Woodbridge or bristow or Alexandria? (sex offender, how much, middle school)

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by fromNYtoVA

thanks for the imput.. still looking for someone who commutes on the VRE from Bristow... anyone???

I ride the entire length of the VRE from there

[fromNYtoVA]

So how long does it take? Is it easy to get buses at the station in Alexandria? My husband would need to take the VRE and then a dash?? bus to his new office on N. Fairfax. We are trying to get a sense of how long of a commute that will be-- since we like Bristow and can afford a lot better house there. I appreciate your response!

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by fromNYtoVA

So how long does it take? Is it easy to get buses at the station in Alexandria? My husband would need to take the VRE and then a dash?? bus to his new office on N. Fairfax. We are trying to get a sense of how long of a commute that will be-- since we like Bristow and can afford a lot better house there. I appreciate your response!

you already asked me that question a few posts back, and the answer was 47 minutes from Broad Run VRE station -> alexandria. Now you're saying he's working in North Fairfax.

Now, if you can post the address where your husband works, it will be easier for us to be specific.

[fromNYtoVA]

Sorry-North Fairfax street in Alexandria is where the office is. I think he'd need a bus from the station in Alexandria, right? We don't know anything about that area, so any info would be helpful. Thank you.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by fromNYtoVA

Sorry-North Fairfax street in Alexandria is where the office is. I think he'd need a bus from the station in Alexandria, right? We don't know anything about that area, so any info would be helpful. Thank you.

According to the DASH system map located below, your husband would need to take the AT5, or the AT2 bus from the Alexandria VRE station to North Fairfax street. Appears to be a 10 minute bus ride.

http://www.dashbus.com/dash_new_routes/DASH_systemmap2008.pdf (broken link)


Here's the schedule for the AT5
http://www.dashbus.com/dash_new_routes/AT5toBraddockViaOldTown.pdf (broken link)

Here's the schedule for the AT2
http://www.dashbus.com/dash_new_routes/AT2toBraddockViaOldTown.pdf (broken link)


Travel Time:

47 minutes on VRE, 10 on Bus, 20 mins driving = 1 hour 17 minutes each way door to door.


Monthly Cost :

$191.30/month on VRE (monthly ticket)
$1.00 each ride on DASH = $44/month based on 22 working days
--------------------------------------------
= $235.30 per month

[pmb]

I have lived in the Woodbridge community for the past 23 years. I would highly recommend you look in the Lakeridge, Old Bridge , Westridge area as well as County Center. The elementary schools are all within the subdivision or a short bus ride away. I found with my elementary children scores are not always the best indicator of a great school. It is about the heart and soul inside of the four walls that can really make a difference to a child. I loved Lakeridge Elem it did not have the newest of everything but the teachers and principle were outstanding they knew each child by name and made sure they knew they were cared for. Westridge Elem had the scores but it was cold and impersonable in my opinion. I hear they have gotten better After two years the the principle did not know my children by name.

The housing prices have come way down for 350,000 you can get a very nice home in a planned community with pools and tennis courts every where for your use. It is a great life and the community of Lakeridge is always winning awards for it very clean community and common areas.

Commuting is by Omni Bus Service or Virginia Rail Express stations that will connect you to the Metro. It's a great place to live.

[fromNYtoVA]

Thanks for the good info. I'm going on a house hunting trip in a week-- I plan on driving around Woodbridge to get sense of it.

[dlngrl]

My family is looking at houses in Port Potamac area of Woodbridge. Can anyone offer info on the schools? Specifically Rippon Middle School? Things I read on Greatschool.net were not favorable.

[global_dev]

Originally Posted by dlngrl

My family is looking at houses in Port Potamac area of Woodbridge. Can anyone offer info on the schools? Specifically Rippon Middle School? Things I read on Greatschool.net were not favorable.

Full Disclosure- I am an active resident in the Port Potomac community. I have been there since 6/2007.

These schools and the area are added only recently population from Port Potomac in the past 18 months or so. There are scores of new average?income ($75K to $150K+/yr) with children who are pre-school or elementary aged. I don't see how many of the populations by this area (including Eagle Ridge?) across the street could have already adequately added to the current and past reviews of schools.

I started a thread at https://www.city-data.com/forum/north...ving-here.html

I have gotten mixed reviews of the schools, to the extent that it is either love or hate. At the moment, it seems the schools have not been as diverse as the Port Potomac neighborhood and the schoold demographics may change. I have close friends who have chosen to put the 2 elem. aged kids in private, yet send the oldest to the middle school (last year), and now high school.


If its any analogy for insight into the parent-school relationships, so far this summer , it is obvious to see the differences between families who let kids fend for themselves and which try to get them in organized recreation. The kids who are supervised/go to camp (something to do) far outnumber the kids kicking cans around the neighborhood.

[5stones]

families who let kids fend for themselves and which try to get them in organized recreation. The kids who are supervised/go to camp (something to do) far outnumber the kids kicking cans around the neighborhood.

I am sorry I take umbridge with this comment...

KIDS need time to just play together..."kicking the can around the neighborhood" unsupervised and unorganized play is a great social time and kids get to figure things out for themselves.
It's not that great to have have your kids BOOKED up all summer (or school year) in ORGANIZED camps and activites... beleive it or not they do need down time to JUST PLAY!

we do a camp here and there and BTW...they are $$$$ fine for 1 kid but when you have 3 that 125/weekx3 ADDS up not all of us have an extra 1500 a month to spend so someone else can provide "supervised paly".

My kids ride bikes with the neighbor kids, go to the creek and dig in the dirt, look for critters, fish in hte pond with sticks and string, have water gun fights, play hide in seek with about 15 other kids... etc (sound like a childhood I had)

Just because kids are PLAYING outside and running around the neighborhood doesn't mean that they are left to "fend for themselves" or have bad parents and no supervision!