Total side note, but since I mentioned commuting in the last post, I thought I would mention this as well. The ICC, aka MD Route 200, will soon be open to the public for the next several weeks:
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – Sunday, March 6 at 12 midnight: Test-drive period; no tolls or service charges collected
The section closest to us isn't scheduled to be finished until later this year, but my curiosity about this project as a former commuter will likely take me out to Gaithersburg to check it out. Probably a good excuse to hit up Dogfish Head while I'm out there.
With the massive toll, will the ICC be worth taking if you're not getting reimbursed by a company bookkeeper? Especially for a social trip...
ReplyDelete+1 on the visit to Dogfish head! :D
ReplyDeleteAs for the toll... I don't travel that way very often. I suppose it would add up weekly and monthly. What's the comparable traffic like (besides "bad" which seems to be the ubiquitous answer)? Maybe that $3/day is worth it for some people, to cut down on time lost?
If you commute from our area to Northern VA or the Technology Corridor in MoCo, your choices are either 495, cutting through DC or taking various back roads and state routes like 108, 355, 182, 28 etc.
ReplyDeleteDepending on when you hit the road, your trip can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours or more, depending on traffic.
I can tell you that when I would get stuck in 2-3 hour traffic jams on 495 I would have gladly spent any reasonable sum of money to get out of there. Heck, I would have handed someone $50 if they told me I could get home in 45 minutes instead of 2+ hours.
Whether it is a viable option for everyday driving will have to be seen, but as an alternate route it is an attractive option to me, should I ever have to go out that way again.