Commute from Tyson's Corner to Silver Spring in the evenings (Arlington: construction, living in)

[tabrown8]

I live in Silver Spring, MD and may take a job in Tyson's Corner. How bad is the commute in the evening? I've heard everything from 40 minutes to 2 hours. I hear the morning is only about 30 minutes. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[VRE332]

You will have a problem getting across the American Legion Bridge in the morning, then at the 270/495 spur...that's about it .

[tabrown8]

Thanks. Any thoughts on the evening commute? If I left Tysons around 6 pm, would I be in traffic for hours?

[Bass101]

No you wouldn't be sitting for hours. I drive from Arlington (Rosslyn) on the GW Parkway to 495, across the Legion Bridge, around 495 to Silver Spring at around 6 pm - and it takes me about 30-45 minutes. You just have to know when to be in the left lane (before Legion bridge) and when to get over to the right lane (after River Road) before the 495/270 split.

[Deeman804]

Maybe its not like this every day, but when i visit my friends after work (5:30 ish), I sit in traffic. I live in Rosslyn and commute frequently to silver spring. I hate it! The worst tends to be after Bethesda. I average an hour commute during that time of the day. At that rate its about 45 minutes on average from Tysons. Be wary, that's an average and it occaisionally is worse.

[Bigbluelandrover]

Hubby drives from Tyons to SS and some days it is 1hr then some days (Thurs) it is almost 2hrs on the beltway--and he is a fast driver. Going to work is about 30-35 mins.

[claremarie]

It would take at least an hour on a good day. Depending upon where your office is located in the Tyson's area, it could take more than 15 minutes just to make your way to the Beltway. Then you've got to travel through the construction zone on the Beltway, get over the bridge, and past Bethesda.

[tabrown8]

Thanks for all the replies. It will be a pain, but hopefully not as bad as I faced living in L.A. a few years back.

[saganista]

I'm reminded of a post from a good while back by a Silver Spirng worker who often went from work to visit his girlfriend in Reston. His theory was that no matter what time he left the office, he always got to Reston at 7:30. At 4:30, it took three hours, at 5:30 it took two hours, at 6:30 it took an hour.

I think he was exaggerating a little, but the principle still has some validity. If it's at all possible to time-shift the Tysons job to put you on the road on the back side on the am and pm rushes, well, life might be a whole lot easier...