A Subway location on the ground floor of Arlington County’s jail could be getting a rent lifeline this weekend.
The sandwich shop renting space at the base of the Arlington County Detention Center (1435 N. Courthouse Road) has struggled to stay afloat since the pandemic slashed its sales. Although it still operates in the space, it has not paid rent to the county since March 2020, according to a report.
“Subway’s business has declined precipitously during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report to the County Board says. “It was closed for business altogether in April 2020. Its sales in May 2020 were less than 15% of normal. Although Subway’s sales have recovered to a degree, they are still, as of the date of this report, around one-third below normal.”
On Saturday, the Board is set to review a proposal to lower Subway’s rent during the remainder of the pandemic to a level it can afford. County staff settled on a base rent equal to 9.5% of its gross sales, retroactive to April 2020, according to the report.
“Staff worked with Subway to determine what Subway could afford to pay in rent based on its reduced sales,” the report said. “As a rule of thumb, restaurants can afford to devote roughly 10% of sales to the payment of rent. When sales decline substantially below normal, inflexible overhead like employee salaries and utility charges does not decline to the same degree, and accordingly absorbs a greater percentage of sales. This leaves a smaller percentage of sales that can be applied to rent.”
If approved, the reduction would last until Subway has two months in a row of sales in which 9.5% of their sales is greater than the base rent it is paying, or until one year after the amendment is signed — whichever occurs first. Then, Subway would have 18 months to pay back the rent it owes from before the agreement went into effect.
The sandwich shop’s lease on its 1,360-square foot space in Courthouse, last renewed in 2017, is up in 2024, the report said.
Fall colors and the Jamestown Park tennis court (staff photo)
Arlington Has a New County Attorney — “Arlington County Board Selects MinhChau Corr as New County Attorney After conducting a nationwide search, the Arlington County Board has selected MinhChau Corr as the new County Attorney for Arlington County Government. As chief legal counsel to the Board, Ms. Corr will report directly to the County Board and lead an office of 14 attorneys and 3 paraprofessional staff.” [Arlington County]
New DCA Checkpoints Now Open — “New checkpoints opened Tuesday morning at Reagan National Airport, offering a speedier security process and what airport officials say is an upgraded experience befitting an airport that serves as a gateway to the nation’s capital. The checkpoints are one element of a $1 billion plan that marks the airport’s most significant upgrades since the opening of two new terminals in 1997.” [Washington Post]
Tomb Event Highlighted on Today Show — “Marking the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the American public is getting the chance to step forward and pay their respects for the very first time. TODAY’s Craig Melvin traveled to Arlington National Cemetery for NBC’s network-wide series ‘Those Who Serve.'” [Today Show]
Marine Corps Birthday Today — “On November 10, 2021, Marines across the globe will recognize and acknowledge 246 years of service to their country, the sacrifices made to defend democracy, and the Marine Corps’ enduring legacy as America’s premier fighting force. The Marine Corps’ annual tradition celebrates the establishment of the organization on November 10, 1775, by the Second Continental Congress.” [USMC]
A Monumental Maintenance Task — Updated at 3 p.m. — A maintenance crew with safety harnesses was seen climbing the Air Force Memorial today and Tuesday. [Twitter, Twitter, Washington Post]
YHS Players Help VHC Nurses — “The Yorktown High School football team presented the nurses at Virginia Hospital Center with bouquets of discount cards to say thank you for their work during the pandemic and beyond. The cards include discounts to local businesses within the local community who sponsor the football program.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Wednesday — Another great day is on tap. Today will start partly sunny, then gradually become sunnier, with a high near 68. Sunrise at 6:45 a.m. and sunset at 4:58 p.m. Tomorrow — Veterans Day — will be partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Members of the Green Valley Civic Association near Jennie Dean Park, in a portion of the Green Valley neighborhood also known as Four Mile Run Valley (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) A public art plan slated for consideration this weekend has angered some Green Valley residents, who say it essentially erases a portion of the historically Black community.
After multiple years of community engagement and study, county arts staff have drafted an update to the Arlington’s Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) — first adopted in 2004 — to reflect changing county values, such as equity and sustainability, and more modern public art practices. The updated strategy for bringing art into public spaces is slated for a County Board vote this Saturday.
“Public art will continue to be a timely and timeless resource, responding to current community priorities while creating a legacy of artworks and places that are socially inclusive and aesthetically diverse features of Arlington’s public realm,” the county wrote in a report about the updated plan.
