Traffic

I-66 will change from HOV-2 to HOV-3 starting next month

By Matt Blitz
I-66 at sunset

If you plan on driving on I-66 during peak hours next month, make sure there are at least two other people in the car with you to avoid paying a toll.

I-66 is shifting from HOV-2 to HOV-3 in early December, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recently announced. Starting Dec. 5, only those with traveling with three or more people will be eligible to avoid the tolls, which apply inside the Beltway during peak travel times and directions.

Single riders or those traveling with just two passengers will now have to pay a toll, at a price based on traffic volume — known as “dynamic tolling.”

The inside the Beltway I-66 tolling takes place on non-holiday weekdays from 3-7 p.m. westbound and 5:30-9:30 a.m. eastbound.

Hours of operation for I-66 Express Lanes inside of the Beltway (image via screenshot/VDOT)

VDOT also notes that in order to use the lanes during these rush hours, drivers need to have an E-ZPass transponder. The state transportation agency said in a press release that the new requirements are “consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia.”

The I-66 tolling inside of the Beltway started five years ago, accompanied by a g ood amount of griping about the high toll prices. Previously, the lanes could only be used by high occupancy vehicles during peak times, with no options for paying a toll.

Construction is now complete on the 22-mile section of Express Lanes outside of the Beltway that runs from Fairfax County into Prince William County, after about six years of work. The eastbound lanes are opening this weekend with the westbound lanes opening by the end of the month, both a few weeks ahead of schedule.

More from the press release:

Motorists can choose to use the 66 Express Lanes, which are adjacent to general purpose lanes on I-66, by paying a toll. Toll prices are dynamic, and fluctuate depending on traffic volumes and speed in order to manage demand for the lanes and keep traffic flowing. Eligible High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) can use the 66 Express Lanes toll-free but must have an E-ZPass Flex set to the “HOV On” mode.

Currently, vehicles must have two or more occupants to qualify as HOV on I-66. Starting Monday, Dec. 5, vehicles will need to have three or more occupants to qualify as HOV on I-66 and travel the express lanes without paying a toll. This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ will apply across the entire I-66 corridor including the 22.5-miles of 66 Express Lanes located outside the Beltway, as well as the nine miles of 66 Express Lanes located inside the Beltway between I-495 and Route 29 in Rosslyn, which operate on weekdays during peak periods in peak commute directions. This HOV-3+ requirement is consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia.

This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ also will take effect on the stretch of I-66 west of the express lanes between Haymarket and Gainesville where there will continue to be a traditional HOV lane that operates during peak travel periods.

Multi-vehicle wreck reported on southbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge

By ARLnow.com
Location of crash on the GW Parkway (via Google Maps)

A crash involving three vehicles, one of which ran into the woods, has been reported in the southbound lanes of the GW Parkway.

The crash happened around 3 p.m., south of Key Bridge. So far, no serious injuries have been reported, but at one car was said to have gone well off the road and into a wooded area.

Southbound traffic on the Parkway is currently backed up past Spout Run

This afternoon’s wreck did not happen in the “usual spot” for rainy day crashes, on the northbound GW Parkway north of Key Bridge, but it did happen at a bend in the road amid rainy weather.

Map via Google Maps

An Amazon van struck a pedestrian across from the Clarendon Metro station

By ARLnow.com
Amazon van that struck a pedestrian in Clarendon

An Amazon delivery van driver struck a pedestrian, causing minor injuries, on arguably the most prominent street corner in Arlington.

The collision happened shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Highland Street, across from the Clarendon Metro entrance.

“At approximately 3:50 p.m. police were dispatched… for the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian,” Arlington County police spokesperson Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “The pedestrian sustained minor injuries and did not require transport to the hospital. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. Police remain on scene investigating.”

A traffic camera showed the stopped van blocking the intersection’s northern and eastern crosswalks.

NEW: Another rainy day GW Parkway rollover crash near Key Bridge

By ARLnow.com
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A well-known spot for rainy day crashes has claimed more vehicular victims.

The crash happened around 11 a.m. on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, and involves one vehicle — which appears to be a pickup truck — on its side near the stone wall. The bend in the two-lane stretch of parkway has been the scene of repeated crashes, particularly when it rains.

This is at least the sixth such crash in this spot since June, and that only counts those that have been reported by ARLnow. Four of the six crashes involved overturned vehicles.

Initial reports suggested that the latest crash involved two vehicles, though the exact circumstances are unclear. All occupants of the overturned vehicle were able to get out before firefighters arrived on scene, according to scanner traffic.

No serious injuries were reported. Northbound traffic on the GW Parkway is currently backed up past the Roosevelt Bridge.

Map via Google Maps. Jo DeVoe contributed to this report.

Overturned vehicle shuts down S. Walter Reed Drive

By ARLnow.com
Flipped vehicle on S. Walter Reed Drive (photo courtesy Jennifer G.)

Only minor injuries were reported after a vehicle overturned on S. Walter Reed Drive this afternoon.

The crash happened around lunchtime, just north of the intersection with Four Mile Run Drive and near the bottom of a steep hill. All lanes of Walter Reed Drive were closed during the crash response but fully reopened by 1:30 p.m.

It’s unclear how the crash happened. No serious injuries were reported.

