Federal RTO and traffic in DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic will be substantially worse than pre-Covid. Most agencies had some level of telework in place, meaning most people were not going to the office 5 days. It’s been this way since the early 2010s at least. Now you have a substantial number of people flocking into DC. It’s going to be gridlock and I’m not sure Metro is even prepared for it. Expect to add 15-30 mins each way commuting to whatever your time was previously.

I don’t mean to sound pessimistic. I just don’t think people get the sheer number of people who worked flexible schedules. In many ways it provided traffic relief. Now you have more people than pre-covid commuting all at once. But the same or similar infrastructure as early 2000s. The Silver line should help and will be used more so maybe that’s a plus. But commute times will increase for everyone by a lot.

And the slug lines are gone too. Not sure how quickly those can get reorganized.

[Anonymous]

At least in my agency most people are covered by a union agreement. Tbe RTO only effects a small number of people.

[Anonymous]

I’m guessing commute times will double, esp as people work out their commuting options. People have been teleworking for decades. It will be more people going in than DC has had before. Hope the city will be ready to handle everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep. That’s why l take Metro.

I wish I could but it would actually take longer.

Metro takes longer and makes me sick to my stomach. No thanks. I'll be crawling through traffic with everyone else, drinking coffee and blasting my music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Take metro. Its always empty.

I leave DC at 5:30 pm to go home, and Metro is NOT empty. Plus, bus schedules start to slow down around 6:00, so it takes an hour for me to get home (~6 miles). It's going to get so much worse. There is some talk of being able to glide our work hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Take metro. Its always empty.

What? Have you ever been on the metro? It may be less crowded lately but let’s not forget pre-Covid. 5pm was an absolute clusterf*ck. Sometimes I could barely make it onto a train. It’s going to be like that again when everyone returns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic in DC has been bad for 50+ years, certainly it wasn’t a surprise to you when you decided to live and work here.

Pretty sure traffic was better 50 years ago than it is now!

I mean, marginally, but as someone who spent a lot of time on 395 as a kid, it wasn't great then either.

[Anonymous]

This is what happens when you don't live near work. Some of us chose a much smaller home for the lifestyle benefits.

[Anonymous]

Traffic has always been bad, Yeah during covid getting in and out of DC in 30 mins was nice. But it won't get any better any time soon.

Metro will get crowded, crime will rise.

Buy stock in transurban if you can 66 tolls and HOT lanes on the beltway will be moneymakers.

DC restaurants will do a booming business with the RTO for the feds.

I wonder what road project they'll fid out to do to snarl traffic once they get the GWP done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is going to go from bad to worse. It's already so terrible.

This is a feature, not a bug, for the people running the government right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Traffic has always been bad, Yeah during covid getting in and out of DC in 30 mins was nice. But it won't get any better any time soon.

Metro will get crowded, crime will rise.

Buy stock in transurban if you can 66 tolls and HOT lanes on the beltway will be moneymakers.

DC restaurants will do a booming business with the RTO for the feds.

I wonder what road project they'll fid out to do to snarl traffic once they get the GWP done.

What’s the transurban stock symbol? I’m seeing a few online - company based in Australia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic in DC has been bad for 50+ years, certainly it wasn’t a surprise to you when you decided to live and work here.

This. I've lived in the DC area for 25+ years and it was bad even when I moved here. It's only gotten worse. You've just gotten used to the Covid years. Those are not a normal representation of DC area traffic.

25y ago I commuted from Manassas to Rockville 5 days/week. It took an hour each way at 7a/4p. Now that same commute would take nearly 2x that long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is going to go from bad to worse. It's already so terrible.

Have you ever tried a Segway?

[Anonymous]

Why invite drama? Why worry about something that might or might not happen?