Traffic

VDOT Suspends Most Lane Closures for Holiday Travel

By Katie Pyzyk

In order to make your holiday traveling easier, the Virginia Department of Transportation is suspending most lane closures during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Here’s what VDOT said in a release:

RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is clearing a path for travelers this holiday season by lifting lane closures over the extended Christmas and New Year’s weekends.

VDOT will suspend lane closures from noon Friday, Dec. 23, to noon Tuesday, Dec. 27, and again from noon Friday, Dec. 30, to noon Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012.

“We want everyone to arrive safely at their destinations during the year-end holidays,” said VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley. “We are opening lanes where appropriate to increase lane capacity on our interstates and other major roads. I encourage motorists to do their part to keep one another safe by obeying all traffic laws, staying alert and engaged behind the wheel, and being courteous to your fellow motorists.”

While temporary work zones are lifted during the holiday period, VDOT is always prepared to mobilize in case of inclement weather. VDOT will monitor weather forecasts for any snow or ice that could affect travel over the holidays. Its offices and snow-removal equipment will be fully staffed in the event of any accumulation.

In addition, the Northern Virginia High Occupancy Vehicle Lane schedule is as follows:

Christmas:

The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be open to all traffic:

  • Southbound from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23 until 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24
  • Northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27 when HOV-3 takes effect
  • HOV restrictions on I-95, 395 and 66 are lifted on Monday, Dec. 26

New Year’s:

The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be open to all traffic:

  • Southbound from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30 until 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31
  • Northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, when HOV-3 takes effect
  • HOV restrictions on I-95, 395 and 66 are lifted on Monday, Jan. 2

Inbound Lanes of Key Bridge Closed

By ARLnow.com

Update at 6:25 p.m. — All lanes have reopened.

The northbound (inbound) lanes of the Key Bridge are closed due to a “police situation.”

Initial reports suggest a person may have jumped off the bridge, possibly on the D.C. side. Traffic cameras show Arlington police redirecting traffic heading toward the bridge on N. Lynn Street onto northbound Lee Highway and the George Washington Parkway.

Traffic appears to be flowing from the District into Arlington across the Key Bridge.

Very heavy traffic has been reported in Rosslyn and across the bridge in Georgetown.

Traffic Signals Installed at Wilson Blvd Intersection

By ARLnow.com

New traffic signals were being installed today at the busy intersection of Wilson Boulevard and N. Pollard Street in Ballston, near the Gold’s Gym and the Wiinky’s burger restaurant.

The installation comes about three months after the Sun Gazette reported, in an article entitled “Residents Find Developer Payments Don’t Translate Into Traffic-Signal Installation,” that a developer had agreed to contribute $150,000 toward the addition of traffic signals at the intersection back in 2004. At the time of the article, the County Manager Barbara Donnellan promised to investigate why the traffic signal had not yet been installed.

Though the signals were installed today, we’re told it may be a “couple of weeks” until they’re switched on.

Traffic Light Out at Busy Clarendon Intersection

By ARLnow.com

The traffic signal at the busy intersection of Washington Boulevard and N. Highland Street in Clarendon has gone dark due to an isolated power outage.

We’re hearing that the light is expected to remain out of service overnight.

Police have reportedly set up cones in the intersection’s turn lanes in order to allow traffic to move more smoothly. As a reminder, any non-functioning traffic signal should be treated as a four-way stop.

Photo via Google Maps

Big Changes Coming to Crystal Drive

By ARLnow.com

Starting next year, two one-way portions of Crystal Drive are set to be converted to two-way roads — a move that planners hope will prepare the Crystal City area for future development and a proposed transitway.

The first phase of the project will add a southbound lane to the portion of Crystal Drive between 12th Street and 15th Street, just north of the Crystal City water park. It will also convert a one-way section of S. Clark Street between 12th and 15th Streets to a two-way road. Construction on this phase of the project is expected to begin in the spring of 2012 and wrap up in winter 2012.

A second phase is expected to begin construction in fall 2012. That phase will add a southbound lane to the one-way portion of Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 27th Street. Changes will also be make to 27th Street, which runs between the Courtyard by Marriott and the Hyatt Regency hotels.

