Reston to Tysons Commute (Fairfax, Vienna: low crime, how much, home)

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by pvnova

7 minutes to Greensboro? Not at 8am. But it is OK, slow, but at least not very far.

I start work @ 8, so I'd have to leave before 8. How bad is it?

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by pvnova

Forget Avalon, it is total junk compared to Rotonda, especially with a kid, and will cost you as much or more. And I don't think it is zoned to the excellent Spring Hill Elementary.

It is really a choice between Rotonda and a short refreshing walk and Vienna and little town feel (and 20-25 minutes drive in rush hour).

Rotonda has ice cream socials and actually very nice while you inside, but nothing compared to Vienna with parades, summer concerts and everything. The Tysons outside of Rotonda is unfortunately ugly and inhospitable environment, not for kids, and got uglier with that godawfull overhead Metro. Although that part of Tysons got much more livable in practical terms when Harris Teeter and Walmart opened, at least you don't have to drive more than a couple of minutes for everyday necessities now (it used to be 20+ minutes one way, to Safeway on the other side of Tysons through the stupid Tysons traffic, or to Vienna for groceries or to Target in Seven Corners or in Reston for stuff).

One more thing (c) Steve Jobs. Rotonda has a little convenience store right on the premises so you don't really need to drive anywhere for a gallon of milk, even as close as Harris Teeter, except on Sundays when it is closed.

20-25minutes It is less than 3 miles, how come ?? The Rotonda is across the street from my job, too close for comfort I go to that Harris Teeter at lunch sometimes, so I am familiar with the area. It is nice, but really doesn't have the community feel I got @ the Town of Vienna, that was a whole different vibe and if it was just a case of choosing the neighborhood, I would pick Town of Vienna over Tysons any day, doesn't mean I don't like Tysons, the walkability of TOV is the big + for me ( I hate driving, even if its a 5minutes drive)....

[pvnova]

Originally Posted by DCmum

I start work @ 8, so I'd have to leave before 8. How bad is it?

I suggest you spend a morning and see for yourself. What is bad for one person is tolerable for another. I think in most cases 20-25 minutes door-to-door, which might get frustrating for just a couple of miles, but not terrible in the grand scheme of things.

Walking in good weather and driving even 20-25 minutes is very different though, as well as garden apartment living vs gated high rises living (with Rotonda's many, MANY facilities). For example, do you plan to teach your child swimming? Would you like a morning swim yourself before work? Hard to beat Rotonda with its indoor heated pool. Do you like biking? Then Vienna, right next to W&OD, is hard to beat also. Prefer tennis, or volleyball or basketball or BBQ with friends near ponds with fountains? Rotonda again.

Tennis in Rotonda, on a quiet Sunday morning, with only rustling of the pines around you and gentle sound of water in the fountains, with an eagle hovering in the sky...

Too bad they have only 4 out of 6 courts left now. Maybe that new field they have built instead of 2 other is good for kids.

[tysonsengineer]

Its not 20 to 25 minutes. If it takes you 25 minutes you are doing it wrong.

10 to 15 minutes, take my route, don't be one of the people who have to use Route 7 or Route 123 because they are funneling back further west. I do this route all the time for happy hours after work to Church St. So long as you are out the door around 7:40-7:45 you should get to the office with ~5 minutes to spare. As long as you leave around 4:30 (if possible) you will be home by 4:45. If you leave at 5, because of the street light at route 7 and all the people turning right onto it, you can get an extra 5 minutes added onto your commute if its a rainy bad weather day.

Either way, no matter what never try Route 123 and you will be fine. 25 minutes would be if you did what 99.9% of commuters do and jump on International to Route 123 or god forbid Route 7 to 123.

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by pvnova

I suggest you spend a morning and see for yourself. What is bad for one person is tolerable for another. I think in most cases 20-25 minutes door-to-door, which might get frustrating for just a couple of miles, but not terrible in the grand scheme of things.

Walking in good weather and driving even 20-25 minutes is very different though, as well as garden apartment living vs gated high rises living (with Rotonda's many, MANY facilities). For example, do you plan to teach your child swimming? Would you like a morning swim yourself before work? Hard to beat Rotonda with its indoor heated pool. Do you like biking? Then Vienna, right next to W&OD, is hard to beat also. Prefer tennis, or volleyball or basketball or BBQ with friends near ponds with fountains? Rotonda again.

Tennis in Rotonda, on a quiet Sunday morning, with only rustling of the pines around you and gentle sound of water in the fountains, with an eagle hovering in the sky...