This is at least the second crash involving an overturned vehicle in Arlington in as many days. Yesterday a vehicle overturned on westbound I-66 at the entrance to the Rosslyn tunnel, blocking traffic for about an hour.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Westbound I-66 blocked by overturned vehicle

By ARLnow.com
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Updated at 2:45 p.m. — At least one lane has reopened as crews work to finish clearing the crash scene.

Earlier: All lanes of westbound I-66 are currently blocked at the Rosslyn tunnel due to a crash.

An SUV crashed and overturned near the entrance to the tunnel around 1:30 p.m. Police are on scene and report that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle prior to their arrival.

The crash happened near the beginning of what had been a backup between Rosslyn and the N. Glebe Road exit of I-66.

No serious injuries have been reported. Westbound I-66 traffic is being diverted to Rosslyn and drivers in the area should expect heavy traffic.

Construction kicks off on I-66 Rosslyn tunnel project

By ARLnow.com
I-66 Rosslyn tunnel (photo courtesy VDOT)

VDOT has kicked off work on its I-66 Rosslyn Tunnel Rehabilitation project.

The nearly $38 million project is expected to stretch well into 2025, retrofitting the tunnel under Rosslyn’s Gateway Park that was built some 40 years ago.

The construction will prompt some lane closures on I-66, but mostly during overnight hours.

More from a VDOT press release:

Construction is underway on the rehabilitation and improvements to the Rosslyn Tunnel that carries I-66 under North Nash Street, Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street and Gateway Park, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project’s purpose is to improve safety and extend the overall life of the tunnel.

The project includes removing the existing tunnel ceiling to improve long-term maintenance; upgrading electrical systems; installing a new fireproofing system; repairing steel beams, abutment and pier concrete, and joints; cleaning and repairing bearings; and replacing the tunnel lighting system.

Lane closures on I-66 associated with the project will mainly occur overnights, with at least one lane of I-66 in each direction open at all times.

The tunnel, which opened to traffic in 1983, is nearly a fifth of a mile long and averages 64,000 vehicles a day.

The $37.7 million project is financed with state funding and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.

For the most recent updates and to learn more, visit the VDOT project webpage.

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.

You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.

Yet another overturned vehicle on GW Parkway at Key Bridge

By ARLnow.com
Map showing crash on GW Parkway (via Google Maps)

It happened again.

Amid rainy weather, a vehicle crashed and overturned on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, at a bend in the road that — as we reported yesterday — has been the scene of numerous crashes. This is at least the third crash at that location in the past three days.

The crash occurred shortly before 8:45 a.m. The driver was able to get out of the overturned vehicle and no serious injuries have been reported, according to scanner traffic.

Drivers should expect significant backups on the northbound GW Parkway south of the bridge as a result of the crash.

Many commuter routes in Arlington are currently experiencing heavy traffic due to the rain, crashes, and — in the case of inbound traffic heading over the Key Bridge — a demonstration in D.C.

Map via Google Maps

Eastbound I-66 blocked by crash near Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
Crash response on I-66

All lanes of eastbound I-66 lanes approaching Rosslyn were closed tonight due to a crash.

A car crashed and overturned shortly after 8:30 p.m. No serious injuries were reported but traffic was diverted onto Langston Blvd while crews worked to clean up the crash scene.

About an hour later, the highway has reopened

This is at least the second instance in as many days of a car overturning after a crash in rainy weather.

Cars keep crashing and flipping in the “usual spot” on the GW Parkway in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Vehicle crash on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge on Sunday (photo courtesy Alan Henney)

It’s almost as automatic as Steph Curry draining free throws at this point.

Whenever there’s a soaking rainfall, it seems that some drivers cannot help but slide off the road at a certain bend in the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, sometimes flipping their cars in the process.

One such overturned vehicle crash happened during last night’s commute, shutting down the northbound lanes for nearly an hour.

And that was just the most recent crash during our current rainy stretch.

Over the weekend, police responded to at least one single-vehicle crash in the same spot.

Past crashes reported in the same spot include:

The crashes have, over time, pockmarked the stone wall along that stretch of the Parkway. The wrecks also inspired a Mike Mount cartoon earlier this year.

While this particular bend is arguably the most crash-prone section of the Parkway in Arlington, other sections have seen recent crashes, including the southbound lanes near Memorial Bridge earlier this morning.

The National Park Service, which is responsible for maintaining the Parkway, recently kicked off a major rehabilitation project for the busy commuter route. However, that work is taking place north of both sections referenced above — from Spout Run Parkway to I-495.

Short of potential future safety improvements, the best way for drivers to avoid crashes may be to simply slow down, particularly in rainy weather.

Photo: Car goes vertical after driving mishap

By ARLnow.com
Car goes vertical in the Arlington Mill neighborhood (photo courtesy anonymous)

The Arlington Mill neighborhood was the scene of one of the more unusual crashes in recent memory yesterday afternoon.

Just before 4 p.m. Sunday, police and firefighters were dispatched to the intersection of 8th Road S. and S. Florida Street for the report of a single-vehicle crash involving an older Toyota Camry and an elderly driver. One of the first arriving units reported the car “completely up on the telephone pole, a good 10 feet in the air.”

It appeared that the driver somehow backed up onto the guy-wire of a utility pole with enough force for the beige Toyota to get suspended vertically.

Thankfully, no one was injured, we’re told, and little damage was evident in a photo sent to ARLnow.

“The driver was out [of the car] prior to our arrival,” said Arlington fire department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner. “I can’t speak to the cause or how it happened.”

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