Get There

Accident Closes Part Of I-495 in Virginia

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:37:06 -0500

An accident on I-495 Northbound at the Braddock Road exit has caused closures and likely delays this morning. The north right lane, entrance ramp and exit ramp are all closed, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Headaches on the horizon

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Route 123 in Tysons: Be very careful traveling south on Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) through noon Wednesday. The right-turn lane to Capital One Drive will be closed so workers on the Dulles Metrorail project can remove poles in the area. Right turns to Capital One Drive will be allowed from the right through lane. Also, the rail project announced, a short stretch of the right lane will be closed between the Capital Beltway off-ramps and on-ramps during the days. At night, there will be numerous closings near Tysons Boulevard and International Drive, because of utility work. Watch for police out directing traffic. Orange cones up: The Maryland State Highway Administration has lifted its short-term lane closings until Monday. The Virginia Department of Transportation will suspend temporary lane closings from noon Wednesday to noon Monday. Peak Thanksgiving traffic: The worst times to escape the Washington area on Wednesday are likely

Holiday schedule affects MTA commuter buses

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:33:45 -0500

No buses operate on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, or Friday. On Wednesday, the buses operate on the normal schedule, but there are modifications for the afternoon, because the MTA expects many people will leave work early. Some trips are being doubled up. On those, the second bus will start its trip five minutes after the first bus's regularly scheduled departure time. [Note to Brunswick Line riders: MARC 871 will not operate on Wednesday, the MTA says.] These are the bus routes involved in service changes on Wednesday afternoon: Route 901 - Trips 44, 49, 53, and 59 will not operate. Instead, three buses will run trip 31 (midday). Two buses each will run trips 32 and 33, making all regularly scheduled stops. Route 902 - Trips 30 and 33 will not operate. Instead, two buses each will run trips 18 (midday) and 19, making all regularly scheduled stops. Route 904 -

Getaway: crossing Delaware for Thanksgiving

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:25:25 -0500

Even if you saw the Commuter page on getaway routes and Monday's online discussion about Thanksgiving travel, I've got some more advice from travelers about getting through Delaware, the bane of so many Northeast trips. The letter below arrived in response to my toll avoidance route, which goes like this: From I-95 north, take Route 279 toward Newark, Del. Take Iron Hill Road on the right. Turn left onto Chestnut Hill Road. Then turn right onto Route 896 (South College Avenue). I-95 will be a quarter-mile down the road. Dear. Dr. Gridlock: I worked in Washington for 20 years and can sympathize with the frustration posed by the Delaware Toll Plaza. I live just a few miles from this expensive impediment to travel and I'd like to offer some local advice. Iron Hill Road straddles the Delaware/Maryland border and receives very little maintenance attention from either one. It is a

John Townsend of AAA to offer getaway advice

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:54:54 -0500

John Townsend, manager of public and government affairs at AAA Mid-Atlantic, will do an online chat at 1 p.m. He can offer advice for holiday travel by car, plane or train. This link will take you to the discussion. Use this one if you'd like to submit a question or comment in advance.

Getaway: more Metrobuses to the airports

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Dear Dr. Gridlock: Will Metrobus add additional buses to the 5A and B30 routes this Wednesday and Sunday? The last time I traveled on the B30 during Thanksgiving, people were standing. That seems unsafe to me given that the bus travels on the BW Parkway, not to mention all the starting and stooping because of traffic is not so great on the arms. Katherine Bedard Dupont Circle The two airport buses are very popular during the holidays [see story by Sholnn Freeman], and Metro is indeed adding capacity from Wednesday through Sunday. BWI Take the Green Line to Greenbelt and turn left as you exit the station. You'll find the bus shelter for the B30, the Metrobus direct to BWI. It costs $3.10 with cash and $3 with a SmarTrip card. On Wednesday and Sunday, Metro will put on two additional articulated buses to help meet the high demand. On

Getaway: reaching the winter beach

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:12:15 -0500

This note came in from a driver bound for the Eastern Shore after he looked at my Commuter page on holiday getaway routes: "Have you ever put together a column or route to Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach or Ocean City using I-95 North to some crossover route heading east over to Route 1 and then going south on Route 1 down to the beach areas? "In other words ... instead of going across the Bay Bridge, go up and around the bay to the beaches. That's where I am heading." I haven't, but on the other hand, I'm not sure I could recommend any such course for someone from the Washington area. Something really bad would have to happen at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to make a holiday trip on I-95 across the top of the bay a worthwhile choice. You could take I-95 to past Newark, Del., the drop

Getaway: traveling west of Washington

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:20 -0500

There was a holiday direction I didn't account for in my Commuter page feature on getaway routes: What if you're heading west through Maryland and Pennsylvania? The issue came up Monday during my weekly online discussion. Washington, D.C.: Over Thanksgiving and again at Christmas, we will be traveling from Richmond, Va. to Breezewood, Penn. (at least this is where we get on the Pa Turnpike ) ... what is our best route? I-95 south of the Beltway always seems to be a parking lot. My first thought was that a driver from Richmond might get onto Route 17 at Fredericksburg and then do one of a couple of things: Take 17 to I-66 to I-81 to I-70 to Breezewood and the Pennsylvania Pike junction, or take 17 to Route 15 to I-70 to Breezewood (and avoid I-81). But then another traveler asked another version of the western trip question. Gaithersburg,

