Mount Weather commute (Arlington, Alexandria, Reston: home, to live, budget)

[NOVAEER]

What do you think would be a manageable commute to Mount Weather for someone who wants to live close to DC? DC, Arlington or Alexandria seem completely out of the question. Perhaps McLean or Reston?

[spencgr]

well, what do you consider "manageable"? You would be doing a reverse commute, so you may be able to get further in, depending on what you think is manageable.

[NOVAEER]

Manageable being 60-75 minutes.

[spencgr]

While it is an opposite commute, anywhere inside the Beltway or on the Beltway will experience traffic. If you are willing to pay for the Toll Road and Greenway ($13 a day, I think) you can get from Tysons to Bluemont in around an hour. Anything further west from Tyson's (Reston, Herndon, Ashburn) would be closer. Mapquest says it will take about an hour from Arlington to Bluemont, but I'd add in another 20 minutes for traffic on 66. This also assumes you are taking the Toll Road and Greenway.

So, I think you can live pretty far in, as long as you stay somewhere close to the Toll Road. Increased distance from that (Alexandria, Springfield) will be un-manageable.

[Bigfoot424]

Have you done this drive yet? It's a beautiful drive once you get out past Gainesville, assuming you do I 66, but it's a long drive from the DC/Alexandria area. It is a reverse commute but it's still a long ways in. Hae you considered an area like Gainesville? I realize it modern day suburbia and not a city environment but it's a nice drive to Mt. Weather and still close enough to the beltway to get in and do things.

[stpickrell]

What's your budget? I'm guessing Leesburg is too far out for your taste.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Hae you considered an area like Gainesville?

It's almost an hour from Gainesville to Bluemont. If he's driving an hour, he can get a lot closer into the city (as per his request) than Gainesville.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by spencgr

It's almost an hour from Gainesville to Bluemont. If he's driving an hour, he can get a lot closer into the city (as per his request) than Gainesville.

From Bluemont to Georgetown is appx 55 miles.

From Gainesville to Georgetown is appx 34 miles.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

From Bluemont to Georgetown is appx 55 miles.

From Gainesville to Georgetown is appx 34 miles.

Gainesville is south east of Bluemont. If the OP wants to be as close to the city as possible, why wouldn't they use the time and the mileage to head due East. What is the benefit of going South?

If he's working in Blumont, he can get to Tysons Corner in an hour (40 miles). From Tysons Corner, he'd only be 15 minutes (11 mi) from Georgetown. If he lived in Gainesville, it would still take him about an hour to get home from Bluemont; but it would take him about 40 minutes to then get to Georgetown.

Gainesville, in my opinion, is out of the way if the ultimate goal is to get as close to the city as possible.

[NOVAEER]

Tried it this morning and it took exactly an hour from Centreville. It was a nice, scenic drive and didn't seem that long. I didn't like how the speed limit drops to 45 MPH on 17 between 66 and 50 near Paris, but oh well.