Anonymous
Post 04/24/2014 18:36     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Please don't move to Arlington, just what we need some more yuppies.
Anonymous
Post 04/18/2012 22:07     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:Just a warning that some off the off peak/non major bus routes in N Arlington aren't always reliable. I used to try to bring my DD to preschool during the day via the bus and had horrible luck with it. Ended up walking home a couple times - not fun! So now we just drive. And there weren't any yuppies either when it did actually work out. Guess because it was midday. Not an issue - just FYI. This was all just within N Arlington. Wish we could have taken the ART bus but ithe one near us only runs at rush hour.

Hopefully not an issue for you, OP, but just wanted to let you know.


Yuppies have no reason to be on the bus at midday.

I'm a taker of the 3Y and 38B, N Arlington resident who lives between Lee and Wash Blvd. The key thing with taking the bus is frequency - how often does the bus come (12 minute intervals, 10 min intervals). This is why the 38B works, it runs every 12 miin during rush hour. The 3Y runs like every 24-30 min, but it also works, bc if I catch the bus on Lee, north of my home, I either get on the 3Y, or get on the 3A or 3B or 3E that run every 10 min during rush hour, and then get metro at Rosslyn.
Anonymous
Post 04/18/2012 18:52     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
You could also look south of Wilson/Clarendon -- Lyon Park and Ashton Heights are GREAT neighborhoods and will put you within a mile of the Metro, with plenty of bus to Metro options. If you're willing to go South of 50, you can live near the 16Y, which like the 3Y goes to McPherson.

The Lyon Park area puts you a lot closer to DC as the crow flies -- I bike to work through Fort Myer and the cemetery and it's 3 miles each way (15 min down hill, 25 up, and I'm a SLOW biker). Completely safe, as the roads on base and in the cemetery are low speed, and otherwise I'm on trails.

We're about to put a great house up for sale in Lyon Park in the 700-800k range, and there are a bunch in our neighborhood that have sold for that recently.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2012 13:35     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Just a warning that some off the off peak/non major bus routes in N Arlington aren't always reliable. I used to try to bring my DD to preschool during the day via the bus and had horrible luck with it. Ended up walking home a couple times - not fun! So now we just drive. And there weren't any yuppies either when it did actually work out. Guess because it was midday. Not an issue - just FYI. This was all just within N Arlington. Wish we could have taken the ART bus but ithe one near us only runs at rush hour.

Hopefully not an issue for you, OP, but just wanted to let you know.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2012 13:24     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
we live off of military road/sprout run (22207) and my commute is 10, maybe 15 minutes. you can find homes in that general area for under 800k, might need some updates but certainly livable (this is what we did). there are going to be trade-offs you will need to be prepared to make but you can definitely find something.

we're not near the metro and the ART which runs right in front of the house doesn't go into downtown. best decision we ever made (moved in from Vienna) and the unexpected plus is that we fill up the gas tank every 3 weeks.

we have friends who live in the Waycroft neighborhood (22205) - about a mile from Ballston metro, right off of Wash. blvd. Different school pyramid (still very good) and many more options for finding something under 800k than what's available in our neck of the woods.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 22:25     Subject: Re:commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
OP you can definitely find something in your budget that is walkable to the east falls church metro--we did, and we love it. But my DH hates the metro and has free parking at his office downtown, so he drives in. His hours are pretty 9 to 5. It usually takes him 30-40 minutes door to door, which ends up being shorter on average than walking to the metro, going up the escalator, waiting for the train, walking out of the station and getting to his office. But it's nice to have the metro for bad weather or if he's going for drinks after work. There is a bus that runs along Washington blvd to the metro and I see lots of working-professional-parent-types waiting for it.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 21:58     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We currently live in DC and enjoy very short commutes to work (short walk to Metro, then four stops for me, seven for DH). We are looking for a home in north Arlington now. Our budget is $800K and it seems clear that is not going to get us a home within a mile of a Metro stop. Does everyone in north Arlington who does not live walking distance to the Metro drive in to the city? Is bus to Metro a giant time suck? Or a viable option? Is it worth the time/remotely cost effective to park in a private garage in Ballston and then Metro downtown? The thought of having no alternative to sitting in traffic is kind of killing me. We both have jobs that require substantial "face time" in core business hours, so it is not an option to leave at 6:30 a.m. and leave the office at 3:30/4:00.