The holiday getaway spreads out

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:01:13 -0500

WTOP's Bob Marbourg, who is celebrating 30 years of guiding Washingtonians through traffic, was on the air Monday afternoon talking about the holiday getaway. It used to be that everyone left on Wednesday, he said, but "that ended about 10 years ago." Yes, while Wednesday will be very troublesome, particularly from noon to 8 p.m., some people have taken the whole week. Long-distance travelers were mixing with our rush-hour travelers last Thursday and Friday, Marbourg says. Travelers will leave as early as families can be assembled. An important factor is the timing of school closings, and another, of course, is the end of the work day. [Visit our Taken for a Ride discussion group and tell me your ideal getaway day and time.] Many others will clear out today. And some will make their sprint on Thanksgiving Day. Many have accepted the need to diversify into odd hours. They either

Tree Blocks GW Parkway

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:33:26 -0500

9:15 A.M.: The tree was cleared just before 9 a.m., the Park Police reported The roadway is cleared in both directions, but there is likely going to be slow-moving traffic on the northbound side for now. 7:50 A.M. UPDATE: The fallen tree is blocking the northbound lanes of the GW Parkway at route 123. Southbound lanes are open. The U.S. Park Police reported that the tree fell on the parkway north of Turkey Run at approximately 6:15 a.m., and either two or three cars were struck by the tree and related debris (no injuries were reported). Officials and park service maintenance crews are on the scene trying to remove the tree. ORIGINAL POST: A fallen tree is blocking George Washington Parkway at Route 123/Chain Bridge Road, possibly in both directions. The tree is believed to have fallen on the northbound side of the parkway.

Accident Slows Beltway In Maryland

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:14:10 -0500

A multiple-vehicle accident earlier this morning on the Beltway is causing delays for drivers as the morning rush picks up. The Maryland State Police reported that two tractor-trailers and six other vehicles were involved in the accident, which took place on the outer loop of the Beltway to the west of Connecticut Avenue. The state police reported to it at 6:50 a.m. 7:30 A.M. UPDATE: There are no lane closures related to this accident, the Maryland State Police reported. Three lanes of I-495/the outer loop were closed due to the accident, but they have reopened and the tractor-trailers have been moved to the shoulder. The tractor-trailers are now waiting to be towed. 8:30 A.M. UPDATE: Everything is cleared from the scene and traffic should be chugging along (well, as best the Beltway during the morning rush can chug along).

Headaches on the horizon

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Maintenance on Orange Line: Metro riders between Cheverly and New Carrollton should add at least 20 minutes to their normal travel time Monday night through Wednesday and again on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Trains will be sharing a single track around the maintenance area between 9:30 p.m. and the midnight closing each night.

Metro issues statement on SmartBenefits

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:19:58 -0500

The transit authority issued a formal announcement Monday confirming the news that had trickled out Wednesday and Thursday: The changes in the SmartBenefits program have been postponed. SmartBenefits seminars that were to have explained the changes to confused employers so they could explain them to their confused employees have been canceled. "Federal and private employers will receive formal notifications of any further changes," the Metro statement said. The transit authority is asking the IRS for a year's extension on implementing the new system for giving out and monitoring the benefit money. While Metro did the right thing in postponing the changes that baffled many thousands of SmarTrip card users, this whole episode was just plain weird.

Water main break closes section of Old Glebe Road

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:02:14 -0500

Update (5:45 p.m.):: Old Glebe Road from Tazewell to North Glebe Road will remain closed for the next day or so as crews try to repair the break, said Dave Hundelt, an Arlington County engineer. One lane of northbound North Glebe Road near the intersection of Old Glebe Road will also remain closed for some time. According to Hundelt, the main was 36 inches wide and could take a few days to repair. Update (3 p.m.):: The break occurred in a 20-inch water main, said county spokeswoman Diana Sun. "It is very likely to be an aging infrastructure issue," she said. Update (2:30 p.m.):: Arlington officials are warning that residents in the area of Old Glebe Road near Dittmar and North Glebe roads may experience a temporary decrease in water pressure due to the water main break. An official said that crews are just beginning to start repairs and had

Getaway routes: avoiding Delaware's toll

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:45:37 -0500

[Join me for our weekly discussion of traffic and transit at noon. We can talk about the Thanksgiving getaway or any other transportation topic that's on your mind. Use this link if you'd like to submit a question or comment in advance.] Travelers have sent in some additional suggestions on how to avoid various problems typically encountered in the holiday getaway traffic. On the Commuter page in the Sunday Post, I offered my some alternative routes you could try this week. but here are a couple more. Dear Dr. Gridlock: I enjoyed your holiday travel column, but I think that there's a better alternative than the 2nd choice you offer for avoiding the Delaware toll. Most of my extended family lives in lower Bucks County, Pa., which is just north of the city of Philadelphia on I-95. Here's how I get there from the Washington area. I live in Arlington.