To all it may concern!
In the next two months, both my mother and I will be working in DC, full time for at least three years, if not forever. We will both be working near the National Mall.
We are currently looking for a townhouse/condo within DC itself, or in Virginia (no yard please). A lot of the places that we've found have been in Alexandria or Arlington. Her job pays well enough that we don't need to live two hours away. Ideally, we're looking for somewhere no more than a 30 min drive to the National Mall (in rush hour traffic), and near a metro station (which seem to be all over the place anyway).
I have been familiarising myself with the DC area over the past several weeks, trying to understand the highways and neighborhoods. I have come up with a couple questions that I'm hoping some people can answer:
1) Are there any neighborhoods in the DC area that should be avoided? I've heard that areas east of DC are no good, but curious what locals think.
2) Is the DC area speed-trap happy? I know Virginia has an 80 MPH criminal speed law, but I've heard that locals will drive right up to like 79, and that the beltway has a much higher average speed than the limit (55 GP lanes, 65 Express lanes IIRC).
"For at least three years" puts you into 2020. Are you going to be senatorial staffers? :P
Arlington and Alexandria are as close to DC as you can get without being in the District itself and is actually closer to the National Mall than most of the District.
I wouldn't live in DC again if you paid me but I'd happily live in NoVa. I'd try to find a place in Arlington or Alexandria, you'll thank me when you don't have to deal with city traffic when you want to go out and about.
Definitely consider places within the same block as a Metro Station, if at all possible. My cousin had one in Alexandria like that and, when it's cold, snowing, raining, hot (basically, any weather besides the most beautiful of days), you want to walk as little as possible in that bad weather!
I personally would pick VA over DC, although I don't have experience living in either.
DC has speed cameras set up all over the city, so yeah, I would say they're speed trap happy!
Speeds are often going to be limited by traffic in the VA/DC area. But when they are flowing during rush hours, it's not uncommon to see traffic at speeds above 80 mph as people go with the flow. But once traffic lightens a bit, you'll want to keep it below 80 as there's a lot fewer people on the road (and makes it easier to find those going above 80). Note, I believe 20+ over the limit is the same as 80+ as well.
Some notes and responses to Jake, based on my own personal experience living in the region.
- CP and Mike Tantillo will probably back me on this: I'd throw your "no more than 30min drive to National Mall during rush hour" criteria straight out the window. It's generally impossible in most locations outside of DC, and for locations inside DC, you're often faster biking than driving during peak periods.
- Metro's Red and Orange Lines have the biggest people crush during peak periods, though ANY line can and will have issues if there's an incident like smoke or a disabled train.
- Virginia's VRE and Maryland's MARC (both are commuter trains) are generally reliable. If living in Virginia and taking VRE, the station at L'Enfant Plaza is fairly close to the Mall (and also provides connections to 5 of the 6 Metro lines).
- Consider bicycling instead of driving, especially in DC during the peak of rush hour. The core of the region has a fairly extensive network of bike lanes and off-road paths.
- Living in DC is not as bad as some people (including in this thread) think. That said, DC living is in very high demand so the cost has been driven up considerably in recent years. Primarily for this reason, I concur with the others who suggest looking in Arlington or Alexandria. The inner fringes of Fairfax County are also a possibility, but if you insist on that 30 minute drive time, Fairfax County will go out the window. Living in Virginia is generally cheaper than living in Maryland.
- If you do look at DC, most of it is at least "tolerable". The northwest quadrant (especially west of 7th St/Georgia Ave NW) is the most wealthy quadrant and, conversely, the most expensive to live in (as Mike Tantillo can attest to). General areas to avoid are Southwest DC south of M St SW, most of DC east of the Anacostia River (though Anacostia proper and some areas along Pennsylvania Ave SE are starting to gentrify), and parts of Northeast DC generally north of Benning Rd and east of the CSX Met Branch Subdivision (though there are also neighborhoods here in the process of gentrifying such as Brentwood and Trinidad)
- Typical speeds on the Beltway, traffic permitting, are in the 65-70 range. I wouldn't push it any past 75, though, despite others doing it. Far too many Beltway crashes result from this.
- Both DC proper and Montgomery County have several speed cameras. All are signed in advance, though some of the DC signs also refer to mobile speed camera locations that may not necessarily have a camera at a given time.
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2017, 11:24:49 AM
- CP and Mike Tantillo will probably back me on this: I'd throw your "no more than 30min drive to National Mall during rush hour" criteria straight out the window. It's generally impossible in most locations outside of DC, and for locations inside DC, you're often faster biking than driving during peak periods.
I heard this one time from someone many years ago:
They were looking at moving into the DC/VA region, and the person took a test drive on the weekend from DC to VA to see where a 30 minute drive south of DC would get them. They then looked around and settled on a house.
