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Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: movingtoclifton ()
Date: February 19, 2010 08:31PM

Thinking about moving to Clifton and it looks like to commute to DC I'd have to take Henderson Rd to 123 or to 95N. Does anyone have any perspective on what this commute is like during rush hour? Is that the most efficient commuting route to drive into DC? How early do you have to leave in the morning to avoid the traffic? Heard Henderson Rd was a past-thru for Manassas traffic ... how bad is that and what are the other negatives associated with that ....Thanks

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: bloody blisters ()
Date: February 19, 2010 08:34PM

i told you already 3 days. if there is traffic, bring toilet paper and a pan. please drive responsibly.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: FFX STATion ()
Date: February 19, 2010 08:39PM

Its a long commute! You'd have to be on the road by 6:00 am to avoid the traffic..anything after 6:30 and your in the middle of it for a while. At 6:00, on a normal weather day, you're probably talking an hour or so. At 6:30 through 9:30... who knows, but a good solid two hours and if there is any weather or accidents it can easily be 3 hours.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: KanDeKane ()
Date: February 19, 2010 09:39PM

Or you could go Henderson to Fairfax County parkway to 66.

Or Burke Lake Rd into the burke commuter rail station and take the train to d.c. Or Burke Lake Rd to Braddock to 495.

Why not try the drive yourself a few times? 3 hours sounds like scare tactics.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: inkahootz ()
Date: February 19, 2010 09:45PM

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2010 06:13AM by inkahootz.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: 530 ()
Date: February 19, 2010 09:52PM

Even 6:30 is too late to leave in my opinion. I drive back to school at JMU early Monday mornings to get back in time for my 8am class. I usually leave around 5:30am, and 66 Eastbound is already backing up.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: boredom ()
Date: February 19, 2010 10:37PM

I drive into MD from Centreville in the morning. Here's what you do because all major roads suck in the morning.

Wake up at 5AM. Leave by 5:30AM. At that hour, you can damn near get anywhere within an hour, so figure on a 6:30AM arrival at work. If you're only pulling 8 hours a day, leave by 2:30 and beat traffic on the way home. That will also put you ahead of school buses and crossing guards.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: NovAnon ()
Date: February 19, 2010 10:49PM

its bloody awful, unless you can get the HOV down 66 into town.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Date: February 19, 2010 11:02PM

movingtoclifton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thinking about moving to Clifton and it looks like
> to commute to DC I'd have to take Henderson Rd to
> 123 or to 95N. Does anyone have any perspective
> on what this commute is like during rush hour? Is
> that the most efficient commuting route to drive
> into DC? How early do you have to leave in the
> morning to avoid the traffic? Heard Henderson Rd
> was a past-thru for Manassas traffic ... how bad
> is that and what are the other negatives
> associated with that ....Thanks


I have been through that area at rush hour. If you live on Henderson Road, it's not so bad. The trick is to work your way over to Old Keene Mill Road, which will get you a straight shot over to 395. 395 is worse in the morning than in the evenings.

Oh...and DON'T TAKE 66. It is way out of your way and is a nightmare. Trust me...Old Keene Mill Road to 395.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2010 11:03PM by WashingTone-Locian.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Date: February 19, 2010 11:04PM

NovAnon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> its bloody awful, unless you can get the HOV down
> 66 into town.


I drive HOV on I-66. It's not that great, especially within the beltway. It is bumper to bumper most days.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Elle Diabla ()
Date: February 20, 2010 10:19AM

FFX STATion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its a long commute! You'd have to be on the road
> by 6:00 am to avoid the traffic..anything after
> 6:30 and your in the middle of it for a while.
> At 6:00, on a normal weather day, you're probably
> talking an hour or so. At 6:30 through 9:30...
> who knows, but a good solid two hours and if there
> is any weather or accidents it can easily be 3
> hours.

Longer than this. I live in FFX, right near 66 and it takes about an hour to drive to metro and get then get to my work.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2010 10:20AM by Elle Diabla.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Elle Diabla ()
Date: February 20, 2010 10:19AM

n/m sdfkhsdjkfa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2010 10:19AM by Elle Diabla.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Elle Diabla ()
Date: February 20, 2010 10:20AM

NovAnon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> its bloody awful, unless you can get the HOV down
> 66 into town.


