Traffic

Photo: Weird Accident at Glebe Road and Wilson Blvd

By ARLnow.com

An accident at the intersection of N. Glebe Road and Wilson Blvd had office workers and bystanders scratching their heads this afternoon.

The accident happened at the Ballston intersection just after 3:30 p.m. Somehow, a red sedan entered the left-hand travel lane of traffic heading in the opposite direction on Glebe Road. It appears that the sedan ran head-on into a taxi stopped just before the intersection.

A photo sent by a tipster shows police on the scene and minimal damage to the two vehicles.

Photo courtesy Alex O.

‘Dash for Dad’ Race to Close Streets in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Hundreds of runners will celebrate Father’s Day with a race in Pentagon City.

The Dash for Dad, organized by Pacers in partnership with ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer, consists of three separate events: a four mile run starting at 8:30 a.m., a one mile fun walk at 8:35 a.m., and a kids dash at 9:30 a.m. for those eight years and under.

Participants can register individually or as a daddy-daughter or father-son team. There will be prizes for the top-finishing father-daughter and father-son teams of various age groups.

At the one mile mark of the four mile race, participants can “tie one on for dad” — they can select and tie a necktie, then wear it for the remainder of the race. The top three fastest male and female tie tiers will receive prizes.

The event will take place on Sunday, June 17, and will start in front of Pentagon Row (1101 S. Joyce Street). After the race, there will be a post-race party at Pentagon Row.

Advance registration is $35 for the four miler, $12 for the one mile course, and $10 for the kids dash.

To accommodate the race, Arlington County police will be closing two stretches of road from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. S. Joyce Street will be closed between 15th Street S. and Army Navy Drive, and Army Navy Drive will be closed between S. Joyce Street and 25th Street S.

Photo by Swim Bike Run Photography

TRAFFIC ALERT: Washington Blvd Closed for Gas Leak

By Katie Pyzyk

 

Update at 12:20 p.m. — Firefighters have cleared and drivers can now get through on Washington Blvd. Washington Gas remains at the scene.

Earlier: Drivers should avoid the area of Washington Blvd near N. Highland Street, where a gas leak is causing traffic trouble.

Washington Blvd is shut in the eastbound/southbound direction at N. Highland Street, and in the westbound/northbound direction at N. Garfield Street, while firefighters investigate a reported leak in a four-inch gas line at a construction site. Washington Gas is also on the scene.

Police are helping to direct traffic at the scene while workers fix the problem. It’s recommended that pedestrians also avoid the area until the leak is fixed.

UPDATED: Serious Motorcycle Accident on I-395

By ARLnow.com

The HOV lanes of I-395 have been shut down near the Glebe Road exit due to a serious accident involving a motorcycle.

Initial reports indicate the accident happened when a vehicle ran into a motorcycle. The motorcyclist is being treated for critical injuries and will be transported to a local trauma center via ambulance, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

All HOV traffic is being diverted onto the main southbound lanes of I-395. Southbound backups extend to the 14th Street Bridge.

Update at 2:45 p.m. on 6/5/12 — An update, per Sternbeck: “The driver was charged on scene by Virginia State Police with Reckless Driving and violation of HOV-3. As for the condition of the motorcyclist, he suffered significant injuries but is expected to survive.”

VDOT to Correct Lane Striping Error on Old Lee Hwy

By ARLnow.com

Parking has been temporarily restricted along the side of Old Lee Highway due to a lane striping error.

The VDOT-owned street was recently repaved, but the crew that added the double yellow line apparently failed to take parking on the eastbound side of the road into account. As a result, eastbound traffic has to partially cross into the westbound lane to get around parked cars. Residents worried that this posed a grave danger to drivers.

“It’s only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs,” one resident said on the Cherrydale neighborhood listserv.

Arlington County has now put up temporary no parking signs between Taylor and Randolph Streets, while VDOT prepares to re-stripe the lanes. Arlington County Director of Transportation Dennis Leach told the Cherrydale listserv that the work may be performed over the weekend.

“Weather permitting, parking and striping should [be] normal by Tuesday,” Leach said Wednesday night.

 

Sunday Road Closures Planned for Taste of Arlington

By ARLnow.com

The 25th annual Taste of Arlington will be held in Ballston this coming Sunday, May 20, from noon to 5:00 p.m.

Taste of Arlington is the county’s largest food festival, attracting some 15,000 attendees every year. More than 35 local restaurants — including newcomers — Memphis Barbeque, Zoe’s Kitchen, World of Beer and Cava Mezze — are expected to participate in this year’s event.

Taste of Arlington is held on Wilson Boulevard in front of Ballston Common Mall. Arlington County police will be closing some roads in the area to accommodate the event. The following streets are scheduled to be closed from 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.

