News

Local taxi companies request higher fares to offset increased costs

By Jo DeVoe
A Red Top cab in 2013 (file photo)

All six taxi companies authorized to operate in Arlington County are asking for rate increases.

The companies say this would help offset rising business costs — including fuel and insurance expenses — and keep them competitive with rideshare operators. Arlington, which regulates taxis (while rideshare drivers are regulated by the state) last raised rates in 2016, per a county report.

The Arlington County Board voted over the weekend to a hold a public hearing on whether to increase the rates on Saturday, May 13. If approved next month, the higher rates would go into effect on July 1.

Riders could see increases of $1.70 to $6.50 per trip, the county report said. Specifically, the county proposes increasing the initial trip cost by 50 cents to $3.50. The current rate for every 1/6th of a mile and for every minute drivers are kept waiting, $.36, would increase to $.40.

“The increase is lower than the overall rise in inflation, but the taxicab industry feels that keeping prices competitive is very important,” per a county report.

Arlington’s Transportation Commission agrees.

“Given the significant increases in costs for drivers since the last fare increase, the support of the industry, and the report from the companies that they have done what they can to support their drivers by significantly lowering stand dues, the Commission is supportive of the fare increase,” Chair Chris Slatt wrote to the County Board.

“The Commission believes that the taxi industry in Arlington plays a valuable role as a reliable mobility operator with transparent pricing and a lower technological barrier to entry than Transportation Network Companies,” he continued.

Six authorized operators owned a total of 477 taxis in 2022, of which 8% were wheelchair-accessible, per the most recent available data. Friendly, Red Top, Arlington Yellow and Blue Top, which provide dispatch service, own 405 taxicabs or 85% of the entire fleet. Hess and Crown operate mainly at airports and taxi stands.

Number of taxicabs operated in Arlington per company (via Arlington County)

The number of cabs operating in Arlington has declined from a peak of 847 in 2017 to 477 vehicles in 2022, per a county memo. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles decreased from 97 in 2017 to 39 in 2022.

Taxi operations — already facing stiff competition from app-based ride options like Uber — were hit hard by the pandemic, with the number of dispatches and airport trips plummeting more than 60% between 2019 and 2021.

Calls for taxi dispatch in Arlington from 2019 to 2021 (via Arlington County)

Rides from Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport recovered slightly from 2020 to 2021 after a precipitous decline, according to county stats.

Rides from the airport in taxis (via Arlington County)

Data from 2022 and 2023 will be collected next year, according to the county.

“We track ridership data for the Certificate Determination Report analysis on a biennial basis,” says Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien.

If the rate changes go through, Arlington’s initial charge for a trip would become on-par with neighboring jurisdictions, but the cost for a trip — particularly a 10 or 25-mile one — would be higher, according to an analysis conducted by staff.

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Workplace dispute leads to stabbing at Arlington hotel

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A 25-year-old man is in jail after he allegedly stabbed a former coworker at a local hotel over the weekend.

The stabbing happened around 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Pentagon, on the 2400 block of S. Glebe Road, near I-395. According to initial reports, a former employee stabbed the hotel manager at least twice, including in the back.

Police arrived and reportedly took the suspect, who was still on scene, into custody at Taser-point.

“The known suspect entered an office inside a business and allegedly physically assaulted Victim One with a knife,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Victim Two attempted to intervene during which he sustained minor injuries.”

“Victim One sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital,” the report continues. “Officers located the suspect on scene, took him into custody and transported him to an area hospital for further evaluation. The investigation revealed the suspect had previously called Victim One and made threatening statements.”

The suspect is facing several charges, including Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Assault and Battery and Threatening Language via Phone, according to ACPD.

ACPD: Armed man who threatened bar bouncer arrested at gunpoint in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
Police response to reported gun brandishing in Clarendon on Sunday night (photo courtesy anonymous)

Police swarmed Clarendon last night after a man who was kicked out of a bar allegedly flashed a gun at a bouncer.

The incident started at Don Tito (3165 Wilson Blvd) around 8:45 p.m., according to scanner traffic. Two people were kicked out of the bar, leading to one of them to brandish a gun and make threats, responding officers were told.

Numerous officers responded to the scene. One officer reported spotting the brandishing suspect trying to walk away, leading to them ultimately being taken into custody at police gunpoint near the Clarendon Metro station entrance.

