Back-to-school, bumper-to-bumper: So-called ‘Terrible Tuesday’ is here

With full backpacks and fresh school supplies, the other factor in D.C.'s alleged "Terrible Tuesday" is set to join the morning's rush-hour fray. (Thinkstock)(Getty Images/Purestock/Purestock)

WASHINGTON — With full backpacks and fresh school supplies, the other factor in D.C.’s alleged “Terrible Tuesday” is set to join the morning’s rush-hour fray.

As a result, morning commuters should be ready to get on the road a few minutes earlier to ensure they arrive at work on time.

Students in Maryland’s largest districts — including Montgomery County Public Schools’ 161,000 students return to class Tuesday morning. (Approximately 130,000 students will return to class a day later at Prince George’s County Schools.)

And in Northern Virginia, about 100,000 students in six area districts — including Alexandria City Public Schools (over 15,000 students) and Arlington Public Schools (over 26,000 students) — also will join commuters returning to the daily grind.

In Maryland, this is the first school year since Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order that mandated schools begin classes after Labor Day.

Next year’s Terrible Tuesday probably won’t be much better either: For area districts such as Arlington and Montgomery County, the new year brings expectations of ever-growing enrollment.

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Jack Pointer

Jack contributes to WTOP.com when he's not working as the afternoon/evening radio writer.

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