Commute - Alexandria (Edsall Rd. and 395) to I-66 & 123 (Reston: home, construction)

[Azmordean]

Well.. the title says it all. I finally got a job, which I am stoked about. My office will be on Jermantown Road, just off of 123N from I-66. In the next 6 months or so, I will be moving out towards Fair Lakes with a friend, at which time I'll have a short cake commute.

Until then though, I will be commuting from Alexandria, specifically, right near the intersection of 395 & Edsall Rd. (Also near 395 & 495).

I have tested the route once so far, and will do so again tomorrow. My findings are thus:

- In the morning, I-66 W is pretty clear. However, 495 N from Edsall starts to block up around Braddock Road and is pretty slow going until you get to 66.

- In the evening, I-66 E almost always blocks up around 123 or Nutley St. thanks to the massive merge-down after the beltway.

Both these facts led me to search for alternative routes. I think I have found a good one.

495, exit on 236 (Little River Tpk) WEST.
Turn RIGHT on Pikckett Rd.
If you stay straight on Pickett, it turns into Blake, and then into Jermantown, and I arrive right at my office.

This seems to take 25 minutes or so. A little slower than 495 to 66 under ideal traffic conditions, BUT it seems like it would be far better during commuting hours.

Thoughts? Other routes I should look at?

Thanks in advance!

[terrence81]

I'm like a half mile from your office so I know exactly where you're talking about. I also pass the Edsell rd exit everyday but going in the opposite direction. I like Oakton but hate my commute.

You seem to be on the right track with taking 236. Yeah depending on where off Edsell you are you could go up Van Dorn to Little River Turnpike and just take that all the way to Pickett and just take straight up to Jermantown. I'm so jealous of you and your soon to be short commute when you get out to Fair Lakes. Congrats on the new job.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by terrence81

I like ____ (Insert NoVA community here) but hate my commute.

Sounds like what 99.9% on this forum would say! I so LOVE my 1.5-mile commute!

[ScranBarre]

Congratulations, by the way, on your wonderful new career opportunity! You won't be living far south of me. Maybe I'll be bumping into you sometime at an event at Reston Town Center.

[JakilaTheHun]

Originally Posted by Azmordean

Well.. the title says it all. I finally got a job, which I am stoked about. My office will be on Jermantown Road, just off of 123N from I-66. In the next 6 months or so, I will be moving out towards Fair Lakes with a friend, at which time I'll have a short cake commute.

Until then though, I will be commuting from Alexandria, specifically, right near the intersection of 395 & Edsall Rd. (Also near 395 & 495).

I have tested the route once so far, and will do so again tomorrow. My findings are thus:

- In the morning, I-66 W is pretty clear. However, 495 N from Edsall starts to block up around Braddock Road and is pretty slow going until you get to 66.

- In the evening, I-66 E almost always blocks up around 123 or Nutley St. thanks to the massive merge-down after the beltway.

Both these facts led me to search for alternative routes. I think I have found a good one.

495, exit on 236 (Little River Tpk) WEST.
Turn RIGHT on Pikckett Rd.
If you stay straight on Pickett, it turns into Blake, and then into Jermantown, and I arrive right at my office.

This seems to take 25 minutes or so. A little slower than 495 to 66 under ideal traffic conditions, BUT it seems like it would be far better during commuting hours.

Thoughts? Other routes I should look at?

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Though, I would say it does somewhat depend on when you normally leave. But generally, I-495 backs up around either Braddock or Little River and stays backed up to around Tyson's Corner (with some variation). It's been a few months since I did my Little River to US-50 commute every day, but I'm thinking it normally gets bad fairly early.

[statecollege]

You've done your research well. I am not aware of a better alternative, but there are alternatives should there be a traffic issue on 236 in the Annandale area. For example, Braddock Rd to right on Ollie to left on 236 to right on Pickett. However, construction at Braddock and the Beltway can impede traffic. Go with your route.

[michgc]

Pickett is sometimes slow, too with all of the lights. Although, I take it in the other direction to take my kids to camp. Of course, for six months, you should be able to put up with it. And if traffic is bad, you can always stop at Trader Joe's! :-)

[Azmordean]

Thanks for all the info everyone! The other advantage I see with the route I mentioned is, while it may be a bit slower than 495->66 on a good day, it'll be way more consistent.

Plus, there is a Lifetime Fitness on the corner of Pickett and 236. I'll be going to their Centreville location a few times a week to lift with my buddy, but on days I work out alone, I can simply stop off at the Fairfax one on the way home .

[car54]

I would stay off 495 altogether! I cross over 495 (I'm heading east on 236), every morning about 8:00 and the inner loop is always stopped or barely moving.

There's many ways to get from Edsall to Braddock westbound....then you can cut over to 236 via Wakefield Chapel, Guinea, or Olley.

You can just take Edsall to Backlick and make a right and then a left on Braddock. (Edsall ends at Backlick)

Or to bypass the 495/Braddock interchange....you can go left on Backlick, right on Leesville, left on Heming, right on Queensberry, and left on Braddock.

Personally, I wouldn't fool with 236 westbound either....it backs up regularly in the morning. I'd take Braddock all the way to Shirley Gate/Waples Mill....and cut over to Jermantown from there. It's a little farther that way....but Braddock westbound is a piece of cake in the morning, everybody is going the other way.