More, below, from the Arlington County Police Department.

BRANDISHING, 2023-04230201, 3100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 8:45 p.m. on April 23, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined a verbal dispute occurred inside an establishment between patrons and employees. As the employees were escorting the patrons out, the suspect allegedly lifted his shirt to display a handgun in his waistband while making threatening statements. Responding officers located the suspect at Clarendon Boulevard at N. Highland Street and took him into custody without incident. During the course of the investigation, officers executed a search warrant on a vehicle associated with the suspect and recovered a firearm. [The suspect], 24, of Brandywine, MD, was arrested and charged with Brandishing, Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Carrying a Concealed Weapon while Consuming Alcohol.

Board approves $1.55 billion budget, holds property tax rate steady and boosts member pay

By ARLnow.com
Arlington County Board meeting on April 22, 2023 (via Arlington County/YouTube)

The Arlington County Board has approved a budget that hikes the salaries of county employees — as well as Board members themselves.

The $1.55 billion budget is a 3.3% increase over the current fiscal year’s $1.5 billion budget, funded in large part thanks to rising residential property assessments. The property tax rate was held steady at $1.013 per $100 of assessed value, but the average Arlington homeowner will pay around $450 more per year due to higher assessments and higher fees, including a $98 increase in the trash collection fee and $26 for higher water rates.

As proposed by County Manager Mark Schwartz, the budget will raise the pay of county employees between 4.5 and 10%.

Uniformed police and sheriff’s employees will see raises on the upper end of that scale, amid continued recruiting and staffing challenges among law enforcement agencies. The Board additionally directed Schwartz to consider “any potential enhancements to the newly revised step and grade wage structures that would address compensation, recruitment, retention and pay compression challenges facing police and fire staff.”

Another addition to the budget made by the Board, as voted on during a recent work session, was to hike its own pay.

Following a $20,000 raise of Board salaries last year, the new budget adds just over $62,000 to bring Board salaries to the maximum rate set by the Board in a 2019 vote: $89,851 for members, $95,734 for the Board Chair (a position that rotates among members annually).

The Board pay increase was proposed by Libby Garvey, who said it will provide “close to a living wage for people doing this job, commensurate with the time and the skills needed.”

“There is never a good time to raise Board salaries, they’ve always been low,” she said at the work session. “So I would like to do it now.”

Takis Karantonis concurred, noting the cost of living in Arlington.

“We cannot have it so that those that bring a lot of means… are able to afford to run” for office, he said. “That is not in the long-term… interest [of the county].”

Board Chair Christian Dorsey abstained from the vote and Katie Cristol voted against it. Both are not seeking reelection this year.

Two significant focuses of the budget and Board directives were aimed at affordable housing and the opioid crisis.

The budget adds four behavioral health therapists to address substance abuse among students, while providing $95,000 to the Dept. of Parks and Recreation for improved out-of-school youth programming.

The latter was hailed by the Arlington County Council of PTAs.

“Our existing programming was well-intentioned but difficult to access by the students who might need it the most,” CCPTA President Claire Noakes said in a statement. “Not all families are fortunate enough to have an adult tackle the multiple organizational tasks needed to pre-register a child for a class, organize a family calendar, arrange for transportation at a set time each week, and find a way to pay for it. Additionally, students who are dealing with anxiety or depression may not be able to participate in programs that involve physical competition, such as sports.”

“Other students may just need a safe place to decompress when household stress becomes overwhelming,” Noakes added. “We realized that there was an unmet need for accessible, supervised, drop-in space for youth to simply hang out and connect with peers, mentors, and caring adults.”

The budget, as adopted by the Board, includes $83 million for various housing programs. On the heels of the Board’s approval of “Missing Middle” zoning changes — also dubbed Expanded Housing Options — the budget directs the County Manager to design an “Affordable EHO Homeownership Pilot Program” that could be implemented by the end of 2024.

More on the new budget and its approval is below, from a county press release.

The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Saturday, April 22, 2023, to adopt a $1.55 billion balanced Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. The adopted budget focuses on community needs as the County continues to emerge from the pandemic, including affordable housing, while also providing foundational services, such as public safety, environmental services, transportation, and schools.

