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Air Force Association Cycling Classic This Weekend

By Katie Pyzyk

Air Force Cycling Classic Crystal CupCyclists will fill the streets of Arlington this weekend for the annual Air Force Association Cycling Classic.

Activities begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, with various amateur races. The big event, however, is the Clarendon Cup which begins around noon. It is part of USA Cycling’s National Criterium Calendar and has been the Washington DC region’s premier Pro/Am race since 1998. According to the event website, the 100km Clarendon Cup (100 laps on a 1km course) is known as one of the most difficult criterium races in the U.S. due to technical demands of the course and the quality of the participants.

Cyclists of all abilities are welcome to participate in the Challenge Ride on Sunday, June 9, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday’s featured event is the Crystal Cup men’s pro race.

Closures for the events are as follows:

Saturday, June 8, from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.:

  • Wilson Blvd from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Blvd
  • Clarendon Blvd from Washington Blvd to N. Fillmore Street
  • Washington Blvd from Wilson Blvd to N. Highland Street
  • Highland Street from Wilson Boulevard to Washington Blvd
  • Garfield Street and Fillmore Street from Wilson Blvd to Washington Blvd

Street parking in the affected areas also will be restricted. Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed.

Sunday, June 9, from 5:00 a.m. to noon:

  • Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 15th Street
  • 20th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway. Single lane provided westbound from S. Bell Street to Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Clark Street between 20th Street and 23rd Street. Vehicles will be able to enter/exit from the northern most garage entrance/exit when deemed safe.
  • Westbound lanes of 23rd Street between Crystal Drive and S. Clark Street will be closed and eastbound lanes will be converted to westbound traffic. All traffic from Route 1 bound for the Crystal Drive parking garage will be diverted to S. Clark Street• 18th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street –- Only local traffic destined for garage parking permitted east of S. Bell Street
  • Westbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Eads Street
  • Eastbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and the southbound entry ramp for Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway – east bound lanes between S. Eads and the south bound entry ramp will remain open.
  • Southbound Route 110 between Rosslyn and Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Southbound Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway between Route 110 and 15th Street
  • Washington Blvd eastbound at I-395
  • Washington Blvd westbound from Memorial Bridge
  • Columbia Pike from S. Washington Blvd to S. Oak St.
  • S. Joyce Street from S. Washington Blvd to Columbia Pike
  • Boundary Channel Drive from Connector Road to S. Washington Blvd
  • South Gate Road no access to Columbia Pike

Sunday, June 9, from noon to 4:00 p.m:

  • Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 15th Street
  • Eastbound lanes of 15th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway
  • 20th Street between Crystal Drive and Jefferson Davis Highway. Single lane provided westbound from S. Bell Street to Jefferson Davis Highway
  • Clark Street between 15th Street and 18th Street
  • Clark Street between 20th Street and 23rd Street. A single lane will be provided at the exit to the parking garage for Plaza Apartments to allow vehicles to exit upon ACPD direction
  • Westbound lanes of 23rd Street between Crystal Drive and S. Clark Street. Eastbound lanes will be converted to westbound traffic. All traffic bound for the Crystal Drive parking garage will be diverted to S. Clark Street
  • 18th Street between Crystal Drive and S. Bell Street –- Only local traffic destined for garage parking permitted east of S. Bell Street

Disclosure: Air Force Association Cycling Classic is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Multi-Vehicle Accident on SB I-395

By ARLnow.com

Multi-vehicle crash on NB I-395(Updated at 5:05 p.m.) A multi-vehicle accident closed all but two lanes on southbound I-395 near the Pentagon this afternoon.

Up to three people were reported hurt in the wreck, but no serious injuries were reported.

As of 5:05 p.m., at least one of the vehicles had been towed away and four lanes of traffic were getting by the scene, with only the far righthand lane blocked.

Neighbors Battle County Over ‘Five Points Intersection’ Changes

By Orrin Konheim

Five-way intersection in Cherrydale (via Google Maps)Cherrydale residents are at odds with Arlington County over changes to the neighborhood’s busiest and most confusing intersection.

As the county continues to move forward with its Cherrydale Lee Highway Revitalization Program, the Cherrydale Citizens Association (CCA) is voicing strong disapproval with changes to traffic patterns at the “Five Points Intersection.”

The Cherrydale Lee Highway Revitalization Program is part of the county’s overall plan to foster a safer, more aesthetically-pleasing, and pedestrian-friendly Arlington. In its efforts to enhance the Five Points Intersection — where westbound Lee Highway splits into Old Dominion Drive and Old Lee Highway as it crosses N. Quincy Street and Military Road — the county has made a number of changes which Cherrydale residents say have made the intersection worse.

