Fighting the Crowds

Washington Post staff writer Kim Hart was online to discuss the annual holiday battle between shoppers and people who work near popular destinations like Tysons Corner.

In an article today, Kim examines the "December Detour," as workers in Tysons Corner shop for ways to avoid commuting in mall traffic.

A transcript follows.

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Kim Hart: Hi, everyone, and thanks for joining the chat. Let's get started...

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Arlington, VA: I used to work in Tyson's and left for a job in Arlington. I have never been happier, because December in Tyson's is a nightmare - especially if you work on Greensboro or International Dr. The only way to escape it is to not work there.

Kim Hart: One person I spoke with said "Traffic in Tysons Corner is like taxes--it's a fact of life."

I think people are so used to the traffic that it doesn't bother them anymore. Many people have built in extra travel time into their daily commute or simply grin and bear it. But some employers like the convenience to the mall and restaurants, and tout that as a perk of working there.

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Tysons Corner: Kim,

Thanks for the article. Traffic was bad enough on any day of the year when I started working along International Drive two years ago, but how much worse the commute became during my first Christmas here was a shock (and infuriating and glacial, etc.) I've spent the past year dreading a repeat experience.

I've resorted to some of the tactics mentioned in your story. Much better to treat myself to a cup of coffee than inch past the malls. But I'll be showing the article to my boss in the hopes that we can institue more flexible hours.

Kim Hart: Many employers have year-round flexible hours and encourage people to take advantage of them during the holiday season. It certainly seems to make sense to give employees some relief during December. After all, employees are a lot more productive when they're not sitting in traffic.

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Arlington, VA: Did you get the impression that any firms have had trouble recruiting employees to work in Tysons Corner, where traffic is always a problem?

Kim Hart: I have never gotten that impression. Because Tysons Corner is such a business hub, it makes sense for companies to locate offices there, and employees generally understand the importance of being close to customers, clients and partners.

For the offices located just off Route 66 or right next the Capital Beltway exits, traffic isn't much of a problem. Grant Thornton, for example, has its main office just off the Beltway ramp and doesn't have problems, even during rush hour. I think some companies are probably more attracted to office sites like that.

And, like I said earlier, some employees enjoy being part of the hustle and bustle of Tysons. They're close to just about every store they could need and plenty of restaurants for business lunches and entertaining. Like any city--and Tysons is looking more and more like a city every day--gridlock is part of the deal.

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Fairfax, VA: Friends who work in Tysons Corner say they can't leave the office for lunch because traffic is so bad the rest of the year. I can't imagine what it's like during the holidays.

Kim Hart: The reliance on cars in Tysons Corner is part of the problem. Many offices are located within walking distance of several restaurants. Yet, people still opt to get in their cars to drive half a mile rather than walk across the street. I know people who drive everywhere, even though their offices are attached to the malls or are right down the street. It would probably ease traffic concerns, and reduce complaints, if people simply walked once in a while.

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Re: Accepting Traffic: Kim Hart: "I think people are so used to the traffic that it doesn't bother them anymore."

I accept it as part of the package of working in Tysons. But it does bother me, very much so! I find myself complaining about it ad infinitum. (My poor family, I know.) It's infuriating.

Kim Hart: Have you found any ways to get around the traffic on a daily basis, not just in December?

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Charlotte, NC: Not a question, but more of a comment. I moved out of the Northern VA. area all together for just this reason, traffic is abyssmal. If more employers would let workers work from home instead of holding onto the archaic 8-5 in the office business model, commutes mih=gt actually get better and some work might actually get done.

Kim Hart: Telecommuting has become increasingly important to the Northern Virginia business community. Gov. Tim Kaine has established a state office of telework to encourage companies in traffic-ridden areas to allow more employees to work out of the office. Just a few weeks ago, about 30 companies, at least half of which are located in the Tysons area, signed a pledge to incorporate telecommuting policies. I think more and more companies are warming up to that idea.

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Falls Church, VA: So what are some of the options to Route 7, 123 and International Drive?

Kim Hart: Locals know the back roads and avoid the major arteries at all costs. Some swear by the George Washington Parkway as a good alternative to getting on Route 66 or I-495, but only if you're going short distances. Others opt to stay on Route 123 all the way to Fairfax rather than brave the highways. There are a lot of lights, but it sometimes saves time.

One person I spoke with for the story lives in Fairfax. Instead of taking a straight shot from Tysons, she drives all the way to Reston and then backtracks to Fairfax from there. It's twice the distance, but takes half the time.

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Re: Walking?: Do you really think walking is a safe solution for many people? I agree that people should walk if they can, but I know I wouldn't feel terribly comfortable braving some of those interesections.

