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Crystal City 5K Fridays to Start This Week

By ARLnow.com

An annual springtime athletic tradition is coming back to Crystal City this week.

Crystal City’s 5K Fridays will start this coming Friday, April 6 — the first of four Friday races that will run through April 27. The race, organized by Pacers Events, will take runners on a looped course up and down Crystal Drive, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Registration is $20 per race or $60 for all four races. Runners can register online or in person, before the race.

Arlington County Police will be blocking off lanes of several Crystal City-area roads between 6:15 and 7:45 p.m. on race days. Among them:

  • Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 12th Street (one northbound lane of Crystal Drive will remain open between 15th and 12th Street)
  • Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 26th Street and Potomac Avenue/27th Street
  • Northbound lanes of Potomac Avenue between 27th Street and 33rd Street
  • One southbound lane of Potomac Avenue between 27th and 33rd Street
  • Two westbound lanes (one lane to remain open) of 12th Street between Crystal Drive and Old Jefferson Davis Highway/Clark Street
  • One northbound lane of Old Jefferson Davis Highway will be closed for approximately 100 feet (one lane to remain open)

Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser

Shirlington I-395 Ramp Blocked by Accident

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:40 a.m. — The Shirlington ramp has reopened and only the far righthand lane of I-395 remains blocked before the ramp.

Update at 9:30 a.m. — All but one northbound lane is now blocked.

The ramp from Shirlington circle to northbound I-395 is blocked due to an accident.

A U-Haul truck and at least one other vehicle was involved in the accident along the northbound lanes of I-395. The vehicles ended up on the ramp, which is now completely blocked by emergency crews. One northbound lane is also blocked.

At least one injury has been reported as a result of the accident. Police are now directing the drivers stranded on the ramp to turn around and find an alternate route to the highway.

End of the Road for 10th Street Bridge

By ARLnow.com

It’s sayonara for the 10th Street bridge over Route 50.

Assuming rainy weather doesn’t interfere, the bridge is set to be torn down this weekend. Police closed the bridge this morning in anticipation of the demolition, which is being done as part of the Route 50/Courthouse Road interchange project. As a result of the demolition, drivers heading east on 10th Street will now only be able to take the ramp to westbound Route 50, instead of being able to take the bridge over to the eastbound lanes of Route 50 toward D.C.

Drivers should plan for westbound Route 50 to be closed throughout Saturday and Sunday, during this weekend’s demolition. VDOT is advising motorists to avoid the area and, if detoured, to use Washington Boulevard as an alternate route back to Route 50.

 

Scooter, Taxi Involved in Accident on Glebe Road

By ARLnow.com

An accident involving a moped and a Red Top taxicab occurred around 3:15 this afternoon on S. Glebe Road, just north of I-395.

The scooter’s owner was largely uninjured and was not taken to the hospital, according to police. No word on which party, if any, was found to be at fault.

Southbound Glebe Road was partially blocked for 15-30 minutes during the accident response.

Photo courtesy Derek Taggart

Construction, Detours Set for New Pike Interchange

By ARLnow.com

Get ready for major construction on a new Washington Boulevard/Columbia Pike interchange and bridge.

Starting this spring — as soon as final regulatory approvals are issued — crews will begin work on the first of eight construction phases that will stretch through August 2015. During that first phase, a detour will be constructed, using the north interchange ramps to provide a signalized, at-grade intersection on Washington Boulevard.

That detour is expected to be used for 3 to 5 weekends per year, starting this summer, when crews need to shut down Columbia Pike for demolition of the existing Washington Boulevard bridge and construction of a pair of new spans, just east of the existing bridge. The detour will also include facilities for pedestrians.

During the week and on weekends when the detour is not in place, the project contractor has promised to keep existing travel lanes and pedestrian access open during construction, with the possible exception of one eastbound lane of the Pike.

By next fall one of the new Washington Boulevard bridge spans should be in place. We’re told that bridge will be able to carry all four lanes of Washington Boulevard in a temporary configuration while the existing bridge is torn down and the second span is built in its place.

The VDOT-led construction project is budgeted at $51.5 million, which will be paid for primarily with federal and state funds.

Pershing Drive Shut Down Due to Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com

 

(Updated at 1:35 p.m.) Pershing Drive has been closed at N. Cleveland Street, between N. Barton Street and N. Danville Street in the Lyon Park neighborhood, due to a reported gas leak.

So far crews aren’t sure how big the ruptured gas line is, but there are concerns that it may be a larger distribution line.

