Author: ARLnow.com

Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

Arlington’s Covid case average near 200 per day mark

By ARLnow.com
Covid cases in Arlington as of 5/24/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

(Updated at 12:05 p.m.) After a two-and-a-half month, barely-interrupted march upward, Arlington’s average daily Covid case count has eased a bit over the past three days.

After reaching a seven-day moving average of 198 daily cases on Saturday, this morning the same metric was down to 193. At the same time, however, the county’s test positivity rate is continuing to rise, reaching 14.9% today, the highest point since late January, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.

Covid test positivity rate in Arlington as of 5/24/22 (via Virginia Dept. of Health)

Testing numbers suggest that the dip in the average case count may be attributable, at least in part, to a lower volume of tests reported in recent days.

Arlington is currently reporting five weekly Covid hospital admissions per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data. That number has been slowly rising over the past few weeks. Should it rise above 10, Arlington would enter what the CDC classifies as a “High” Community Level of Covid infections. It entered the CDC’s “Medium” level last month.

In a Covid update yesterday, Arlington County said it “encourages caution due to [the] rise in Covid-19 cases.”

“Arlington County and the region continue to experience a rise in COVID-19 cases,” the email said. “Use layered prevention strategies to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy – and to keep up the progress we’ve made in fighting the pandemic.”

The county said residents should keep up to date with vaccinations and socialize outside, when possible, among other suggestions. Additionally, the county said today that community centers and libraries will be giving away free rapid tests this week.

 

Data modeling from the University of Virginia suggests that the current statewide rise in cases will continue into the summer, when it will finally peak. The modeling, released Friday, also predicts lower hospitalization counts compared to prior Covid surges due to higher vaccination rates.

Arlington’s rise in cases for this latest Covid wave was earlier than that of the state as a whole, which raises the possibility that cases here may peak earlier in the summer than the rest of the Commonwealth.

Va. congressional delegation puts weight behind Route 1 proposal

By ARLnow.com
1/7

Members of Congress from Virginia are pushing the federal government to help fund proposed changes to Route 1.

The changes, while still being hashed out by VDOT and local officials, would lower elevated portions of Route 1 through Crystal City to grade, turning it into a lower-speed “urban boulevard.” VDOT is also mulling at least one pedestrian bridge or tunnel at 18th Street S., near the Metro station, to improve safety.

With the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2 on track to open in Pentagon City in 2023, state and local officials see a need to turn the area — collectively known as National Landing — into a more cohesive downtown and economic center. Key to that vision is revamping Route 1, also known as Richmond Highway, which effectively separates Pentagon City from Crystal City.

At last check, cost estimates for the project were around $200 million.

Northern Virginia’s congressional delegation would like to see the feds foot much of the bill, through funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill.

In a joint letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, the lawmakers say argue that the Route 1 project meets all criteria for funding through the infrastructure bill.

“This grant request will allow Virginia to convert the Route 1 corridor in Arlington into a multimodal urban boulevard that prioritizes pedestrian safety in a walkable environment,” the wrote. “VDOT is developing multimodal solutions for Route 1 to meet National Landing’s transportation needs with the coming of Amazon and other related developments.”

The letter was signed by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), along with Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Donald McEachin (D-Va.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), and Robert Wittman (R-Va.).

“The Commonwealth’s commitment to Amazon is to improve safety, accessibility, and the pedestrian experience crossing Route 1,” the lawmakers wrote. “Investment in National Landing will produce significant, measurable benefits to the economy, health, and safety of local citizens… This project satisfies all the merit criteria outlined in the federal grant opportunity, especially the priorities of providing economic, state of good repair, environmental, and equity benefits.

The letter also argues for the project’s fiscal benefits, including reducing bridge maintenance costs and providing acres of additional land for development.

“The transformation of Route 1 to an urban boulevard includes the removal of three bridge structures from the VDOT inventory, which will reduce long term maintenance costs,” the letter said. “Modifications to the I-395 interchange will remove a structurally deficient bridge and avoid future replacement or rehabilitation costs, while also extending the urban boulevard to the north which will contribute to lower speeds.”

“[The project] increases the accessibility to job centers through the proposed access improvements, which will benefit residents of all income levels,” the letter continues. “The project will create approximately 6.5 acres of excess right-of-way resulting in high value developable land.”

Another hoped-for benefit: fewer cars and better safety features.

“It will reduce the need for single-occupancy vehicle trips in favor of environmentally friendly options such as enhanced transit service, walkability, biking routes,” said the letter. “The project also includes multiple innovative solutions, such as a progressive design-build strategy and a pilot safety project to implement near-miss crash technology in National Landing.”

