DC to S. Arlington (not other way around!) commute? (Orange: apartments, condos)

[trafficisconfusing]

I'm about to start a job in the southern part of Arlington - more specifically, it's just off 395 about a mile or two south of Arlington Cemetery.

I've never lived in DC and I'm thoroughly confused about convenient places to live, transportation, traffic patterns, etc.

I'm 23 and I really want to live in the city. I was planning on just using the metro every day and leaving my car at my parents' house, but unfortunately getting to this job via mass transit requires a metro ride, a bus transfer, capped off by a bit of a walk.

Is it feasible to commute from NW DC (Dupont Circle) to south Arlington by car? I think that this is against the flow of traffic, so it might not be that bad ... but really, I have no idea what to expect. I keep reading about terrible and dangerous situations on 395 during rush hour, but I think that stuff would be happening going the opposite direction from me ...

Any advice/insights greatly appreciated.

[claremarie]

Driving around within DC during rush hour is not fun. It doesn't really matter whether you are going "against traffic" or not, it's very congested and it takes much longer than you think it will just to go a few blocks. There are traffic lights every few blocks, and pedestrians, and double-parked delivery trucks, and one-way streets, and road closures for protests and visiting heads of state, etc. However, once you get to the 14th Street Bridge, and across the river, it's not too bad. Unless there is an accident, or construction delays.
But consider that the cost of housing in the Dupont Circle area is extremely high, and the cost of housing your car (if you haven't looked into this) will be considerable. DC also has higher income taxes than Virginia.
You might be much better off finding a place in Arlington. There are many "urban suburban" neighborhoods in Arlington that cater to young professionals. You could live anywhere along the Orange Line -- the areas around the Ballston and Clarendon Metro stops have been extensively developed in the last few years with very nice apartments and condos, plus bars, restaurants, and shopping. It's very easy to hop into DC, either by Metro or (on the weekends) car.

[trafficisconfusing]

Claremarie - thanks so much for the information and advice! I can see why it might seem kind of extravagant or at least silly to try living in Dupont while commuting to the south of the pentagon.

But here's the thing: I'm only in DC for 6 months, and I want to make the most of it. Actually, after browsing these bulletin boards (which are immensely helpful, by the way) I did consider living in Arlington - but yesterday I went and explored around the Clarendon metro stop and, while it seems like a perfectly fine place (despite the fliers posted around town warning women of a 4-time attacker in the immediate area who remains at large), I think I'd really rather splurge and live in a denser, more exciting area. I know from past experience that I'm super effected by the nature of my immediate neighborhood ... And after all, I'm only here for 6 months.

But then again, maybe it's just not feasible to commute via car from Dupont (btw, I do have a potential parking spot lined up there) to an area south of the pentagon.

Sorry for rambling on ... given these details, does your (or whoever's) advice remain the same?

Also, does anyone have further details on traffic between Dupont (I'm just going with Dupont because I already know the area and the other cool areas in DC are mostly further north, which puts me even further from work) and an area just south of the pentagon?

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your insights on this forum. I've gotten loads of useful information from browsing past discussions.

[claremarie]

If you're only here for 6 months, then you can put up with the commute by car. Presumably you've ruled out public transportation -- could you possibly take Metro to the Arlington Cemetery stop or elsewhere and then cab it to the office if it's a short distance?
If not, then keep in mind that you are aiming for 395 South via the 14th Street Bridge, so the closer your apartment is to 14th Street, the shorter your commute will be.

If you are set on the Dupont Circle area, try to live south of the circle, so you don't have to navigate it every morning.
If you're here in the DC area now, you might get yourself to the Dupont Circle area, or wherever, early in the morning, then drive or take a cab from that point to your office location, preferably during commuting hours. That will give you an idea whether you can stand the commute (and, if you take a cab, you might learn the fastest route).