Live where you work (Baltimore, Bethesda: apartment complex, house, construction)

[barante]

Unless you have some really compelling reasons to do otherwise, long commutes make less and less sense. I was reminded of this today.
In order to avoid the morning rush, I left my house near Mount Washington/Pikesville at 9 a.m. to go to the University of Maryland College Park. This commute ordinarily takes a maximum of 40 minutes; today it took 90 minutes. The reason: road construction on the I-95 ramp leading to Andrews AFB/Alexandria have caused an incredible backlog for miles.
I took Route 1 back to Baltimore. It, too, was slow but that was to be expected.
As to College Park, a huge student apartment complex is being built near IKEA at Route 1 and the beltway. The nightmare will get worse.

[koofie]

Or work where you live... although my commute to Middle River from Owings Mills is still long, the commute from OM to Bethesda was longer!

I'd like to live closer to work - maybe next year!

[balto charlie]

The MARC. More and more CP students are taking this train and living at home in Catonsville, Arbutus, Balto City etc. The Camden line drops you off at campus. 45 min Camden station to CP station. You can even eat your breakfast and do your homework while some else drives. It's also cheaper than driving. It's a win-win situation.
barante: You probably already know this, but I like to advertise this for those that don't.
In conclusion I would add that I ride my bikes to and from the train everyday. The overall commute takes 1hr-1hr 10min. (driving time use to be 30 min but now 45 and on some days 1hr) BUT I get to exercise and read AND a ride to work. win-win-win Americans need to rethink their commutes. 1 person in 1 car driving 1 hr just doesn't cut it anymore. That breaks down to 40 hours/ month, that's another week of work per month

[barante]

Balto Charlie -- Thanks for the Camden line info. I go to College Park infrequently and that line wouldn't work for me. I presume there is a free shuttle from the MARC station to the university.
It's interesting that none of your information is on the university library's web site. Instead, detail instructions are given as to how to get to College Park on the Metro from D.C.

[balto charlie]

Originally Posted by barante

Balto Charlie -- Thanks for the Camden line info. I go to College Park infrequently and that line wouldn't work for me. I presume there is a free shuttle from the MARC station to the university.
It's interesting that none of your information is on the university library's web site. Instead, detail instructions are given as to how to get to College Park on the Metro from D.C.

Yes, they have a free shuttle from CP metro/MARC stations. I believe there is OR they have a bus that runs from campus to the Penn line at Seabrook but am not 100% certain. I also believe they run a shuttle to the Greenbelt station where one can get an express bus to BWI then the light rail....I know a little too many rides. That's why I bike and keep the number of shuttles down to 1, the MARC.
Furture DC metro plans has the green line going to BWI.

[emsgoof]

Yes, University of MD Shuttle-UM runs a free service from the College Park Metro Station every 10 minutes. The metro station is on the other side of the tracks from where the MARC train lets you out, and there's a tunnel under the metro line for the purpose of letting people cross over.
This is also the only Univ of MD bus line that does not require a student ID (daytime at least, I don't think the night routes require it either) to get on.
http://www.transportation.umd.edu/routes/schedules/smallweb/CollegePark.pdf (broken link)