Traffic

TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash Brings Down Utility Pole on Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Glebe Road was blocked in both directions in the area of 8th Street S., just north of Columbia Pike, due to an single-vehicle accident around 3:45 this afternoon.

A green Honda sedan collided with a utility pole, knocking the pole and numerous utility lines to the ground. As of 4:15, police had reopened one northbound and one southbound lane of Glebe, but authorities are advising drivers to avoid the area “for the next few hours.”

Metro says buses that use that stretch of Glebe Road may be delayed up to 20 minutes.

Police and Dominion crews remain on the scene. No word on any injuries.

 

Heavy Traffic Following Accident on I-395

By ARLnow.com

The morning commute got even worse for many in the area this morning, following an accident on I-395 on or near the 14th Street Bridge.

The accident was reported between 7:00 and 7:30, and was said to be blocking several lanes. The lane closures have since been cleared, but as a result of residual delays traffic is crawling all the way back to Alexandria on I-395.

Other main routes that feed onto I-395 also seem to be affected. Eastbound traffic on Route 50, Washington Boulevard and Columbia Pike is very heavy, and delays have also been reported on the GW Parkway near Reagan National Airport.

Alternate streets, such as Route 110 and Route 50, have become jammed as well. Although parts of the George Washington Parkway seem to be moving, other areas are moving slowly, such as the area near the airport.

Drivers should expect significant delays for the morning commute, and should check alternate routes.

Car Flips on George Washington Parkway

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) The Alexandria Fire Department and U.S. Park Police were on the scene of a car that flipped on the George Washington Parkway this afternoon.

The Honda landed on its roof in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes, in the area between Reagan National Airport and Daingerfield Island. There’s no word on injuries, but we hear that the driver was not trapped and did not need to be extricated by rescue personnel.

As of 2:35 p.m. the scene had been largely cleared, though residual delays remained in the southbound lanes of the parkway.

Traffic Re-routed in Rosslyn for Haz Mat Spill

By Katie Pyzyk

Clean up of a hazardous material spill in Rosslyn is causing traffic to be re-routed.

Around noon, the Arlington County Fire Department received reports of the spill near 1400 Wilson Blvd. It’s currently unclear what the material is.

According to Capt. Gregg Karl, no buildings had to be evacuated because less than 10 gallons of the substance leaked. However, while hazardous materials crews clean up the spill, traffic is restricted in Rosslyn. Nash Street is closed from Wilson Blvd. to Key Blvd., and equipment is blocking part of Wilson Blvd.

It’s expected to be at least another hour before the clean up is finished. Drivers and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area.

HOV Restrictions Lifted On I-66 Through Tuesday

By ARLnow.com

VDOT has lifted all rush hour HOV restrictions on I-66 inside the Beltway through Tuesday.

The agency says it made the decision to waive the HOV requirement today and tomorrow in order to “help ease delays on arterial routes due to signal outages.” Across Northern Virginia, VDOT says there are more than 80 traffic signals affected by power outages and about 50 roads closed due to downed power lines and trees.

Regular HOV restrictions will remain in effect on I-395 and on I-66 outside the Beltway. HOV rules on I-66 will also be waived on Wednesday due to the July 4 holiday.

Separately, the Office of Personnel Management announced today that it will extend its unscheduled leave/unscheduled telework policy through Tuesday for federal government employees affected by Friday’s storm.

UPDATED: Pedestrian Killed by Car on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) A pedestrian was killed by a car on a section of Columbia Pike partially darkened by the area’s widespread power outages.

The man was struck by a Honda heading westbound on the Pike near intersection with Four Mile Run Drive, where the traffic signal and some street lights are dark due to the power outages. We’re told that the victim was transported to a trauma center in Fairfax County and was pronounced dead.

The fatal accident happened occurred around 9:30 p.m. after the driver did not stop at the intersection, despite the fact that all darkened traffic signals are supposed to be treated as a four-way stop. The female driver remained on scene after the accident and was described as “very cooperative.” As of this morning no charges have been filed, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

Columbia Pike was closed in both directions between Buchanan Street and Dinwiddie Street for several hours after the accident. Motorists were advised to avoid the area.

 

Brush Fire Along I-395 Near the Pentagon

By ARLnow.com

 

Smoke could be seen near the Pentagon this afternoon due to a brush fire.

The fire and the resulting smoke was seen in the median near the southbound I-395/Route 1 split.

