Travel to Merriweather question

Does anyone have experience traveling up route 29 to Merriweather from DC during the week?  We will be leaving DC on Friday around 6 for the My Morning Jacket show very close to 29.  I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to take 29 there instead of 95. 

If anyone has experience with 29, particularly during the late aftenoon, please let me know if this is a good idea.

Thanks.

When I worked in Bethesda, Rt 29 is what I used to go to Merriweather after work (5 pm). There wasn't much traffic and if I remember correctly, I got to Merriweather in just under an hour and got there even before gates opened. I don't have experience using 95 from DC.

Vas wrote:
When I worked in Bethesda, Rt 29 is what I used to go to Merriweather after work (5 pm). There wasn't much traffic and if I remember correctly, I got to Merriweather in just under an hour and got there even before gates opened. I don't have experience using 95 from DC.

just under an hour is nothing to write home about… ;D

The last part SUCKS!  Right north of rte. 32 the road goes from 3 to 2 lanes so it backs up.  I work right here across from MPP so I get to see that cluster funk every day.  Unfortunately most alternatives are not that much better at that time.  One advantage might be that it is friday so people will be skipping out early.

For shows that are not sold out i have never experienced a bad backup on 29 heading north near the venue. for sold out shows it has been an issue.  I dont think Friday is in the sold out or close to it category…, is it?

Oh, at the 5:30 point, commuter traffic backs up the highway no need for any Merriweather traffic.

Definitely 29 over 95.  I suggest:  29->32->Brokenland Parkway->MPP

That way you bail off of 29 early and avoid any traffic on the ramp from 29->Brokenland, which is where the bulk of MPP traffic seems to be.  This will take you right past the MPP entrance.  If there's no traffic you can just hop on into the parking lot.  If there's a long line of traffic, you can just drive straight past it and park at the mall, which is basically at the next traffic light.

Great, thanks everyone for the info.

i went to merriweather to see phish . . . so therefore i do not remember getting there.  i do remember that i like merriweather now, which is annoyingly odd.

So parking at the mall is still the way to go?

runwhiteyrun06 wrote:
So parking at the mall is still the way to go?

went i went to phish . . . but it could have been for phish, the cops and security were all over that mall lot looking for anybody who was trying to park and walk in any direction but not the mall.  i saw them force countless cars out of the lot.  i think too many people go to the mall for them to let merriweather people park there anymore.  signs were everywhere stating you cannot park in the mall lot.  so who knows?

If you want a little detour, take 29 to 32 towards clarksville.  Take the cedar lane/sanner road exit.  Stay right at the exit (you'll be on cedar lane).  Take a Right onto Hickory Ridge Road.  That will dead end into Merriweather.  Take a left at the light onto Brokenland Parkway and head straight into the mall to park.

Just if traffic really sucks.

walkonby wrote:

runwhiteyrun06 wrote:
So parking at the mall is still the way to go?

went i went to phish . . . but it could have been for phish, the cops and security were all over that mall lot looking for anybody who was trying to park and walk in any direction but not the mall.  i saw them force countless cars out of the lot.  i think too many people go to the mall for them to let merriweather people park there anymore.  signs were everywhere stating you cannot park in the mall lot.  so who knows?

Damn.  I went to the decemberists show and it was ok but that was a Monday
Since its a friday I thought they may be stricter at the mall.

there's a tiered parking lot across from the mall lot where you can park legally and for free. look out for attendants directing you to that lot..we parked there last time during sweetlife fest.

i always park at the mall for merriweather shows, both on weekdays and weekends, and i have never seen a sign prohibiting it, or anyone policing it.

at last year's freefest, they were directing traffic and limiting where you could park at the mall.  made sense, since so many people were showing up for FF and it was a saturday (i.e. the mall shops needed to make money too).

Just park in the lot where the Sears and Jcpenny is.  This is where I always park for shows  ;D

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the ban was a one time thing for phish.

Vas wrote:
there's a tiered parking lot across from the mall lot where you can park legally and for free. look out for attendants directing you to that lot..we parked there last time during sweetlife fest.

Hey that's my lot. 

For the big shows they give out parking passes to the people who work here and have security direct traffic.  Lighter shows such as tonight or Death Cab, not much security going on.  Heck they finally put in a crosswalk from my building across Little Patuxent Parkway somewhat legitimizing parking at the mall. Funny thing is that for some shows the Sears parking lot is full of concert goers but the garages nearer Merriweather are still pretty empty.

I think they put that sign up when the show is on a weekend…but they don't really enforce it.

runwhiteyrun06 wrote:
Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the ban was a one time thing for phish.