The base real estate tax rate remains unchanged at $1.013 per $100 of assessed value.

“As we return to normalcy after years of prioritizing critical operations and making difficult budget decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Arlington is finally in a position to build much-needed capacity within its departments and in its efforts to address community priorities and needs,” said Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey. “The past few years impacted everyone, especially our lower-income neighbors. Adding funding to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund, for example, ensures that we maintain our vital role in financing affordable housing development within Arlington. Moreover, the County Board is eager to capitalize on opportunities that may arise from the Homeownership Study, helping us further understand how to better support existing and aspiring homeowners.”

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
“Pedestrian bridge to nowhere” over I-66 (photo courtesy Geoff Collins)

Rollover Crash Caught on Camera — From Dave Statter on Sunday: “Watch: Car hit from the side overturns on I-395N at the crash prone Exit 10C. This happened today just after 2p.” [Twitter]

Old Home May Be Deemed Historic — “The Cherrydale neighborhood is not likely to end up as Maywood – covered entirely in a local-historic overlay district with development restrictions rigidly enforced. But it wouldn’t hurt if more Cherrydale homes became stand-alone historic districts. That was the view of members of the Arlington government’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB), who on April 19 started the ball rolling on historic status for a century-year-old home at 2002 North Stafford St.” [GazetteLeader]

Cyclist Struck, Injured Friday Night — “Scanner: Cyclist struck by driver near intersection of Langston Blvd and N. Quinn Street, near Rosslyn. Cyclist is reported to be bleeding from the face but is alert and conscious.” [Twitter]

Local YIMBYs on MM Learnings — Q: “What advice would you have for other towns and cities who are working towards this? Jane Green: From a policy perspective, do as much as you possibly can. There is no benefit from compromising with NIMBYs who will lie, hyperbolize, and misinform throughout the process. From an advocacy perspective, gather the broadest set of allies you can. Be the most representative of the community. Have pro-housing voices at every public engagement” [Triangle Blog Blog]

Successful Raccoon Rescue — From the Animal Welfare League of Arlington: “Our Animal Control officers sprang into action when they learned that 4 young raccoons were stranded after their tree was cut down. After reuniting them with their mother, they watched as she led them to a new safe home. Proud of our officers’ swift and compassionate response!” [Twitter]

Horse Deaths at Arlington Nat’l — “The Army’s Caisson platoon — a ceremonial horse unit that has transported fallen troops to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery for decades — plans to shut down starting May 1 for 45 days to prioritize the health of the herd, an Army spokesperson told Military.com Friday. The Army said the ‘suspension’ will not impact military honors at the cemetery. The suspension follows four equine deaths in the platoon over the last year-plus.” [Military.com]

It’s Monday — Afternoon clouds. Refreshingly cool. High of 60 and low of 42. Sunrise at 6:19 am and sunset at 7:53 pm. [Weather.gov]

DEVELOPING: A group of residents is suing the county over Missing Middle

By Jo DeVoe
A sign along Washington Blvd in Westover, in a neighborhood with duplexes (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 1:35 p.m. on 4/26/23) A group of residents has filed a lawsuit in Arlington Circuit Court alleging the zoning changes called Missing Middle are illegal.

The residents say Arlington County ran afoul of state law by rushing through the changes without considering impacts on infrastructure and community resources — a frequent criticism of the years-long policy discussion.

Last month, the Arlington County Board approved changes to the zoning code allowing up to six-unit dwellings on lots previously zoned only for single-family homes. The Board did approve a set of limitations intended to control the pace and impact of development, including parking minimums, permit caps and tree planting requirements.

According to “Arlington Neighbors for Neighborhoods,” a group that issued a press release on behalf of the plaintiffs, that was not enough.

“State law requires that zoning ordinances consider needs for transportation, schools, parks, recreation, and public spaces, as well as the conservation of natural resources,” the statement said. “The law also requires consideration of a locality’s comprehensive plan, which addresses stormwater, sanitary sewer, water distribution and more.”

The group said the lawsuit claims Missing Middle — also referred to by the county as “Expanded Housing Options” or EHO — is “arbitrary and capricious and bears no reasonable relationship to public health, safety, morals or the general welfare, as required by state law.”