Kim Hart: Some of the larger intersections are definitely a bit scary, but there are crosswalks at most of them and the lights are generally long enough to make it across major roads without any problem. Tysons drivers are disgruntled and impatient, but I think they'd yield for pedestrians...especially once they realize that they are helping keep cars off the roads.

I wouldn't, for example, brave the intersection of International Drive and Route 7 or Route 123, but I think any other is probably do-able--especially if you're going a short distance.

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Tysons Corner: Your article made me think about all the plans proposed for Tysons Corner: metro, pedestrian mall, etc.

The gridlock you described is one reason I'm dubious about all those proposals. I have so much disregard for the officials who gave approval to building such a large amount of office and retail space without building the infrastructure to support the corresponding traffic. I'm not convinced that this next round of development will be implemented any better.

Kim Hart: This is a problem any major business district has to tackle. Like many areas around the Beltway, a booming economy allowed people to build, build, build without having to worry much about the development's pitfalls.

I do think that a rail of any kind--above ground or underground--will ease congestion considerably. Right now there is no way of getting to Tysons without a car. I'm willing to bet a lot of people would take advantage of any sort of reliable public transportation. And it would certainly help alleviate shopping traffic during this time of year.

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Fairfax, Va: How do we get Fairfax county to put up more signs telling people which lane to be in for heading in different directions? International Drive where it meets Chain Bridge could use signs about which ones head to the beltway and the right most lane is right turn only for Chain Bridge south.

Kim Hart: The odd traffic patterns in Tysons is definitely confusing. I would bring it to the attention of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors. Tysons Corner is such an economic engine for the county that representatives would probably be willing to help out in that small way.

I agree that the roads are very poorly marked. I have to do several U-turns every time I'm in the area because I miss a poorly-marked turn or get stuck in the wrong lane.

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Maximum Security (aka Solutions Drive): Does either VDOT or Fairfax County have any plans for improving traffic flow out of Tyson's, or are they expecting the eventual Metro connection to cure all of the area's ills?

Kim Hart: VDOT does help alter the traffic signal timing during certain hours of the day and certain times of year. Every day, most of the lights operate on about four different sequences, or timing intervals, depending on the traffic demands. Short of tearing up roads or adding more connections--which would certainly worsen traffic even more--it's tough to say what other quick fix VDOT can implement.

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Tysons: Hi, Kim, I'm one of those 17,000 anomalies: I live in Tysons and work in the District. I generally walk about 3 miles around Tysons every evening, and the gridlock is really impressive around this time of year. There is literally no outlet point that isn't bumper-to-bumper. For about 3 weeks, I feel like I live in Manhattan!

That said, walking and taking public transit helps a bit. Even though it's a long walk to Tysons Corner Center (maybe 2.5 miles each way), I haven't driven there in years. Also, if you can walk to the WestPark Transit station (next to 267), the buses that shuttle people to the Metro are rarely severekt affected by Tysons Traffic. So, if Metro is an option for any of your readers, they might want to consider that approach.

Kim Hart: That Manhattan-like feeling attracts a lot of people to the area. I know a shop-a-holic who moved there specifically to be within walking distance of the mall. But I agree that Tysons was not meant to be pedestrian-friendly.

As the area has grown, though, and it's become such a destination for Northern Virginia workers, shoppers and residents, that might begin to change. Even though Metro's extention into the area is still a few years off, the fact that it's been so hotly debated is a good sign that local government leaders see the rail as a priority. Someday, I think it will be much more walkable.

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Washington DC: What about those of us who avoid the area for any reason (and who once went there on a regular basis)? I won't go near Tysons since they double decked the center and the traffic got bad then, and I know it is exponentially worse now.

Kim Hart: Would you rather drive an extra 30 minutes to get to another far-away mall, or wait in traffic for 30 minutes to get to the nearest mall? It's a trade-off. I've noticed many people feel the same way you do--they prefer moving on a highway over idling in traffic.

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Fairfax Virginia: I work at Tysons Corner off Tysons Boulevard behind the Galleria. The traffic is horrible and it is impossible to get from my building to 123 in the evening. It is literally 2 blocks! It has taken me up to 30 minutes to get out of this area. I'd love to know what plans there are to improve the traffic pattern/situation at Tysons Corner, particularly on the Galleria side.

Kim Hart: Metro reporter Eric Weiss wrote a story that appeared Thursday about plans to build toll lanes on the Beltway to provide more connections to the Tysons Corner area. Mecerich Co., which owns Tysons Corner Center, has also offered to expand an entrance to the mall as part of a planned rezoning project. Still, these changes are very expensive and time-consuming. The benefits probably wouldn't be realized for another five years.

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Kim Hart: Thanks for your interest. Tysons Corner traffic is an issue that won't go away anytime soon. I'm sure we'll see many more proposals to ease the problem.

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