DC METRO TRAFFIC 495 RANT

"ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR" (ZeroOrDie) 11/13/2013 at 11:00 • Filed to: rantlopnik

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So anyone in the DC metro knows this morning was a complete shit show. Trucks on fire. Fender benders and disabled vehicles everywhere. Every little incident effecting the other lanes in some way.

I recently traveled by car south 600 or so miles to Atlanta to that glorious city and enjoyed their highway system very much. Once you start approaching the city the highway opens up from two lanes to 4 all the way up to 8 lanes on both sides. Friggin genius! What a concept! Traffic was super thick in areas since there were events going on down town but it was allllways moving. There was even construction in places during the day on friday. Drove around the city all day and hardly even noticed anything resembling rush hour. Coming from DC when it takes you an hour and 15 minutes to go 20 miles on average. Driving in Atlanta was a breeze. I friggin loved it and it spoiled me.

Here comes the rant. So this morning traffic was fucking terrible. The whole design of this area is fucked. I don't understand how they had no idea this many people would commute into the city everyday. It is the god damn capitol of our country. People from as much as 100 miles away sometimes commute daily into DC for work. Fix your fucking roads. So there are tons of exits and highway on ramps that cross each other. I see more of this in the DC metro than anywhere else in the country. Why does exit and on ramp traffic cross each others path? Doesn't that seem a little inefficient?

For example the inner and outer loop traffic on 495 used to be separated. The inner was a left on ramp and the outer was a right on ramp coming off of 66. They changed that for some reason(probably for the express lanes more on that in a minute) and move it to the other side. So traffic going to the inner is lane number two on 66 and traffic going to the outer is lane number one. The issue here is the inner loop is ALWAYS backed up. So traffic on 66 going to the outer loop has to cross the traffic for the inner loop which has now spilled out onto 66. So this backs up 66 for a couple miles.

This is just a small example of the things people in the DC metro deal with.

So we thought we were getting come kind of relief when we saw they widened 495 to six lanes on each side. Hallelujah! Excepttttt...Those are express lanes like a toll road that you can only use if you have an easypass for them to suck money off of. This really pissed me off when I noticed them putting these little white polls up for the 15 miles that I am on 495 everyday. So the two far left lanes are only usable if you pay for them. What the fuck. So this wouldn't be so bad if the rate to drive it was low and if it was set. Only it is not. The lowest you will see the rate to drive in that lane is .35 cents. In the middle of the night. During rush hour they jack this up skyhigh. Today while there was so much traffic on the inner loop I checked in my side mirror to see what the express lane drivers were paying. $5 $6 and $7 dollars to drive different distances in the express lane. That is the literal definition of highway robbery. And tons of people drive in them like fucking sheep. People will argue well the gas you waste in traffic is more than that. It is not. Gas is around .12 a mile usage wise. At least for my car.

I don't know. I am just tired of all the traffic. It is everyone's fault for leaving at the same time and not giving themselves enough time. Also not their fault because the city and surrounding area can't handle the people.

TL;DR I am spoiled by Atlanta's 16 lane wide highways.

Party-vi > ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR 11/13/2013 at 11:16

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Having driven to NRL/Blue Plains this morning and then needing to go to FDIC in NW tomorrow, I know that feel.

*Bro-hug*

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR 11/13/2013 at 11:19

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As a fellow DC inhabitant, you are completely correct. I think a big part of the issue is coordinating funds, taxation, and long term plans between DC, MD, and VA. These state issues add to the the already large pissing match of public transit vs cars.

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 11/13/2013 at 11:26

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Yeaaa I don't really trust them with my money when they do shit like this all the friggin time. I'll just stop paying my taxes. That'll go over well I am sure haha.

/thisisajokesoareourroads

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > Party-vi 11/13/2013 at 11:28

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Yup getting to blue plains is weird its either wide open and everyone is going 80 or its completely locked up. I do not understand it. I'm moving to 800 conn ave for work. Should be interesting.

Good thing I get to telecommute 3 days a week. Scoreeee!

liquid1036 > ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR 11/13/2013 at 11:28

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Man, I cannot agree with you more. Hell on the WEEKEND 496 BLOWS period. I live and work in Frederick, MD which is getting just as bad with 2 lane highways... UGH

Side note: I had no idea that the 495 express lanes go up to almost $7 on rush hour!!! Just like the metro clear definition of "Highway Robbery" during "Peak" hours.

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > liquid1036 11/13/2013 at 11:33

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Yup it hovers around ~$2-4 dollars. However when its bad its all electronic they can just jack it up anytime.

Party-vi > ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR 11/13/2013 at 11:33

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Telecommute, eh?

Sympathy = evaporated

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > Party-vi 11/13/2013 at 12:28

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Hey I have done my time on the roads for the past ten years. Whole lotta miles on this butt.

efme > ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR 11/13/2013 at 13:58

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The Express Lanes are at minimum 10cents/mi to "keep the lights on" as they say. I think it caps at 40 or 50 cents/mi depending on load.

The problem with your example is that its largely 66 that is just fucked. 2 lanes in each direction unless it is rush hour. I understand the point to keep the emergency lane open but when you're stuck in traffic on sunday morning on 66, it is stupid not to open it up. Save everyone some time/fuel and make the red X into a damn green arrow!

You can really thank the Secretary of Transportation, Arlington and Falls Church Counties for you all outside of the beltway people trying to get into the city. In the 70s they denied plans for 66 to be a 8 or 6 land hwy. denied plans for additional bridges and basically neutered the highway since it is retaining walls on both sides inside the beltway to prevent further expansion. The old off ramps were on the same side, they just expanded it and closed the left-side one. now even more people are crammed to the same side.

End of the day, I tell everyone moving here the same thing. It will suck but if you can't find a job outside of the city/arlington, don't live out there. or just avoid 66 all together. I am lucky to live right at the beltway and it takes me 20-25 minutes to get to old town from Vienna. No traffic as I'm against it..... If you must go into the city. take the metro. I can't think of a another major city that has major vehicle backups when their intent is for you to take public transportation.

ZeroOrDie - Powered By MZR > efme 11/13/2013 at 15:28

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Agreed. The red X lane makes no sense.

I am sure there is some BS reason for all of it but all they need to do is gather some data on how this is effecting everyone in the area and then care enough to change it.

I just started working in DC I'll be taking the vienna metro everyday I need to go into the office until I move some place where I can avoid the major highways. I always try to tell people jumping on the highway to save time doesnt really apply here.