Arlington County firefighters arrived on the scene and quickly extinguished the fire, but not before it scorched some dry brush in the median. Two lanes of southbound I-395 are currently blocked by the fire department activity.

Update at 4:10 p.m. — An accident with two injuries was reported in the same area at the time of the brush fire. It’s unclear if the two incidents are related.

Update at 4:50 p.m. — The scene has been cleared. All lanes are open.

Courthouse Road Bridge to Be Closed, Demolished

By ARLnow.com

Drivers coming to and going from Courthouse on eastbound Route 50 will have to find another route later this summer. VDOT is planning to demolish the busy Courthouse Road bridge as part of the ongoing Route 50/Courthouse Road interchange project.

VDOT spokeswoman Jennifer McCord says the agency is currently planning on closing and tearing down the bridge either in late August or early September. She said the exact timing of the demolition is contingent on some other work, including the completion of new ramps to and from westbound Route 50 and Courthouse Road.

Once the closure is in place, eastbound Route 50 drivers will be directed to the next exit — Rhodes Street — and detour signs will point them back to Courthouse Road. McCord said engineers are still working on a detour for those trying to get on eastbound Route 50 from the Courthouse area.

A new Courthouse Road bridge is expected to be complete by Spring 2013, McCord said.

Another interchange project-related closure is planned for Monday. Workers are planning to close Fairfax Drive, which runs parallel to Route 50, from N. Taft Street to N. Scott Street. The closure is expected to remain in place until project completion in fall 2013.

Photo courtesy Keith Hall

TRAFFIC ALERT: Accident on I-66 in Rosslyn Tunnel

By Katie Pyzyk

Update at 4:05 p.m. — All lanes of I-66 eastbound have been reopened.

An accident in the Rosslyn tunnel on eastbound I-66 is snarling traffic.

Police have re-opened eastbound I-66, after having shut it down at Spout Run for a while. Traffic is crawling past the accident via the left shoulder.

Initial reports suggest there are injuries, but so far there’s no word on how many people are involved or how severe the injuries.

Drivers are advised to avoid eastbound I-66 until the scene clears, which may take a while. There are also reports of traffic backups along Spout Run and Lee Highway, where traffic had been diverted earlier.

Give Feedback on Design of New Carlin Springs Road Bridge

By Katie Pyzyk

The county is going to replace the Carlin Springs Road Bridge, which goes over George Mason Drive, and wants resident input on how the new bridge should look.

Although still structurally sound, the 51-year-old bridge is apparently the most deteriorated of the 25 throughout the county. The new bridge will be improved structurally, and widened to increase safety, particularly for bikers and pedestrians.

Currently, the entire bridge is 65 feet wide. The bridge widening proposal suggests increasing that to 69 feet. Under the plan, the existing sidewalk, which is five feet wide, would become eight feet wide, and a five foot bike lane would be added. The four lanes of vehicle traffic would remain, but there would no longer be a center median.

Ritch Viola, a transportation planning supervisor with Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services, said the bridge replacement is part of a larger overall project to change the nature of Carlin Springs Road. Over the next few years, there will be a series of improvements stretching to Glebe Road. The addition of elements such as curb extensions and wider sidewalks is aimed at improving safety on the road.

“We’re trying to manage some of the speed that’s out there now, as well as provide facilities for bikes and pedestrians,” Viola said.

Although the county will deal with the architectural logistics of replacing the bridge, residents are asked to give feedback on the aesthetic aspects. The online survey for the designs is available through July 11. Once suggestions are sifted through and a final proposal is devised, the county needs to get approval from VDOT, which is funding the project.

There will be a public meeting about the concept sketches next Tuesday, June 26, which will include presentations and an opportunity for public comments. It will be held in room 104 of the Lubber Run Community Center (300 N. Park Drive), at 7:00 p.m.

County staff expect construction on the project to begin late this year or early next year. Efforts will be made to maintain access across the bridge during construction, which is expected to last about a year.

Lights Blinking at Intersection After Fire in Walk Signal

By ARLnow.com

The traffic lights at the intersection of westbound Lee Highway and Lynn Street, in Rosslyn, are blinking due to an earlier fire.

A pedestrian walk signal at the intersection somehow caught on fire around 11:30 this morning. The fire was minor and eventually burned itself out, but not before passersby caught sight of smoke coming from the signal. As a result of the fire, power was temporarily cut to all traffic signals at the intersection.

As of 12:10 p.m., the lights were operating on battery power and blinking red. Police were on scene assisting with traffic control.

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