[Randyp]

@rose_surfer 97890 wrote:

Hello!

I’m likely moving to the area in a couple of months and trying to decide where to live. I’ll be working near union station, and I’d like biking to be my primary commuting method, with metro and/or driving as a backup. I expect to be working pretty long hours so commute time is important so that i can actually see my kids every day.

We have two smaller children, so a good public elementary school district is a must (can’t afford private). We can spend up to around $3k/mo. for rent, perhaps a bit more, although less would be better. Prefer single family or town homes, but an apartment isn’t out of the question. And family oriented community amenities like public pools, etc., are certainly a bonus.

Any suggestions of where we should be looking to live? So far, I’ve been checking out N. Arlington/East Falls Church (a little expensive), Alexandria (looks like some of the public elementary schools) are hit and miss, Bethesda, and silver spring.

I grew up in virginia and have family there so we’re leaning towards arlington. But I also know very little about maryland so I don’t want to rule it out, especially with the red line being more convenient to union station.

I suppose it’s not surprising that in the ARLINGTON Bike Forum there’s six pages of replies and no comment yet on Silver Spring. So here goes:
Silver Spring is a vagueish designation, so I’ll narrow it down a bit. I’ve lived in Silver Spring – on both sides of Georgia Ave just north of the Betlway – for a while now. I commute to work on Capitol Hill, mostly by bike (about 50 minutes) on the Met Branch Trail, and sometimes by Metro (about 60 minutes, but would be closer to 35 minutes if I biked to and from the stations at each end).

The Red Line – at least this section of it – is not as bad as the previous posters have said (or perhaps not as bad as the western section). It’s pretty reliable, and is a nice option (to biking) when it gets really cold or really wet.

Rental prices north of the Beltway are in the $2k – $3k range, depending on size, newness, and location. Check Zillow and Craigslist for houses in the 20895 and 20902 Zip Codes. I wouldn’t go farther out than the Wheaton Metro Station, because I consider more than an hour too long for a daily bike commute.

There are good elementary schools with magnet programs in the Silver Spring area. My child attended the French Immersion program at Sligo Creek Elementary School (near “downtown” Silver Spring – the intersection of Georgia Ave & Colesville Rd). It was like attending a private school: an entirely separate group of students, from generally well-educated families, together from kindergarten through 5th grade. Entrance to the program is by lottery though, so it’s luck of the draw. I don’t know about the regular classes at that school. Like northern Virginia, southern Montgomery County is full of upper-echelon government employees and contractors who are anxious for their kids to get a great education – this can lead to neuroses about the quality of the schools (schools that would be tops in many other places are considered inadequate). I speak as one who occasionally succumbs to this neurosis – even the worse schools in this area are probably better than the ones I attended as a child.

The area also has lots of small parks and several large ones; we practically lived in the parks when our child was very young. Also good inexpensive restaurants, good libraries, a variety of stores. There are several community pools that are open in the summer, as well as public pools open year-round.

Silver Spring inside the Beltway, on down to Takoma Park, is certainly worth considering. Going further south toward Capitol Hill (along the Red Line) into DC you get to Brookland, which some have also recommended. That area has become much more attractive in the past couple of years. The same is true of downtown Silver Spring, and Wheaton is starting to be redeveloped now, with lots of new apartments around the metro station.

You might also ask about southern Montgomery County schools and housing at http://www.city-data.com/forum/washington-dc-suburbs-maryland/,

Good luck.

[Randyp]

I used to do the same commute. I tried the following routes, and settled on #3. Caveat: I moved a little eastward several years ago, and now commute to Capitol Hill from the Holy Cross Hospital area, going down Sligo Creek Parkway to the MBT, so I’m not familiar with any recent changes that may affect these routes, but I think I’d probably opt for #5 now due to the improvements to the MBT in recent years:

(1) Capital Crescent Trail – nice, but goes a bit out of the way for getting to downtown DC and can be crowded;

(2) Rock Creek Park: the roads are narrow, busy with cars, and the surfaces are crap; the path is calm but slow (lots of sharp turns);

(3) straight down 16th (taking to the west-side sidewalk after Eastern Ave) to Decatur Ave left on Decatur > right on 14th to the Mall, then east to Capitol Hill: not many intersections going down 16th, due to Rock Creek Park on the right, but lots of driveways, a narrow sidewalk, and bus stops with passengers waiting make the morning ride exciting along there;

(4) straight down GA Ave/7th Ave to the Mall – carefully, on the sidewalk until south of downtown Silver Spring; after that, the road is wider and traffic is slower than on 16th.

(5) Down GA Ave to downtown SS, then over to Fenton and follow the Met Branch Trail to Union Station, then over to Capitol Hill.

[Randyp]

That’s a long daily commute; I salute you.

I commute from the Wheaton area; I’ve tried:

(1) Capital Crescent Trail – nice, but goes a bit out of the way for getting to downtown DC and can be crowded;

(2) Rock Creek Park: the roads are narrow, busy with cars, and the surfaces are crap; the path is calm but slow (lots of sharp turns);

(3) straight down 16th (taking to the west-side sidewalk after Eastern Ave) to Decatur Ave left on Decatur > right on 14th to Mass Ave or K St over to Mt Vernon Square: not many intersections going down 16th, due to Rock Creek Park on the right, but lots of driveways, a narrow sidewalk, and bus stops with passengers waiting make the morning ride exciting along there;

(4) straight down GA Ave/7th Ave to the Square – carefully, on the sidewalk until south of downtown Silver Spring; after that, the road is wider and traffic is slower than on 16th.

My suggestion:
Grandview to a left on Arcola Ave (to cross GA Ave) > right on Amherst > left on Franwall > right on Orebaugh and get on the Sligo Creek Trail. After crossing University Ave, get on Sligo Creek Parkway and take it to Maple Ave in Takoma. Right on Maple > right on Aspen St > left on Blair Rd > after Kansas Ave, left on Madison and right back onto Blair Rd, which turns into Fort Totten Dr. Left on Bates Rd to McCormack (CUA Campus). You’re now on the MBT route; follow that to K St, then right on K St to Mt. Vernon Square. Most of this is my daily commute (except for K St), and I prefer it to the other options.

Try them all and see which you prefer.

[Author]

Posts