The completion of VDOT’s Phase 2 study of the proposed changes is currently expected to wrap up in early 2023. While the project has general support from the county and the business community, some residents have expressed concerns about whether taking away overpasses in favor of at-grade crossings actually makes things more dangerous for pedestrians.

Much of the congressional delegation, led by Kaine, also wrote a letter to Buttigieg supporting funding for an I-64 connector to ease congestion between Richmond and Hampton Roads.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rainy day in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

‘Midsummer’ Starts Next Month — “Synetic Theater, the home of American Physical Theater and movement-based storytelling, announces the return of its acclaimed adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed and choreographed by company co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili. The production runs June 30 through July 24.” [Synetic Theater]

Local Donut Shop Expanding — “The owners of a Ballston doughnut shop and cafe are building out a commercial kitchen in Tysons to support a growing wholesale business and its own planned expansion… Charles Kachadoorian, a Good Company co-owner, said the shop has outgrown its capacity at 672 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, from which it produces sweets for its cafe, for other coffee shops to sell retail, and for its own catering business. It plans to expand across all of those avenues, Kachadoorian said, including with a new shop in Crystal City in the shorter term and one in D.C. in 2024.” [Washington Business Journal]

GOP Concern Over ‘Missing Middle’ — “Several Arlington Republicans have expressed your concerns about the County’s proposal to upzone single-family residential plots in neighborhoods across the county. We are passing along information from Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future (ASF), should you decide you want to make your voice heard on this issue.” [Arlington GOP]

Planetarium Supporters Look to Future — “Boosters of the Arlington school system’s planetarium are hopeful that new budget funding will enable the facility – shuttered since before the pandemic – to reopen with a permanent teacher attached to it by fall. School Board members in early May overruled Superintendent Francisco Durán and dropped in nearly $150,000 to support the David M. Brown Planetarium for the coming school year. Durán had proposed keeping the facility closed for another year.” [Sun Gazette]

Rosslyn Walk Planned — “When you’re out and about, do you find yourself contemplating how sidewalks, land use, and street connectivity influence your experience and enjoyment of public spaces? If so, make sure to RSVP to WalkArlington’s upcoming “Walk and Learn” focused on street design in Rosslyn on Wednesday, May, 25 from 5:30 – 6:45pm.” [GGWash]

W-L Boys Win District Soccer Tourney — “With the Washington-Liberty Generals hosting the championship match of the Liberty District boys soccer tournament, head coach Jimmy Carrasquillo expressed some pre-game concerns. The top-seeded Generals (15-0-1) entertained the third-seeded Yorktown Patriots in an all-Arlington clash, and Carrasquillo knew the rematch would be much tougher than his team’s 4-0 regular-season victory over its neighborhood rival.” [Sun Gazette]

Some Cicada Stragglers Spotted — “Have you ever been late to a party? I mean really late, so late that by the time you arrived, the party was over and the guests were long gone? If so, then you have something in common with the periodical cicadas that have been popping up in the last few weeks from Maryland to Tennessee. They’re a year late to the raucous party billions of their fellow Brood X cicadas threw last summer.” [Washington Post]

It’s Tuesday — Rain in the morning, ending in the afternoon. High of 65 and low of 56. Sunrise at 5:50 am and sunset at 8:23 pm. [Weather.gov]

Police: Parking aide assaulted, more cars broken into

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

An Arlington man is facing charges after allegedly shoving and threatening a county parking aide.

The incident happened Thursday afternoon along S. Lowell Street in the Green Valley neighborhood.

“At approximately 3:52 p.m. on May 19, police were dispatched to a report of an assault,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect’s vehicle was in the process of being towed when he confronted the Public Safety Aide (PSA). During the confrontation, the suspect allegedly threatened the PSA before physically pushing him. Responding officers took the suspect into custody without incident.”

The 20-year-old suspect was charged with Assault and Battery and released on an unsecured bond, police said.

Earlier Thursday, yet another series of auto crimes was reported, this time in the Ashton Heights neighborhood. Officers found nine vehicles with windows smashed along the 800 block of N. Lincoln Street, according to the crime report.

“At approximately 8:34 a.m. on May 19, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property,” said ACPD. “Upon arrival, it was determined that between 11:00 p.m. on May 18 and 6:00 a.m. on May 19, the unknown suspect(s) smashed the windows to nine vehicles and stolen items of value from two of the involved vehicles. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.”