Her first commute day to work took over 2 hours!
She never gave it a thought that driving on a free-flowing Saturday on the highways would be so much different on the weekdays. And she didn't consider the parking and walking necessary as well.
I don't know what happened...but I can't believe this person dealt with the 2 hour drive each way all that long.
I would also keep in mind the ease of doing daily things like grocery shopping. When I lived in DC, it was difficult to buy a lot of groceries at a time because I knew that I wouldn't just able to park in front of my apartment and walk straight in. This, of course, necessitated more frequent trips to the grocery store. All of my friends in DC have apartments that require them to park on the street and they're lucky if they can park directly in front of their apartments. Even in some of then nicer neighborhoods, you'll notice people parking on the street.
When moving somewhere, try to imagine what it would be like to do your daily business there and try to plan your living situation accordingly.
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2017, 11:24:49 AM
- CP and Mike Tantillo will probably back me on this: I'd throw your "no more than 30min drive to National Mall during rush hour" criteria straight out the window. It's generally impossible in most locations outside of DC, and for locations inside DC, you're often faster biking than driving during peak periods.
It might be manageable in Arlington. When I was working in NW D.C. (first near the Mall, then near Union Station), my morning commute from my apartment on the U.S. 50 corridor was often as fast as 20-25 minutes, with some luck. The evening commute usually took longer. It helped that my work hours were generally 10am-6:30pm, so I could dodge the worst of the morning rush, though not the evening rush.
Parking was expensive, since at my agency free parking was reserved for car/van-pools, and officials a few levels more senior than me. My parking expenses included a hefty parking tax (fair enough, that's the only money D.C. ever got from me to cover my use of its roads). So driving rather than transit was really a luxury option.
Good luck! The other Washington will miss you.
Try to avoid jobs where you're furloughed when Congress can't get it's act together.
Send me a PM for specific detailed information.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 13, 2017, 11:34:10 AM
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2017, 11:24:49 AM
- CP and Mike Tantillo will probably back me on this: I'd throw your "no more than 30min drive to National Mall during rush hour" criteria straight out the window. It's generally impossible in most locations outside of DC, and for locations inside DC, you're often faster biking than driving during peak periods.
I heard this one time from someone many years ago:
They were looking at moving into the DC/VA region, and the person took a test drive on the weekend from DC to VA to see where a 30 minute drive south of DC would get them. They then looked around and settled on a house.
Her first commute day to work took over 2 hours!
She never gave it a thought that driving on a free-flowing Saturday on the highways would be so much different on the weekdays. And she didn't consider the parking and walking necessary as well.
I don't know what happened...but I can't believe this person dealt with the 2 hour drive each way all that long.
The DFW MPO transportation director is well known in the area for saying that people shouldn't be allowed to buy houses on the weekend.
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 13, 2017, 05:09:24 AM
"For at least three years" puts you into 2020. Are you going to be senatorial staffers? :P
Well, you know.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on September 13, 2017, 09:55:40 AM
I'd happily live in NoVa. I'd try to find a place in Arlington or Alexandria, you'll thank me when you don't have to deal with city traffic when you want to go out and about.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 13, 2017, 10:12:12 AM
Definitely consider places within the same block as a Metro Station, if at all possible. My cousin had one in Alexandria like that and, when it's cold, snowing, raining, hot (basically, any weather besides the most beautiful of days), you want to walk as little as possible in that bad weather!
...
I personally would pick VA over DC, although I don't have experience living in either.
Quote from: froggie on September 13, 2017, 11:24:49 AM
I concur with the others who suggest looking in Arlington or Alexandria. The inner fringes of Fairfax County are also a possibility, but if you insist on that 30 minute drive time, Fairfax County will go out the window. Living in Virginia is generally cheaper than living in Maryland.
Glad to see there's some agreement here. We looked a lot in Maryland as well, but didn't see much that we liked. Virginia seems like the best option, lest some condo pops up in DC proper. Most of the condos and townhouses that we've found have been in the Columbia Heights area. Seems like a nice area, if Google Street View means much. Most of the townhomes in Virginia that we like have been around the Braddock Road and King Street metro stations. If not within walking distance, at least near a bus station that we could walk to.
The "30 minute" criteria was something she came up with. I think it's a goal, mostly. Not necessarily something that must be stuck to (she and I both intend to ride the train when possible). As a result, we've also been looking at places in the Falls Church/McLean neighborhoods (poor Metro access on foot but good bus access to reach Metro). Her job reimburses parking costs, so park and ride lots that have parking costs are not something out of question. Although I think she would prefer to walk and ride if at all possible.
Quote from: kkt on September 13, 2017, 11:57:06 AM
Good luck! The other Washington will miss you.
