Alexandria to DC Commute

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

I agree, I used to do this myself, but metro is not super convenient to Del Ray on a rainy day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

To add to this, metro really isn’t convenient at all from some parts of Del Ray/Rosemont. You are walking 10-25 minutes just to get to the station (or a similar amount of time walking to the bus stop and taking the bus), then you wait at the station for your train, then 18-25 minutes of train ride depending on your end stop and whether you start at Potomac Yard or Braddock or King (if south Rosemont), then walk some more to get to your office. From most parts of these neighborhoods, metroing takes an hour door to door. There are some places closer to Braddock that would cut that time a bit but the housing quality can vary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Absolutely not. OP you’ve gotten good advice up until this one. If you mean to get there at 8, it’ll be 20-25 mins. If you mean to leave your house at 8, it’ll be 25-30 mins. If you left at 7, it would be 20 mins max, usually left. For going home, go earlier or later than typical rush hour.

My kids have a similar commute for school. They leave at 7:10 and it’s consistently less than 20 mins. If I have an 8:30 meeting at their school, it’s getting painful. If I have a 9am at their school, I leave the same time as for an 8:30.

[Anonymous]

It really depends on where in Del Ray and where on K Street. Are you going to take Route 1 in, and you work close-ish to 14th street? That's a different calculus than being able to take 395 and the express lanes and end up closer to GW/Farragut Square.

This week for some reason the traffic has been absolutely terrible on the transition from 395 > 27 > GW Parkway > Memorial Bridge. Normally it takes me about 25 minutes from Fairlington to Farragut Square, leaving at 7:45. One day this week has already been an hour.

[Anonymous]

OP if you posted on Reddit/nova, I think people there were wildly exaggerating the frequency of accidents and delays. I live in Del Ray and work near the VA (15th and Vermont NW); I usually WFH an hour before heading in, so I dont’ know what the traffic looks like in the AM window you’re describing. But I’ve left that area between 430 and 630, and the commute back to Del Ray is usually 30-40 minutes; less if I’m willing to pay for express lanes and exit at Quaker Lane/Shirlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

You again with your mysteriously fabulous commute lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on where in Del Ray and where on K Street. Are you going to take Route 1 in, and you work close-ish to 14th street? That's a different calculus than being able to take 395 and the express lanes and end up closer to GW/Farragut Square.

This week for some reason the traffic has been absolutely terrible on the transition from 395 > 27 > GW Parkway > Memorial Bridge. Normally it takes me about 25 minutes from Fairlington to Farragut Square, leaving at 7:45. One day this week has already been an hour.

Took me an hour and fifteen from old town today, leaving at 8. Hot mess.

[Anonymous]

Are you open to biking in? There are some great trails over into DC. You may not save time but it's a lot more consistent (and fun).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

I agree, I used to do this myself, but metro is not super convenient to Del Ray on a rainy day.

Take an umbrella. Get dropped off at the Kiss & Ride. Drive to the station and fine somewhere to park. There are options.

I’ve done both driving to K Street (Farragut west and Farragut North) and taking metro from either King Street or Braddock. I hate the stress of driving in traffic in DC, for me it’s gotten much worse since covid so I prefer to metro. But when my spouse has to be in the office at International Square he drives and leaves no later than 7:30am.

Both the metro and driving have their hiccups and unpredictable issues. Pick your fighter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Absolutely not. OP you’ve gotten good advice up until this one. If you mean to get there at 8, it’ll be 20-25 mins. If you mean to leave your house at 8, it’ll be 25-30 mins. If you left at 7, it would be 20 mins max, usually left. For going home, go earlier or later than typical rush hour.

My kids have a similar commute for school. They leave at 7:10 and it’s consistently less than 20 mins. If I have an 8:30 meeting at their school, it’s getting painful. If I have a 9am at their school, I leave the same time as for an 8:30.

You lie! No way to get in by 8:30 if you leave at 8. I wish.

[Anonymous]

Getting in and out of Rosemont by car at rush hour can be really challenging, due to the limited egress options. It takes me 40 minutes to get to my friend's house by the main library off Duke, and most of that is getting onto Duke from Commonwealth and/or Russell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

You again with your mysteriously fabulous commute lol

DP. I live on Windsor Ave and commute to an area near State and it is the same for me.

Different story if you left at 8:30am and 4:30pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting in and out of Rosemont by car at rush hour can be really challenging, due to the limited egress options. It takes me 40 minutes to get to my friend's house by the main library off Duke, and most of that is getting onto Duke from Commonwealth and/or Russell.

THIS. I am in Rosemont. I hate doing soccer carpool because of the cut through traffic. I can literally take me 30 min to get to Witter and I live less than a mile away. Brenman, forget it (and getting back after drop off can be even worse). You're better off in OT or Del Ray from this perspective. Rosemont is just completely shut in from 3-6:30pm.

[Anonymous]

THIS. I am in Rosemont. I hate doing soccer carpool because of the cut through traffic. I can literally take me 30 min to get to Witter and I live less than a mile away. Brenman, forget it (and getting back after drop off can be even worse). You're better off in OT or Del Ray from this perspective. Rosemont is just completely shut in from 3-6:30pm

If you are going to Brenman, I have found it somewhat better to go up Braddock and turn onto Quaker. At least that way you avoid the Russell or Commonwealth trap, and the most congested part of Duke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

THIS. I am in Rosemont. I hate doing soccer carpool because of the cut through traffic. I can literally take me 30 min to get to Witter and I live less than a mile away. Brenman, forget it (and getting back after drop off can be even worse). You're better off in OT or Del Ray from this perspective. Rosemont is just completely shut in from 3-6:30pm

If you are going to Brenman, I have found it somewhat better to go up Braddock and turn onto Quaker. At least that way you avoid the Russell or Commonwealth trap, and the most congested part of Duke.

I agree that can be quicker but my issue is more coming home. I just drop off for carpool, I am not staying during practice. I will actually Waze the return and sometimes it is actually quicker from Brenman during rush hour to go Duke to 395 to shirlington exit to Quaker to crestwood to valley to Braddock to eventually get back to Rosemont than anything remotely more direct which is the insanity of traffic.