Since my trip takes 2 1/2 to 3 days to complete, I also take care in determining my departure time on day two and day three. Whether I am traveling east or west, I always have the misfortune of hitting rush hour in Albuquerque! Someday I will figure out that one!!

I also keep the rush hour problems in mind when I am choosing a hotel. If I am heading west, I stay on the west side of town. That way I can quickly depart in the morning and not worry about sitting in traffic. I feel a little planning will help to avoid the kind of frustration that rush hour traffic brings with it.