Traffic

AAA: Beware of Drowsy Drivers Today

By ARLnow.com

I-395 is backed up from an accident near the 14th Street BridgePeople generally like Daylight Saving Time and its extra hour of daylight at night. Here’s one thing you may not like: extra drowsy drivers on the road.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says losing an hour of sleep Sunday morning could produce more drowsy driving all week.

The organization issued the following press release on Friday.

Wake up sleepyhead. Blame it on old Benjamin Franklin. The sleepiness begins again at 2 a.m. this coming Sunday. The time shift in the wee hours can break the sleep cycle and the “grogginess can persist all day” in a nation that already doesn’t get adequate sleep. Insomnia is deadly behind the wheel. Nearly 1 in 3 drivers (32 percent) confessed they were so tired they drove drowsy during the previous 30 days, according to the latest research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The number of nodding drivers on the road might increase during next Monday’s commute times, the day after the biannual transition to and from Daylight Saving Time.

The “first six days of daylight saving time can prove dangerous for drivers and other highway users,” some research suggests. However, other researchers say their studies demonstrated “that transitions into and out of daylight saving time did not increase the number of traffic road accidents.”

“The shift in time can engender a shift in circadian rhythm. Drowsiness can slow reaction time as much as driving drunk, and it can be just as dangerous, research shows. Too many people drive under the influence of sleep,” said Tom Calcagni, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Director of Public and Government Affairs.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Partial Closures of N. George Mason Drive, Marshall Drive Tonight

By ARLnow.com

N. George Mason Drive (photo via Google Maps)The southbound lanes of a portion of N. George Mason Drive will be closed to traffic during the evening rush hour.

Southbound traffic is being detoured between Patrick Henry Drive and 20th Street, just south of Lee Highway, according to the Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services. The closure is due to emergency water main repairs, said an Arlington Alert email.

“Seek alternate routes,” DES said via Twitter.

Separately, Marshall Drive remains closed tonight near the Iwo Jima Memorial due to a sinkhole reported this morning. Repairs to the roadway are still underway, according to scanner traffic.

Photo (top) via Google Maps

It’s Pothole Season and Arlington Has Filled 2,440 Potholes So Far

By ARLnow.com

A VDOT pothole crew blocks traffic on the ramp from Washington Blvd to Route 50 for about 10 minutes on 3/8/16

We’re in the midst of the pothole season — that bumpy time on local roads as the spring thaw starts and asphalt pockmarks form.

Arlington County says its crews have filled 2,440 potholes this season, a relatively low number compared to last year’s record-setting 12,100 potholes following a rough winter.

In a press release (below), the county is encouraging residents to report potholes to county crews or to VDOT (if on a state route like Washington Blvd or Route 50).

They’re not here to save the world but the County’s Pothole Busters are out to prevent some haunting damage to tires, rims and maybe even your car’s pricey suspension.

If there’s a growing rut in your neighborhood, pick up the phone and call the Department of Environmental Services’ (DES) customer care center at 703-228-6570 (after hours, use 703-228-6555) to report the offender. Or complete the County’s online “Report a Problem” form.

Issues related to state routes such as Washington Boulevard are forwarded to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

With the arrival of warm weather, DES Pothole Buster crews have ramped up repairs along Arlington’s 974 lane miles of roads. Some 2,440 potholes have been filled so far this season. Last year the County patched a record-setting 12,100 dips and depressions.

In the words of Pothole Buster deputy director of operations Mike Moon, the goal is for all our streets to be “safe, smooth and durable” after a blizzard’s worth of harm.

Motorists can help by staying cautious and alert as additional trucks and crews are out repairing what at times may look like a supernatural asphalt assault.

For updates on Pothole Busters progress, follow @ArlingtonDES on Facebook and Twitter and look for the hashtag #PotholeBusters.

Arlington Cemetery Station Closed Due to Fire on Track

By ARLnow.com
7000 series Metro train (Photo courtesy Metro)

(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) Arlington Cemetery station was temporarily closed — and Blue Line service suspended — due to a reported fire on the track this afternoon.

Two separate fires were put out with a fire extinguisher, according to scanner traffic. Metro is advising riders to expect delays.

From Metro:

TRAFFIC ALERT: State Police Investigating Crash on I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Virginia State Police are investigating a serious single-vehicle crash on I-66 near East Falls Church.

The wreck happened early this afternoon in the westbound lanes near the Sycamore Street exit. Photos show a dark gray sedan with heavy front-end damage on the side of the road, next to a crumpled-up guardrail.

One lane is blocked and westbound traffic is backed up to Glebe Road. Drivers should also expect delays approaching the crash in the eastbound lanes.

“Seek alternative routes,” Arlington County Police said, in a tweet.

Street Closed for Water Main Break in Lyon Village

By ARLnow.com
1/5

One block of N. Herndon Street in Lyon Village is closed due to a water main break.

