Peak traffic times on 495-W from 95-W to Connecticut Ave (Baltimore: home, live)

[commuter2]

The title sums it up...I commute south from Baltimore to Bethesda (please don't tell me to move---working on that and am trying to gauge when the traffic is worst. I'd rather sit in traffic in the daylight, so I'm considering shifting my schedule earlier.

My leading options:

(current drive)
Baltimore to Bethesda: 9:30am - 10:15am (so on 495 around 10am)
Bethesda to Baltimore: 6:30pm - 7:30pm (can be very annoying)

(possible alternative?)
Baltimore to Bethesda: 6:30am - 7:30am (is this wishful thinking?)
Bethesda to Baltimore: 3:30pm - 4:15pm (realistic?)

If you currently drive this route, please comment on my time estimates if at all possible, and what you would consider the peak hours to avoid.

Thanks

[tonyc]

I would leave Balt' at 6 and be in the office for 7. And leave at 3.30 and be home by 4.30/5.00. 4.15 pm...lol...don't think so.

Depending on where u r in Balt, on the return leg u may be able to take Conn, to 410 to 29 to 70 to 695...to avoid 95 backups...

[King_of_DC]

I've found google maps to be fairly accurate on main roads... (got my trip going into dc today right on and my trip from gburg to bethesda before I moved here.

Go to google.com/maps , put in your directions, then click on traffic... it will give you live traffic... click and change live to the date and time you want. Then it shows the patterns.

Of course, an accident throws all of that out the window, but you knew that.

[kcmo]

Beltway doesn't seem to vary too much. It's about the same from 6:30 to after 9:30 AM. It moves a lot faster in the evenings through that stretch though.

[selhars]

In any part of rush hour I think an hour (or a hair more) sounds more for getting from Baltimore to Bethesda, door to door to be at work (or home) on time.