Traffic

Morning Commute: Accidents, Ice, and a Water Main Break

By ARLnow.com

A serious single vehicle crash on Lee Highway, possibly caused by icy conditions (photo courtesy @CAPT258)(Updated at 10:10 a.m.) Light snow and freezing rain made for a slick commute for those who had to head in to work this morning

There have been numerous accidents reported on local roads and highways, including several on the 1700 block of Lee Highway, near the intersection with N. Scott Street. Among those was a serious one-vehicle crash involving a minivan that ran off the road and into a wall along I-66.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 1:00 p.m. In an Arlington Alert, the county asked residents to drive carefully.

“The weather should turn to all rain after 10 AM,” the alert said. “Please drive with caution.”

Meanwhile, a water main break has shut down the eastbound lanes of Columbia Pike at S. Buchanan Street. Repairs are expected to “last into the afternoon.”

Photo courtesy @CAPT258

Cement Truck Overturns on S. Joyce Street

By ARLnow.com

Update at 3:05 p.m. — The scene has been cleared and the road has reopened, according to scanner traffic.

Earlier: All lanes of S. Joyce Street are blocked between Columbia Pike and Army Navy Drive due to an overturned cement truck.

The incident happened just before 1:00 p.m. The truck somehow rolled over onto its side near the intersection of Joyce and Columbia Pike. The driver was unable to get out of the truck and was assisted by firefighters, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Gregg Karl. No word yet on whether the driver was injured.

A hazmat crew has been called to the scene to clean up fuel leaking from the truck, Karl said. It’s unclear when Joyce Street will be able to reopen.

High Holiday Travel Numbers Predicted

By Katie Pyzyk

Amidst the mad scramble to buy last minute presents or make New Year’s Eve plans, local residents have apparently been making a lot of travel plans. In fact, AAA predicts the region will experience “the greatest exodus from the Washington metro area in the 21st Century.”

More than 41 percent of local residents report travel plans of 50 miles or more during the holiday travel period from Saturday, December 22, 2012 to Tuesday, January 1, 2013. That’s a 2.3 percent increase over last year.

“During Christmas and New Year’s we will experience the highest travel volume this decade, especially by the roadways, the railways, and the waterways,” said John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs. “The one exception is the airways, and this year, even that is making a comeback.”

90 percent of the travelers, or more than 2 million people, are expected to make their treks via automobile. About 130,000 people will fly out of D.C. area airports, which is about 5 percent higher than last Christmas.

AAA gives some credit for the travel boost to residents’ increased financial stability, along with lower gas and airfare prices.

Columbia Pike Closed Due to Water Main Break

By ARLnow.com

Columbia Pike is closed in both directions between S. Thomas Street and Wakefield Street due to a water main break.

The closure will last throughout the morning rush hour, according to Arlington Alerts, and drivers are asked to seek alternate routes. The closure is also apparently having an impact on bus service — long lines at bus stops have been observed on eastbound Columbia Pike.

The break took place near the site of another water main break that shut down Columbia Pike in September.

Update at 2:55 p.m. — Arlington County says Columbia Pike should be reopened by 4:00 p.m., in time for the evening rush hour. From Arlington Alerts:

Columbia Pike at S. Thomas St. will reopen to traffic in both directions for the evening rush hour by 4 p.m. Crews completed repairs on this morning’s 8″ water main break, however, they will need to repair a second leak in the vicinity at a later date.

Bridge Project to Close One Lane of Columbia Pike Through 2014

By ARLnow.com

Construction will close the righthand lane of eastbound Columbia Pike in the area of the Washington Boulevard bridge through 2014.

VDOT will close the lane as soon as tomorrow as part of the ongoing Washington Boulevard bridge and interchange project. Drivers should expect new traffic patterns on eastbound Columbia Pike as a result.

“Motorists in the right lane must take the exit ramp to Washington Boulevard,” VDOT said in a press release. “Motorists on eastbound Columbia Pike can use the left lane to continue east or to access the ramp to Washington Boulevard.”

The closure is expected to be in place through 2014. The overall project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2015.

Photo via Google Maps

UPDATE: Man Dies After Glebe Road Accident

By ARLnow.com
1/3

(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) All northbound and southbound lanes of N. Glebe Road were closed between Vernon Street and Chesterbrook Road during the evening rush hour due to a serious single-vehicle wreck.

An SUV ran into a utility pole and flipped on its side on the 3900 block of N. Glebe Road around 5:00 p.m. tonight. The driver suffered an apparent cardiac arrest, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. Paramedics attempted to revive the man, but he was later pronounced dead at Virginia Hospital Center.

A dog that was in the vehicle at the time of the accident did survive, we’re told.

As of 7:00 p.m., Dominion was on scene preparing to clean up and replace the damaged utility pole and downed power wires. Police were preparing to open the southbound lanes of Glebe to two-way traffic.

