Smithsonian museum at Dulles

I tried to go to the museum at the Dulles airport today. Boy, they do a
good job of hidding that little gem. D.C. easily has the worst roads
for visitors in any city in any country I've ever visited. It is very
hard to find things...

1) Many roads have formal names as well as common names. The map lists
the formal name but the signs often only use the common name (i.e. U.S.
123 is formal but Foobar St. is common).
2) Often turn off signs are located at the turn off or just after the
turn off, no warning. For example, from 66 to 50 there is a sign "50
next turn", however, there is a concrete barrier between you and the
off ramp. You had to predict that you needed to get off before the
barrier begins, but the sign is after the barrier
3) Slower drivers don't seem to have any inclination to stay to the
right.
4) Sometimes two roads will have the same name. For example, when you
get to the end of 66 W you have the option of taking the 66 E ramp.
That ramp takes you North of the hwy and down another freeway entirly,
seeming to never get you back to the original road (also named 66) that
you were just on.
5) Even though the museum is at the airport DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT, DO
NOT take the "Airport road". This is a 7 mile long hell hole with NO
EXITS until you get to the main Dulles terminal. You have to ride it
out both ways. It would be nice if they said "No turn off for 7 miles
before you bought the road. Or even U turn places would work.
6) At one point there was a sign that said "use exit 9B for museum".
Then the freeways splits 3 says. Never did find out which of the 3
roads contained a 9B.

By the time I got there it was 59 minutes before closing and they close
the main gate an hour before closing. So 2 hours of driving all over
the place were wasted. Next time, I'm bringing the laptop with the
built-in GPS and teach my wife to use it.

-Robert, frustrated D.C. tourist

(BTW: If you take the Metro and bring your family, understand that you
can only run your credit card once per day (the system will reject it
after that). So if you have a family of 4 and want to add money to each
person's metro card (each must be done seperately) you must carry 4
credit cards.)

However, all on all, I'm having a great time!!

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com

I tried to go to the museum at the Dulles airport today. Boy, they do
a good job of hidding that little gem. D.C. easily has the worst roads
for visitors in any city in any country I've ever visited. It is very
hard to find things...

I'm sorry to hear you suffered those frustrations. I can't do much about
the roads, but if you'd let some of us know your intentions ahead of time,
we *may* have been able to save you some trouble.

From downtown'ish, perhaps an easier trip (although not necessarily shorter)
is:
I-66 West to Route 28 (Sully Road) North.
Stay on Route 28 and follow the big brown signs to the museum. You'll cross
Route 50 (Lee Jackson Highway), pass Sully Plantation, then you'll exit for
the museum.

If you're downtown already, you can catch a regular shuttle bus that runs
between the downtown museum and the Dulles extension. The ride costs ~$8
which is $4 cheaper than parking at the Dulles museum.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message

......D.C. easily has the worst roads
for visitors in any city in any country I've ever visited. It is very
hard to find things...

1) Many roads have formal names as well as common names. The map lists
the formal name but the signs often only use the common name (i.e. U.S.
123 is formal but Foobar St. is common).

This is standard procedure everywhere. Roads have different names in
different municipalities. Route number signs are posted along the right
side at intervals. This is a federal standard that applies everywhere.

2) Often turn off signs are located at the turn off or just after the
turn off, no warning. For example, from 66 to 50 there is a sign "50
next turn", however, there is a concrete barrier between you and the
off ramp. You had to predict that you needed to get off before the
barrier begins, but the sign is after the barrier

No, not often, but that one case you cite is a bear. When you hit I66w from
the Beltway North, the exit for 50 comes quickly. The "50 next turn" sign
refers to the Ox Rd exit, about a half mile down. That turnoff on the other
side of the barrier just goes into a residential development.

3) Slower drivers don't seem to have any inclination to stay to the
right.

I agree with you here. Some are deliberately playing the politically
correct speed game, but for the most part I have never anywhere encountered
a more generally oblivious group of drivers than in the Northern VA area.

4) Sometimes two roads will have the same name. For example, when you
get to the end of 66 W you have the option of taking the 66 E ramp.
That ramp takes you North of the hwy and down another freeway entirly,
seeming to never get you back to the original road (also named 66) that
you were just on.

Look at a map [perhaps before your trip, next time]. Where I66 and the
Beltway intersect, there is a large, triangular intersection that actually
spans a few miles, so there are really two I66s that you'll encounter from
the Beltway.

5) Even though the museum is at the airport DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT, DO
NOT take the "Airport road". This is a 7 mile long hell hole with NO
EXITS until you get to the main Dulles terminal.

Actually, iirc, the Dulles Road is now a double barreled highway, with one
section express to Dulles and the outer section having local exits. I also
recall pretty good signage at the start of the double section, but I guess
you just missed it. Kinda like getting stuck in an express HOV lane if you
miss the signs.

Sorry you had such a frustrating time.

"John Gaquin" writes:

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message

.....D.C. easily has the worst roads
for visitors in any city in any country I've ever visited. It is very
hard to find things...

