I read something online today about America's 12 Worst Traffic Traps.As I watched the slideshow, a familiar "traffic trap" appeared before my eyes: The I-495 and I-270 Interchange in Montgomery County, Maryland. This is one of the worst commuting spots in the nation, according to the AAA, costing 19 million hours of delay a year for commuters in our local area.  I believe it... I've been there!

Anne Arundel County residents rarely travel this stretch of "the Beltway", I-495. We tend to travel into D.C. directly, via Rt. 50... and to Northern Virginia by going through the District rather than around the Beltway. Remember, there is more to estimating your commute than checking Mapquest or other online map to determine the distance between two points, because traffic delays often make distance a completely irrelevant factor.

In fact, it is not unusual for Northern Virginia residents to have more time-consuming commutes than their Anne Arundel County co-workers, in spite of their proximity to work. Not only that, but the sun rises in the east and sets in the west - meaning the sun will always be at the back of a commuter from Anne Arundel County, while in the eyes of a commuter from Northern Virginia. If you don't think this matters, listen to a traffic report on the radio during the winter, when the sun is low.

There are many other good reasons to choose Anne Arundel County when you relocate to the D.C. area. These are just a few of them, in no particular order:

• Low real estate property taxes
• Excellent public schools and world-class universities nearby
• Excellent local hospitals as well as proximity to nationally renowned hospitals in both Washington and Baltimore
• No personal property tax (which they do have in Virginia)
• Convenient to BWI, arguably the most traveler-friendly airport in the region
• Miles of shoreline along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for recreation (and pleasant living)
• Lower home prices
• Convenient to Baltimore, as well as D.C.
• Public transportation via Metro and/or MARC
• The BRAC effect on property values

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.  Margaret Woda, RE/MAX Vision, Crofton MD.