The CCA formed a Five Points Intersection Committee (FPIC) in the fall of 2011 and, according to CCA President Maureen Ross, the committee has been unanimous in their opposition to the proposed changes.

Five-way intersection in Cherrydale“Citizens who had never met each other all voiced the same conclusions when we met with Betty [Diggs, Arlington County Representative] and those conclusions were that every change we’ve made in the past two years have made the travel problems worse,” said in a PowerPoint presentation posted online in September 2012.

County engineers added a nub at the corner where Lee Highway intersects North Quincy Street. Though it was intended to help pedestrians, the FPIC alleges that it has resulted in restricting right-turn traffic from N. Quincy Street onto Lee Highway.

Additionally, the creation of a left-turn-only lane on northbound Quincy Street  has forced cars into a single restricted right lane causing motorists to cut across 20th Street N. and into residential neighborhoods to avoid the bottleneck.

“They have narrowed how far you have to cross which makes it a better pedestrian experience but it’s still a miserable vehicular experience and it forces cars down pedestrian streets which isn’t good for anyone,” said Ross.

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Crash Involving Sewage Truck Closes EB Rt. 50

By ARLnow.com

Accident involving a sewage truck on EB Route 50 at Fillmore Street Accident on Route 50 at Fillmore Street 5/26/13 (photo courtesy @CAPT258)

Update at 1:05 p.m. — The eastbound lanes of Route 50 have reopened after the earlier wreck involving a sewage tanker. According to Arlington County, the sewage that leaked from the tanker into a storm drain will enter Four Mile Run south of I-395, via the Lower Long Branch stream. Parks and streams north of I-395, including Jennie Dean Park in Shirlington and Barcroft Park, will not be impacted by the sewage spill, the county said.

Earlier: Eastbound Route 50 is closed in the area of Fillmore Street due to a serious accident involving a sewage truck.

The accident happened just before 7:00 a.m. A sedan and a sewage truck somehow collided, injuring five and causing raw sewage to leak from the truck.

There were five people inside the sedan at the time of the accident, according to Arlington County Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Fitch. Two had to be extricated by firefighters. In all, three were transported to Fairfax Inova Hospital with serious injuries, and two were transported to Virginia Hospital Center with minor injuries.

Sewage from the truck, which hauls human waste for a portable toilet company, has seeped into a storm drain, Fitch said. Hazmat crews are on scene attempting to contain the sewage.

Eastbound Route 50 will remain closed “until further notice,” Fitch said.

Additional information on Rt. 50 sewage spill. Staff from the Department of Environmental Services have determined that the waste from the spill will enter Four Mile Run South of Rt. 395 via Lower Long Branch Run and will NOT affect any of the parks,streams or Dog parks along 4 Mile Run north from Rt. 395 to Columbia Pike. Jenny Dean park and Barcroft parks will NOT be effected.

Photo (right) courtesy @CAPT258

Rolling Thunder to Arrive in Arlington Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Rolling Thunder rally in the Pentagon north parking lot (file photo)

(Updated on 5/24/13) The annual motorcycle rally known as Rolling Thunder will rumble into Arlington tomorrow (Friday) afternoon.

As in previous years, residents who live along I-395 and Route 1 can expect to hear the roar of motorcycle engines as hundreds of bikers make their way to the rally’s official hotel, the Hyatt Regency at 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway in Crystal City.

According to the event’s official schedule, Rolling Thunder participants are expected to arrive at the hotel around 3:00 p.m. Friday.

Also on the event’s Memorial Day weekend agenda: a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. at 9:00 p.m. Friday, music and speakers at the Reflecting Pool from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, and a rally in the Pentagon parking lot from 7:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

Drivers can expect some road closures around the Pentagon on Sunday morning as a result of the rally. From Arlington County:

The Arlington County Police Department will close part of Washington Boulevard near the Pentagon on Sunday, May 26, 2013, for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally. From 7:00 a.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m., Washington Blvd. (Route 27) will be closed from I-395 to the Memorial Bridge.

In addition, Arlington National Cemetery will only be accessible from southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway or northbound Route 110.

Motorists should expect large numbers of motorcyclists in Northern Virginia and the entire Washington Metropolitan area this weekend.

Rolling Thunder is now in its 26th year.