TIA for any info about what folks do!



Parking at Ballston and Metro in is a lot more cost effective for one person.

I bike in, personally. It's only a few miles. No biggie.

Otherwise, yes, drive downtown. Depends on the day it'll take you 30 minutes.


I jog in. Clarendon to Georgetown 2.5 miles.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 20:55     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
You can be downtown via the orange line very quickly. Probably faster than some parts of Upper NW.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 20:48     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks very much for the helpful replies. I am glad to hear the bus is a reliable option from many points in north Arlington!


I'm glad to know yuppies ride the bus in North Arlington. Because they sure as hell don't in South Arlington/Alexandria. (Exception, the 16 line along Columbia Pike but only east of Courthouse Road.)


Nah, OP is probably a house poor wannabe yuppy who can't afford anything but the bus.


Wow, you are just an unpleasant bitch.

OP, the 38B (which I rode for years) is like 90% office workers. It's quiet and a nice morning ride. North Arlington is so much nicer than DC and it's nice that DC residents come on threads like this to prove how crappy they are just to help make the point!
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 20:34     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Live near Ballston. Used to metro in (15 min walk to metro). Started driving and it's a pretty good commute to Farragut/Foggy Bottom office- similar to my all in metro commute in the morning and much faster in the evening. A lot depends on how much you are driving on DC streets which can spike the commute time dramatically.

For me, take Pershing and 50 and then E st expressway. From garage to garage it ranges from 20-35 mins at peak morning rush hour (8:30). Leaving work most days at 6pm is much faster than my morning time at 11-15 mins also e st expressway and route 50. These are exact times as I used a timer for a few weeks before electing to switch permanently from metro to driving.

Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 15:00     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
11:40 - no, i'm in the mall. it is currently $77/month, but going up to $105/month in May. i'm happy there. there are 8 levels of spaces so you never worry about finding a space, and they're good spaces - wide and not crammed between columns. Can leave the car overnight if need be, it's well-lit and safe, and the day my battery died, the staff recharged it for free.

the bus is great - your crowd really depends on the route, though. my bus is racially diverse and everyone's pretty chill.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2012 14:30     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Seriously, you dont sound excited about Arlington at all. For $800K you could buy a really nice row house in Glover Park and your kids could go to Stoddert which is one of the best elementary schools in the city, too.
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2012 15:38     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks very much for the helpful replies. I am glad to hear the bus is a reliable option from many points in north Arlington!


I'm glad to know yuppies ride the bus in North Arlington. Because they sure as hell don't in South Arlington/Alexandria. (Exception, the 16 line along Columbia Pike but only east of Courthouse Road.)



Nah, OP is probably a house poor wannabe yuppy who can't afford anything but the bus.
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2012 11:40     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:North Arlington to DC is a great commute, not crappy at all. We moved from Fairfax to Arlington this past summer - we live in Country Club (where you can buy older/renovated for under $800K and be in yorktown schools) and my daughter goes to preschool in Ballston. I bought a parking spot at Ballston Commons mall and we park and I walk her to school, then hop on metro. I work 8:30-4:30. Occasionally we take the bus - the 51 and 52 ART buses stop blocks away from the house, and they're clean and safe, and can be quick if you time it right. Driving isn't so bad, either - you can take 29 or 50 (or GW pkwy) and get into town pretty quickly.



Are you in that garage that advertises $6.50 per day for daily parkers in by 0900?
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2012 11:08     Subject: commuting to downtown DC from North Arlington-options?
Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks very much for the helpful replies. I am glad to hear the bus is a reliable option from many points in north Arlington!


I'm glad to know yuppies ride the bus in North Arlington. Because they sure as hell don't in South Arlington/Alexandria. (Exception, the 16 line along Columbia Pike but only east of Courthouse Road.)