Police are redirecting traffic around the leak until the gas company can patch up the line. The leak is three blocks from Fort Myer and one block from an apartment construction site.

Update at 12:50 p.m. — We hear that Pershing Drive will remain closed for “a couple of hours” while gas company crews dig up the street to reach the leak.

Major Closures Planned on Route 50

By ARLnow.com

VDOT crews are preparing for a number of significant road closures as a result of the ongoing Route 50/Courthouse Road interchange project.

Westbound Route 50 will be completely closed between Courthouse Road and 10th Street from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 24 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. The closure is being put into place to allow the demolition of the bridge from 10th Street to eastbound Route 50. During the demolition process, drivers will be encouraged to avoid the closure area and use Washington Boulevard as a detour to Route 50. The 10th Street bridge itself will close starting on Thursday, March 22.

Longer-term closures are also planned starting next week.

The ramp from westbound Route 50 to N. Fairfax Drive (between Courthouse Road and 10th Street) will close starting on March 22, as will the stretch of Fairfax Drive between Scott Street and Courthouse Road that runs parallel to Route 50. Both closures will be in place “until work nears completion in fall 2013,” according to VDOT.

VDOT will put detours in place during the closures.

In place of the bridge from 10th Street to eastbound Route 50, drivers can use Washington Boulevard to North Pershing Drive back to Route 50 as a detour. Instead of the ramp from westbound Route 50 to Fairfax Drive, drivers can use 10th Street as a detour.

Maps of the detours are available from the VDOT project website.

Road Closures Planned for Four Courts Four Miler

By Katie Pyzyk

Several roads will be closed on Saturday for the Four Courts Four Miler race. The Arlington County Police Department asks residents to plan accordingly and avoid driving in the affected areas.

The sold out race begins and ends in front of Ireland’s Four Courts Pub (2051 Wilson Blvd), close to the Courthouse Metro.

The following lane closures will be in effect between 6:30 AM and 11:00 AM:

  • Wilson Blvd from Courthouse Road to N. Rhodes St

The following lane closures will be in effect between 8:45 AM and 11:00 AM:

  • Wilson Blvd from Courthouse Road to Route 110
  • Northbound Route 110 from I-395 to I-66.

Southbound Route 110 will remain open. Customers can still access the Safeway at 1525 Wilson Blvd via N. Nash St or N. Oak St.

A party at Ireland’s Four Courts follows the race with live music, Irish dancers and adult beverages.

Traffic Alert: Washington Blvd Closed for Bomb Investigation

By Katie Pyzyk

Updated at 12:25 p.m. — The item was found to be not hazardous, and the investigation is wrapping up. All lanes of Washington Blvd have been re-opened.

A bomb squad investigation has shut down part of Washington Blvd and is causing significant traffic backups.

Washington Blvd in the eastbound/southbound direction has been shut at S. 2nd St, near Route 50. While the investigation continues, there will be various closings in the area, including on S. 2nd St.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area altogether if possible.

The investigation involves a pipe wrapped in some sort of packaging found lying in the bushes.

Arlington Filling More Potholes Than Last Winter

By ARLnow.com

Thanks to the mild winter, the District of Columbia has reported a 22 percent drop in the number of complaints about potholes. After all, the warmer weather isn’t as conducive to pothole formation. Across the Potomac, however, Arlington’s pothole repairs crews have been busy.

Since the start of November, Arlington County has filled 2,184 potholes. That compares to 1,174 potholes filled by this time last year — an 86 percent increase. Why so many?

Department of Environmental Services spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel says the weather has allowed crews to get a head start on pothole repairs.

“The warmer weather has enabled crews to get out more frequently to repair the roads,” Whalen McDaniel said. “It’s helped us to get a jump start on the official pothole season that starts in early March.”

Residents can report potholes on the pothole page of the county’s website.

Route 1 Blocked in Alexandria Due to Flooding

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:35 p.m. — The flooding has cleared up and all lanes have reopened, according to Dr. Gridlock.

Route 1 is closed just south of Potomac Yard in Alexandria due to flooding in the roadway.

High water and mud spilled onto the roadway from an adjacent construction site, a tipster tells us. Earlier rains have since stopped, but so far no word as to how much longer Route 1 will remain shut down.

Traffic is reportedly being rerouted onto Potomac Avenue, which runs behind Potomac Yard and into Crystal City.

Photo courtesy David Hyde

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