(In addition to issuing a press release, Arlington Neighbors for Neighborhoods “has raised funds to support the litigation,” an attorney for the plaintiffs told ARLnow.)

Their lawsuit says the county also violated state law the following ways:

  • The zoning amendment process was not initiated by a proper Planning Commission motion or County Board resolution
  • The zoning amendment was not properly advertised
  • The EHO cap is a special exception to the zoning regulations and requires County Board review of applications
  • The County Board failed to share with the public documents that were furnished to it about EHO
  • The county violated the Dillon rule by knowingly requiring a number of shade trees that exceeds what Virginia allows localities to impose

Their petition asks the Circuit Court to declare that the zoning amendments violate state law and prevent the county from issuing EHO permits.

The allegations that the County Board violated Virginia Freedom of Information Act laws may require a hearing in the coming days, said another anti-Missing Middle group, Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future (ASF), in an email newsletter today.

“There will likely be other hearings in the coming months,” ASF said. “Then, of course, there may be appeals. Any complaint in a lawsuit consists of allegations which must be proven in court, and challenging zoning is surely an uphill battle.”

ASF noted that the FOIA allegation resembles a successful lawsuit against Fairfax County that led to the overturn of zoning changes it made two years ago. Last month, the Virginia Supreme Court declared the county’s 2021 zoning modifications void because the new code was adopted at a mostly virtual meeting.

One of the Fairfax County plaintiffs even advised Arlington residents in a post on Nextdoor to file a lawsuit.

“Sue them,” she said in response to a post musing about recalling the Arlington County Board. “We just won our lawsuit… it took two years, but it was worth it.”

In response, two residents pointed out that her victory was on procedural grounds due to how the meeting was conducted.

“It will likely pass again, with in-person public hearings and votes,” said one Donaldson Run resident. “Congratulations, you’ve succeeded in wasting taxpayer dollars and time.”

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After 80 years, a cooperative preschool closes its doors, while another steps in to fill the void

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

A local preschool operating in North Arlington church will soon shut its doors — but another childcare center is already lined up to replace it.

Overlee Preschool, a cooperative, parent-led school out of the Church of the Covenant (2666 Military Road) will close next month. Children’s Weekday Program — currently operating out of Redeemer Church of Arlington in the Alcova Heights neighborhood — will take over.

Founded in the 1940s by a group of mothers, Overlee Preschool is closing after reduced enrollment complicated by Covid. The school weathered the pandemic by moving fully outdoors.

“We are very sad to be closing the doors of an organization that has played such a significant role in the lives of many, many Arlington families,” school president Melissa Farrar told ARLnow.

“The times, however, have changed, and the fully cooperative model — which requires every family to spend time in the classroom and have a school ‘job’ — has been more difficult to market to local families, who have a multitude of competing pressures on their time,” she continued.

Farrar thanked the teachers, particularly Louisa Stetekluh, who taught for more than 20 years and is “the beating heart” of the school.

“Her charisma, depth of experience, and gentle and respectful connection with our children has drawn family after family to Overlee,” she said. “It is impossible to speak of Overlee’s successes and what makes us special without mentioning her in the same breath.”

If there is a silver lining here, she says, it is that another preschool will replace Overlee.

“While our story is coming to an end, we will be glad to still hear the laughter of children on the playground as we walk by, and we wish the incoming tenant every success and growth in the coming years,” Farrar said.

Children’s Weekday Program intends to more than double the number of children for whom it can care. It has applied for a use permit to serve up to 71 children — a 136% increase over the 30 children Overlee Preschool was permitted to serve. The Arlington County Board is scheduled to approve the permit during its meeting this Saturday.

“We are really excited about the new space and look forward to moving into the building in August,” Children’s Weekday Program announced on its website. “CWP’s doors will open in September 2023 for Meet the Teacher events prior to the first day of school.”

Registration is ongoing for new and returning families, per the website.

County staff says the site can accommodate this proposed capacity increase with two indoor and outdoor play areas, divided up based on age, and a proposed staffing level of 16 employees. The program will operate on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The report says approval is recommended because the new school will not have negative impacts on the neighborhood, and the local civic associations either support it or have expressed no issue with it.

Arlington has long had a childcare shortage problem and the tight demand helped childcare programs survive the pandemic. The county has tried to encourage more daycare centers by loosening zoning regulations and helping people find options via a website and provider map.