But members of the Green Valley Civic Association are urging County Board members not to approve the updated plan without wording changes to the various references to their community.
“This master plan aims to nullify a historically Black community in Arlington,” they said in a letter to the County Board dated Nov. 1. “It is a painful and blatant attempt to suppress the Green Valley community and rewrite our historical narrative.”
Settled by free African-Americans in 1844, Green Valley — formerly known as Nauck — is one of Arlington’s oldest Black communities. Its borders are S. Arlington Mill Drive to the south, the Douglas Park neighborhood (and S. Walter Reed Drive) to the west, I-395 and Army-Navy Country Club to the east, and the Columbia Heights neighborhood to the north.
Geography and names comprise two chief concerns for residents, who take issue with the document’s use of the monicker “Four Mile Run Valley” to refer to an area north of Four Mile Run near Shirlington — much of which is actually part of the historic Black community.
Four Mile Run Valley area (via Arlington County)
The name “Four Mile Run Valley” started being used widely by the county in connection with a planning study that discussed the proposed creation of an “arts and industry district” in the area. But Green Valley residents are taking exception to the term being used instead of their neighborhood’s actual name.
“This is wholly incorrect and offensive,” the civic association said.
More from the letter:
The report defines a fictitious community of “Four Mile Run Valley.” This heretofore non-existent community is defined as running from the “north bank of the stream where the lower and upper reaches meet.”
It further, incorrectly states, that Shirlington Village is “on the south bank of Four Mile Run.” It is not. The northern border of Shirlington Village begins in the middle of Arlington Mill Drive.
The report states, “Green Valley is a historically African-American neighborhood to the north of Four Mile Run Valley.” This is wholly incorrect and offensive. Again, “Four Mile Run Valley” is a fictitious name created by county staff. It is not a location. The southern border to Green Valley begins in the middle of Arlington Mill Drive. To try to push the historic boundary of our community up the hill is unconscionable and disrespectful of what Green Valley means to Arlington.
Civic association president Portia Clark says this turn of phrase is part of a pattern of erasure.
“This isn’t the first time the county has tried to paper over Green Valley. Green Valley established in 1844 was rebranded Nauck in 1874, after a confederate soldier purchased land in our freed Black community,” Clark said. “We finally got our name back in 2019, only to find the county trying to discard us again. This time the county tried to hide the deed in the middle of a 200-page arts report.”
Just after publication of this article, county staff told ARLnow that some of the changes suggested by the civic association have been made.
The person or people who lit flags on fire outside of at least three Arlington homes remains at large.
The first such incident happened on 6th Street S. in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, during the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 15, and was caught on video (above). A man can be seen walking up to an American flag hanging outside of a home and lighting it aflame, before running away.
“A witness observed the flag on fire and extinguished it,” said a subsequent Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The suspect is described as a White male, 18 – 30 years old, 5’4″ – 5’11” tall and wearing a dark hooded windbreaker, jeans, white sneakers and carrying a backpack.”
Two similar flag-burning incidents happened in northern Arlington neighborhoods between the late night hours of Oct. 27 and the early morning hours of Oct. 28.
From ACPD crime reports:
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (Significant), 2021-10284010, 5000 block of Yorktown Boulevard. At approximately 11:30 p.m. on October 27, the Arlington County Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Office and the Arlington County Police Department responded to the report of a destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined that an unknown suspect lit an American flag on fire that was hanging from a single family home. A passerby extinguished the fire with a garden hose and notified the resident. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY (Significant), 2021-10284003, 3300 block of N. Brandywine Street. On October 28th, an online police report was filed for vandalism. The reporting party advised that on the morning of October 28, they discovered their American flag and flag pole had been burned overnight. There is no suspect(s) description. The investigation is ongoing.
In a third incident that night, a resident near the corner of Williamsburg Blvd and N. George Mason Drive that reported her “Keep Virginia Blue” lawn sign was set ablaze, according to the Washington Post and an account on Nextdoor. All three locations are within a few blocks of one another.
There have been no reports of burning flags since then, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. Police and the fire department are continuing to investigate.
“A joint investigation into these incidents is underway by the Arlington County Police and Fire Departments,” Savage said. “As part of the joint investigation, the departments are actively working to determine if the incidents are linked.”
“Anyone with information regarding the incidents is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected],” she continued. “Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).”