Thanksgiving Travel Begins, Up Slightly Over Last Year

By Katie Pyzyk

People around the country and here in Arlington have already begun heading to their Thanksgiving destinations. In the D.C. metro area, the number of travelers is expected to be slightly higher than last year.

More than 1 million local residents are anticipated to travel 50 miles or more for the holiday, according to AAA. That’s a 1.3 percent increase over last year.

“The consistently solid travel numbers since the 2008 drop, despite high gas prices and a struggling economy, is impressive and reassuring,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “The ‘recovery’ rate of the number of holiday travelers has out-paced the economic recovery and, as Thanksgiving is primarily a family holiday, speaks to the importance of family in good times and bad.”

Meade noted that travelers should plan accordingly if driving to areas such as New York or New Jersey, which have been hurting for gasoline due to Superstorm Sandy. She spoke with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office and was informed that gas rationing was supposed to end yesterday (Sunday), but might need to be re-evaluated today.

“If gas rationing is going on, if there’s not enough gas for the people who live there, certainly bringing in other people who need gas will only make the situation worse,” Meade said.

AAA predicts air travel in the metro area will decrease by a little more than 1 percent, even though it shows air fare is about 11 percent lower than last year.

According to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the Thanksgiving travel rush began on Friday (November 16) and will continue through Monday, November 26. The busiest days are anticipated to be tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, in addition to the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving.

Peak travel times are typically in the early morning from 5:30-8:00 a.m. and late afternoon from 3:30-5:30 p.m. There could also be a mid-day peak from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Travelers are advised to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight, especially during these peak times.

Student Ambassadors and Travelers Aid volunteers will be at Reagan National Airport to offer directions and answer traveler questions. The Student Ambassadors will be wearing distinctive yellow shirts and the Travelers Aid volunteers will be wearing blue blazers.

MWAA offers the following tips for travelers:

  • Confirm the status of your flight directly with your airline before coming to the airport. Weather here or in other parts of the country can affect airline schedules across the route network.
  • Print out your boarding pass in advance. Some airlines also offer electronic boarding passes.
  • Bring government issued photo ID to the airport for all adult passengers.
  • Expect full flights and full luggage bins on board.
  • Pack wisely – no prohibited items in carry-on luggage; and no valuable items in checked luggage. Label your luggage so your name is plainly visible.
  • Reagan National customers can check parking availability on the airport’s website or at 703-417-PARK. Economy tends to fill during holiday periods.
  • For travelers not familiar with the airport, a printable one-page information sheets is available in the “Travel Tips” section at the airport website. Travelers can also follow MWAA on Twitter for updated information.

Water Main Break Closes Road Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

 

A popular commuter shortcut that connects Pentagon City with Glebe Road has been closed due to a water main break.

S. Adams Street is closed from 25th Street S. to 26th Road S., in the Avalon at Arlington Square community. The street serves drivers heading from Army Navy Drive to Glebe Road, near Shirlington.

The water flow has been shut off, but not before part of S. Adams Street partially buckled due to water pressure.

Adams Street is expected to remain closed through the evening rush hour, until about 8:00 p.m. Southbound traffic is being diverted onto 25th Street.

Pedestrians Struck by Car Near Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 8:50 a.m.) Police and paramedics have responded to the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Glebe Road for a report of two pedestrians struck by a vehicle.

Initial reports suggest a mother and her child were struck. The mother is being transported to the hospital but the child was uninjured, according to scanner traffic.

Eastbound Washington Boulevard was shut down in the area of George Mason Drive due to the emergency response, but is now being opened back up.

Two Hurt in SUV Rollover Accident Friday Night

By ARLnow.com

Two elderly women were taken to the hospital Friday night after an SUV rollover accident on Carlin Springs Road near Route 50.

The accident happened around 5:30 p.m. The women, driving in a hybrid Ford SUV, were attempting to take the ramp to Route 50 when they were T-boned by the driver of a Mercedes sedan, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The vehicle rolled onto its side and against a light pole.

Firefighters had to extricate the women from the SUV using non-traditional means, Sternbeck said, since the roof of the vehicle was leaning against the pole. The women suffered minor injuries and were taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital.

No charges have been filed against either driver at this time, Sternbeck said.

Photo courtesy Steve Young

Gas Leak Shuts Down Roads in Buckingham

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1:35 p.m. — The “all clear” has been given. Road closures are now being lifted.

Earlier: A two square block area in the Buckingham neighborhood, near the Gates of Ballston apartment complex, has been closed to vehicle and pedestrian vehicle due to a gas line rupture.

Construction workers ruptured a 2 inch gas line outside an apartment building at the corner of 4th Street N. and N. Thomas Street, according to scanner traffic. Washington Gas is on scene making repairs while firefighters stand by.

Police have shut down 4th Street between Glebe Road and George Mason Drive, and N. Thomas Street between N. Henderson Road and N. Pershing Drive.

The road closures may soon be lifted, however, as Washington Gas has reportedly shut off the gas to the ruptured line.

File photo

View More Stories