Yea, not much better....

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Sweeney Todd ()
Date: February 20, 2010 01:08PM

Take the metro into the city. You can drive to Springfield or Herndon and get on either the Yellow or Orange lines.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Genevieve ()
Date: February 20, 2010 01:31PM

Take VRE.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: mjcc1987 ()
Date: February 20, 2010 06:53PM

I work in Crystal City and live in Centreville - I leave at 6am (no later) and drive down 29/50 all the way to Washington Blvd. 30 to 40 min Max. However - coming home is a whole different story - 2 to 3 hours via the same route. I have now started taking 50 to Annandale Road to Hummer to 236 through Faifax City back onto 29 and into Centreville - It's longer but actually faster (one to 1 1/2 hours max)

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Genevieve ()
Date: February 20, 2010 07:44PM

I live in the Centreville part of Clifton. From about 2001-2005 I worked about 2 blocks from Union Station. I left my house around 6:40 and drove to the Manassas Park VRE station (I don't know why I never tried Burke Center). I got on a train around 7:00 and arrived at Union Station about an hour later. Total commute was a little over an hour and a half each way.

Despite the length of the commute, it was preferable to driving or metro. I usually slept through most of the morning train ride and read a book through the trip home. I understand this doesn't work as well if your office isn't near a VRE stop, but luckily mine was.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Date: February 20, 2010 08:04PM

I took VRE for several years. As long as your office is a few Metro stops away from L'Enfant or Union Station, it is fine. I have had friends who have worked on the other side of DC from those two places and the train/Metro combo takes forever.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Live near Henderson ()
Date: February 20, 2010 11:02PM

The only way to commute from Henderson is by Helicopter.

I leave my house by 5:40 each morning just make it to 123. It is a long commute, even if you can use HOV to help you get in. Afternoon traffic is the pits.

Now that Lorton Station and Laurel Ridge have been developed, the commute is worse than ever!

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: The Congressman ()
Date: February 21, 2010 01:51AM

I leave Annandale by 715 and make it to Fairview Park by 730. Doesn't help, I'm just bragging.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: boredom ()
Date: February 21, 2010 11:14AM

mjcc1987 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I work in Crystal City and live in Centreville - I
> leave at 6am (no later) and drive down 29/50 all
> the way to Washington Blvd. 30 to 40 min Max.
> However - coming home is a whole different story -
> 2 to 3 hours via the same route. I have now
> started taking 50 to Annandale Road to Hummer to
> 236 through Faifax City back onto 29 and into
> Centreville - It's longer but actually faster (one
> to 1 1/2 hours max)

What time are you leaving work? If you're getting in before 7, and if you're able to leave just before 3, I can't see how you have a 2 - 3 hour commute on the way home.

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: Burke Resident ()
Date: February 21, 2010 11:21AM

Burke Centre VRE to L'Enfant or Union Station. Even if your office isn't close to either station, you can pick up metro from both and get where you need to be

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Posted by: mjcc1987 ()
Date: February 23, 2010 04:16PM

boredom, in the morning I leave by 6am and at the office between 6:45 and 7am. At night, I leave at 4pm and arrive home now around 5:30pm. If I stick to 50/29 all the way into Centreville, it used to be 6:30 to 7pm. Now I divert to Anndandle Rd, to Hummer to 236 back onto 29 into C'ville

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Re: Commuting to DC from Clifton
Date: February 23, 2010 04:19PM

Burke Resident Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Burke Centre VRE to L'Enfant or Union Station.
> Even if your office isn't close to either station,
> you can pick up metro from both and get where you
> need to be


The problem with Metro is if there is a hold up or delay on one of the trains, you can miss your VRE train by a few minutes. Then you have to spend half-an-hour hanging around Union Station or, worse, L'Enfant waiting for the next train. And God help you if you miss the last train altogether. I know VRE supposedly has a ride home program, but I doubt you will be home before 10 if you use it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

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