Alexandria to DC Commute

[jrl]

Hello! I am relocating to the DC Metro and trying to better understand what the commute is like from Del Ray / Rosemont to Downtown DC (K Street). What is the typical morning (~8am) and evening (~530pm) commute like (via car)? How variable is it / are there common road closures etc. that make commuting tough? Thanks so much in advance!

[Anonymous]

You can use Google Maps to enter the start/stop locations and the time of day, and it will give you a predicted commute range.

[jrl]

I've tried that, but I've also heard there are frequent road closures / crashes / etc. and so trying to understand first hand what its like. In my experience its not the number that google maps says which is the issue, its the real number 25-50% of the time when things go wrong that matters!

[Anonymous]

Most of those you can't predict. Run the route through Google maps every day at the times of your commute and take the average.

[Anonymous]

25-30 min by car in the morning on typical days

[Anonymous]

Traffic sucks during those times.

I live in Del Ray, work near 19th and I St NW. Monday is usually okay, Friday is perfectly fine to drive in. Friday can probably get there in under 20 minutes. Monday a bit longer.

Middle of the week? Forget it. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to close to an hour depending on whether anything goes wrong and what time you leave. I’ve started taking the metro, which isn’t quick either from our area (because the metro is not that close) but at least if my spouse drops me off at the metro I can do the trip in about 35-40 minutes. Close to an hour on the way home if I don’t get picked up and have to walk, but at least I’m not stuck in nightmare traffic even if it would be a bit shorter.

If you want to drive during the middle of the week, leave before 8am going out and before 4pm on the reverse, or otherwise after 9am and 6pm (6:30pm?) depending on what your life and schedule allows.

This all got much worse when feds were ordered back into the office. Though the proliferation of stop lights on Richmond highway hasn’t helped either (I remember a time when local officials tried to improve traffic flow instead of make it worse, but alas…).

[Anonymous]

I go from St Elmos (center of Del Ray) to State on 23rd every morning at 7:30. Commute is reliably 15-20 minutes. Coming home at 4ish its closer to 35 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Depends when you would be commuting. As advised above, look at Google map with traffic daily at those times for a few weeks. Stuff happens on those roads a lot. Plus if the T Arch gets started that will screw up a whole bridge traffic diverting more to 14th St Bridge.

[Anonymous]

If you leave before 7 it’s 30 minutes. After that and it’s an hour. In the evening same deal. Before 4 and you’re good, if you leave after that it’s an hour until about 6:30 when it lightens up again. So pick a late or early shift if you can.

[Anonymous]

By car 30-60 min depending on many variables (traffic, your route, time of day). Then you will need to pay for parking. $$$

By metro 30-45.

I would metro.

[Anonymous]

Metro is much more consistent timing if both ends are convenient to Metro.

Most weekdays there will be at least one accident on I-395 between DC and Virginia. It might be morning or afternoon, inbound or outbound, but the I-395 route to DC is normally a mess during rush hour. Learn some alternate routes using other bridges so you have options.

If driving, many listen to WTOP-FM to get their traffic updates every 10 minutes on the '8s. Traffic reports are why that is the #1 metro DC radio station.

[Anonymous]

jrl wrote:I've tried that, but I've also heard there are frequent road closures / crashes / etc. and so trying to understand first hand what its like. In my experience its not the number that google maps says which is the issue, its the real number 25-50% of the time when things go wrong that matters!

Run Google maps during both rush hour periods over several days. See how often your route is a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Metro is much more consistent timing if both ends are convenient to Metro.

Most weekdays there will be at least one accident on I-395 between DC and Virginia. It might be morning or afternoon, inbound or outbound, but the I-395 route to DC is normally a mess during rush hour. Learn some alternate routes using other bridges so you have options.

If driving, many listen to WTOP-FM to get their traffic updates every 10 minutes on the '8s. Traffic reports are why that is the #1 metro DC radio station.

It’s not 2008 anymore. Check Google Maps or Waze

[Anonymous]

Metro takes far longer than 30 minutes from Del Ray/Rosemont unless OP is going to live on top of Braddock Road station. It’s 22 minutes alone on the train from Braddock to Farragut West and that doesn’t include any time commuting to the metro, waiting, and then getting to the office once you exit from Farragut West station. And OP might have to go even further depending on where the office is. And at least once a week you will get hit with delays, because metro is terrible (really enjoyed that single tracking all day yesterday because a work vehicle hit a train at metro center the night before).

Very unlikely he/she would be taking 395 across the river unless the office is quite a bit east on K st. Even then, could potentially just get on near the Pentagon and take the 14th street exit which is quicker.

Not sure some of these people live in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro is much more consistent timing if both ends are convenient to Metro.

Most weekdays there will be at least one accident on I-395 between DC and Virginia. It might be morning or afternoon, inbound or outbound, but the I-395 route to DC is normally a mess during rush hour. Learn some alternate routes using other bridges so you have options.

If driving, many listen to WTOP-FM to get their traffic updates every 10 minutes on the '8s. Traffic reports are why that is the #1 metro DC radio station.

It’s not 2008 anymore. Check Google Maps or Waze

This made me laugh. I do both (WTOP + Waze) commuting in from north Old Town to K Street. Fwiw, I take GW Parkway 90% of the time (unless a crash between Old Town and DC). Going in is mostly predictable (30 minutes, give or take). Coming home can be up to an hour. Throw in a World Bank meeting or random motorcade and all bets are off.