Quicker route metro vs 495 traffic to the medical center (National Institute of health)?

I am trying to move somewhere nicer, but it seems the closer to DC you get, the crappier/more expensive the places are. I am considering Alexandria. There is a metro from Huntington Metro to Medical Center (where I work). It takes roughly and hr. There is 495 all the way to the medical center, but I'm not sure how traffic is from 495 to NIH. Is it smooth from Alexandria up until tysons? I know the tysons area is always congested, but it clears up once you starting heading north past tysons. Suggestions?Quicker route metro vs 495 traffic to the medical center (National Institute of health)?
There is no quick way and based on where you work, Your Best Bet if you wanted to stay in Virginia would be North Arlington, McLean and Falls Church and take GW Parkway bec FYI the I-495 Inner Loop route heading north always backs up every morning beginning around the Springfield VA Mixing Bowl all the way up past Tysons Corner which is what the new HOT Lanes are suppose to alleviate, and right now construction makes things a bit worse.



Rockville and Bethesda might be pricey as North Arlington but wondering if you tried looking around Silver Spring or College Park, or better yet asking your coworkers for suggestions...



Hope the Above Info Helps!Quicker route metro vs 495 traffic to the medical center (National Institute of health)?
It's kind of clear. I would say the yellow/green to red line.

is the worst on the metro cars, but going south on 495 is worse. You're vehicle travel would be smoother than metro, but the GW parkway is very bad (''short cut to 495 inner loop north to maryland''). I would say leave early. Best is to take 495 to Tysons travel on the left lane, then it'll clear up when you get near Bethesda, but be sure about the split 270/495, %26amp; go right, it will seem like there is traffic though but this is the dartier way to get there.