Arlington to buy two more homes for stormwater management

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

Arlington County is poised to purchase two additional homes for stormwater management in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.

The pair of homes are a few doors down from the first home it purchased last month on 18th Street N.

The county will pay $1 million for the home at 4423 18th Street N. and $1.3 million for the other at 4433 18th Street N., per county reports prepared for each sale contract. The Arlington County Board is set to review these contracts during its meeting on Saturday.

The two will be torn down for $350,000 apiece and the land will be replanted to create green spaces that will act as overland relief — essentially a safe pathway for water to flow during large flooding events, such as the floods of July 2019. Such flooding events have particularly impacted the Spout Run watershed, where the county is targeting its land acquisition efforts.

Neither home has a historic designation nor architectural significance but staff from the county’s Historic Preservation Program recommend that viable parts of the home be salvaged and photos taken of the interior and exterior for the program’s archives.

Sales are expected to be settled in about five months and the residents will have two months beyond that to move out.

Arlington County previously told residents of the Waverly Hills and Cherrydale neighborhoods it is considering several stormwater management strategies but voluntary property acquisition will be “necessary” for reducing flood risk.

At the time, it said it would first focus its efforts on the Waverly Hills neighborhood and touted benefits of selling to the county such as lower closing costs and peace of mind.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A flock of birds migrate past the National Mall, viewed from Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Amazon HQ2 Opening Nears — “The en masse, in-person return of Amazon.com Inc.’s HQ2 employees under the company’s new three-day-a-week mandate is unlikely to occur before the opening of the Pentagon City campus’ first towers at Metropolitan Park. But that may come sooner than you think. The twin, 22-story towers are just weeks away from being move-in ready, an Amazon representative said, with a grand opening still expected in June.” [Washington Business Journal, Washington Post]

Robbery on a Bus — “The juvenile victim was on a public transit bus when the two juvenile suspects approached him and demanded his sweatshirt. The victim refused and attempted to exit the bus during which the suspects allegedly pushed him, prevented him from leaving and made threatening statements towards him. The victim then removed the sweatshirt and ran off the bus. Medics responded and evaluated the victim on scene. Petitions were obtained for the two juvenile suspects.” [ACPD]

Temporary Closure of I-395 Ramp — “The southbound South Glebe Road (Route 120) ramp to northbound I-395 will be closed, weather permitting, between 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 25 and 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday to 4:30 a.m. Thursday, April 27 for traffic camera pole replacement work.” [VDOT]

GW Parkway Lanes Closing — “D.C.-area drivers should expect to prepare for some considerable delays on the northern end of the George Washington Parkway. As part of a $161 million restoration project, the National Park Service said it will be closing the southbound lanes between Interstate 495 and Virginia Route 123 on Saturday. The work was supposed to start last week but was postponed due to inclement weather. This traffic pattern could stick around until late 2025.” [WTOP]

Courthouse Cantina Now Serving — “Very important breaking news. Taco Bell Cantina now serving alcohol.” [Twitter]

Unhealthy Air Today — “The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast a Code Orange air day for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow: Friday, April 21. Code Orange levels mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups. The region recorded its first Code Orange for the year on April 13.” [Press Release]

It’s Friday — Sunny. High of 88 and low of 58. Sunrise at 6:23 am and sunset at 7:51 pm. [Weather.gov]

Woman and baby crossing the street struck by driver near Ballston

By Jo DeVoe
A woman and baby were struck in an intersection on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 (courtesy Mark Blacknell, blur added by ARLnow)

A driver struck a mother pushing her baby in a stroller in Ballston yesterday morning, police and a witness say.

The crash happened around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. Carlin Springs Road.

The driver remained on scene while the baby was taken via ambulance to a local hospital “for injuries considered non-life threatening,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

“The investigation determined the pedestrian, who was pushing a child in a stroller, was crossing the street when a motorist turned and struck the stroller,” said Savage.

The driver was cited for “failure to yield the right of way,” she added.

In a Twitter thread, resident Mark Blacknell said he was on his way to chaperone a field trip for one of his kids when he saw the aftermath of the crash.

“When I saw that people in cars were still driving within inches of this mother on the street, impatient to get on their way, I stepped in to direct some traffic to down a side street, away from her,” he said. “I wasn’t the first to do that. A much older woman had, but drivers were simply rolling at her until she got out of the way. Not with me.”

