What's the best way to get from West Springfield to Alexandria (Franconia: new house, construction)

[jillabean]

I close and am moving into my new house this week! I am so excited. But I need to figure out the best way to get to work now. I will be living in Springfield, just west of 95 near Old Keen Mill Road. I work pretty close to the King Street metro (it's an easy walk from the metro to my office).

Is it best to drive or take Metro (or even VRE from Backlick Road) and if I drive, what would be the best way to get there? Everything I try to map or google puts me on 495 and I get a feeling that's not the best option. I need to figure out what I am going to do so I know if I need to ask for a parking space vs. continue to to the free public transportation thing (parking isn't paid for with public transportation though and I would still need to drive to a metro station).

Thanks!

[farplaner]

That part of 495 from Springfield into Alexandria is actually generally not too bad in the morning even during rush hour.

Otherwise, I would try Old Keen Mill Road (becomes Franconia Road after crossing 95) all the way to Telegraph Road to Duke Street. You're pretty close to the King Street metro at that point.

Although, the Van Dorn Street x Franconia Road intersection can be quite a pain sometimes...

[HokieFan]

Telegraph Road at the 495 interchange is undergoing heavy construction. Traffic on Telegraph really gets bogged down in that area with lane closures and shifts.

I also work in that area.

I take 495 from the mixing bowl to the Eisenhower Connector exit and this is really easy. Because the fourth lane from the left is an exit only, the traffic usually flows decently (even when the other lanes are not).

Also, if you get onto 95N off of the Franconcia/Springfield Parkway and then move to the far left lane to get onto the Beltway, traffic is usually moving pretty good.

I'm usually hitting the mixing bowl at 6:45ish and onto Eisenhower by 6:50am - 6:55am.

At least give it try. If nothing else, it could be an alternate route for you.

[mmsva]

Don't bother with I495 at all. Take Old Keene Mill which turns into Franconia (stay in the left lane, past the mixing bowl exit), turn Left onto Van Dorn (stay in a middle lane) go past the I495 exit, turn Right on to Eisenhower. Then based on where you work, you can find side streets to get you to your location.

[Flamingo13]

Until learning more streets, I suggest Old Keene Mill/Franconia to Van Dorn to Duke St. and take that into Old Town.

[CAVA1990]

What's with the responding to old posts today?

[slduvall]

Thinking the same thing...newbies start the thread again, no one looks. But then again original poster could still be driving around the mixing bowl trying to get to work!

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by slduvall

Thinking the same thing...newbies start the thread again, no one looks. But then again original poster could still be driving around the mixing bowl trying to get to work!

Based on the suggestions to take Van Dorn st. I'd guess that they're still stuck in traffic.