The break happened below the road, between N. Jackson Street and Key Blvd. Crews are on scene preparing to repair the water main.

Repairs are expected to be completed around 11 p.m. Between 5 and 20 water customers are affected, according to Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Jessica Baxter.

Photos by Justin Funkhouser

‘Big Crater’ Flattens Tires on a Dozen Cars Along Route 110

By ARLnow.com

Cars stopped along northbound Route 110 with flat tires caused by a large potholeA really big pothole caused big trouble for drivers along Route 110 near Rosslyn tonight.

The left lane of northbound Route 110 approaching Marshall Drive was shut down by Arlington County Police during the evening rush hour after nearly a dozen vehicles became disabled, blocking traffic with flat tires caused by what officers described as a “crater” in the road.

As of 7 p.m. the lane was still blocked and traffic was backed up almost to the Pentagon. VDOT crews were on scene making emergency repairs.

A local TV station was also on scene, interviewing the stranded motorists as they changed tires or awaited roadside service.

Update at 8:30 p.m. — The pothole has been repaired, at least temporarily, and the lane has reopened.

VDOT, County Road Crews Prepare for Potentially Snowy Evening Commute

By ARLnow.com

Traffic in Arlington on Jan. 20VDOT and Arlington County says it will have crews pre-treating roads ahead of a potentially disruptive period of snow during the evening commute.

In a press release, VDOT says that motorists should “use extreme caution” tonight.

Snow showers are expected to begin as early at 5 p.m. and accumulation is likely given the frigid temperatures.

Although a three-day weekend is on the horizon, motorists are asked to finish trips in northern Virginia by early afternoon today, says the Virginia Department of Transportation, or plan to use extreme caution during the evening rush hour. With below-freezing temperatures in place and snow showers expected to begin as early as 5 p.m., VDOT will have 1,150 trucks deployed to continually treat roads by early afternoon. Crews began treating roads in advance yesterday and are finishing mid-day today.

What drivers should know

  • Snow showers are expected to begin as early as 5 p.m., with temperatures well below freezing through the night.
  • Drivers are asked to leave early today if possible to be off the road prior to the storm, to avoid icy conditions and give crews room to work.
  • If driving is necessary, be alert possible icy conditions. Reduce speeds, increase following distance, and brake gently. Plan now to allow extra time for a slow and extremely cautious trip.
  • Icy conditions are possible through the rush hour and overnight; with icy patches possible through the weekend given the low temperatures forecasted.

Check www.511virginia.org or the mobile app before leaving for road conditions.

Arlington County is also encouraging “caution” on the roads tonight.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Wilson Blvd Closed in Ballston Due to Crash

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Update at 5:15 p.m. — The road has reopened with lane closures.

Wilson Blvd is temporarily closed between N. Oakland and Pollard streets in the Ballston area due to a vehicle crash.

The two-vehicle, T-bone collision happened just after 4:30 p.m. No serious injuries were reported, though an ambulance did respond to the scene.

It’s unclear what led to the collision, which occurred mid-block.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Water Main Break Closes Wilson Blvd for Evening Rush

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Wilson Blvd is closed between Rosslyn and Courthouse due to a water main break.

The closure is between N. Quinn and Rhodes streets, in front of the Colonial Village Shopping Center. Traffic is being diverted onto N. Quinn Street.

As of 3:15 p.m., water was still flowing from 2-3 areas where the roadway had buckled and cracked from the pressure of the burst water main.

The closure is expected to remain in effect throughout the evening rush hour, according to Arlington County. Drivers are being encouraged to seek alternate routes.

Slow Going for Those Driving from Arlington to D.C. as Post-Blizzard Life Returns to Normal

By ARLnow.com

Morning commute traffic map on 1/27/16Federal government employees are going back to work today for the first time since the blizzard, but it’s slow going for those trying to commute from Arlington to the District via car or bus.

As of 9:45 a.m., the northbound I-395 HOV lanes are jammed starting around Army Navy Country Club, while mainline I-395 slows near the Pentagon.

Memorial Bridge and Washington Blvd around the Pentagon is jammed. Traffic on eastbound I-66, approaching the Roosevelt Bridge slows near Rosslyn. N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn and the Key Bridge are also crawling.

Federal employees are to report to work on a three hour delay today, with an option for unscheduled leave or telework, the Office of Personnel Management announced last night.

Arlington County offices opened on time today, though certain community centers are closed or operating under modified hours. Arlington parking meters are being enforced today for the first time since the blizzard, but only in commercial districts. While Arlington Public Schools are closed, APS offices are opening at 10 a.m.

There’s some good news for commuters: full Metrorail service has returned to all lines, though some delays were reported on the Red and Green lines this morning. Also, the Custis Trail is clear for cyclists, though only one lane is cleared in places and some connecting trails are still snow-covered.

https://twitter.com/gmazul/status/692361203369271297

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