Ballston at twilight (Flickr pool photo by Tom Mockler)
Slight Dip in Apartment Rents — “The average rental rate for an Arlington unit over the past month was down 0.4 percent compared to the month before, according to figures reported Nov. 1 by Apartment List. Arlington’s rental rates averaged $2,032 for one-bedroom units and $2,460 for two-bedroom units. Arlington was one of 22 of the nation’s 100 largest urban areas to see pullbacks in rental rates over the month.” [Sun Gazette]
Federal Funds for Local Bridge? — From reporter Michael Lee Pope: “@RepDonBeyer #VA08 infrastructure projects requested: $9 million for renovating the bridge connecting Mount Vernon Avenue in #AlexandriaVA to Arlington Ridge Road in #ArlingtonVA” [Twitter]
Post Reviews Lyon Park Restaurant — “When not hawking food, she is a parking enforcement officer with the Arlington County Police Department… In September, she moved indoors when she took over El Fuego Peruvian Kitchen, an Arlington business that had already made the successful transition from street vendor to a bricks-and-mortar restaurant.” [Washington Post]
Wild Incident on Columbia Pike — “At approximately 9:30 a.m. on November 6, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred and fire department units were also responding to investigate the smell of smoke and natural gas. Upon arrival inside the residential building, the suspect approached responding officers and began shouting. As the officers attempted to place the suspect into custody, he actively resisted and a brief struggle ensued before he was detained without further incident. The investigation determined that the suspect was allegedly acting irate and damaged the doors to multiple residential units.” [ACPD]
Parents Group Calls Out APS Calendar — “In prior years, APS aligned its calendar with neighboring (and vast) FCPS – an effort to support staff who worked and lived in different jurisdictions. This year’s calendar has a different start date and Spring Break than FCPS, and APS is off for five holidays when FCPS is not, which makes the schedule almost impossible for staff and working families to navigate.” [Arlington Parents for Education]
Rare Opening of Tomb Plaza — Updated at 9 a.m. — “Arlington National Cemetery will open up the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza Tuesday and Wednesday to members of the public and allow visitors to lay flowers for the first time in almost 100 years. The privilege is typically reserved for members of ‘The Old Guard,’ sentinels in the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment who stand watch constantly at the Arlington National Cemetery landmark, officials say.” [NBC 4]
It’s Tuesday — Today will be near perfect, with sunny skies and a high of 72. Sunrise at 6:44 a.m. and sunset at 4:59 p.m. Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high near 67. [Weather.gov]
A local youth hockey association says it is being forced to cancel games over a referee shortage caused in large part by abusive parents and coaches.
The Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association, which covers Virginia, D.C. and Maryland, reports that it has lost 50% of its game officials from pre-coronavirus season numbers to this season. In 2018-19, it had just shy of 500 officials, and as of October, there were 276, says association president Linda Jondo.
Officials are leaving, league participants are being told, amid an uptick in abusive behavior.
“In the PVAHA, we’ve racked up more than a dozen reports of players, parents and coaches thrown out of rinks for their unprofessional conduct towards officials in the first two weeks of the season,” Jondo said in a letter to parents, coaches and players, provided to ARLnow. “This is beyond unacceptable and a direct assault on our ability to retain enough qualified/experienced officials for our leagues.”
The abuse includes parents and coaches who accuse referees of making terrible decisions and missing calls and — in at least a few cases — chase them into parking lots to berate them.
But the pandemic is also partly to blame, as some senior referees realized that having their weekend free of obligations was actually pretty nice, while others opposed mask mandates. Without the more experienced refs, the verbal abuse turns to younger referees, who often quit after a few games.
The ref shortage is widespread.
Some weekends, 40-50 games are postponed, rescheduled or canceled due to the shortage, Jondo said. This phenomenon is happening nationwide and is playing out in football, soccer, wrestling and lacrosse, too.
In hockey, Jondo and her fellow youth league presidents noticed an uptick in unruly behavior after parents returned to the stands. When games were restricted to players and coaches, she says there was some harassment from coaches, but the atmosphere was more relaxed.
“When you’re at a 10-and-under game and you challenge an official to ‘make me leave the building’ because you’ve done nothing but harass and official for two periods… This was a seasoned official. He does college level games. And you’re challenging him and a 10-under game,” she said. “That’s how ridiculous it’s gotten — we just don’t know why.”
(The unruly behavior may ring a bell outside the sports world: as widely reported, violent outbursts and abuse of flight attendants by passengers have increased on commercial flights in the U.S.)