Traffic Alert: Emergency Repair Will Close Arlington Ridge Road

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington, Virginia logo (small)The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services is alerting drivers that Arlington Ridge Road will be closed tonight for emergency water repairs.

Arlington Ridge Road will be closed from 9:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. Southbound traffic coming from I-395 will be re-routed east and west to 20th Street S. in both directions, and around to 23rd Street. Northbound traffic coming from Glebe Road will be re-routed east and west to 23rd Street S., and around to 20th Street.

The emergency water repair is necessary because an irrigation contractor working in the 2100 block of Arlington Ridge Road accidentally caused a leak. Water service needs to be replaced at that location, from the water main in the street to the meter box in the sidewalk.

SUV Overturns at S. Glebe and 2nd Street

By ARLnow.com

Overturned SUV near the intersection of S. Glebe Road and 2nd Street (photo courtesy @SeidelAgency) Overturned SUV near the intersection of S. Glebe Road and 2nd Street (photo courtesy @lucerojay)

An SUV overturned on 2nd Street S. near the intersection of S. Glebe Road this afternoon.

The crash, reported as a single-vehicle accident, happened around lunchtime today. The SUV overturned and came to rest on its roof.

One person was pulled out of the wreck and transported to the hospital, according to an Arlington County dispatcher. We’re told the vehicle has been towed away and the road has since reopened.

Photos courtesy @SeidelAgency (left) and @lucerojay (right)

Traffic Alert: Accident Closes Portion of Glebe Road

By Katie Pyzyk
1/5

(Updated at 3:30 p.m.)  All lanes of Glebe Road have reopened at Route 50 following a three vehicle accident that shut down traffic for about half an hour.

Police say all lanes of southbound Glebe Road were shut down and only one lane of northbound is getting by.

According to police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, the accident occurred on the overpass of Route 50. Two of the vehicles involved were blocking the southbound lanes and the third was in a northbound lane.

One person was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Part of what took a while to get the busy road reopened was the amount of debris strewn across the roadway due to the extensive damage to the cars. The police investigation into the accident is ongoing.

Photos courtesy of Arlington County Police Department

Movie Shoot to Close Roosevelt Bridge

By ARLnow.com

The filming of a big Hollywood movie will temporarily close the Roosevelt Bridge on Sunday.

The closures are scheduled from 8:20 to 9:10 a.m., and again from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. From the D.C. film office:

On Sunday, May 5 there will be intermittent closing of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to allow for the filming of a major motion picture set in the District. MPTD has negotiated an agreement with the DC Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Virginia Department of Transportation, Arlington Police and the National Park Service to close the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge plays an integral role in the storyline. Aerial photography will be used to capture various angels (sic) of the bridge. While in the nation’s capital the production company will film other iconic sites.

VDOT is advising drivers to take alternate routes.

Drivers accessing the bridge from Virginia via I-66, Route 50 or the George Washington Parkway will be detoured. Virginia motorists heading into D.C. from I-66 have three options:

  • Take I-66 East to Route 110 to the 14th Street Bridge (this is the official detour motorists can follow).
  • Take I-66 East to Exit 73/Lee Highway to the Key Bridge.
  • Take I-66 East to Exit 72 to Spout Run Parkway to George Washington Parkway to the Memorial Bridge.

Motorists heading from D.C. to I-66 can use the same options in reverse.

During the closures, message signs on I-66 as far west as Centreville will advise motorists to use alternate routes.

Virginia State Police, Arlington County Police, and U.S. Park Service Police will be stationed at various traffic control points on Route 50, I-66 and the GW Parkway.

VDOT traffic engineers anticipate that the 8:20 a.m. shut down will create 15-minute delays and the 1 p.m. closure will create 30-minute delays.

While neither agency specified which movie is being filmed, ComicBookMovie.com speculates that the closures are for the filming of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a new superhero movie that’s set in D.C.

Hat tip to @shticksstickler

Driver Hits Two School Buses in Pentagon City

By Katie Pyzyk
1/4

An SUV was totaled after hitting two parked school buses in the Pentagon City area this afternoon.

The Nissan Murano struck one bus that was parked on S. Hayes Street and damaged the front bumper. It then hit the rear and side of the other. No children were on the Washington County, Md. school buses at the time of the accident.

The southbound lanes of S. Hayes Street were shut down at 15th Street during cleanup, but have since reopened.

The driver of the SUV was transported to the hospital as a precaution but did not sustain any significant injuries. Nobody else was injured, either. Police say no charges have been filed against the driver so far.

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