Routes from Tysons to upper NW
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Anonymous
| DH just started a new job in Tyson's, and the commute is killing js. Even when he makes an effort to leave early (5:00) it still takes him an hour to get home. He goes via the beltway, and claims there are no better ways. Any more experienced commuters have ideas for back roads? |
Anonymous
| There aren't any good routes. My husband did it for 4 years and it sucked the life out of him. This was before and just as all the construction was starting. I'm really sorry. |
Anonymous
| What about Chain Bridge to Arizona? My brother does it daily and he's the biggest weenie about traffic. I haven't heard a peep from him about it so it must not be bad. |
Anonymous
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Are you kidding? I started working in Tyson's and LOVE the commute. On good days, it's 30 min. I suppose it depends on where in Tyson's and where in nw, but take 123, chain bridge road to chain bridge, then canal to Arizona, then whatever - fox hall to Nebraska to Wisconsin. Or, if you can get to rock creek easily, from home take Rock creek to Roosevelt bridge, get on gw parkway, up to 123, and 123 to Tyson's. It is the best commut around, I am not kidding.
Beltway is insane, and 66 is a disaster. But there are good ways with nice drives. I leave my house in nw at 8 and am easily at work by 8:45. And when traffic is light, or I go in off times, it can seriously be as fast as 30 min. |
Anonymous
| OP here. DH tried chain bridge once, and getting there via 123 was a disaster. Is there a better way to get to chain bridge? BTW, this is only a problem in the afternoon -- mornings havent been so bad. |
Anonymous
You should probably re-read before you pull the lid off your can of Kidding?!?!?!s. You wouldn't take Rock Creek Pkwy or the TR bridge from Tysons to UPPER Northwest. Chain Bridge is about as far south as you'd want to go, unless you really just enjoy retracing your steps during rush hour. OP, we've done that commute for a few years, from Gallows Rd @ Rt. 7 to ~Tenleytown. The only sure-fire way to keep it under 50 minutes is to leave after 7 pm. You might get lucky one fluke day, leaving @ 6 pm and make it under an hour -- but we rarely have, so we don't even try anymore. |
Anonymous
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17:47 here. Ah, yes, the ride home is worse. First, it's WAAAY worse now than it was in August. Am just hoping it calms down some by the end of the month.
I thought you meant 5 am, and I thought my god, what the heck is he doing, at 5 am this might take 20 minutes! My husband also works in Tyson's. I leave by 4:45, and he leaves around 5 or 5:15, and that is a big difference, actually. And sometimes there are anomalies, too, days when something bad happens and it gets backed up. ANd you're sort of stuck then because there arent' any exit points going Chain bridge - once you commit, you're stuck. And there were some trees down this week, so that mgiht not be a good way. I'd have him try taking it again, and experimenting. Or, he could take 123 to GW parkway, take the parkway down to Roosevelt bridge, and Rock Creek up. You're doubling back - driving south 3 miles then driving north 3 miles, but it moves fine, and I actually love looking at the scenery. Rock Creek has some tricks to it, depending on where he needs to go. FOr ex, the main Rock Creek roadway backs up a lot before the split - where you'd either go right through the tunnel or left up to Connecticut. Depending on where you live in NW, he could either get off at Mass Ave and drive home, or take Cathedral to Connecticut, which also moves well. |
Anonymous
| There is no avoiding the beltway. I went river road to beltway (and reverse). I only did chain bridge if other routes were blocked. Reston is unbelieveably worse if that's any consolation! |
Anonymous
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Seriously, Chain Bridge is it. I've only been stuck on it once. At least on Chain Bridge I know it will take 45 minutes. If you take the beltway or GW parkway, the chances of traffic are too great. I can never be sure to make a meeting on time.
DO NOT EVER GET ON THE BELTWAY. One day it could be 40 minutes, the next day it could be 2 hours. It is too unpredictable. I do it twice a week. |
Anonymous
| I did this for 6 years. 123 to gw parkway to rock creek. 40 minutes The bridge is a disaster. Don't get me started on the beltway. |
Anonymous
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An hour long afternoon commute isn't bad at all. Driving home to points in DC can take 30+ minutes.
If it's upper upper NW, like tenleytown or chevy chase, then 123 and crossing chain bridge, then Arizona Avenue etc is the way to go. |
Anonymous
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Three days a week, I am driving from Tysons/123 to Inside-Beltway-Silver Spring during pm rush.
I've traveled several different routes over the years: 1. Beltway all the way around (sux) 2. Beltway to Cabin John/American Legion Bridge, and then in on Clara Barton Pkwy to Glen Echo, etc. 3. 123 to Chain Bridge to Arizona to Dale Carlia to Western, etc. My drive, using option 3 generally takes me about 40 minutes or so, start to finish. Granted, my destination is in MD, so it's not quite the same, but once you cross the river and get to AZ Ave, you have tons of options to get you where you need to get in NW. I also enourage you to have your DH tune in to WTOP on "the eights" for the traffic report so he can adjust his route accordingly if there is an issue along his route... |
Anonymous
I'm not the OP, but the GW parkway doesn't meet the rock creek parkway. They are separate. Rock Creek Parkway goes from around Alaska Avenue near Silver Spring all the way down to by 23rd and Virginia (near Constitution Avenue). GW Parkway is in Virginia and goes along the Potomac River from the beltway/McLean down to Alexandria with several bridge exits. |
Anonymous
It's shorthand. You take the GW parkway to the Roosevelt bridge, then connect to Rock Creek Parkway. Ergo, GW parkway to Rock Creek. Yes, you double back, but it's an easy drive. |
Anonymous
Agree with this, live in Forest Hills. Pretty drive too and it moves. |