And I will miss Washington. Plenty of family out here. I see myself returning in the future, but not shortly.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on September 13, 2017, 02:00:16 PM
Send me a PM for specific detailed information.
Will do.
When will you change your location?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on September 13, 2017, 05:18:56 PM
When will you change your location?
Next couple of months. Long drive ahead of us.
Quote from: jakeroot on September 13, 2017, 05:35:41 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on September 13, 2017, 05:18:56 PM
When will you change your location?
Next couple of months. Long drive ahead of us.
It takes a few months to drive cross country?
^ Think about what you just asked in the context of what the OP posted.
I moved less than a mile earlier this year and it took about a month.
One of the better suggestions I've heard was from the former Dr. Gridlock (Robert Thomson), who suggested that when you consider a place to move, find a way to spend the night near that location, or else get there super-early one morning, and test out the commute. It's a good idea, but I would add a few points to that advice. If your planned commute involves driving, do it on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday when school is in session because those are the days on which traffic is usually the heaviest. If the forecast calls for rain, opt for that day because traffic is always worse when it rains. (Today in the morning rain Van Dorn Street near our neighborhood was backed up past the Top Golf, which means it would have taken over half an hour to go the two miles to the Van Dorn Metro if we'd wanted to go that way.)
Conversely, if you're looking in the District, keep an eye out to see if there are many churches nearby, and if there are, make sure you scout out the neighborhood on Sunday morning. The District has long turned a blind eye to all sorts of parking violations by church-goers who will double-park, block driveways, etc., such that residents are unable to get out. The debate on this issue is fraught with racial overtones, too–it seems many historically black churches have congregations with a lot of people who moved out to the suburbs but did not change churches and thus drive into the city and are faced with a lack of parking. It's not an issue to take lightly if you consider moving into a neighborhood that has churches with no off-street parking.
I'm obviously biased, but Virginia offers some notable advantages–lower income taxes, lower gas prices, usually lower car insurance premiums. One disadvantage if you drive into the District is a natural barrier–the Potomac. All traffic has to funnel onto the bridges, so they're natural chokepoints. Maryland has a land border with the District, so there are more alternate routes when something gets messed up. I think the key to getting around here is to learn as many different routes as you can and to be prepared to use any or all of them at a moment's notice if the traffic report tells you something is wrong.
As froggie noted, the Metro has reliability issues. I ride it four days a week and it can be just fine, but it can get messed up at a moment's notice by all sorts of annoying things like people trying to hold the doors open and the train then being taken out of service. I can suggest various Twitter accounts and such to follow for Metro information, and if you plan on using the Metro, I recommend you get a Verizon mobile phone if you don't already have one because they have the most reliable service in the subway tunnels (not perfect, but better than the rest, and that's very helpful when you're stuck in a dark tunnel and the train operator's announcements are unintelligible). A more important issue is to find out what the peak hour Metro commute will cost you each way because it can get pretty expensive if your employer doesn't offer a subsidy. Currently the maximum one-way peak hour fare is $6.00; if you have to park at a Metro station, that usually adds $4.95. (But many downtown garages' early bird rate can be as high as $15, so the Metro may not be as expensive on a relative basis as it sounds.)
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
Currently the maximum one-way peak hour fare is $6.00; if you have to park at a Metro station, that usually adds $4.95. (But many downtown garages' early bird rate can be as high as $15, so the Metro may not be as expensive on a relative basis as it sounds.)
LOL! $15 for an early bird rate is considered a good deal in downtown Chicago.
Quote from: Brandon on September 14, 2017, 01:28:11 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
Currently the maximum one-way peak hour fare is $6.00; if you have to park at a Metro station, that usually adds $4.95. (But many downtown garages' early bird rate can be as high as $15, so the Metro may not be as expensive on a relative basis as it sounds.)
LOL! $15 for an early bird rate is considered a good deal in downtown Chicago.
The point was to compare it to the subway fare. Obviously the circumstances can make a difference as well–if you commute with someone else, the average cost of driving changes while the subway fare doesn't (other than paying one parking fee instead of two).
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
I'm obviously biased, but Virginia offers some notable advantages–lower income taxes, lower gas prices, usually lower car insurance premiums.
This is important to me, because I come from a state with no income tax. I understand that Virginia also collects personal property tax, whatever that is. But I will appreciate the nearly-halved sales tax and slightly lower fuel prices. Hopefully diesel isn't too much more expensive than unleaded over there. Same price as unleaded here.
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
One disadvantage if you drive into the District is a natural barrier–the Potomac. All traffic has to funnel onto the bridges, so they're natural chokepoints. Maryland has a land border with the District, so there are more alternate routes when something gets messed up. I think the key to getting around here is to learn as many different routes as you can and to be prepared to use any or all of them at a moment's notice if the traffic report tells you something is wrong.
