Whew! I learned my lessons years back. Start at midday and you'll pay. We head out in the ealy morning, as if one of those early arrivers at the office. Good luck to all you who don't have a choice and have to leave after 12; I don't envy you!

I haven't driven up the east coast during holiday season, but I have gone west to north-central Ohio. I have tried every route known to man to avoid traffic, and what I've learned is: leave as early as possible, and it'll still take 2 more hours than usual. There isn't a single undiscovered shortcut left in the world.

Christmas time is usually not too bad, but Thanksgiving is so terrible (it took me 10 hours to get back from my folks' house in Ohio last year... the trip on an off peak weekend takes only 6 hours) that I've vowed to pay the cash to get home by plane to avoid it.

However, if anyone would like a few suggested routes to points west, let me know.

Ditto Andrew. Took me 15(!!!!) hours to get home from a little west of Ann Arbor last year. Michigan and Ohio were OK - it was the PA Tpke that was a disaster from Pittsburgh all the way to Breezwood and beyond. Rt 30 wasn't a hep at all, and as I overheard other travellers, neither was I-68. Problems, of course continued on I-70 until the split for I-270. I broke with habit and drove back the Sunday after, and will never, ever, EVER do that again.

If you're heading out to Ohio and beyond on Wednesday and don't start your trip in the morning, you're toast.

i just moved to the DC area and this is my first holiday commute back home to eastern Ohio. If I leave at 6 or 7am on Wednesday (tomorrow) will I still hit the holiday traffic? Thanks!

COMMENT: You willl probably do much better than those poor souls who leave later, but I woould still anticipate some congesttion around Frederick and at Breezewood, Pa.--MTD