Mid-Atlantic - IAD Exxon to temporarily close for renovations ~ 9/7

I saw this sign while entering the airport today, the Exxon station at IAD will be closed for renovations starting about Sept. 7th.

If anyone needs directions to the closest gas station to IAD (and that is also accessible via the airport, thus avoiding the toll) just post on here.

A couple of options:

1. Exit the airport the back way. Go past the rental car lots all the way to the end of the road. Take the right hand turn at the end of the last rental car lot. Go to the end of that road and turn left. You'll be on a road surrounded by tall trees (some of the few left in Northern VA) and will cross over the Dulles Greenway. At the end of this road, turn right. You'll be on Rt. 606. There will be a gas station/convenience store on your right less than a mile away. You don't have to cross Rt. 28. You can get back to IAD by retracing your route or by exiting the gas station and turning right on Rt. 606. You quickly get to rt. 28. Turn right on 28 (south) and the airport entrance will be a right exit in less than a mile.

2. Exit the airport and go south on Rt. 28. Turn left at Frying Pan Road. Take Frying Pan until you get to Old Centreville Rd, Rt. 657. Turn left and there will be a couple of choices on your right. After you fill up, continue north on Rt. 657, cross under the Toll Road and turn left on the Toll Rd. You can get on to the airport access road before you have to pay a toll.

Is there a prediction/estimation of how long it will be closed? It's superconvenient to the return lots.

Thanks.

It is also an excellent legal way(do business at airport)to get on the access road when the toll road is a mess.

I went by there today to do the loop onto the Access Road, and was shocked to see that they've totally torn the place down! It appears that they are doing a total replacement! The banner states that it will reopen in December!! What to do about LEGAL commuting until then? A cup o' joe from the terminal?

I went by there today to do the loop onto the Access Road, and was shocked to see that they've totally torn the place down! It appears that they are doing a total replacement! The banner states that it will reopen in December!! What to do about LEGAL commuting until then? A cup o' joe from the terminal?

Probably have to replace the tanks, and they are positioned such that they have to tear the whole thing down.

To preserve access road legality, one could go around the corner and use the restroom at Hertz. I think both picking up, or dropping off qualify as doing business at the airport

There is a post office in the ATPCO building across from the Marriot on Aviation Dr. There are boxes to drop mail off in the parking lot. So all you need is something to mail!

So has anyone ever gotten pulled over and had to do explaining?

In one of the prior road configurations, one could get off and right back on the access road at the current exit for long term parking(no long term lots back then, as I recall). Cars were stopped for doing that. I do not know if they got tickets.

Are the police looking for inspection/tags violations when they do the one-lane traffic funnel not-so-surprise on Access road at Elden Street? Or why else are they pulling people over there?

:confused:

So has anyone ever gotten pulled over and had to do explaining?

I've never heard of anyone getting pulled over. I don't think they care as much these days as the police seem to be deployed more in the area of "homeland security."

Seeing as how the most money you can save in tolls is 85 cents each way, its probably not worth the risk to most people. (If there were a way to get around the recently-increased Greenway toll of $2.75, I bet a lot more people would try their luck.) The real benefit comes in the use of the access road during rush hour and 66 during HOV restrictions. I know someone who goes into the airport, turns off at the Marriott exit, turns left and goes over the access road, and turns left again to get back on it and then takes the access road to 495. And she's never gotten pulled over that I know of.

I'd be much more worried about getting a speeding ticket than getting pulled over and asked about my airport usage.

I know someone who goes into the airport, turns off at the Marriott exit, turns left and goes over the access road, and turns left again to get back on it and then takes the access road to 495. And she's never gotten pulled over that I know of.

That double-left-turn is very specifically prohibited by signs on the first ramp. And the airport police do occasionally position themselves for spotting and ticketing that violation. Be very careful with that route through the airport...