Her office building, the location of which is considerably more important in the overall scheme of things (I can theoretically work at just about any hotel), is south of the Mall. I don't know how that might play into things (maybe trying to cross the mall is a PITA, so living north of downtown is not such a good idea?). That said, I completely forgot about the Potomac. I come from an area with lots of natural land barriers (hills, rivers, lakes), so it's not something that I need to adjust to and/or am annoyed by. Might just have to live with it, since Maryland is now officially off the table (apparently she talked to some area friends who highly prefer Virginia for various reasons -- she (being my mother) makes the call, as you might imagine; she is also not familiar with the area so is relying on her friends heavily). That in mind, her intent is to take Metro most days, so the Potomac shouldn't pose too much of a threat from day-to-day.
Is Waze heavily utilised out east? I use the app just about every day here, even just going a few miles. Lots of people here using it, so it comes in handy when trying to avoid congestion. Although, being incredibly familiar with Seattle roads means that I often ignore it, as I
think I know better.
Quote from: jakeroot on September 14, 2017, 08:16:27 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
I'm obviously biased, but Virginia offers some notable advantages–lower income taxes, lower gas prices, usually lower car insurance premiums.
This is important to me, because I come from a state with no income tax. I understand that Virginia also collects personal property tax, whatever that is. But I will appreciate the nearly-halved sales tax and slightly lower fuel prices. Hopefully diesel isn't too much more expensive than unleaded over there. Same price as unleaded here.
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
One disadvantage if you drive into the District is a natural barrier–the Potomac. All traffic has to funnel onto the bridges, so they're natural chokepoints. Maryland has a land border with the District, so there are more alternate routes when something gets messed up. I think the key to getting around here is to learn as many different routes as you can and to be prepared to use any or all of them at a moment's notice if the traffic report tells you something is wrong.
Her office building, the location of which is considerably more important in the overall scheme of things (I can theoretically work at just about any hotel), is south of the Mall. I don't know how that might play into things (maybe trying to cross the mall is a PITA, so living north of downtown is not such a good idea?). That said, I completely forgot about the Potomac. I come from an area with lots of natural land barriers (hills, rivers, lakes), so it's not something that I need to adjust to and/or am annoyed by. Might just have to live with it, since Maryland is now officially off the table (apparently she talked to some area friends who highly prefer Virginia for various reasons -- she (being my mother) makes the call, as you might imagine; she is also not familiar with the area so is relying on her friends heavily). That in mind, her intent is to take Metro most days, so the Potomac shouldn't pose too much of a threat from day-to-day.
Is Waze heavily utilised out east? I use the app just about every day here, even just going a few miles. Lots of people here using it, so it comes in handy when trying to avoid congestion. Although, being incredibly familiar with Seattle roads means that I often ignore it, as I think I know better.
I'm quite a bit further south in the state than where you'll be, but diesel is about the same price as unleaded around here. Also, I took a brief jaunt into North Carolina the other day, and saw gas prices were 10-20 cents higher there than in VA.
Regarding diesel, Virginia taxes it differently than gas. If you have a diesel car, you're eligible for a refund on some amount of fuel tax. I've never paid a lot of attention because none of our cars runs on diesel, but you can find the info at the link below. Save your fuel receipts! This alone would be a reason to buy fuel in Virginia even if you lived in DC or Maryland, because you don't have to be a Virginia resident to get the refund.
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/commercial/#taxact/diesel_refunds.asp
Personal property tax is what's commonly known as the car tax. Every year you have to pay a tax based on the vehicle's value, collected by the county or city, and most counties and cities will also charge you a $33 "registration fee" on top of that. The portion based on the vehicle's value is deductible on your federal tax return if you itemize deductions. The $33 fee is not because it's a flat fee.
You also have to get a safety inspection once a year (most service stations and car dealers can do this) and an emissions inspection every two years. You have to get the emissions done before you can get or renew license plates. The safety inspection is not part of the registration process, but if you let it lapse, you're likely to get a ticket when a cop sees the expired inspection decal on your window. None of this is anywhere near as big a deal as it sounds. It's more in the nature of a minor hassle that's part of life here, and the inspection does have the benefit of keeping the real junkers off the road.
Waze is used out east, although in such a congested area if there's an incident it's hard to find routes that have nothing going on. If there's a major incident other routes are going to be jammed already anyway. Its probably better than nothing, although you have to get used to the fact that when multiple people report an incident, the reports may be noted on separate locations, making it appear there's several accidents in a general area.
Travel time signs are used extensively on the highways. I've found them more useful.
The most important thing is if there is an incident, that it's moved off the roadway into the shoulder, keeping the travel lanes open.