  • Wilson Boulevard eastbound at Glebe Road
  • Wilson Boulevard westbound at N. Randolph Street
  • N. Stuart Street between N. 9th Street and Wilson Boulevard
  • N. 9th Street between N. Stafford Street and N. Stuart Street (open to Metrobus traffic only)

Disclosure: Ballston BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Water Main Break Disrupts Rosslyn Traffic

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 6:50 a.m.) Several lanes of a busy Rosslyn street are blcked due to a major water main break.

Two to three lanes of Ft. Myer Drive have been shut down between Lee Highway and Wilson Boulevard until further notice. The closures are due to a major, 16-inch water main break at the 1812 N. Moore Street office building construction site near the Rosslyn Metro station.

The break happened around 12:30 this morning, according to police. The Metro station was briefly closed for inspections after the break but has since reopened. The pickup spots for some buses have been moved as a result.

About 8 feet of standing water has reportedly accumulated an the bottom of the construction site. Crews are now planning to dig up a portion of Ft. Myer Drive in order to repair the ruptured main.

Closures to Begin for Washington Blvd Bridge Project

By ARLnow.com

Daytime lane closures will begin this week for the Washington Boulevard bridge project.

The three year, $51.5 million project will ultimately result in the construction of a new, wider Washington Boulevard bridge over Columbia Pike, complete with a reconfigured ramps, additional bridge clearance and a new shared use path along Columbia Pike. To help facilitate the construction, daily lane closures on Washington Boulevard will start this week.

“Drivers can expect single lane closures daily on Washington Boulevard in both directions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.,” VDOT said in a press release. “Drivers can also expect periodic traffic shifts, the first this summer to new temporary pavement crews will construct over the next few months.”

VDOT also announced additional closures Tuesday night.

“On Tuesday, May 15, crews will close a lane in each direction from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. between I-395 and the entrance to Fort Myer,” the press release said. “Beginning at midnight, crews will also stop traffic for up to 30 minutes at a time on southbound Washington Boulevard just prior to the ramp to Columbia Pike to remove an overhead sign structure. Drivers should use an alternate route on this night if possible.”

The Washington Boulevard bridge carries more than 80,000 vehicles over Columbia Pike every day, according to VDOT.

In addition to the closures on Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike will be completely closed up to five weekends per year to allow for bridge demolition and other work.

“These closures will begin after rush hour Friday evening and reopen by rush hour on Monday morning,” VDOT said. “Traffic will be rerouted between S. Quinn Street and S. Orme Street around the north side of the intersection. Message signs will notify motorists of these closures in advance.”

Washington Blvd Shut Down Due to Suspicious Package

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:30 p.m. — The “all clear” has been given and roads have been opened back up.

Police are shutting down Washington Boulevard in both directions between I-395 and Route 110.

Initial reports suggest the road is being closed at the request of the Pentagon due to a suspicious package at the 9/11 Memorial. The Arlington County bomb squad is assisting with the incident.

The county is advising motorists to seek an alternate route.

Road Closures for Bike DC Event on Sunday

By Katie Pyzyk

Arlington County Police will help with road closures for the Bike DC event this Sunday, May 13.

Bike DC is an annual non-competitive bike ride through the District and Arlington. Participants get up close looks at parts of the metro area they typically might not be able to while riding a bike.

A portion of the proceeds for the event will go to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. The full ride is 24 miles long, and the family ride is 11 miles long.

Road closures will begin around 6:00 a.m. and end around noon. The following streets will be closed:

  • Route 50 East & Westbound ramps to Meade/Lynn Street
  • Northbound Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Rosslyn
  • Southbound Route 110 from Rosslyn to Crystal City
  • Marshall Drive between Meade Street & Route 110
  • Eastbound Washington Boulevard from Memorial Bridge to Columbia Pike
  • Westbound Columbia Pike from the Pentagon to the Air Force Memorial

Residents who live in the affected areas will be given reasonable access to their homes when there is a break in the action. Those who live along N. Meade Street adjacent to the Marine Corps Memorial will be allowed to come and go with police assistance.

The cost to participate is $40 for an adult full ride, $30 for an adult family ride, $25 for a youth full ride, $15 for a youth family ride and free for children 12 and under. Registration is available on Bike DC’s website.

New Traffic Lights Near Development on Glebe Road

By Katie Pyzyk

Two new traffic lights have been installed on N. Glebe Road, where new development is causing concerns about pedestrian safety.

One light went in this week on southbound Glebe Road at N. 9th Street, and another on the northbound side at N. Vermont Street. According to the Department of Environmental Services, it was part of a site plan development with the new construction on the west side of Glebe Road.

New buildings in the area, including the recently opened residences at The Jordan and the Virginia Tech Research Center building, which houses commercial tenants such as The Greene Turtle, have brought additional pedestrian traffic. It’s expected to increase even more once the office building at 800 N. Glebe is completed.

DES spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel says that’s why it was necessary to put in traffic lights, to establish a safe pedestrian connection between the new construction on the west side of Glebe and the businesses and Ballston Metro station on the east side.

Currently, the lights are still covered up. If all goes according to plan, they should be turned on by the end of the month.

View More Stories