The group of youth hockey presidents drafted most of the wording of the letter sent by the PVAHA, based on their collective observations. Before distributing it from Massachusetts to D.C., they tailored the specifics to each league’s referee situation.
“We’re all sending the same message up and down the East Coast,” Jondo said.
And it’s still a problem, says Jondo, who spent about six hours today (Monday) going through 60 game reports, including some reports of harassment and abuse, and received two videos Sunday showing extreme behavior.
“The letter, while it’s worked, some people are not getting the message,” she said.
PVAHA started suspending out-of-control parents and coaches about five years ago, she said. And while it’s not unusual for parents or coaches to be frustrated, the behavior now is beyond the pale.
“Since we’ve come back from COVID-19 and the senior officials aren’t coming back, it’s easier to berate a teenager,” she said. “National Hockey League officials aren’t perfect, but they don’t get followed to their cars and aren’t berated.”
The referee shortage and decline in sports civility is not a new phenomenon, according to the Christian Science Monitor, which used the Potomac youth hockey association’s letter to segue into a report on these trends and possible creative solutions.
If parents ignore the letter, PVAHA may have to mull different disciplinary measures. It isn’t clear what that could look like.
“We just have to see where this goes,” Jondo said.
N. Sycamore Street and 19th Street N. (via Google Maps)
N. Sycamore Street, slated for pedestrian and cycling safety improvements (via Arlington County)
Police investigate fatal crash with vehicle overturned at the intersection of N. Sycamore Street and Washington Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A busy street in the East Falls Church neighborhood is slated to get safer crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.
Arlington County has selected N. Sycamore Street between Langston Blvd and 19th Street N. — near the East Falls Church Metro station and not far from the W&OD Trail — as site of a new Complete Streets project. This segment “presents intersection crossing challenges for bicyclists and pedestrians,” according to the project webpage.
The intersection of N. Sycamore Street and Washington Blvd, within the project’s boundaries, was the site of a fatal crash last Wednesday. Prior to the crash, the street segment has seen one serious collision between 2013 and this summer: one with severe injuries in 2019, according to Arlington County crash data.
The webpage for the project went live two weeks ago, says Department of Environmental Services spokeswoman Kathryn O’Brien. County staff will soon solicit public feedback that will be used to develop a concept plan.
“Existing Conditions Feedback will kick off later in November,” O’Brien said. “This feedback, along with other data and planning guidance, will help staff formulate a concept design. Once staff have developed a community-informed concept, that concept will be shared for additional public feedback.”
The boundaries of the new N. Sycamore Street Complete Streets project (via Arlington County)
Funding for changes to N. Sycamore Street, first identified as having a need for safety upgrades in 2011, was included in the 2022-24 Capital Improvements Plan adopted this summer. It’s been a long road to get the project on the schedule, however.
Staff developed preliminary plans in 2015 and, in 2016, twice applied unsuccessfully for transportation grants for the 2018 fiscal year, O’Brien said.
In 2017, the county successfully applied for and received $250,000 in Virginia Department of Transportation revenue-sharing funds for the 2020 fiscal year. Then, the pandemic hit.
“This project was deferred as part of the FY 2021 CIP, due to revenue constraints because of COVID,” she said.
Since 2011, staff have studied the street twice and have some hypothetical designs on hand as a result.
In 2015, the county received a grant to study ways to improve pedestrian and cycling access to the East Falls Church Metro station, once a popular station to ride to that is still recovering from the pandemic-era hit to commuting. A new $2 million, 92-spot bike facility to accommodate cyclists made its debut in August 2020.
Four years later, the county received a grant to study a gap in the W&OD Trail, where trail users are routed through Benjamin Banneker Park and residential streets.
The gap in the W&OD Trail in East Falls Church (via NOVA Parks)
Improved crossings at 19th Street N. could be an interim solution to the gap, according to the project page.
Although this transportation project’s scope is bound by 19th Street N. and Langston Blvd, eventually, the county envisions improved bicycle amenities further up and down N. Sycamore Street.
“The 2019 adopted Bicycle Element of the Master Transportation Plan recommends N. Sycamore Street as an enhanced bicycle facility between Williamsburg Blvd and the East Falls Church line,” the project page says.
Arlington will be coordinating the project with planned stormwater improvements to Crossman Run as well as a project to add bus bays and improve bus circulation at the nearby Metro station.
The project is funded with a mix of Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, local and state funding, plus bond funds.
