Waxpool Road Traffic

[tyger31]

I'm just curious - I work at AOL and commute daily on Waxpool Road - the traffic on that road in the AM is bumper to bumper. I leave the house between 7:15 and 7:30 just to avoid the backups! I have a question for everyone - are all these cars commuting to Sterling or some business on RT 28 or are these cars commuting to Tysons, DC and avoiding the Greenway because of the cost? Just wondering. I've been commuting to AOL for four years and what used to take me 15 minutes from my house in the morning is now taking anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. A co-worker of mine leaves his house in Ashburn Farm around 8:30 and he says it sometimes takes an hour for him. This is pretty bad for a five mile commute! Thanks! Just had to vent! :D

[Dwarflord]

I have to leave at 6am to get to work in 25 minutes (15mile drive). If I leave 7:30 or later, it will take me 30 minutes just to get to Rt. 28. Once im on Rt. 28, I can go fairly quickly. Once on the toll road, depending on the time, it can take me 8-30 more minutes. Right now Rt. 28 is the fastest part of my commute, and Waxpool [}:)] is the worst. Since Ive lived here there have been 3 new lights put up on waxpool between the mci building and Rt. 28 [}:)]. Those lights are killing me in the morning. Thousands and thousands of residents go to Rt 28 everyday, all on a 2 lane road with traffic lights every 200ft. Its like trying to swim in mud. It can be done, but when its over with, everyone is dirty and "pi$$3d off".
Your not the only one feeling the pain.....
Im still waiting for those cars that can fly, like on the Jetsons. I think that should help solve some of the problem [:p]

DwArFlOrD

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by tyger31

I'm just curious - I work at AOL and commute daily on Waxpool Road - the traffic on that road in the AM is bumper to bumper. I leave the house between 7:15 and 7:30 just to avoid the backups! I have a question for everyone - are all these cars commuting to Sterling or some business on RT 28 or are these cars commuting to Tysons, DC and avoiding the Greenway because of the cost? Just wondering. I've been commuting to AOL for four years and what used to take me 15 minutes from my house in the morning is now taking anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. A co-worker of mine leaves his house in Ashburn Farm around 8:30 and he says it sometimes takes an hour for him. This is pretty bad for a five mile commute! Thanks! Just had to vent! :D


Most are traveling east (obviously) to work, they will then head north to Rt 7, then east. Or south, to I-66 or the Dulles Toll Road east.

Are they saving money and time?? Who knows, take the amount of time and mulitply it by the amount you would make in an hour, and figure if they are 'saving' money.

I just went and dropped my wife off at the Falls Church metro. We left the house in Broadlands at 8:45 am. The greenway traffic was doing about 30/45 due to the backup at the toll booth. It took us 10 minutes to get to the toll booth, midday, it may take 5. We both figured that if we took surface streets, the traffic lights alone would add 3 to 4 minutes to the trip. This just takes into account normal wait times, with the morning commute, it would have been closer to 15, and we wouldn't have hit 28 yet.

We reached the Metro at 9:25 or so, having to go through RT 7 at Tysons (there is probably a better way, but we didn't want to try to find it). It took longer to get through the traffic at Tysons, then it did to get to the toll plaza.

YMMV.




Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[wahoogeek]

The vast majority of the morning traffic on Waxpool/Farmwell, heading east, takes 28 south so the greenway bypass theory may hold.

[ashburn01]

quote:Originally posted by tyger31

I have a question for everyone - are all these cars commuting to Sterling or some business on RT 28 or are these cars commuting to Tysons, DC and avoiding the Greenway because of the cost?


I work in Herndon.. and yes I travel waxpool/28/606 to get there to avoid the greedway. This morning when I went over the greedway (8:10-8:20) on loudoun county parkway the greedway was crawling (to me that adds insult to injury)....

Using the greedway is not a cost versus wage comparison in my view (or else I would hire others to do things like cut my grass, wash my car, etc.)... you are not losing any wages if you don't take the greedway... to me its a "money or time" setup... do you have more time or do you have more money? My budget doesn't have enough petty cashed to be forked over to the greedway day in and day out... so my use of the greedway is infrequent.... most of the time I am doing my part to contribute to the conjestion on waxpool... :D

[tyger31]

I used to commute to Tysons Corner. I always used the "Greedway" just to save time. I justified it because instead of buying lunch everyday, I brought my lunch from home, so wasn't spending any money by going out. For me - it was worth it. They need to have another way to get to AOL from Ashburn - I tried going the back way - past Home Depot and on that dirt road onto Loudoun Cty Parkway - but that's just as bad - because I have to turn right onto Waxpool and that's backed up every morning as well. Oh well - that's the way it is around NO VA. Too many cars/people. It'll only get worse!

[brim]

quote:Originally posted by ashburn01

greedway...greedway...greedway...greedway...greedw ay...greedway...greedway

I don't think you made your stance on the greenway clear...maybe use greedway some more.

[mdr227]

If a road between Loudoun COunty Parkway and 606 ever is completed (the extension of Shellhorn) that would allow all those trying to avoid the Greedway a more direct route to 28 with minimal traffic lights on 606 and get some of the traffic off of Waxpool. Just imagine the traffic that will grow on Waxpool as the retail center around Wegman's is built. I frequently wonder what the road network would be like around the area if MCI had ever fully built out their campus as once planned. Just be glad that there is still so much undeveloped land around MCI/AOL and hope it never does get developed.

