The D.C. area is infamous for its commuting and traffic gridlock. To avoid a stressful daily commute, you should choose an apartment that’s close to your workplace and has good access to public transportation. Weekday rush hour traffic is heaviest in D.C. between 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Estimated driving times are unpredictable, as a minor accident can back up the highways for miles in either direction. Here are some tips for commuting in the D.C. area.
Driving
While all of the highways surrounding D.C. get congested during the morning and evening rush hours, driving is usually the most convenient option when traveling within the suburbs.
Check traffic alerts. Use a GPS to map the best route and stay flexible, taking detours and finding new ways to get around heavy traffic.
If you don’t mind the extra cost, use the HOT lanes in Virginia. These lanes use your EZ pass transponder to charge a toll and allow you to drive in the faster lanes.
Form a carpool. By sharing the ride, you will save money on fuel and car maintenance. Carpooling can also reduce time spent on the road, because you can use HOV lanes which usually move faster than the other lanes.
If you live in Virginia, you can use slugging, an organized system where commuters stop to pick up other passengers.
Subway and Bus
The Metrorail subway system includes six lines and serves 91 stations in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Metrobus operates 1,500 buses. Both transit systems connect to bus lines in the suburbs. The Yellow/Blue lines connect with Reagan National Airport and the Silver line is under construction and will eventually provide service to Dulles International Airport. The DC Circulator is a local bus system with 5 routes around the most popular areas of the city.
Purchase and register a SmarTrip card. You may add value to the card from the convenience of your computer by visiting www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip. Metro will also replace the cared if it is lost or stolen for a $5 fee and you won’t lose the value on the card. The same card can be used to pay for Metrobus fare.
If you have a flexible work schedule, avoid traveling at the most crowded times, Monday through Friday, 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 to 5:45 p.m.
Don’t transfer lines if you can walk the distance between stations. Many stations are near each other and within an easy walk.
Commuter Rail
There are two major commuter rail systems serving the D.C. area: Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Both systems operate Monday through Friday and have cross honor agreements with Amtrak to offer reduced fares for commuters.
Operational times are limited. Be sure to know the schedules and plan accordingly.
Commuting by Bike
D.C. is a bike-friendly city with more than 40 miles of bike lanes and Capital Bikeshare, the largest bike sharing program in the nation. There are approximately 440 stations and 3,700 bikes throughout Washington, DC; Arlington, VA; Alexandria, VA; Montgomery County, MD; and Fairfax, VA.
Sign up for a membership and use the bikes for an environmental-friendly commute.
SEE ALSO: Insider Tips if you’re Moving to D.C.
SEE ALSO: 12 great cities for cycling
Commuter Connections is a great resource for learning about ridesharing and other commuting programs around the capital region. For more information, visit www.commuterconnections.org
FARGO — Holland’s Home and Garden is now planted in Fargo’s downtown.
Sarah and Mike Liljestrand are on track to open their
shop at 420 N. University Drive
on Friday, May 5.
Mike Liljestrand jokes that between Holland’s, the neighboring Dairy Queen, and Chub’s Pub & Package Place across the street, downtown and northside residents can get everything they need in one place.
“We’ve got this kind of interesting triangle here,” Mike said. “You can come and get a flat of flowers, and a 12-pack of beer across the street, and then get your ice cream cone for the trip home. We’ve got a little of everything to offer here on the block.”
Holland’s used to be at 1201 Center Ave. in Moorhead.
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The race to this spring’s opening in the new location – a former Taco Shop – started Dec. 5, “the day we bought it,” Sarah said.
Sweat equity has since made the shop bloom.
On Saturday, April 29, the husband and wife team, their employees, and Sarah’s father, Jeff Olson, were racing to get the greenhouse enclosed, as partly cloudy skies threatened to give way to evening showers.
The parking lot, which had only featured contractor’s trucks at the start of the week, has sprouted a fenced-in yard, a small forest of young trees and pots of hardy perennial plants, an outdoor kids’ play set and slide, and the aforementioned greenhouse.
“We’ve been working hard,” Sarah said.
