I-95 HOV Entrances (Arlington, Springfield, Washington: parking, commute, build)

[schulkin2000]

Where is the Washington Blvd (Arlington) entrance to the Southbound I-95 HOV lanes? VDOT doesn't know.

[bornindc]

It's right by the Pentagon and Columbia Pike. On southbound Washington Blvd. coming from Memorial Bridge/GW Pkwy, stay on left to access the southbound HOV lanes. FYI it is I-395 there - it isn't I-95 until you hit the mixing bowl in Springfield.

[Mr. Benz]

234 Needs a damn ramp off the HOV lane, does VDOT not know this? smh

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by bornindc

It's right by the Pentagon and Columbia Pike. On southbound Washington Blvd. coming from Memorial Bridge/GW Pkwy, stay on left to access the southbound HOV lanes. FYI it is I-395 there - it isn't I-95 until you hit the mixing bowl in Springfield.

What would you recommend to access the HOV from this point on Mondays at 6pm?

S courthouse rd and columbia pike - Google Maps

[pcity]

Originally Posted by The Dissenter

What would you recommend to access the HOV from this point on Mondays at 6pm?

S courthouse rd and columbia pike - Google Maps

Take Columbia Pike towards the Pentagon or get on Washington Blvd. toward the Pentagon. Washington Blvd. is faster at off-peak times, but there will probably be a lot of traffic getting on Washington Blvd. around 6.

If you're on Columbia Pike, it will lead into S. Rotary Rd. when you get to the Pentagon parking lot. If you're on Washington Blvd., take the first Pentagon parking lot exit, which will put you on S. Rotary Rd. Take S. Rotary Rd. to Eads St. and make a right. There will immediately be an entrance to HOV on the right.

(I've done this a number of times, but it's actually fairly difficult to communicate exactly how to do it, because nothing is labeled well in that area.)

The only problem I could see with this is that I don't know how bad traffic is right at 6PM around that HOV entrance. I would imagine a lot of people at the Pentagon try to get on exactly at 6PM, since that is when the HOV restriction ends. I would imagine that, even with traffic around the Pentagon, you would have more luck with HOV than the regular lanes.

[Fundman]

Entering the HOV lanes after 6 pm is not worth it. At exactly 6 people start pouring into the HOV lanes and the lanes actually become slower than the regular lanes. People even idle on the shoulder of the highway waiting for the clock to strike 6.

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by The Dissenter

What would you recommend to access the HOV from this point on Mondays at 6pm?

S courthouse rd and columbia pike - Google Maps

PCity nailed it, Columbia Pike to the Pentagon parking lot entrance is your most direct route. If that is a mess you could go around Ft. Myer on Rt. 50 and GW Pkwy. to the HOV entrance on Washington Blvd. but that's a haul.

As Fundman mentioned, you may not save much time unless you can get on right at 6. If I'm traveling at that time (and I mean exactly 6:00, certainly no later than 6:10) I take the HOV on 395, and get over to the regular lanes at Edsall Rd. The HOV lanes south of Edsall are often worse than the regular lanes at that time in my experience. But I don't usually go that far south, someone who regularly commutes that far could better advise.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by pcity

Take Columbia Pike towards the Pentagon or get on Washington Blvd. toward the Pentagon. Washington Blvd. is faster at off-peak times, but there will probably be a lot of traffic getting on Washington Blvd. around 6.

If you're on Columbia Pike, it will lead into S. Rotary Rd. when you get to the Pentagon parking lot. If you're on Washington Blvd., take the first Pentagon parking lot exit, which will put you on S. Rotary Rd. Take S. Rotary Rd. to Eads St. and make a right. There will immediately be an entrance to HOV on the right.

(I've done this a number of times, but it's actually fairly difficult to communicate exactly how to do it, because nothing is labeled well in that area.)

The only problem I could see with this is that I don't know how bad traffic is right at 6PM around that HOV entrance. I would imagine a lot of people at the Pentagon try to get on exactly at 6PM, since that is when the HOV restriction ends. I would imagine that, even with traffic around the Pentagon, you would have more luck with HOV than the regular lanes.

Thanks for the tip. Did Columbia Pike to Rotary to I-395 South at 6:20pm. Save, for the buildup around the Pentagon, saved me 10 minutes off my weekly trip to Springfield