The route 13 through DelMarVa peninsula to the Bay Bridge/Tunnel to Norfolk and across to I-95 is no cake walk.

You can probably go right through Richmond too at the hour you'll hit Richmond as the only slowness is where I-64 crosses and it is more minimal in the AM rush compared to the PM rush hour. Stay on I-95 and go east of DC unless some major accident has slowed things. You should clear DC and south of DC down to Quantico before the heavy stuff hits. I agree with the posters who have said I-95 with a 2 am leaving NJ time is the way to go. (And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that I-77 goes right through Charlotte, which is not small town) In summary, I’d advise you not to waste your time going all the way out to I-81.

If you’re from NJ, the Richmond “rush hour traffic” will seem like nothing to you. By travelling early in the morning you will also avoid problems on I-95 in Northern Virginia since the heavy traffic will be into the city and you will be going in the opposite direction. If you try to go west, it will be slow (yes, even at 6:00 am!). I’m on the Washington Beltway every work day at 6:00 am and if you get there before 6:00 am AND you go east on the Beltway, you will not experience any trouble (unless there is an accident). Also the road goes through the mountains so there are a lot of hills that the trucks speed down and crawl up. The road is two lanes the whole way and these trucks do not stay in the right lane. One-third of the traffic consists of heavy trucks. It is a very dangerous road – the most dangerous in Virginia. First of all, I should tell you right away that I am not a big fan of I-81 in Virginia.

Route 66 directions north to south