Plans for opening day have coalesced. The first 30 people who show up Friday will get “swag bags,” with a ribbon-cutting set for 11:30 a.m., Sarah said.
There will also be ice cream treats from Dairy Queen, and other goodies, she promised.
Transplanting the business has been a team effort.
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The same day the mortgage papers were signed for the half-acre property, tradesmen began rewiring and re-plumbing the timeworn former restaurant, as well as upgrading the HVAC system.
Meanwhile, the Liljestrands and their employees gutted the interior.
They ripped out the heavy-duty kitchen hood and appliances, and the hurry-up-and-eat banquettes, tables and chairs.
“We had to get the huge cast iron stove out. That was a major undertaking. Our friends from Chub’s Pub came over and helped us,” Mike said. The 700-pound, eight-burner stove was “a monster” to move, and it took a skidsteer to lift it onto a trailer.
There’s fresh paint inside and out, and beautiful tongue and groove boards now grace the ceiling. Cabinets and built-in shelves were installed. A pergola has sprouted up to define the main entry.
The former fast-food hangout is now a sharper, homier place to hang out and browse.
One employee, Chani Thorne, created a funky looking wall with chunks of scrap wood – glued and nailed to the wall – a cross between shelving and art installation.
Taylor Pearson painted a black and white mural of flowers, ferns and mushrooms on a wall by the checkout area.
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Meanwhile, Mak Schilling tiled, and poured concrete for the floor and a counter.
“Between the four of us, we literally did everything,” Sarah said. “We did all of this. All of the construction.”
The interior of the store is now an artfully designed mix of houseplants and home goods: artwork, ceramic, glass and metal pots for plants, candles, pillows, throws, wall hangings and hanging baskets, rugs, poster papers and clothing,
“We’re kind of just expanding now what we’ve always done,” Sarah said.
A lot more people have put down roots in downtown Fargo in recent years, and not many businesses on the western edge of the old city center offer home decor, Sarah said.
The Liljestrands also believe their plants, trees and shrubs will be as popular with northside homeowners as they have with Moorhead customers.
The greenhouse will not only be used for plants, but to accommodate a growing schedule of classes.
All of their plants will be in stock on site. Landscaping material will be stored at their rural Clay County homestead, the couple said.
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Landscaping with trees and extensive plantings is planned for the property once nicer weather arrives.
While uprooting a business is never a joy, there is a huge plus for Holland’s.
Traffic on University Drive could drive significant growth for the mom-and-pop business.
“The vehicle count on this road is unreal,” Mike said.
According to 2021 state and local traffic counts, University Drive between 7th Avenue North and Main Avenue averages about 11,000 to 14,000 vehicles a day.
That is half again or more as the average daily vehicle count as the former Holland’s spot on Moorhead’s Center Avenue (somewhere between 7,000 and 8,400 hundred cars daily.)
That’s a lot more exposure, Mike said.
Hollands started in Moorhead about 50 years ago, Sarah said. The Liljestrands have owned it for more than two decades of that run – five years at the original location along Highway 75, then another 16 years along Center Avenue.
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Sarah and Mike want this move for Holland’s to be the last while they own it.
Still, they say it’s probably better than coping with construction for the next downtown Moorhead underpass.
The Moorhead High School area underpass took a couple years longer than had been expected, which affected all of the businesses around it, the couple said.
As they looked at the initial plans, the 11th Street railroad underpass project appeared to be twice as big and complex. And they learned their spot on Center Avenue needed to be acquired for the project.
The couple spent three years looking at new locations in the metro area before the Taco Shop spot hit the market.
They agree they’ve landed in a good spot.
“There’s a lot more activity here, with all the restaurants, and now the new Brewhalla and everything, you know,” Sarah said.
Once the business is up and humming along, there will be time to think about setting a date for a grand opening party and other events.
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“Food trucks in the summer for sure. Once they come out of hibernation,” Sarah said.
Holland’s will be open 10 a.m. to 6 pm. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 pm. Sunday.
Looking to add a pop of color to your decor? We suggest Viva Magenta!