He left after police arrived and onlookers helped the mother onto the sidewalk but said “her cries, those I won’t forget for a long long time.”

He told ARLnow that yesterday afternoon he saw signs of an investigation, including spray paint marks on the road where the stroller stopped. The front grill emblem from the Toyota that hit them was still in the street.

In his series of tweets, he called on Arlington County Board members to put more pressure on County Manager Mark Schwartz to prioritize pedestrian safety.

“The fix, thus far? Two little yellow signs that say ‘Cross traffic does not stop,'” he wrote. “If a mother cannot push her baby across the street in safety, all of the arts funding, tourism development, stormwater mitigation and that the rest of that is meaningless.”

“This particular intersection isn’t Arlington’s first or last transportation safety challenge,” he said. “But it’s pretty emblematic of where we are.”

The second year of Vision Zero — Arlington County’s plan to to reach its goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 — is coming to a close this month. As a result, the county is asking for anonymous feedback on how Vision Zero is changing transportation safety.

Over the last two years, the county has analyzed data, installed quick safety treatments, embarked on pilots and investigated serious crashes.

“We track and investigate all critical (fatal or severe) crashes throughout the year — which lead to immediate engineering response where possible,” Arlington County says.

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Arlington aims to have electric buses operating from forthcoming Green Valley facility by 2025

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

As work continues on a new Arlington Transit bus facility in Green Valley, Arlington is taking steps to make it work for electric buses.

Electrifying buses is part of the county’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. To reach that goal, it needs to buy battery-powered electric buses and have a place to charge them.

Construction is currently set to wrap up next fall on a new ART Operations and Maintenance Facility at 2629 Shirlington Road and the county aims to have electric buses on-site by 2025. Meanwhile, Arlington is testing out different buses to see which to add to its fleet, piloting buses from two providers last year and possibly testing some from up to two more manufacturers.

With work progressing on both these fronts in tandem, plans for the facility moved forward with partially baked designs for charging infrastructure. This has set the county up to need to amend its design and construction contracts associated with the $96.6 million project as it learns more about what it needs to build.

This weekend, the Arlington County Board is set to tack on almost $585,000 to an existing $4.5 million design contract with Stantec Architecture to fully flesh plans to add up to 46 charging stalls that can accommodate up to 63 buses.

“As [Battery Electric Bus] concept plans were developed, the County proceeded with the 60% design for BEB charging infrastructure,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Alyson Jordan Tomaszewski said. “The design scope expanded as the 60% design progressed and as more details about the County BEB requirements were identified.”

Once these designs are 100% complete, the county will update its construction contract with Turner Construction, authorizing it to purchase and install the charging equipment needed for the initial BEB pilot program, per a county report.

“The 100% design will provide capacity to add additional charging cabinets and equipment when additional BEBs are purchased,” it says.

Right now, something of a placeholder contract says the contractor has up to nearly $11.9 million to spend on above-grade charging equipment.

“This includes the necessary switchgear, transformers, chargers, and associated equipment to charge an initial increment of electric buses,” per a 2022 report. “It also includes canopies and solar panel over the canopies.”

That sum is on top of the $66.4 million contract to build the facility and below-grade charging infrastructure. These plans were approved with the expectation that the county would be buying electric buses sometime this spring.

While operating electric buses from the facility seems to have long been the plan, some neighbors had advocated for more fully baked plans for charging capabilities when the project was being developed.

Instead, designs stayed vague “to accommodate future fleet electrification” but be flexible enough to incorporate future technology, per a 2021 community presentation.

Slide from a 2021 presentation on the ART bus facility (via Arlington County)

Construction on the facility continues apace and the county is still targeting a fall 2024 completion, Tomaszewski said.

“The erection of the steel structure on the Operations and Maintenance building was completed on March 17,” per the website. “In the next few weeks, crews will work on completing detailing of the steel, placing the metal deck, and completing the roof screening wall.”

Construction started last year, with a groundbreaking in June.

Buses are temporarily being stored on a property across the street from Washington-Liberty HIgh School, near a collection of homes. The county and some residents are embroiled in a lawsuit about whether the operations have impacted their quality of life.

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