[BelindaTH]

My office is located on Rt. 606. I refuse to pay $2.40/trip to ride on the Greedway (Great way to describe the road)for two exits. I only use it in the case of an emergency.

I too add to the conjestion on Waxpool. It takes me 30 - 45 mintues the Waxpool way and it doesn't matter what time I leave. Greedway takes me 7 - 10 minutes. I wish my budget allowed me to spend $100.00+/month.

[beahmer]

Anyboday ever try going around, out to Rt 7 or over to 606 via Belmont ridge to Evergreen Mills? I just wondered. Depending on where you are in the Ashburn area - avoiding Waxpool might really save people sometime - especially if your avoiding the Greenway/Toll Road totally

[sri_n]

Belmont Ridge to Evergreen Mills is not a great option either. It is longer, and the fact that Belmont is one lane each way when it connects Evergreen Mills makes for a long backup in the morning to make a left onto Evergreen Mills.

[latka]

The Greenway was built with private funds, right? Didn't it exist for many years with little use? Does anyone know if the Greenway is making a profit?

lyo

[flynnibus]

quote:Originally posted by latka

The Greenway was built with private funds, right? Didn't it exist for many years with little use? Does anyone know if the Greenway is making a profit?

lyo


Read their stance when they got approvals to raise the tolls. With all the capital improvements they claim they can't keep up with the debt.

I too am looking for the best way to sneak to Rt 606.. it is by far the better way to get east (rather then waxpool) now that the overpass is complete. Its awesome to take 606 through herndon all the way to reston. The problem is getting to rt 606 to start with!

Right now Rt 606 is my bailout path when the greenway is backed up. If I could get a effective way to Rt 606 to start with, I'd do it everyday.

-Steve

[BelindaTH]

Okay... this morning on Waxpool was worse than the normal bad traffic. Any suggestions on the individual I should voice my opinion?

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by BelindaTH

Okay... this morning on Waxpool was worse than the normal bad traffic. Any suggestions on the individual I should voice my opinion?


They're still trying to get the extra lanes open ... and finish construction. I don't know what else anyone can do right now .

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[Tech Head]

I noticed that they have striped the lanes on the new side of the bridge. Maybe that means it will be opening soon!

[snoopy]

Maybe this weekend is when the magic will happen ... By Tuesday (after President's Holiday) we will have six lanes ??
That sounds wonderful, doesn't it ??:)

[kat]

What type of retail center is expected around the Wegmans and what is with the golf course? Are balls going to start flying at the cars too?

[mdr227]

Here is the site for the new retail center around Wegman's.

http://www.dulles28centre.com/

[tyger31]

OH BOY - another traffic nightmare in the happening!!!!!

[Zansu]

Wow, all those stores, 1 entrance/exit onto pacific, one onto a deadend that has to hit pacific. any idea whether this will happen before pacific gets punched through? if not, it's going to be as bad as the sterling target parking lot.

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by Zansu

Wow, all those stores, 1 entrance/exit onto pacific, one onto a deadend that has to hit pacific. any idea whether this will happen before pacific gets punched through? if not, it's going to be as bad as the sterling target parking lot.


I suspect the county is waiting for more proffers to get Pacific built north. I believe they expect that developer to pay for it.

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[steveruns26]

quote:Originally posted by kat

What type of retail center is expected around the Wegmans and what is with the golf course? Are balls going to start flying at the cars too?
Here is some information from the Dulles 28 Centre website about the golf course:
"Future site of Bear National Golf Club at Dulles 28 Centre, a Nicklaus Design 18-hole championship golf course. Bear National will feature a Nicklaus Academy, a year-round training academy with covered and heated tee stations, club fitting center, video and computer technology, 2,000 square foot golf shop and more. The golf academy is scheduled to open in Summer 2005 and the golf course is scheduled to open in Summer 2006."

[Dutchml]

Used to be if you joined Beacon Hill Golf Course a membership to Bear National was included. Don't know if that's still the case or not.

[T8erman]

No, they are no longer affiliated.

[Superwoman]

lifes not too hard -- ride a bike!!!! you may well find your life a little easier.

[boomertsfx]

yep! that's what i do, saves some good $$ in gas and wear and tear on the vehicles! =) And, you stay healthy!

[Zansu]

unless you get run over.... I wouldn't want to be on a bike on Ashburn road or belmont ridge

[boomertsfx]

I ride belmont sometimes, and it is a bit scary with the dump trucks, but so far so good... I only go from truro parish to ryan and then do a circuit back to broadlands..... gotta have some excitement in life, right?? =)

[neilz]

Too much excitement at times.

I was heading south down Belmont Ridge, and going into the 'S' curve just before the water towers at the speed limit I may add, when I almost was hit head on by a commercial van doing a bit more than the limit trying to get around a bunch of cyclists.

Please note, that area is a no-passing zone - double-lines - so you MUST NOT pass by law ... of course, people around here don't understand what solid single or double lines mean. Luckily I was able to drive out of it, the Mini does tend to give me some additional manoevorability. <sp>



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999