A woman standing in a ray of sunlight near Amazon’s under-construction HQ2 in Pentagon City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Vacuum Leaf Collection Starts Today — “The county’s first pass is scheduled to kick off on Monday, Nov. 8 and will likely run through late November. The second pass will likely run through Friday, Dec. 17, according to a new fall leaf collection brochure.” [ARLnow]
Metro Woes Continue — “Metro’s limited train service will continue for the rest of November, officials said Friday, as the transit agency begins tests that it hopes will allow for the reinstatement of more than half of its fleet… Metro is pulling all of its available cars out of storage to help shorten waits, including 32 recently pulled from its Shady Grove yard. Waits between trains are about 15 minutes on the Red Line, 20 minutes on the Green Line and 30 minutes on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines, Metro said.” [Washington Post]
YHS Field Hockey Triumphs — “What already was an outstanding season for the Yorktown Patriots became the best in program history when the girls field hockey team won a region championship for the first time. Yorktown (19-1) captured the 6D North Region tournament with a 3-0 record, blanking the host and defending champion Madison Warhawks, 1-0, in the Nov. 3 title match of the high-school competition.” [Sun Gazette]
Speedy Campaign Sign Removals — “Good news on the campaign-sign-clearing front — it looks like most campaigns and political organizations have decided to remove their signage from medians far sooner than the rules allow. Arlington Democrats estimate they removed 80% of signage from medians on Wednesday, the day after voting took place. And a spot check across the community shows Republicans and independents were getting large chunks of their signs down, too, even though under law they have a week to do so.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — It will be sunny and warmer today, with a high near 66. Sunrise at 6:43 a.m. and sunset at 5 p.m. Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high near 69. [Weather.gov]
There’s been a rash of reported drink spiking incidents in Clarendon and Crystal City, according to Arlington police.
The Arlington County Police Department says that it received six reports last month from women who believed their drinks were spiked.
“In each case, the female victims reported experiencing loss of consciousness and memory loss after visiting various nightlife establishments in Clarendon and Crystal City on weekend evenings and believe their drinks may have been tampered with,” the department said in a press release this morning (Friday).
Drink spiking, when someone puts alcohol or drugs into someone else’s drink without their knowledge or permission, is illegal in Virginia.
“These incidents remain active criminal investigations and the preliminary investigations have not identified a link between the reported cases,” ACPD said.
Police shared the following nightlife safety tips in response to the spate of spiking.
Safety Tips
ACPD wants you to have a safe and enjoyable night out and is sharing these tips to help safeguard your drink:
Never leave your drink unattended
Avoid sharing drinks with others
Do not accept drinks from strangers
If someone you do not know offers you a drink and you accept, go to the bar with them and have the drink served directly to you
If you did not see your drink poured, do not drink it
Keep an eye on your friends and their drinks
If you think your drink may be spiked or observe an individual spiking a drink, take action right away by calling 9-1-1.
Available Resources
If you suspect drink spiking or drug-assisted sexual assault, help is always available. Crisis response resources are available 24/7:
Arlington County Police, 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency
Inova Forensic Assessment and Consultation Team (Forensic Exams), 703-776-4001 (ask to page a FACT Nurse)
Nightlife Safety
ACPD has partnered with County agencies to establish the Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI) to raise the standards of restaurants that serve alcohol, streamline processes within the County Government and maintain Arlington County as a safe destination for nightlife and entertainment. ARI provides training on various topics, including drink spiking, to improve patron safety. Restaurants can email the Restaurant Liaison for information on future training opportunities.
Proposed development plan for Crystal House property (via Arlington County)
An aerial view of existing Crystal House Apartments and renderings (via Arlington County)
Arlington County has started the process of finding a developer to lead the Crystal House Apartments redevelopment project in Crystal City.
The county seeks a “robust, experienced and trustworthy master development partner” to replace surface-level parking with 738 apartment units, most of which will be affordable housing, by January 2028, according to its request for qualifications.
Arlington aims to choose a developer in the third quarter of 2022.
“Housing affordability is essential to achieving the County’s Vision and is vital to the social and economic sustainability of our community,” the county said in the request.
Arlington’s call for developers marks the latest step forward in its plans to build affordable housing on behalf of Amazon at 1900 S. Eads Street.
Amazon put up $381.9 million so that the nonprofit Washington Housing Conservancy could purchase the 16-acre site in late 2020 and stabilize rent there for 1,300 units. The purchase was part of its commitment to create and preserve affordable housing as rents rise amid its growing HQ2 presence.
