Fort Washington to DC Commute: How long? (Indian Head: buying a house, buying)

[RamblingMan]

I will be starting a job in Washington DC (near George Washington University) and am interested in buying a house in Fort Washington, perhaps the Indian Queen and Tantallon areas. Mapquest indicates about 30 minutes drive time, and I suppose that's probably accurate if there's no traffic. In real life, how long and how miserable a commute would I be looking at? And when does the traffic start getting bad in the morning and easing in the evening? Work starts at about 8 am for me, but I would be willing to leave home a little early, arriving at 7:15 or 7:30, for example, and come home a little late if it would save substantial time and aggravation in a car.

Thanks!

[liliblu]

I live in Fort Washington and commute into DC each day. It's a 15 - 20 minute drive for me. But I leave the house between 5:30am - 5:45am. Traffic increases as the morning progresses but my neighbor says it only takes her about 30 - 40 minutes to reach her office each day. She leaves for work around 7:30 each morning.

[TechlawyerinPG]

20-40 minutes depending on what time you leave, what day of the week (flex schedules change the traffic pattern) and what time of year (summer traffic is usually lighter)
295 can get backed up and it can be stop and go to get over the Douglas bridge (which currently has construction to expand it); the earlier you leave the better; the further down Indian Head Hwy/210 you are adds more time also; I am at the beginning so that saves me about 10-15 minutes since I don't have to deal with 210 traffic
Welcome!

[RamblingMan]

Liliblu and Techlawyer,

Thanks very much for your helpful replies! I may be a neighbor in the not-too-distant future.

Cheers!