Best Arlington neighborhood for commute to Union Station, DC?? Thanks!!!

[FindingZen]

Fairlington and Shirlington (both in South Arlington) might be nice places to consider. I'm actually thinking the area near the Virginia Square Metro might work as well; it seems a little more mellow than Clarendon which appeals to 20somethings.

Honestly, any commute under an hour is considered a luxury here, especially by car. A growing number of employers allow flex-time hours that allow their staff to avoid the 6:30-9:30am and 3:30-6:30pm rush hour conga lines. Perhaps your husband's does too? I would predict that unless your husband is required to drive to different work sites during the day, he will eventually embrace the idea of commuting on the Metro to Union Station.

Many households in your situation albeit with less ample budgets find themselves living much further out in areas that are made for families but require a lengthy commute for the breadwinner.

You can definitely find some nice places with your budget. The trade-off, particularly in the short-term with Springfield, would be a longer commute than you all may prefer.

[claremarie]

There are lots of neighborhoods in Arlington with single-family homes and playgrounds nearby. The homes were mostly built before 1970, and are on the small side, but would probably work much better for your family than a condo or townhouse without a yard. Are you planning to buy or rent?

If you're planning an indefinite stay in northern Virginia, you will be considering the schools, so you should know that North Arlington schools are generally higher rated than those in South Arlington, largely because of demographics -- there are considerably more lower-income immigrant students living in South Arlington neighborhoods.
In general, you will pay more for a home that minimizes the commute to DC, because that is what many families are seeking. If your husband is willing to drive, that will give you a lot more choices.

[eliasgrace]

Thanks again for the responses... I didn't realize how tricky it is to find a decent place with a reasonable commute! My husband is used to a 10-20 min drive to work so moving to NOVA will be an adjustment!

Anyway, a lot of things to consider and I really appreciate having this board as a resource!!

[flrnova]

South Arlington is better because it closer to that side of DC, and also you don't have the HOV factor on 66.

Don't listen to the naysayers. Do they actually live in Arlington and drive into DC??

My neighbor told me that his commute into DC is 15-20 min via the 395 bridge (to 14th and Penna) and I think he usually goes quite early but still what is classed as rush hour. Google maps say that it is 15 min from here to Union Station and 20 min "in traffic". I believe that. You will be bumper to bumper on the bridge probably but it's a short distance.

This area is not as nice as the north but there are some decent neighborhoods, and there are some nicer "bubble built" houses for rent. The old housing stock is quite working class. For $3000 you might find a pretty nice house in this area; availability could be a factor. In North Arlington they might charge $3000 for a dump or at best a very ordinary house.

I didn't plan on moving down here because of the bad reputation but figured out that the commute for my gf into DC is easy (she goes to the other side of DC but there is never traffic congestion on 50 from here in ). Yes, 50 is very convenient for getting into DC as long as you are far from 7 Corners, but not for Union Station. It broadens from 2 to 3 lanes; just the opposite of I-66 that narrows from 3 to 2 as you enter from Fairfax to Arlington Cty.

Also, it would be very easy to hop on to 395 for the reverse commute to Springfield.

[Stephen 81]

Originally Posted by flrnova

Don't listen to the naysayers. Do they actually live in Arlington and drive into DC??

My neighbor told me that his commute into DC is 15-20 min via the 395 bridge (to 14th and Penna) and I think he usually goes quite early but still what is classed as rush hour. Google maps say that it is 15 min from here to Union Station and 20 min "in traffic". I believe that. You will be bumper to bumper on the bridge probably but it's a short distance.

It's pretty common for 395 to be backed up from the Mixing Bowl to the 14th St Bridge. At 7:45 in the morning. It's definitely not a short traffic jam by that time.

14th and Pennsylvania is also significantly closer to the 14th St Bridge than Union Station is, so that would explain why your neighbor's commute isn't as bad.

Google maps is also a hilariously bad predictor of travel time. Its version of "in traffic" here is what most people experience at 11 AM on a Saturday.