Continuing in a 20-year tradition, Pantone has selected their Color of the Year 2023, Viva Magenta. Chosen for its powerful hue and electrifying tones, this member of the crimson red family packs a positive punch and has a lot of potential. It can easily fit in your own apartment home or as a fashion statement.
PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta is a balance between warm and cool. It’s not so bright as to dominate your existing color palette, but instead can work to enhance elements you already have in place. Complimentary colors include shades of gray, greens and soft blues and pinks.
If a pop of color is what you crave in your design scheme, it’s time to join the Magentaverse with these great items.
Add Viva Magenta around your home
Adding Viva Magenta around your home doesn’t have to mean buying new furniture and making massive changes to your decor. It’s all about the small details when it comes to infusing some new color, making every room prime for an update.
Add a few extra pillows
It’s easy to swap these out as your color tastes change. Tossing a few throw pillows onto your couch or chairs can transform the room. Incorporating ones in Viva Magenta can add warmth to your space, especially if your furniture is in cooler grays or blues. Grab solid color pillows to make a big statement, or find a patterned pillow that uses this bold color sparingly for something more subtle.
Throw in a big blanket
Nobody can argue about the comfort offered by a big, soft blanket. Whether you’re using it as a throw on the couch, or to lay across your bed, cozy is key, but color matters too. Adding a blanket in a Viva Magenta hue infuses any activity with powerful color even if you’re just cuddling up to watch a movie. But remember, the bigger the blanket, the better.
Hang up a new piece of wall art
You don’t need to paint an entire wall in Viva Magenta to add a little something extra to your space. Instead, find a piece of art that incorporates the happy tone for a powerful statement piece that hands on the wall. Place it behind the couch or even above your bed to add a little something extra.
Light some aromatic candles in the right containers
It doesn’t really matter what the candle smells like, or even what color the candle is. However, setting up some candles in glass containers tinted with the Pantone Color of the Year 2023 will certainly add a vivid spot to any room. You can even buy the container separate from the candles, customizing the scent to your own tastes.
Set out new spatulas
Even if you have all the kitchen tools you need, there’s no reason you can’t grab a few new items and change things up. Whether you’re replacing kitchen utensils that are starting to show some wear and tear, or you just want some color in your utensil basket on the counter, think hot pink. A set of spatulas in magenta are both useful and colorful, a perfect pairing.
Incorporate Viva Magenta into your outfit
From pieces of clothing to a favorite accessory, a little color enhancement to your outfit can change your look. It can even change your mood.
Viva Magenta is a vigorous shade that can take drab to designer whether you’re wearing it on your head or feet (and anywhere between).
Dress in a shade of crimson red
Can’t get enough of this year’s Pantone color? Why not wear it? Perfect with jeans for a casual outfit or refined enough for nicer attire, clothing in Viva Magenta will certainly get you noticed. Try out a chunky cardigan for those casual Fridays or wear this electrifying color to the gym. You can even make it work for your next cocktail dress.
Transform your winter wear
Cozy gloves on a cold day are the best, and in this hot shade of magenta, they’ll brighten your day even more while warming you up a little. A nice pair of knit gloves are easy to take on and off and are comfortable to drive in if that steering wheel takes a while to warm up. Just don’t wear them to make snowballs. For that, you’ll need a waterproof pair.
Add some sparkle
If you don’t want clothing in the Pantone Color of the Year 2023, but want to incorporate it into your outfit as more of an accent piece, go for some jewelry. You can do something subtle, or a little more pronounced — whatever your style. Some fun options include funky earrings or a sparkling, simple necklace.
Complete your look for a night out
You may have your everyday bag that’s functional over stylish, but changing it up for a night out can be fun. Grab a smaller, more compact purse to add some color to any outfit. A clutch adds style and refinement while still holding all your essential items.
Do it up in Viva Magenta
It’s time to say goodbye to last year’s cool color, Very Peri, and think ahead to something bolder and brighter. The Pantone Color of the Year 2023 has so much potential.
How will you use this audacious crimson red? The possibilities for Viva Magenta are endless.
When you buy through links in this article, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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