Dozens of vehicle thefts, break-ins and other such crimes have been reported across Arlington over the past few weeks.

UPDATED: Arlington residents still without power after Sunday’s storms

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Update at 6:05 p.m. — The number of outages in Arlington is now down to just 67, according to Dominion.

Earlier: More than 2,000 Dominion customers are still without power after two strong storms knocked down trees and power lines Sunday.

As of 9:45 a.m. the utility company reported 2,084 customers in the dark, down from 8,295 outages immediately following the second of yesterday’s storms.

The outages are scattered across the county but mostly in south Arlington. Among the largest of the remaining outages are in the Aurora Highlands and Columbia Forest neighborhoods.

Dominion’s power outage map currently lists the estimated restoration time as between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. tonight.

The utility company has been struggling to restore power due to widespread damage from the storms. Currently Dominion is reporting  8,992 outages across Northern Virginia, including 2,832 in Fairfax County and 3,873 in Alexandria.

The downed trees and power lines are affecting bus service in Columbia Forest.

“Due to downed power lines, the ART Route 75 will not be servicing stops on S. Frederick Street until further notice,” Arlington Transit said in an alert earlier this morning. “Passengers can board on George Mason Drive.”

The outages are also affecting library service in Aurora Highlands.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rosslyn at lunchtime (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

County Board’s APS Covid Concern — “Is the Arlington school system inadvertently encouraging parents to not report COVID-like symptoms among students? That’s the concern of a number of County Board members, who say the current testing requirements make it more likely parents will stay mum rather than go to the hassle of getting their children checked out.” [Sun Gazette]

Big Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Route 50 — From Dave Statter on Saturday night: “Some fuzzy traffic-cam video showing a vehicle fire that has all lanes of Route 50 eastbound shut prior to Pershing. @ArlingtonVaFD & @ArlingtonVaPD handling.” [Twitter]

Police Upping Seat Belt Enforcement — “The high-visibility national seat belt campaign, Click It or Ticket, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from May 23 through June 6, 2022, and works towards reducing the number of fatalities that occur when drivers and passengers fail to buckle up.” [ACPD]

‘Salt Line’ Makes WaPo Dining Guide — “Well-shucked oysters, fluffy Parker House rolls, a comfortable room staged with nautical mementos: Just about everything that helps pack ’em in at the Salt Line in Navy Yard can be found at its young spinoff in Ballston. Really, the only ingredient missing from the original is a water view, although if you squint from a table inside, you can imagine boats and waves beyond the already-popular outdoor patio.” [Washington Post]

Worries About the Local Water Supply — “A train crash, a power plant discharge, an underwater pipeline rupture — or an act of terrorism — could cripple the drinking water supply of the nation’s capital. And there’s no Plan B. D.C. and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs are dependent on the Potomac River as the main — or sole — source of drinking water.” [WTOP]

Annual Street Sweeping Starting Soon — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Another round of Arlington street sweeping starts next month. Last year, 9,178 lane miles were cleaned for smoother rides and a healthier Chesapeake watershed.” [Twitter]

Beyer Banned from Russia — From Rep. Don Beyer: “A new Kremlin list of people banned from traveling to Russia just dropped; I am less interested than they might think in traveling to a country that is indiscriminately bombing Ukrainian civilians.” [Twitter]

APS Graduations at Constitution Hall — “Arlington Public Schools plans on having graduation ceremonies for its three main high schools back in their traditional spot – D.A.R. Constitution Hall – for the first time since 2019.” [Sun Gazette]

Lane Closures for Building Demolition — From the City of Falls Church: “From Sun 5/22 thru Thu 5/26, select lanes will be closed 9PM to 5:30AM while the building on the corner of Broad St. and Washington St. is demolished.” [Twitter]

It’s Monday — Partly sunny, with a high near 73 and a slight chance of showers later in the afternoon. [Weather.gov]

UPDATE (4): Thousands without power in Arlington after strong storms roll through

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Update at 10 a.m. — More than 2,000 Dominion customers are still without power in Arlington.

Update at 11 p.m. — The number of Dominion customers still in the dark is down modestly, to 7,378. A company spokeswoman said “the storms left a lot damage” and “crews will work thru the night as quickly & safely as possible.” More than 20,000 customers are without power throughout Northern Virginia.

Meanwhile, a transformer explosion was recently reported in the Barcroft neighborhood, likely complicating restoration efforts.

Update at 8:40 p.m. — There are 8,295 Dominion customers without power in Arlington, according to the utility company. Outages have been reported in the East Falls Church, Madison Manor, Columbia Forest, Claremont, Douglas Park, Green Valley, Long Branch Creek and Aurora Highlands neighborhoods, among others.