“The Crystal Drive Two-Way Conversion project will begin to establish the street network needed to support future development and transit improvements planned by the Crystal City Sector Plan and Crystal City Multimodal Study,” Arlington County said on the project website. “The intent of the project is to improve the navigability of Crystal City by converting Crystal Drive and the surrounding street network from a one-way to a two-way directional roadway.”

In addition to converting traffic lanes, the project will also add new traffic signals, street trees, ADA-compatible intersection upgrades and a new southbound bicycle lane.

Drivers can expect lane closures during the construction project.

Extra I-66 Lane Expected to Open Tonight

By ARLnow.com

A third “auxiliary” lane will open tonight on westbound I-66, between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street.

The lane was built as part of a 18 month, $14 million VDOT “spot improvement” project. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) is touting the lane opening as a relief for drivers who face frequent heavy delays on that stretch of highway.

From a press release, issued this afternoon:

By 7 p.m. tonight, motorists will have some much-needed congestion relief on westbound I-66 between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street in Arlington County with the opening a two-mile auxiliary lane.  It is the first of three spot improvements designed to reduce congestion and increase safety on westbound Interstate 66 inside the Beltway, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

“Our Administration is focused on helping Virginians spend more time at work and with their families, and less time stuck in traffic,” said Governor McDonnell.  “This spot improvement is another step forward in that effort. When it opens this evening, all motorists heading west out of Arlington will find a slightly smoother commute, and hopefully gain a little more time off the road. Through improvements like this one we are continuing to make progress in getting traffic moving again in the Commonwealth.”

The westbound acceleration and deceleration lane between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street has been lengthened to form a continuous auxiliary lane between the two ramps. The improvement includes a new 12-foot wide shoulder constructed with full-strength pavement so that it is capable of carrying traffic during emergency situations. The $14 million improvement took 18 months to complete.

Future spot improvements, not part of this contract, are planned from Haycock Road to Westmoreland Street, and from Lee Highway to Glebe Road. These next phases of spot improvements will reduce congestion and travel times during peak periods, and increase safety by lengthening merge areas and reducing the risk of stop-and-go accidents.

The estimated cost for the second and third spot improvement projects is $49.6 million. These will be funded after the I-66 multimodal study is completed next year.

I-66 Traffic Causing Spill-Over Onto Local Streets

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 9:15 a.m.) Westbound I-66 has been backed up for much of the latter half of the morning rush hour due to an accident near the Dulles Toll Road.

Traffic is very slow on the entire length of westbound I-66, from Rosslyn to the Toll Road. The backups are so bad that there are reports that ancillary backups have formed on some main local roads that connect with I-66 on-ramps, like Sycamore Street, Washington Boulevard and Glebe Road. Route 110 is also said to be jammed as a result of the I-66 traffic.

Via Twitter, several I-66 commuters have said that the slow traffic has added 30 or more minutes to their westbound commute.

WTOP is reporting that only one lane of I-66 is squeezing by the accident at the Toll Road.

Power Outage in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) More than 2,500 Dominion customers are without power in the Crystal City area this afternoon.

Numerous traffic lights are reported to be dark in the area. Police are beginning to direct traffic at certain intersections.

According to a Dominion map, the power outage appears to be centered in Alexandria, where more than 7,100 Dominion customers are said to be without power.

Authorities Warn of Traffic Impact from ‘Occupy’ March

By ARLnow.com

Local authorities are warning of possible rush hour traffic impacts as a result of today’s scheduled Occupy NoVA and Occupy D.C. marches to the Key Bridge.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are advising the public about the possibility of traffic delays during the evening rush hour today (17 Nov) due to a planned demonstration and march by Occupy DC in the vicinity of the Key Bridge and McPherson Square.

The demonstration / march is scheduled to begin at 1430 and continue through the evening rush hour. Potential impacts include the possibility of heavy pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic between the Key Bridge, McPherson Square, and surrounding areas.

Arlington and D.C. police are stationed on either side of the Key Bridge to ensure the march remains orderly.

Accident Involving Metrobus Near Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

A three-to-four vehicle accident involving Metrobus occurred at the intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Hayes Street, in Pentagon City, just after 3:00 this afternoon.

Two injuries were reported, but at least initially there were no injuries reported on the bus.

The accident snarled traffic at the busy intersection, adjacent to Pentagon City mall. Police and firefighters are currently on the scene.

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