Too bad they have only 4 out of 6 courts left now. Maybe that new field they have built instead of 2 other is good for kids.

20 to 25 minutes is easy too much for a 2miles commute. That's crazy!it didn't even take me that long to get to Herndon from Tysons on most days and I leave at 4h30 and tried it both on 267 and route 7....As far as garden apartment living, I've never lived in one before so that will be a whole new experience for me :-) Again the Rotonda is very convenient but just way too close to my job, heated indoor pool seems awesome :-) I think the major selling point for Vienna at least for me is the walkability, sense of community and small quaint town feel which I really don't get at Rotonda... I moved to the DC area from Boston so I like quaint New englandish towns and Vienna gave me that vibe but now you are scaring me with the commute.....

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Its not 20 to 25 minutes. If it takes you 25 minutes you are doing it wrong.

10 to 15 minutes, take my route, don't be one of the people who have to use Route 7 or Route 123 because they are funneling back further west. I do this route all the time for happy hours after work to Church St. So long as you are out the door around 7:40-7:45 you should get to the office with ~5 minutes to spare. As long as you leave around 4:30 (if possible) you will be home by 4:45. If you leave at 5, because of the street light at route 7 and all the people turning right onto it, you can get an extra 5 minutes added onto your commute if its a rainy bad weather day.

Either way, no matter what never try Route 123 and you will be fine. 25 minutes would be if you did what 99.9% of commuters do and jump on International to Route 123 or god forbid Route 7 to 123.

I got your route from Vienna to Greensboro but if I don't go through international in the afternoon, then how do I get home without getting on 123? I'm not really familiar with the different roads. Thanks

[michgc]

My friend used to work on Greensboro, although he lived on the North side of 123. He took Church to Fairway or Westwood to Old Courthouse to Gosnell to Westpark to Greensboro or something like that. In other words, he never drove on 123 to get to work. You'd have to cross 123 at Center St. to go that way. You have to try different ways to figure out which works best for you. I'd estimate 15-20 minutes.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by DCmum

I got your route from Vienna to Greensboro but if I don't go through international in the afternoon, then how do I get home without getting on 123? I'm not really familiar with the different roads. Thanks

So turn left onto Westpark (I assume you work over by the SAIC/Booz complex) towards Route 7, then go through Route 7 at the light, which Westpark turns into Gosnell (don't get me started on how many times this one road changes names). From there turn right on Old Courthouse before you get to 123, and then use the same directions in reverse to head behind the golf course.

For the most part people stuck on 123 are going much further west and it doesn't make sense for them to use the local road for the 1/2 mile that it traverses central Vienna. You'll see some people on this route, especially as you get close to stop signs, but with stop signs the nice thing is it processes 1 person ever 10-15 seconds, so it moves (no completely jammed up people blocking the box situations).

Like I said, if you can beat out the literal 5pm mad house rush to the cars by just 10 - 15 minutes, you are golden, won't take you any where near 25 minutes because you will be avoiding the lights.

I drew you a map

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

So turn left onto Westpark (I assume you work over by the SAIC/Booz complex) towards Route 7, then go through Route 7 at the light, which Westpark turns into Gosnell (don't get me started on how many times this one road changes names). From there turn right on Old Courthouse before you get to 123, and then use the same directions in reverse to head behind the golf course.

For the most part people stuck on 123 are going much further west and it doesn't make sense for them to use the local road for the 1/2 mile that it traverses central Vienna. You'll see some people on this route, especially as you get close to stop signs, but with stop signs the nice thing is it processes 1 person ever 10-15 seconds, so it moves (no completely jammed up people blocking the box situations).

Like I said, if you can beat out the literal 5pm mad house rush to the cars by just 10 - 15 minutes, you are golden, won't take you any where near 25 minutes because you will be avoiding the lights.

I drew you a map

Awesome, makes a lot of sense. I will try it today. I was supposed to meet the owner tomorrow but we are meeting today around 2pm and if it works out, signing the lease right away

[DCmum]

Originally Posted by michgc

My friend used to work on Greensboro, although he lived on the North side of 123. He took Church to Fairway or Westwood to Old Courthouse to Gosnell to Westpark to Greensboro or something like that. In other words, he never drove on 123 to get to work. You'd have to cross 123 at Center St. to go that way. You have to try different ways to figure out which works best for you. I'd estimate 15-20 minutes.

Thank you, I guess I need to learn more about the local roads in the area