Update at 7:25 p.m. — A Flood Warning has been issued as well.

718 PM EDT Sun May 22 2022

…FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 AM EDT MONDAY…

* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, central Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following counties: District of Columbia. In central Maryland, Montgomery and Prince Georges. In northern Virginia, Arlington, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, and Fairfax.

* WHEN…Until 115 AM EDT.

* IMPACTS…Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…

– At 716 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Flooding is expected to begin shortly in the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen.
– Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches are possible in the warned area.
– Some locations that will experience flooding include… Arlington… Alexandria… Bethesda… Reston… Annandale… Springfield… College Park… Fairfax… Langley Park… Beltsville… Vienna… Falls Church… Huntington… Coral Hills… Bladensburg… Mantua… Pimmit Hills… Mclean… Rosslyn… American Legion Bridge…

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

Update at 7:10 p.m. — Get ready for round two. Arlington is under another Severe Thunderstorm Warning, this time until 8 p.m.

From the National Weather Service:

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
704 PM EDT Sun May 22 2022

The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning…

* Until 800 PM EDT.

* At 703 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Damascus to 13 miles north of Mineral, moving east at 30 mph.

HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE…Measured gust to 58 mph at Dulles Airport.

IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.

* Locations impacted include… Arlington, Alexandria, Stafford, Columbia, Germantown, Centreville, Dale City, Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Reston, Leesburg, Annandale, Olney, Springfield, College Park, Fredericksburg, South Riding, Fort Washington and Herndon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

The earlier storm packed hail, strong winds and flooding downpours in parts of Arlington.

https://twitter.com/Lucifersmith420/status/1528496564532129794

(more…)

JUST IN: Kid on bike struck on Langston Blvd

By ARLnow.com
1/5

A driver in an SUV struck a juvenile riding a bike along Langston Blvd this afternoon.

The crash happened around 4:20 p.m., in or near the crosswalk at the intersection with John Marshall Drive. Police received numerous calls reporting a cyclist struck, with some callers saying the victim was unconscious while others said he was alert but not moving, according to initial reports.

“At approximately 4:19 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of a crash involving a bicyclist at Langston Blvd and John Marshall Drive,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The bicyclist, a juvenile, has been transported to an area hospital with injuries that are not believed to be serious.”

“The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene,” Savage added. “Police remain on scene investigating.”

Westbound rush hour traffic initially backed up to near N. George Mason Drive as a result of the emergency response blocking 1-2 lanes.

The crash happened on Bike to Work Day, an annual event in Arlington and the D.C. region that celebrates bicycling as a means for commuting.

Open houses in Arlington this weekend

By ARLnow.com

Happy Friday Arlington! We have a warm weekend ahead with plenty of open houses across Arlington to check out.

Currently, there are 453 homes for sale with 287 being condos, 138 detached homes and 28 townhomes, according to Homesnap. The median list price is $597,000 with a median sales price of $660,500. Average days on market is 56 and there have been 170 new listings in the last 4 weeks.

Here’s a look at some of the open houses taking place in Arlington this weekend:

  • 1 N. Fenwick Street
    6 BR/6.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Private fencing, walkout basement, mahogany hardwood floors
    Listed: $2,249,000
    Open: Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Brett McManaman – Washington Fine Properties, LLC)
  • 2434 N. Powhatan Street
    4 BR/3.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Screened-in porch, double ovens, stone patio
    Listed: $1,535,000
    Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (The Lewis Team – Washington Fine Properties, LLC)
  • 1616 N. Glebe Road
    3 BR/2.5 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Deck, fire pit, hardwood floors
    Listed: $999,900
    Open: Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Keith Lombardi – Redfin Corporation )
  • 1300 Crystal Drive #506S
    3 BR/2.5 BA Condo
    Noteworthy: Blond hardwood floors, 2 private balconies, breakfast nook
    Listed: $895,000
    Open: Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (Jon DeHart – Keller Williams Realty)
  • 109 S. Fillmore Street
    3 BR/3 BA Single-family home
    Noteworthy: Custom kitchen backsplash, wood-burning fireplace, back patio
    Listed: $839,900
    Open: Saturday, 1-4 p.m. (Matthew Leighton – Century 21 Redwood Realty)
  • 2546 S. Walter Reed Drive #1
    2 BR/2.5 BA Townhouse
    Noteworthy: End unit, rec room and bar, hardwood floors
    Listed: $679,000
    Open: Saturday, 12-2 p.m. (Sukhdip Kang – Samson Properties )

See all Arlington open house listings here.