Quote from: jakeroot on September 13, 2017, 05:35:41 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on September 13, 2017, 05:18:56 PM
When will you change your location?
Next couple of months. Long drive ahead of us.
Drop me a line. I head down on occasion.
A friend of mine used to live in a condo in Arlington near the Courthouse stop on the Metro (Orange/Silver line). Seemed to be a nice area from what I saw of it but likely because its an expensive area to begin with.
Quote from: NJRoadfan on September 17, 2017, 01:34:58 PM
A friend of mine used to live in a condo in Arlington near the Courthouse stop on the Metro (Orange/Silver line). Seemed to be a nice area from what I saw of it but likely because its an expensive area to begin with.
Expensive is a relative term in these parts. For a salaried professional, Courthouse isn't cheap but it sure isn't deluxe either.
Congrats and good luck living in the nation's capital...I plan to visit Washington DC one of these days, along with the whole east coast. I'm in Southern CA so this is the other side of the country for me. I traveled across CA, including the state capital Sacramento.
Washington DC used to be the highest Black population of any major city in the US (now Detroit-80%), due to gentrification since 1990 reversed the previous 50 years of white flight. In an unscientific survey, DC has the highest LGBT percentage or population, surpassing San Francisco and Palm Springs CA, although this isn't a census report statistic. And nearby Northern VA have the wealthiest cities or counties in the country, outdoing New York City's 5 boroughs, the entire NYC metro area, coastal southern New England, the SF Bay area, and expensive Alaska and Hawaii.
Quote from: jakeroot on September 14, 2017, 08:16:27 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
I'm obviously biased, but Virginia offers some notable advantages–lower income taxes, lower gas prices, usually lower car insurance premiums.
This is important to me, because I come from a state with no income tax. I understand that Virginia also collects personal property tax, whatever that is. But I will appreciate the nearly-halved sales tax and slightly lower fuel prices. Hopefully diesel isn't too much more expensive than unleaded over there. Same price as unleaded here.
Quote from: 1995hoo on September 13, 2017, 10:42:04 PM
One disadvantage if you drive into the District is a natural barrier–the Potomac. All traffic has to funnel onto the bridges, so they're natural chokepoints. Maryland has a land border with the District, so there are more alternate routes when something gets messed up. I think the key to getting around here is to learn as many different routes as you can and to be prepared to use any or all of them at a moment's notice if the traffic report tells you something is wrong.
Her office building, the location of which is considerably more important in the overall scheme of things (I can theoretically work at just about any hotel), is south of the Mall. I don't know how that might play into things (maybe trying to cross the mall is a PITA, so living north of downtown is not such a good idea?). That said, I completely forgot about the Potomac. I come from an area with lots of natural land barriers (hills, rivers, lakes), so it's not something that I need to adjust to and/or am annoyed by. Might just have to live with it, since Maryland is now officially off the table (apparently she talked to some area friends who highly prefer Virginia for various reasons -- she (being my mother) makes the call, as you might imagine; she is also not familiar with the area so is relying on her friends heavily). That in mind, her intent is to take Metro most days, so the Potomac shouldn't pose too much of a threat from day-to-day.
Is Waze heavily utilised out east? I use the app just about every day here, even just going a few miles. Lots of people here using it, so it comes in handy when trying to avoid congestion. Although, being incredibly familiar with Seattle roads means that I often ignore it, as I think I know better.
Just wanted to chime in as another local that I agree with your general assessments. For most of the reasons that you've described like taxes and other expenses VA is a much better deal than DC or MD. (I live in MD because I prefer to live within my ethnic community and there are more of us in MD than VA - but otherwise I'd probably choose VA as well.)
Despite its problems, Metro is still better than driving on a regular basis. I work in Downtown DC and I always Metro to work, but do occasionally take the family on museum outings by car on the weekends. If you have a regular work schedule, Metro is generally fine but the off-peak and weekend frequencies are generally terrible. Living within reasonable distance of Metro would be really helpful. As far as car commuting goes, you do have to contend with bridges but at least you generally have expressway access direct to Downtown. (This is really helpful if you do drive at off-peak times - your drive from VA will be quick, but from where I am, I either have to go out of my way to take a winding parkway or drive on streets with poorly timed signals on every other block - like 16th or Georgia.)
Roadgeeking-wise, I think MD does a pretty good job of signing, both on highways and on local streets. In DC and VA there are too many traffic signals that do not have large overhead signs that make navigating easier. And the traffic circles in DC are never fun.
Plus, I like your signage style of what you post in the "Illustrations" forum. They are reminiscent of 40's and 50's California styling. It would be interesting to see your take on some of our local roads - when you move here and drive around here you are likely to be inspired to make some changes. The DOT highways tend to be pretty well signed in both MD and VA but the parkways (especially Rock Creek and GW) could use some help.
