Drive from Centreville to Alexandria - options? (Franconia, Springfield: school, live)

[sfraz]

Hi:

I am new to VA and would like to know what are my options to drive from Centreville to Alexandria around rush hour both (morning and afternoon)?

I definitely want to avoid 66 and 495 as much as possible, but mapquest is only giving me this option. Is there alot of traffic on Fairfax parkway? Or is there another route? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[g3org3]

Yes, there is a lot of traffic on the Ffx Co Parkway. There's just a lot of traffic. Having some flexibility, e.g., leaving before 6am or after 9am in the morning, is the best way to avoid the worst of it.

Here are some alternatives to try. However, you may find it's more of a change of scenery (creeping between stoplights, instead of creeping along the Interstates) than a quicker route.

Rte. 29 to Rte 236, 236 will take you all the way to Alexandria.
Braddock Rd to Rolling Rd to Old Keene Mill (which turns into Franconia) to Telegraph.
Braddock Rd to Backlick Rd to Edsall Rd.
And give the Ffx Parkway a shot, too.

Welcome and good luck!

[saganista]

Yeah, this is a little like trying to fly from O'Hare to O'Hare -- there's no way to avoid O'Hare. Your best bet might end up being just to stay on 66 as long as you can stand it, then find some way to back-road it to somewhere on 495 south of 66. It isn't going to end up being easy under any circumstances.

[Shelborne_22033]

Originally Posted by sfraz

Hi:

I am new to VA and would like to know what are my options to drive from Centreville to Alexandria around rush hour both (morning and afternoon)?

I definitely want to avoid 66 and 495 as much as possible, but mapquest is only giving me this option. Is there alot of traffic on Fairfax parkway? Or is there another route? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

What part of Alexandria, it's pretty huge? Near Old Town, Landmark, Kingstowne or Franconia?

I have discovered in my near 20 years of commuting in this mess, there are not many shortcuts that save time consistently. The major arteries (66, 495, 7100 now Rt 286 and 395) usually run better. On side roads, you can get caught in school bus, commuter bus or delivery truck traffic which slows things down because of fewer lanes.

Good luck.

[sfraz]

Thanks for all the responses. I will be commuting to near Landmark, Alexandria.

[tarp]

Your best bet is to take Braddock Road to 7100 South then continue onto Franconia-Springfield Parkway, then take Van Dorn St north to the Landmark area. This is the most free-flowing route by far.