Traffic

Morning Poll: Lower Residential Speed Limits?

By ARLnow.com

Two D.C. councilmembers are proposing that the speed limit on residential streets in the District be lowered from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour.

The plan would make the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, while adding only a minute or two of travel time to most trips, advocates say.

Critics say such low speeds would be hard for motorists to maintain, would add to the District’s traffic woes and could actually increase incidents of aggressive driving and road rage.

Arlington has been especially conscientious when it comes to ‘traffic calming’ projects in residential neighborhoods. Should the county ask Virginia (a Dillon Rule state) to allow localities to post lower residential speed limits?

Statue Dedication May Snarl Traffic at DCA on Tuesday

By Katie Pyzyk

A statue of Ronald Reagan will be unveiled at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday, raising the possibility of some traffic headaches for people driving to the airport.

A ceremony is being held by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation to commemorate the statue unveiling, in front of the airport’s Terminal A.

Drivers should expect heavier-than-usual traffic around the arrivals and departures terminals due to lane closures for the event, airport officials said. Four lanes will merge into one to detour around the event site. There’s also a possibility that traffic will be completely blocked for short periods along the detour route.

Detours will be in place from 11:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. Drivers are encouraged to avoid driving up to the terminals, and to instead keep left at the entrance to the airport, following signs toward parking garages. Passengers can be dropped off or picked up in the hourly parking garage closest to their terminal. Using taxis, which have their own boarding area, or Metro is also bring encouraged.

High Grass Makes Tricky Merge Even Trickier

By ARLnow.com

The tricky merge from eastbound Columbia Pike to northbound Washington Boulevard has been made even trickier recently due to high grass.

The merge, which lacks an acceleration lane to get up to the speed of fast-moving traffic on Washington Boulevard, has been the scene of numerous fender benders. While it was still hard for drivers to see oncoming traffic when the grass was mowed, cab drivers tell us that it’s now even harder.

Luckily, the entire interchange is slated for replacement by 2015.

Temporary Traffic Signal Installed on Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

A set of temporary traffic signals has been installed at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Arlington Mill Drive.

The intersection, which sits between two existing sets of traffic lights at Four Mile Run Drive and at S. Dinwiddie Street, is adjacent to the under-construction Arlington Mill Community Center and a future 122-unit affordable housing complex.

On its web site, Arlington County says the new traffic signals — which haven’t been switched on yet — are necessary because of construction. Don’t expect the lights to stay on for long, though. Arlington Mill Drive is expected to be closed during the latter stages of the community center’s construction.

“Once the traffic signal is activated, the 9th Street connection on the north side of the [Arlington Mill construction] site will be closed to upgrade water and stormwater infrastructure and install curb and gutter,” the county said. “Access to Columbia Pike will be maintained for Park Glen residents via S. Arlington Mill Drive. At this time, additional stormwater drainage facilities will also be installed just west of the site along S. Dinwiddie Street.”

“When 9th Street is reopened in two to three months, S. Arlington Mill Drive will be closed to all traffic – except for construction vehicles – for the duration of the project,” the county added. “All Park Glen traffic will be directed to Columbia Pike through the new 9th Street connector and S. Dinwiddie Street.”

Taxi Cab Flips Over on GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com

Police and firefighters are on the scene of a taxi cab that somehow flipped on its side on the GW Parkway.

The accident reportedly occurred just after the ramp from eastbound Route 50 to the Parkway’s southbound lanes.

The cab driver was able to get out of the cab and is uninjured, according to police radio traffic. At least one lane is getting by the accident scene.

Sunday Road Closures for Army Ten-Miler

By Katie Pyzyk

You may have to alter Sunday morning driving plans if you plan to travel on some major roads near the Pentagon.

Tens of thousands of runners will be hitting the streets for the 27th Annual Army Ten-Miler race.

The race begins at 8 a.m. on Route 110 and ends in the Pentagon South Parking Lot, but some roads will be shut down as early as 5 a.m.  They should all be reopened by noon.

The road closures and times:

5 a.m. to 3 p.m.:

  • There will be no access to Pentagon North Parking, Boundary Channel Drive, or the eastern portion of Pentagon South Parking (Pentagon employees will be able to access South Parking via Columbia Pike or South Fern Street).

5 a.m. to 12 p.m.:

  • Route 110 (northbound and southbound) will be closed from Rosslyn to Crystal City.  The George Washington Parkway will remain open.

7 a.m. to 10 a.m.:

  • Access to Memorial Drive and the Memorial Bridge from Washington Boulevard (Route 27) will be closed.

7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

  •  I-395 HOV lanes will close and open on a rolling schedule from the Eads Street ramp to DC

Parking is limited, so runners, spectators and support personnel are encouraged to use Metro. The Pentagon and Pentagon City stations on the Blue and Yellow Lines are located within walking distance of the start and finish lines. Metro will open early, at 6 a.m.

Photo via armytenmiler.com

Big Pothole on Glebe Road Creating Traffic Hazard

By ARLnow.com

A big pothole on southbound Glebe Road, near S. 2nd Street, is causing a traffic hazard for drivers.

The pothole is forcing drivers in the left southbound lane to either swerve around it or slam on the brakes in order to avoid damage to their cars.

The hole appears to have formed in a recently-laid patch of asphalt.

Utility Work Continues at Busy Clarendon Intersection

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:15 p.m.) Verizon utility work is still blocking part of the busy intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Washington Boulevard in Clarendon.

The work has been on-going since late last night, after an underground cable was damaged by a contractor. Verizon says work in the intersection could continue through tomorrow morning.

“A contractor performing work to install traffic light control cables bored through one of our underground cables, affecting service for several hundred customers in the area,” said Verizon spokesman Harry J. Mitchell. “We will have to replace the damaged section of cable, and we’re preparing to do that. We hope to have all work done, and service restored to all customers, by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow (Oct. 7).”

Verizon crews are working in two manholes in the middle of the intersection. Water is being pumped out of one of the manholes and onto the street. Traffic is still getting by on each street in the six-point intersection, though some lanes are blocked.

Less than three weeks ago, Verizon phone and internet service was knocked offline for hundreds of customers in the Courthouse/Clarendon area when a contractor accidentally cut through several underground cables.

Accident at Lee Highway and Lynn Street

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:40 p.m.) A two-car accident has occurred at the busy intersection of Lee Highway and N. Lynn Street, in Rosslyn.

One car ran into a pole, while the other car ran into a guardrail. One minor injury was reported.

The accident happened at the southern Lee/Lynn intersection, away from pedestrians on the Custis Trail.

BREAKING NEWS — Pedestrian Dead After I-395 Accident

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 7:20 p.m.) A pedestrian was struck and killed on northbound I-395 near Glebe Road this afternoon, according to Virginia State Police.

The fatal accident happened just after 4:00 p.m. Police say a man had crossed all southbound and HOV lanes of I-395, and was in the midst of crossing the northbound lanes when he was struck.

The victim, identified by police as 64-year-old Arlington resident Fekadu Ledi, was hit by a car in the far right lane. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

All lanes have reopened at the accident scene. The accident caused significant rush hour delays on I-395 and Glebe Road, as police shut down all but one northbound lane of I-395, as well as a heavily-traveled ramp from Glebe Road.

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