Northern Virginia's traffic is shaped by its proximity to Washington DC and proximity to several important job centers. The world famous Capitol Beltway (Interstate 495) circles DC like a wheel around a hub. The Beltway links Northern Virginia's suburban communities such as Springfield, Kingstowne, Braddock Road and Vienna to the transportation network. The Beltway generally moves at or above the speed limit most times and most days.

In Virginia, the Beltway travels from the American Legion Bridge upriver to the newly-rebuilt Woodrow Wilson Bridge downriver. At each bridge the Beltway enters Maryland. In Maryland the Beltway loops around DC creating a complete route.

There are several important job centers along 495, such as Tysons Corner. Tysons Corner is poorly served by mass transit and there are regularly scheduled traffic jams at Tysons every rush hour.  In addition, the bridges are choke-points for traffic entering and leaving Virginia at the American Legion Bridge and at the recently re-built Woodrow Wilson Bridge. 

Traffic into Maryland at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge favors Virginia commuters heading into Maryland. Commuters from Virginia generally won't have much trouble reaching Andrews AFB, the Census Bureau, etc. Conversely, the evening approach to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge backs up with Maryland residents heading home from jos in Virginia. This problem should soon be alleviated greatly as the new bridge comes completely online.

The American Legion Bridge serves many Virginia commuters headed for Rockville, Silver Spring, etc. This  burden, coupled with its proximity to Tysons Corner causes the Beltway to slow during rush hour.

The Beltway loops around DC like a wheel around a hub. Many roads and rails in the area link to DC like spokes on that wheel. There are many of these spokes, but in Virginia there are three primary corridors from DC: I-66, I-395, and US 1 together with the GW Parkway.

66 Corridor and Orange Line

I-66 is HOV only during rush hour, but other routes (such as 50, 29 & 28) parallel the interstate as it approaches DC. Taken as a whole this road system can carry a tremendous amount of traffic, but it slows considerably during rush hour.

The 66 corridor is also served by the Orange Line, with Metro stops in Arlington at Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston (and more). The Orange Line continues through West Falls Church and then into Fairfax County with a terminal station at Vienna. 66 is used by commuters in Fairfax, Centreville, Manassas and beyond to the hinterlands.

In addition to the routes mentioned above, outside the Beltway 66 is supported by the Dulles Tollroad, which links the area to Dulles Airport and outlying suburbs such as Herndon, Reston and beyond.

I-395

Interstate 395 doesn't have a Metro train service but it carries a massive load of traffic none-the-less. In addition to its 8 to 10 lanes of traffic, 395 has an extra 3 lanes of HOV that switch direction depending on the hour of the day. 395 leaves DC between the Pentagon and Crystal City (both in Arlington) and on the way out to I-95 and the Beltway at Springfield, I 395 passes Shirlington, Landmark, East Falls Church and other neighborhoods.

Traffic on 395 is nearly always heavy but only slows during rush hour.

George Washington Parkway, Rt. 1 and the Yellow & Blue Lines

North of the Key Bridge, the 4 to 6 lanes of the George Washington Parkway ties into I-495 at the American Legion Bridge. This route serves Mclean and Northern Arlington County. South of Memorial Bridge, the George Washington Parkway and US Rt. 1 together only carry 8 to 10 lanes of traffic.

Traffic here is relatively light considering the proximity to the city, and the fact that US 1 has several traffic lights. This route follows the Potomac downriver toward the Beltway at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

This route is also supported by the Yellow and Blue Metro Lines. Taken as a whole, this route serves commuters at Crystal City, Pentagon City, Del Ray, Old Town, New Alexandria and Mt. Vernon to the city. At King St, the Yellow and Blue Lines fork with the Yellow Line continuing toward Mt. Vernon, but ending at Huntington. The Blue Line turns south toward Springfield with stops at Van Dorn and Springfield.

Abingdon Row
Alexandria House
Arch Hall
Backyard Boats
Baggett Tract
Bashford Lane Cluster
Bearings South
Braddock Lofts
Braddock Place
Brocketts Crossing
Burges Square
Cameron Mews
Canal Place
Canal Way
Carlyle Square
Carlyle Towers
Carriage Works
Cavalier Homes
Clover
Colecroft
Colecroft Station
College Park
Courts
Dempsey
Fords Landing
Fort Ellsworth
Glenmore
Harbor Terrace
Hearthstone Mews
Hunting Creek
Jefferson Homes
Lee Mews
Liberty Row
Marina Towers
Mt Vernon Const Co
Nethergate
North Old Town
Old Town
Old Town Alexandria
Old Town Greens
Old Town Village
Old Towne
Parker Gray
Parker Gray Historic
Pommander Walk
Porto Vecchio
Potomac Greens
Potowmack Crossing
Prescott Condominiums
Quaker Hill
Rivergate
Riverton
Seminary Walk
Shad Row
Shuters Hill
St Asaph Square
Stonell\clover
Swann daingerfield
Taylor Run Pkwy
The Condominiums At Carlyle Square
The Royalton
Thomas Shelton Estate
Tobacco Key
Torpedo Factory
The Condominiums at Carlyle Square
Virginia Village
Watergate of Alexandria
Westover
Wheat & Suters
Wilkes Corner
Yates Gardens

The Potomac River is located on the east coast of the United States, and runs through Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. before it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. It is over 380 miles long and wider than 11 miles at its widest point.

As it passes through Washington DC, the nation's capital, the Potomac passes the Washington Monument and the memorials of Jefferson, and Lincoln. Many consider the Potomac to be one of the most beautiful and bountiful rivers on the East Coast. The river is also widely regard its historic, scenic and recreational significance. Among the many who loved the Potomac was George Washington, who worked as a surveyor at many points along the banks of the river. George Washington's mansion at Mount Vernon is on the Potomac.

 

 

The Potomac's source is a small spring at the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia. From there, the river gathers many tributaries, winding through the mountains and valleys of Appalachia. One of it's most dramatic turns occurs at Harper's Ferry where the Shenandoah meets the Potomac.

At Great Falls, the Potomac tumbles down from the Applachian Highlands to the sandy soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.  Visitors from the colonial era to the modern era relish the views here. Today visitors at Great Falls will not only marvel at the cataracts, but also the engineering efforts of those who sought to fulfill George Washington's dream of connecting the Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River. The C & O Canal was only operational for a few short years but remnants of the system are still functional at Great Falls Park.

Finally, the river flows almost 400 miles widening to over 11 miles as it reaches the Chesapeake Bay on the long, low, and barren peninsula named Point Lookout, Maryland.  Before the US Civil War, Point Lookout was home to a few hotels and boarding houses, but during the war it was converted into one of the largest and worst of the Union prisoner-of-war camps.

Fishers, anglers, boaters, sailors and kayakers all enjoy the Potomac.

The Potomac River has a watershed of 14,670 square miles including tributaries in Maryland (the Monocacy, Savage, and St. Mary's Rivers); in Virginia (the Shenandoah and Occoquan Rivers); in West Virginia (the South Branch and Cacapon Rivers); in Pennsylvania (Conococheague and Antietam Creeks); and in Washington DC (the Anacostia River). The Potomac cradles forests, battlefields, farmlands, mountains, parks, and cities. It is known to many as our Nation's River.

If you're searching for a home or condo in Northern Virginia with a view of the Potomac, contact Will Nesbitt with Condo 1 Alexandria.