Want your open house to appear here? You can now submit sponsored listings.

2434 N. Powhatan Street

* Denotes sponsored listing

2434 N. Powhatan Street image via Google Maps

5K to close roads from Clarendon to Ballston, closures planned for three other events

By ARLnow.com
Girls on the Run 5k road closures (via ACPD)

It’s going to be a scorcher this weekend, but that’s not likely to stop a series of outdoor events planned in Arlington.

Four events in particular will prompt road closures, Arlington County police said, including two in Green Valley, one in nearby Shirlington, and one that will close roads in Clarendon, Virginia Square and Ballston.

The Girls on the Run 5K is taking place Saturday in the Dulles area and Sunday morning in Ballston. The organization, which provides a “transformational physical activity based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd-8th grade,” has held the races in Arlington since at least 2014, usually on the same weekend as the Taste of Arlington festival, now the Ballston Quarterfest Crawl.

The last two spring 5Ks were nixed due to the pandemic.

Sunday’s race will kick off at 8:30 a.m. in Ballston and wind its way through some of Arlington’s Metro corridor neighborhood.

Among the planned closures is a long stretch of Fairfax Drive. More from ACPD:

The 2022 Girls on the Run 5k Race will take place in the Ballston neighborhood on Sunday, May 22, and will begin at 8:30 a.m. The following roadways will be closed in order to accommodate the event:

From approximately 3:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

  • N. Taylor Street will be closed in both directions from Wilson Boulevard to Fairfax Drive

From approximately 7:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

  • Fairfax Drive, from N. Utah Street to Kirkwood Road
  • 10th Street N., from Fairfax Drive to Washington Boulevard
  • N. Irving Street, from 10th Street N. to 7th Street N.
  • 9th Street N., from N. Irving Street to N. Garfield Street
  • 7th Street N., from N Irving Street to Washington Boulevard
  • N. Highland Street, from 7th Street N. to 10th Street N.
  • N. Garfield Street, from 10th Street N. to 7th Street N.
  • Washington Boulevard (eastbound lanes only), from 10th Street N. to Pershing Drive
  • Wilson Boulevard will be closed in both directions at 10th Street N. Westbound traffic will be diverted onto Fairfax Drive, while eastbound traffic will be turned south prior to Jackson Street, where drivers can access Pershing Drive and maneuver around the race course.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Bus routes will be detoured but remain operational during the event.

The police department also released the following information on road closures for the other three events.

2022 Drew Dragon Dash

The 2022 Drew Dragon Dash will take place in the Green Valley neighborhood on Saturday, May 21, and will begin at approximately 9:00 a.m. The following roadway will be closed in order to accommodate the event:

From approximately 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

S. Kenmore Street, between 22nd Street S. and the Shelton parking garage (3215 24th Street S.)

Jennie Dean Opening Celebration

The Jennie Dean Opening Celebration will take place in the Green Valley neighborhood on Saturday, May 21, and will begin at approximately 12:00 p.m. The following roadway will be closed in order to accommodate the event:

From approximately 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

  • 2700 block of S. Oakland Street (Shirlington Dog Park parking lot)

The Shirlington Dog Park will remain open and will be accessible through the 2600 block of S. Nelson Street.

Shirlington Spring Fling: A Village Block Party

The Shirlington Spring Fling: A Village Block Party will take place in the Village at Shirlington on Saturday, May 21, and will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m. The following roadways will be closed in order to accommodate the event:

From approximately 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

  • Campbell Avenue, from S. Quincy Street to the Hilton Garden Inn
  • S. Randolph Street, from Dudley’s to the alleyway behind CVS

“Street parking near the events may be restricted,” ACPD noted in the press release. “Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.”

Car bursts into flames after crash near Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
Car fire after crash on S. Joyce Street (photo courtesy anonymous)

A beemer barbecue following a single-vehicle crash closed part of S. Joyce Street near Pentagon City this morning.

The circumstances leading to the crash, which heavily damaged the BMW before it burst into flames, are unclear. The crash happened around 6 a.m. and left the male driver with facial injuries, according to scanner traffic.

The driver was reportedly able to get out the car before firefighters arrived on scene. He was brought to a local hospital for treatment.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze shortly after their arrival. Both lanes of S. Joyce Street heading from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike were blocked by the emergency response and cleanup.

Update at 8:45 a.m. — S. Joyce Street has reopened, per scanner traffic.

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