1) Many roads have formal names as well as common names. The map lists
the formal name but the signs often only use the common name (i.e. U.S.
123 is formal but Foobar St. is common).

This is standard procedure everywhere. Roads have different names in
different municipalities. Route number signs are posted along the right
side at intervals. This is a federal standard that applies everywhere.

I've only very rarely seen it, at least at the level of freeways,
which is what I think the OP was talking about. Chicago has a bunch,
and it really causes confusion. I haven't seen it other places much,
though.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

Maybe its worse with M.S streets since it only seems to show the
federal name. I've noticed that back home in Sacramento. It lists
streets as U.S. 123. I've lived in Sacramento for 20 years and never
knew those streets by that name. It would be nice if street signs
listed both names. I do have a map, its M.S. streets. Since I knew the
museum was at the airport I followed the sign that said "Airport
traffic". WOW, BIG MISTAKE. That is the 7 mile long, no exit, no U turn
road that takes you to the terminal.
I do have to say that once you figure out the Metro it does work
nicely. They run frequently and seem to run on time. It is more
complicated than other city trains I've taken but it works. You
actually seem to pay by the mile, so when you get on the train you look
up the station you will get off on and it gives you the price. Each
station to station is a different price. I still think the Paris Metro
is easier to understand though, they just use zones to distiguish
price.

-Robert

Robert M. Gary wrote:
Maybe its worse with M.S streets since it only seems to show the
federal name.

We actually have three levels of names. What EVERYBODY refers
to as the "Fairfax Count Parkway" is also known as state road
7100 and by the official name "John (Jack) Herrity Parkway"
(it also has a fourth name "Springfield Bypass" but they gave
up on that one some time ago, the road still fails to either
enter or bypass Springfield, that's the last two miles they
ever finished).

Margy's car's satnav system displays the first three of those.
It makes the screen a bit cluttered.

("Ron Natalie" wrote)
We actually have three levels of names. What EVERYBODY refers
to as the "Fairfax Count Parkway" is also known as state road
7100 and by the official name "John (Jack) Herrity Parkway"
(it also has a fourth name "Springfield Bypass" but they gave
up on that one some time ago, the road still fails to either
enter or bypass Springfield, that's the last two miles they
ever finished).


We had (Freeway) 118 pass by our airport for years - with an Airport Rd
exit.

They finally connected 118 to the "610 bridge" (Mississippi River) in 1998
after about 15 years of no construction. I said flip a coin for the final
name - I liked 118 because it was on my side of the river g, plus we
already have a 694 just south of us, so 610 might be confusing for some I
thought.

They decided on Hwy 10. This is a problem.

The "old" Hwy 10 is the first exit south off of I-35 from the "new" Hwy 10
....confusion.

They added to the confusion. They renamed the previous Hwy 10 ...County 10.

So now when you head north on I-35 out of Minneapolis, instead of exiting on
118 (or 610) you now have two choices of 10's to exit on - right next to
each other. Hwy 10 or Co. Rd 10.

We call them "New 10" and "Old 10" but MN-DOT won't put that on the signs!!!

Oh well.


Montblack

Tell me about it. I visited Minneapolis a few years ago, and had some
real
fun trying to find my motel again after dark. The multiple "10s" naming
was
real confusing. I finally did it by remembering some landmarks (a water
tank and broadcast towers).

David Johnson



We had (Freeway) 118 pass by our airport for years - with an Airport Rd
exit.

They finally connected 118 to the "610 bridge" (Mississippi River) in 1998
after about 15 years of no construction. I said flip a coin for the final
name - I liked 118 because it was on my side of the river g, plus we
already have a 694 just south of us, so 610 might be confusing for some I
thought.

They decided on Hwy 10. This is a problem.

The "old" Hwy 10 is the first exit south off of I-35 from the "new" Hwy 10
...confusion.

They added to the confusion. They renamed the previous Hwy 10 ...County 10.

So now when you head north on I-35 out of Minneapolis, instead of exiting on
118 (or 610) you now have two choices of 10's to exit on - right next to
each other. Hwy 10 or Co. Rd 10.

We call them "New 10" and "Old 10" but MN-DOT won't put that on the signs!!!

Oh well.


Montblack

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message

... I do have a map, its M.S. streets.

Ah, there's the problem. Next time you travel, invest in a real map book.
I recommend those published by American Map. An $18-$20 purchase could have
saved you a hundred worth of aggravation.

I do have to say that once you figure out the Metro it does work
nicely. They run frequently and seem to run on time. It is more
complicated than other city trains I've taken but it works.

We loved the Metro!

When we visited D.C. in 2000, we didn't rent a car, choosing to ride the
Metro every day instead, and were delighted to find that it was clean, fast,
and went right where we wanted to go. (You're right, though -- figuring out
the fare system seemed to be overly complex.)

Just be careful where you go. On our last day we were "out" of museums, so
we went looking for the Navy Museum, which we discovered was located in or
near a pretty scary part of town.

I knew something was up when the station we got off at appeared to be
brand-spanking new -- and completely empty. When we ventured up the stairs
to street level, we took one look around and decided to get back on the
train... But the subway system itself was wonderful.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"