Hey guys! Little update for ya.
Nothing has happened yet. Our house here in the Seattle area is on the market. No bites yet, but it's more expensive than most homes in the area, so it will take some time to find the right buyer. Until the house sells, it's likely that we will move into an apartment in the Merrifield area, hopefully near the metro stop so that my mother doesn't have to suffer in traffic!
She's actually in DC right now scoping out some homes. She's currently looking around Springfield. And that's fine, but it seems awfully far from DC. There's the Franconia metro station, and there's a large garage there. She would have no problem paying to park there, but it's a first-come-first-serve garage (as it should be), and I'd be worried about it filling up. Anyone know how quickly, and by what time, these garages generally fill up? Assuming they do?
Yesterday I found a spot at the Franconia—Springfield stop at 10:30 AM with no difficulty at all. It can fill up, but as long as you don't mind parking on the top level you can usually get a spot. We live about two miles east of there. We have no problem finding a space under cover at 8:00 AM. There are about 5100 spots in the main garage there.
Other thing to know is that you can park for free a quarter-mile away on the top level of the Macy's garage if you don't mind a short walk or waiting for a shuttle bus. A fair number of people park there to save $4.95 a day and then park in the WMATA garage if it's raining (so expect a more crowded Metro garage if bad weather is forecast).
BTW, something to add to my comment from last night: The Springfield Metro garage is not entirely first-come first-served. There are a certain number of reserved spaces–WMATA.com's mobile site doesn't give the exact number of spaces–and you can sign up for a reserved space for $45 a month (does not include the daily $4.95 fee). You're not actually reserving a particular numbered space. Rather, they don't sell more permits than the number of reserved spots, and the spots in question are reserved only until 10:00 AM. After 10:00, anyone can park in them. The idea is essentially that you can ensure yourself access to a space in a certain part of the garage if you pay the extra. I don't think it's worth it at Springfield and I don't have a reserved permit because we never have trouble finding parking around 8:00 AM and because I don't care about parking in a particular part of the garage other than preferring not to be on the top level out in the elements. If we commuted from a smaller stop with fewer parking spots (say, Van Dorn Street, which has 325 spaces), I might feel differently about it. The price for the reserved permit varies (it's $45 at Springfield but $65 at Van Dorn, for example), and some stations may have waiting lists.
Thank you very much for the information, 1995hoo. Very, very helpful!
My area doesn't build very many large parking garages at park-and-rides (although there's some), so it's always a race here to see who will get a spot, and who won't. At the stations, the only reason the trains aren't completely packed all day is due to the limited amount of parking (never mind the lack of homes within walking distance). People here love trains, they just don't know how to get to the train stations without their cars. Many towns aren't jumping on the idea of large park-and-rides because of the lack of infrastructure to support that many more cars in the area.
Unless your mother's beholden to the I-95 South corridor, I'd suggest looking for something that offers easy (or easier) access to the Huntington metro. Yellow Line tends to operate better (and more frequently despite "Rush Plus") than the Blue Line, and heads more directly into the DC core instead of looping around via Rosslyn.
That said, VRE (the commuter rail) is also an option in Franconia-Springfield...
"Rush Plus" is no more. They did away with it near the end of this past June.
At this point, I think she's beholden more to a three-bedroom townhouse than anything else, but she's fairly certain that she wants to live at least in Virginia, and within some distance of a metro (whether she'd have to walk, take a bus, or drive to the station is not of major concern). Huntington is near a new development she was considering, but I think she decided they were too expensive. She's also dropped her "distance/time" requirements due to a tighter budget. She's accepted the fact that she can't live 15 minutes from DC, and be able to afford three bedrooms. The federal government just doesn't pay that well.
She has strongly considered using the VRE, because that's how she gets to work now (heavy/commuter rail -- the "Sounder").
Quote from: jakeroot on November 06, 2017, 10:27:25 AM
At this point, I think she's beholden more to a three-bedroom townhouse than anything else, but she's fairly certain that she wants to live at least in Virginia, and within some distance of a metro (whether she'd have to walk, take a bus, or drive to the station is not of major concern). Huntington is near a new development she was considering, but I think she decided they were too expensive. She's also dropped her "distance/time" requirements due to a tighter budget. She's accepted the fact that she can't live 15 minutes from DC, and be able to afford three bedrooms. The federal government just doesn't pay that well.
She has strongly considered using the VRE, because that's how she gets to work now (heavy/commuter rail -- the "Sounder").
