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If you leave at 6:30 then of course yer gonna get to places earlier, but the problem with traffic is the 7:30 to 8:30 period which is the peak of the peaks. Now I would argue, anyone who leaves at that time deserves to sit in the traffi c they should have anticipated. The problem is, VDOT designs road capacity for the peak of peaks, therefore wasting our public tax coffers to help out the people who do this, and say (Why for is my commute bad? Make things fast now!!!)
Personal accountability and reigning in of our states biggest (and most wasteful) agency is how we can finally start making better transportation choices in this region.
Again if you are driving off peak hours I have no problems with you. 40 minutes for 15 miles is pretty darn good, if you can continue that, I would say more power to you, but please dont expect VDOT to spend 500 million to take 40 minutes to 35 minutes it just doesnt make sense (especially since you are negatively effecting all the people who actually live on route 7 with all the new traffic)
In all fairness, some people don't have the choice to drive off peak hours. I do, but I don't mind sitting in traffic for a few extra minutes since I like being in the office early. My customers appreciate my availability, especially since a lot of them are in Europe and the East Coast. I could certainly plan to arrive at work at 11 instead of 9, but that would be a waste of two valuable hours!
And anyway, when did I say I expected VDOT to do anything about it? I just asked people who are regulars to this commute to share their experiences to see if I could learn something from it. For instance, I have realized I can cut my commute down to about 30/35 minutes by getting out of Route 7 on Tyco Road and then turning left on Spring Hill Road and making my way to my office from there.
Besides, I don't think the point of VDOT is to reduce Loudoun commuters' commute by 5 minutes, but to increase the capacity of our main roads to support an ever growing number of commuters. Its important considering how fast Northern Virginia is growing. I'm not saying I necessarily agree with what they're doing, but its not as simple as shaving 5 minutes off people's commute.
I wish he could drive in that early but since he's attending meetings he usually leaves somewhere between 7:30-7:45.
If he leaves at 7:30 then I really wanna see a time lapse of him getting into Tysons in 40 minutes. It's not that I dont believe... its that I think he isnt actually timing it. Some days (fridays and summer days) he might be able to do this, but the typical average work day I have a doubt it takes less than an hour.
Since he has to arrive for a meeting, and with his employer it doesn't look good to walk in after a meeting has started, I think it's a good bet he pays attention to how long the commute takes him.
Oh its real, its part of the 2.2 billion dollars that have been included in the infrastructure costs for Tysons Corner. VDOT has basically said they will not be approving the Tysons Corner comprehensive plan density requirements without it, because they believe that everyone will just keep on jumping in their cars and we will keep seeing everyone driving into Tysons instead of living there. Kind of specious when you think about it, if everyone kept doing that, then the growth of the city likely wont happen as it is dependent on residents living here, not continuing to grow office space.
But yes, this project will likely be the first item that is demanded upon as far as infrastructure improvements. Its a shame it is being scapegoated as something for Tysons Corner, when its really something for everyone who doesnt care about Tysons Corner and just wants to live further out.
I take 7 every day, except one day a week when I work from home. I get on 7 via Potomac View and go into Tysons at the first exit, Tyco Road, so it's not too bad at all. It takes me between 25 and 30 minutes, but then I leave at 6:30. The big thing with 7 is that traffic, while heavy, moves pretty well unless there is an accident.
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