Commute from Bel Air to Silver Spring (Baltimore, Olney: hotel, house)

[ejl0503]

Hello,
My family and I are relocating to the area from Philadelphia. My office is in Silver Spring. I'm currently looking to purchase a home in Bel Air, MD. My question is, what type of commute to Silver Spring would that be?

I'm hoping to be on the road by 6:30AM. I'm willing to commute up to 1 hr and 15 minutes each way. Bel Air seems to be a nice area.

Looking for some input, or other recommendations.

Thank you,
EJL

[emsgoof]

2 1/2 hours.
You're looking at 30-45 minutes just to the top side of the Baltimore Beltway (695) assuming you get in ahead of the traffic (which can build up quickly), then coming around the west side of the beltway to either Rt 40 or I-70 (695 slows down pretty bad in the morning right around I-795), then out I-70 to Rt 29, which is slow until just past Rt 100, then slows again around Rt 175 (sometimes). Then through the back roads (which are clogged up because of all the housing that has been built without an expansion to the transportation network) to your destination in Silver Spring.
If you're in downtown Silver Spring, MARC out of Aberdeen at 5:45 arrives in DC at 7:25, then ride the red line to Silver Spring (20 minutes or so). That MAY save you a little time, but I don't know.
I wouldn't do it...
Mapquest shows it at 1h 10 min with their notorious bad estimations, which doesn't take into consideration the horrible traffic you would be facing (it routes you through the Ft. McHenry tunnel, which ALWAYS backs up, as does the Harbor Tunnel), then down 95 to I-495. You'd be sitting in traffic from before you got to Rt. 212 (last exit before the DC Beltway) all the way to your Silver Spring destination. And it's the "don't go anywhere, just turn your car off" kind of traffic.
That's assuming there's no accidents on your route...

[chipmunk226]

@ems - what would be the earliest [or latest if that's even feasible] you think someone would have to leave not to hit major traffic and possibly make it in about 90 minutes?

Bel Air was an area we were considering, but in normal rush hour the commute would be brutal for my husband to get to NoVa.

[emsgoof]

4:30 to 5:00. Any later and you're guaranteed to get into traffic, at least down around DC. The problem is everyone else in the area understands this as well, so "rush hour" starts earlier and earlier every year because of other people doing the same thing. Your husband would need to time it so he is arriving down at the DC Beltway around 6:00.

[chipmunk226]

gotcha, thanks When he was working in NoVa he would leave the house at a little before 5am and he could get to work by 6 But he has a HEAVY foot

[ejl0503]

EMSGOOF,
So your saying from Bel Air to Silver Spring is about 1hr 15 minutes each way?

[emsgoof]

At 4:00am yes. During rush hour, see above. 2.5 hours minimum.

[ejl0503]

Emsgoof,
Next week I'm staying in a Hotel in the Bel Air/Abington area and will be traveling to and from Silver Spring daily. I will post my results in this forum daily starting next Monday night.

I traveled via I-95 through Baltimore from Philadelphia at 7/7:30AM on numerous occassions and have not recalled getting stuck.

Again, I will post my travel time results starting next week for anyone interested in the outcome.

I will be departing at 6:30AM to Silver Spring, and heading back to Bel Air at 6PM.

Thanks,
EJL

[sagegriot]

I would say the comments posted by ems are accurate and so are flippers comments about SR 97, but its mostly one lane road. 2.5 hrs ONE WAY during rushhour. Silver Spring is a large town, so may vary depending on what area of SS you're going to. I live in Laurel and both I-95 and US 29 can be backed up from the beltway merge at 6:45 am.

[emsgoof]

Or when you get stuck behind a dump truck or school bus on Rt. 97. The only places to pass are at I-70 or just outside Westminster. That can easily add 15 minutes to the 1 hour drive from Westminster to Olney. Yes, it does also greatly depend on what part of Silver Spring you're going to. It may be impractical to drive down 97 if it puts you on the wrong side of SS.