Possible job in D.C.-good family suburbs? (Arlington, Manassas: rent, townhome)

[troyc]

Our former commutes to the Kennedy Space Center were about 45 minutes to one hour. That time frame would be acceptable.

Any thoughts on Woodbridge or Manassas? Are there parking areas to park and take public transit, if transit doesn't reach those two areas?

Thanks for everyones input!

[hilsmom]

Originally Posted by troyc

Our former commutes to the Kennedy Space Center were about 45 minutes to one hour. That time frame would be acceptable.

Any thoughts on Woodbridge or Manassas? Are there parking areas to park and take public transit, if transit doesn't reach those two areas?

Thanks for everyones input!

yes, there are park and rides in those areas that are serviced by busses (PRTC) as well as the slug lines. I think either would be acceptable. Plus, you COULD VRE (commuter train) from either and catch the metro from Crystal City (although someone else said that transfer is a pain).

As I said, Pentagon is about the easiest place to get to from just about any burb in VA.

[ChristineVA]

The Pentagon is the best place to get to from Woodbridge. Ample amounts of slugs, lots of PRTC busses, lots of carpools/vanpools. If you are in the HOV lanes, you can count on about a 35 minute ride from one of the commuter lots in Woodbridge.

The one thing I would not do is take the VRE to the Pentagon. You would have to get off at the Crystal City station and then walk to the Metro station (not all that close to each other) and get a train. I do know someone that parks in Crystal City (on the North end) and then walks to their job at the Pentagon (she's young and is an athlete).

[hilsmom]

Yeah, you theoretically could walk between crystal city and the pentagon...but I wouldn't recommend it. We went downtown at some point and decided to walk between Pentagon and Pentagon City mall. That felt like we were taking our lives in our hands just trying to cross between those 2! No good ways in that do NOT involve crossing major highways. And this is coming from someone who thought nothing of crossing Reston and Fairfax County Parkways.

[NC211]

An immediate neighbor of mine just moved up here from CC Beach, same reasons as yours. True SHAME on what's happening down there right now, but that's a conversation for another day.

We're in the Brambleton area (3 miles WNW of Dulles airport +/-). On this side of town for the pentagon commute, would be tough (Mannasas is even further out). In my opinion, and just my own personal opinion, Tyson's Corner is as far into DC as you probably want to go if you live on the western side of the VA burbs. Going past Tyson's from the west is tough, and limited with its access points. It's really either route 7 (bad - stop lights), Toll Road (Good, but not cheap), 66 (really bad / lots of traffic). So, for your situation, I would agree to look south of town around Lorton and Woodbridge. 95 is a nightmare, but more alternative options are available to you. It's also the part of town that seems to attract more of the Pentagon crowd and military brass. We have friends in Lorton, and they really love it. They're well-off financially, so DC in general is full of options for them, and they chose Lorton, even though one commutes to Chevy Chase.

[OrangeFish]

Another idea would be one of the many express buses. For example, the 17 Express bus takes about 45 minutes between the VRE station in Burke and the Pentagon. The 29 express bus takes about 45 minutes from Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale and the Pentagon. (There are other stops that obviously take less time.)

http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/va/17.pdf

http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/va/29c-x.pdf

[Jeanie Beanie]

Originally Posted by OrangeFish

Absolutely agree. Commuting to the Pentagon is SO much easier than commuting to many (most?) portions of D.C. from northern Virginia.

Hmmm. Actually, the Pentagon is in Arlington, not D.C. Everyone agrees the less one crosses the Potomac River for a commute, the better.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by Jeanie Beanie

Hmmm. Actually, the Pentagon is in Arlington, not D.C. Everyone agrees the less one crosses the Potomac River for a commute, the better.

Thank you for the intended but unnecessary geography lecture. The OP stated that a spouse was taking a new job in DC. I and others were simply pointing out the advantages of a commute to the Pentagon.

[Jeanie Beanie]

Originally Posted by troyc

The position would be in the Pentagon.

While with NASA our commute was around an hour on average.

Sorry, Orangefish, but the original poster said they were moving to D.C., but then on post 6, clarified that the position would be "in the pentagon". For you, maybe, the Pentagon is obviously in Arlington, but for someone from distant parts the Pentagon equals District of Columbia. Yes, I guess I'm pointing out the obvious to someone inside the beltway. Just looking to clarify the geography to a new arrival, that's all.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by Jeanie Beanie

Sorry, Orangefish, but the original poster said they were moving to D.C., but then on post 6, clarified that the position would be "in the pentagon". For you, maybe, the Pentagon is obviously in Arlington, but for someone from distant parts the Pentagon equals District of Columbia. Yes, I guess I'm pointing out the obvious to someone inside the beltway. Just looking to clarify the geography to a new arrival, that's all.

And my post was in post 4 asking where in DC the job would be located in. Thus my comparison after post 6 that a commute to the Pentagon would be an easier commute than to DC from many (or perhaps most) locations in northern Virginia.