Given that description, she might want to look into the Kingstowne area. Of course I'm biased because that's where I've lived since 2001, but it meets all those requirements: (1) Close to three Metro stops–Springfield, Van Dorn, and Huntington. (2) Close to the Springfield VRE stop; less convenient to the King Street and Backlick Road stops. (3) Plenty of three-bedroom townhouse and other options (single-family, condos, some apartments).
BTW, examine the Metro fares and the VRE fares carefully before deciding on one or the other. I would say if you live near a Metro stop, the Metro is likely to be the better option most of the time because it costs less and runs more frequently. From Springfield to L'Enfant Plaza is $5.35 one-way on the Metro and $7.65 one-way on the VRE (the latter can be reduced a little with multiple-ride passes). If you have to park at Springfield, that's an additional $4.95 a day regardless of which train you use. The nice thing, of course, is that if the Metro gets messed up, you can take the VRE and still get back to the same place (or vice versa).
Edited to add: BTW, one other thought is that Springfield (or Huntington) is at the end, or beginning, of the line. You'll always get a seat. I don't know whether the VRE is full when it gets to that area, but it certainly looks quite crowded when I see it from the Metro trains. The majority of VRE passengers are coming from further out.
Quote from: jakeroot on November 03, 2017, 05:47:33 PM
Thank you very much for the information, 1995hoo. Very, very helpful!
My area doesn't build very many large parking garages at park-and-rides (although there's some), so it's always a race here to see who will get a spot, and who won't. At the stations, the only reason the trains aren't completely packed all day is due to the limited amount of parking (never mind the lack of homes within walking distance). People here love trains, they just don't know how to get to the train stations without their cars. Many towns aren't jumping on the idea of large park-and-rides because of the lack of infrastructure to support that many more cars in the area.
Link gets rather full at mid-day, even running three-car trains. And those riders aren't coming from the park and rides (which account for 2% of daily ridership).
And there's a lot of large garages for the bus system. And plenty more coming with the suburban Link extensions (which will break the bank...because the car is the only deity worshiped here).
Quote from: Bruce on November 06, 2017, 07:57:00 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on November 03, 2017, 05:47:33 PM
Thank you very much for the information, 1995hoo. Very, very helpful!
My area doesn't build very many large parking garages at park-and-rides (although there's some), so it's always a race here to see who will get a spot, and who won't. At the stations, the only reason the trains aren't completely packed all day is due to the limited amount of parking (never mind the lack of homes within walking distance). People here love trains, they just don't know how to get to the train stations without their cars. Many towns aren't jumping on the idea of large park-and-rides because of the lack of infrastructure to support that many more cars in the area.
Link gets rather full at mid-day, even running three-car trains. And those riders aren't coming from the park and rides (which account for 2% of daily ridership).
And there's a lot of large garages for the bus system. And plenty more coming with the suburban Link extensions (which will break the bank...because the car is the only deity worshiped here).
The Link, given its current route, appeals more to the urban non-car lifestyle than it does to suburban commuters. I'm not surprised that only 2% of ridership is from park and rides. But, looking at something like the Sounder (something I'm more familiar with in the south sound), its routing is far more suburban, and although I don't have the numbers (don't know where to get them), I'm certain that many of the Sounder riders drive to the stations, and ride the train to their destination (perhaps taking a bus or the Link from that point on). Speaking specifically of the Puyallup station, the closest to the house where I grew up, and where my mother has been residing, the city lot is tiny. Probably 250 spots. A lot of people arrive at that station via bus from other nearby park and rides due to the limited capacity. Similar situation in Sumner.
Looking at Google Maps, I've suddenly realized how many large garages there really are. Federal Way, Lakewood, T-Dome, Auburn, Kent, Federal Way...the list goes on. And I know the north Puget Sound has many, many more. I guess it's all those news stories about the lack of parking at park and rides that can make you forget how much parking there really is,
if you know where to look.
Quote from: jakeroot on November 06, 2017, 08:27:44 PM
Quote from: Bruce on November 06, 2017, 07:57:00 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on November 03, 2017, 05:47:33 PM
Thank you very much for the information, 1995hoo. Very, very helpful!
My area doesn't build very many large parking garages at park-and-rides (although there's some), so it's always a race here to see who will get a spot, and who won't. At the stations, the only reason the trains aren't completely packed all day is due to the limited amount of parking (never mind the lack of homes within walking distance). People here love trains, they just don't know how to get to the train stations without their cars. Many towns aren't jumping on the idea of large park-and-rides because of the lack of infrastructure to support that many more cars in the area.
Link gets rather full at mid-day, even running three-car trains. And those riders aren't coming from the park and rides (which account for 2% of daily ridership).
And there's a lot of large garages for the bus system. And plenty more coming with the suburban Link extensions (which will break the bank...because the car is the only deity worshiped here).