In July, Amazon donated the land and development rights to the county.
Crystal House Apartments is currently comprised of two 13-story buildings built in 1961, with a total of 828 units and 765 parking spaces, of which 601 are surface parking. These surface lots are slated for redevelopment.
At least 75% of the new units will be committed affordable units, while the other 25% will be market-rate and may include rental and ownership opportunities.
As part of the project, two public parks will be built: a 31,456 square-foot park at 20th Street S. and S. Eads Street and a 23,986-square foot park at 22nd Street S. and S. Fern Street.
A protected bike lane will run along S. Eads Street, stormwater utilities will be relocated and a public pedestrian pathway through the site will be built.
Arlington plans to knock out two projects with this request for qualifications. The same developer would take on a redevelopment opportunity near the larger site, but not part of the Amazon project. This parking lot, dubbed the Crystal House 5 parcel, would be replaced with at least 81 affordable units.
Arlington expects headway on Crystal House 5 after the developer meets Amazon’s 2028 goal.
Including Crystal House 5, the 16-acre site will get 819 new residential units, between 555 and 650 of which will be affordable.
“It is still being determined how affordable units, if proposed on the Crystal House 5 site, would count towards affordability goals, and it is anticipated this will be clarified by the RFP stage,” the county said.
Together with the existing buildings, there will be 1,647 units and 1,181 parking units.
The request asks developers to submit their background and experience by Dec. 1. Arlington will then choose its top contenders, who will be invited to submit bids next spring.
Traffic on I-395 looking south as the sun sets (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Get ready for it to get darker even earlier.
Daylight Saving Time ends early Sunday morning, and along with the clocks being turned back by an hour will come 5 p.m. sunsets and extra traffic enforcement in the D.C. area.
Authorities say November is a crucial time for safety on local roads, particularly due to less daylight during the morning and evening rush hours, and they’re stepping up enforcement to try to counter that.
“Area residents can expect increased enforcement of traffic safety laws that protect people walking and biking in the metropolitan Washington region,” said the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, in announcing its fall Street Smart campaign earlier this week. “Police departments across the region will be ticketing drivers who fail to obey the speed limit or don’t stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.”
Arlington County police said the added enforcement will run from today through the end of the month, with two “high-visibility” enforcement events in between, in Lyon Park and Ballston.
From an ACPD press release:
The arrival of fall brings cooler temperatures and less daylight during commuting hours. Everyone wants you to arrive at your destination safely, that’s why the Arlington County Police Department, and law enforcement agencies throughout the region, will participate in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Fall Street Smart campaign from November 5 – November 30. The Street Smart campaign aims to identify and change unsafe behavior patterns amongst motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, with the goal of reducing the number of traffic related collisions and injuries on our roadways.
Street Smart Enforcement Activations
As part of the Street Smart campaign, officers will conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement at the following locations:
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – 2500 block of Washington Boulevard
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – 4200 block of Fairfax Drive […]
Transportation Safety Tips
Whether you travel by foot, two wheels or four wheels, make our roadways safer by being a PAL – predictable, alert and lawful.
Drivers are reminded to:
Slow down and obey the posted speed limit.
Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks.
Use caution when passing buses or stopped vehicles.
Yield to people walking or biking when turning.
Allow for at least 3 feet when passing bicyclists.
Avoid using your cell phone and never text while driving. Holding a hand-held communication device while driving is illegal in Virginia.
Pedestrians are reminded to:
Cross the street at the corner and use marked crosswalks when they are available.
Look both ways before crossing the street.
See and be seen! Wear light colored or reflective clothing after dark.
Watch for blind spots around trucks and buses.
Avoid using devices that distract you, such as cell phones, while you’re crossing the street.
Shared Mobility Device operators and bicyclists are reminded to:
Ride in the same direction as traffic, using bike lanes when possible.
Use hand signals to communicate your intentions with drivers.
Wear a helmet, which is required for all bicycle riders 14 years of age and younger and recommended for all other riders.
Keep your eyes on the road and avoid the use of devices that may distract you.
Stay visible after dark and in bad weather with light colored and reflective clothing. Use lights at night when visibility is poor.
The Street Smart campaign includes a public education component, featuring videos of crash survivors and the families of those killed on local roads. Among them is Arlington resident Helen Harris, who lost her leg after being struck by a dump truck in Rosslyn in December 2018.
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