Living In Washington DC II

One of the more interesting things about living in the Washington DC area is the traffic. Like most major cities this area has heavy traffic and their road infrastructure is constantly trying to play catch-up as for the most part it has not kept pace the evolution of the community. Light sequencing along several major routes in Fairfax County does not help. At election time, politicians talk of fixing the traffic by widening and building new roads, but little gets done. Interestingly little talk is given to computerizing the light system for commute adjustments.

Depending upon the route, I live 14 to 17 miles from the office. The shortest route, I-66, I am not allowed to take during rush hours when only I am the car. From the beltway in I-66 is HOV-2 (you have to have at least two people in the car). I have done I-66 from time to time on the way out with someone from the office or a family member and have been home in 25 to 30 minutes with traffic. My standard route involves taking one of two city streets into the office.

I use to take a route that could take normally from 55 to 80 minutes. If I left at 7:30 I would not arrive at the office until nearly 9:00. Last April, thanks to someone I know from the Canadian embassy I changed my route. Now I can leave at 7:45 and arrive at the office by 8:25.

The above is common to most major centers. What makes Washington traffic interesting are the “feddies”….people who work for the government or involved in political activity. When Congress is out, traffic commute times drop. In the summer Monday mornings are a breeze. City routes are fine Friday afternoons but not the interstates going to the beaches. “Feddies” have to put in a set number hours. Hence, flexible hours make Monday mornings and Friday afternoons light.

In the summer beach route traffic on Friday afternoons after 1:00 and Saturday mornings is a killer. If you get out of the city by 12:30, your commute to VA Beach would be three hours (normal drive). Much after 1:00 it would take you five hours. If you head out much after 2:15, you would not get to VA Beach until after 9.

I remember years ago when Stephen and Gayle were with us and we were going to the beach. They missed getting out to I-95 before 1:00. They arrived at the campground not much more than an hour before us and Evie and I did not hit the road until 5:30.

When Congress is out, many staffers and the lobbyists are out of town cutting traffic going into and out of the city. August heavy traffic almost disappears. Yet for the most part traffic in tech and manufacturing areas of Fairfax and Montgomery County, does not have the same flux.

Right now we have the triple blessing of Congress being in recess, end of the year and the holiday season. People with a day or two of vacation days left are taking them, and feddies are moving into a more flex schedule. Hence, this week and next week traffic into and out the city will be the lightest. This morning it took me only 32 minutes to travel to the office….the only way it could have been quicker would be to get all green lights. The first week of January it will be heavier but not at its heaviest for a week later. Then in May it will diminish again until the second week of September.