The Link, given its current route, appeals more to the urban non-car lifestyle than it does to suburban commuters. I'm not surprised that only 2% of ridership is from park and rides. But, looking at something like the Sounder (something I'm more familiar with in the south sound), its routing is far more suburban, and although I don't have the numbers (don't know where to get them), I'm certain that many of the Sounder riders drive to the stations, and ride the train to their destination (perhaps taking a bus or the Link from that point on). Speaking specifically of the Puyallup station, the closest to the house where I grew up, and where my mother has been residing, the city lot is tiny. Probably 250 spots. A lot of people arrive at that station via bus from other nearby park and rides due to the limited capacity. Similar situation in Sumner.
Looking at Google Maps, I've suddenly realized how many large garages there really are. Federal Way, Lakewood, T-Dome, Auburn, Kent, Federal Way...the list goes on. And I know the north Puget Sound has many, many more. I guess it's all those news stories about the lack of parking at park and rides that can make you forget how much parking there really is, if you know where to look.
Link is an urban rail system. It's not supposed to have large amounts of parking, and certainly not within the city limits and built up areas.
There's not many garages in the north end (just Mountlake Terrace), instead we use large surface lots built before the tech-induced development boom of the 1990s to present. They will be re-done into garages when Link is extended, with remaining parcels redeveloped into housing and offices. And they still won't account for all that much ridership compared to bus transfers (which will be massive for Lynnwood) and people living/working in those new developments.
Did you consider Braddock Road/Potomac Yard areas of Alexandria?
Major update today.
First: I will be staying put for the time being. I had a job opportunity pop up back in my area.
Second:
My mother has finally found a place. It's in the Court House district of Arlington. It's just an apartment, so nothing permanent. But she expects to stay there for about a year. It's a 15-month lease. She will be able to ride the metro to work every day (it's only a couple block walk). She's pretty excited.
Third: Our house has sold. We have been moving everything out for the past month, and we're just about finished. Movers show up mid-December. They will be taking her stuff. The stuff I left at my mother's house when I moved out will be coming back to my place. Her flight to DC will be the 27th of December. The government is paying to ship her car. Not sure when that's happening.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on November 07, 2017, 09:44:35 AM
Did you consider Braddock Road/Potomac Yard areas of Alexandria?
I was going to say, "too late", but technically she hasn't yet bought, which she intends to do for tax purposes. So she will continue house hunting for the next year, just not as rigorously as she has been. We did look quite extensively at Potomac Yards. In fact, a townhouse in Potomac Yards was one of the major contenders, up until the last two weeks, when she changed her mind to "rent for now" instead of "buy".
Congratulations on the new job! Do you feel better about staying on familiar turf?
Quote from: cjk374 on December 01, 2017, 09:40:14 AM
Congratulations on the new job! Do you feel better about staying on familiar turf?
I do. Although I still one day dream of living somewhere else. I'll just have to wait a little longer for that day.
Welp, we can lock this thread up. The move is complete. My mother is now living in VA. Picked up her car from the storage facility today (she had it shipped, much to my chagrin -- I was looking forward to a road trip!)
Quote from: jakeroot on December 29, 2017, 05:09:32 PM
Welp, we can lock this thread up. The move is complete. My mother is now living in VA. Picked up her car from the storage facility today (she had it shipped, much to my chagrin -- I was looking forward to a road trip!)
As I said upthread, back in October
Quote
Plus, I like your signage style of what you post in the "Illustrations" forum. They are reminiscent of 40's and 50's California styling. It would be interesting to see your take on some of our local roads - when you move here and drive around here you are likely to be inspired to make some changes. The DOT highways tend to be pretty well signed in both MD and VA but the parkways (especially Rock Creek and GW) could use some help.
I'd love to see your take on our local roads here either on the Illustrations or the Mid-Atlantic forum if and when you come by to visit your mother.
Quote from: mrsman on January 02, 2018, 11:22:47 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on December 29, 2017, 05:09:32 PM
Welp, we can lock this thread up. The move is complete. My mother is now living in VA. Picked up her car from the storage facility today (she had it shipped, much to my chagrin -- I was looking forward to a road trip!)
As I said upthread, back in October
Quote
Plus, I like your signage style of what you post in the "Illustrations" forum. They are reminiscent of 40's and 50's California styling. It would be interesting to see your take on some of our local roads - when you move here and drive around here you are likely to be inspired to make some changes. The DOT highways tend to be pretty well signed in both MD and VA but the parkways (especially Rock Creek and GW) could use some help.
I'd love to see your take on our local roads here either on the Illustrations or the Mid-Atlantic forum if and when you come by to visit your mother.
I will. Completely missed that post. If you can give me a couple pointers on Google Maps in the mean time, I can get some illustrations going.