So I figured out the secret .... I need to leave DC by 8.50 pm. That way, I miss almost all of the construction delays. Setup begins at 9p, so I made it home in what is record time for the trip these days by avoiding most of it. 15 or 20 minutes later, and there would have been one point where it was down to one lane from three, and another where there was a lane loss also, so down to one from two there.