Traffic

Power Outage in North Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Nearly 3,500 Dominion customers in North Arlington are without power this afternoon. The outage was possibly caused by a branch that hit a power line and caused a transformer to catch fire.

Police report that traffic lights on Glebe Road are out from I-66 near Ballston to Lee Highway. The outage at the busy Lee Highway and North Glebe Road intersection has the potential for a significant traffic impact.

Initial reports suggest other traffic lights may also be out on Lee Highway.

Several tripped alarms and stuck elevators have been reported in the area, likely a result of the outage.

Update at 1:40 p.m. — Power has been restored to most Dominion customers.

Traffic Lights Out at Wilson and Washington Boulevards

By ARLnow.com

Police are reporting that traffic lights are on flash at the intersection of Wilson and Washington Boulevards in Clarendon.

The county’s Department of Public Works is responding to the scene.

Update at 2:10 p.m. — It’s been at least 45 minutes since the original call went out. The lights are still flashing.

Update at 2:40 p.m. — Thanks to @goremy, we’re hearing that the lights are working again.

Is North Quincy and 9th Street a Dangerous Intersection?

By ARLnow.com

To be sure, the intersection at North Quincy Street and 9th Street in Ballston is challenging, for both cars and pedestrians. But is it dangerous?

The intersection is a two-way stop, with stop signs on 9th Street but clear sailing on Quincy. Those on foot crossing Quincy must trust that fast-moving cars are going to obey the law and yield to them in the crosswalk. Those behind the wheel on 9th Street during rush hour must play a real-life game of Frogger, dodging pedestrians and cars in their effort to make a left or cross the street.

“I wrote to Arlington County [a]while ago about this intersection and they mentioned that it did not need a traffic light or four-way stop,” one concerned citizen tells us. “However, it is still extremely dangerous and should have something to make it safer.”

In an email viewed by ARLnow.com, a county traffic engineer insists that “an all-way stop condition is not recommended at this location.” The engineer said a “yield to pedestrians” sign had been installed to “raise awareness of pedestrian activity at the intersection.”

“I guess someone has to get hit for them to do something,” our concerned citizen said.

(more…)

Route 50 Lane Closure Will Likely Remain Through End of Year

By ARLnow.com

Hopefully you’ve gotten used to the lane closure on westbound Route 50 near Courthouse, because it’s probably sticking around for the holidays.

The lane closure, put into place to facilitate a utility relocation project, was originally supposed to be lifted in July. Now, it will likely be in place through the end of the year.

Washington Gas will wrap up their portion of the utility work by the end of October or beginning of November, according to VDOT utility relocation manager Matthew McLaughlin. Then it’s expected that Dominion will start a two-month installation of an underground electrical conduit. The existing lane closure will stay in place during that time.

The planned two-month duration of the Dominion work “can increase very quickly” in the event of inclement weather, we’re told.

The lane closure has made a tricky merge from Courthouse Road onto westbound Route 50 even trickier. Somewhat ironically, the ultimate goal of the utility relocation work is to prepare for the construction of a safer Route 50/Courthouse Road interchange.

The multi-month delays in the project were caused by additional utility relocations that had to be made due to changes in the interchange construction plan, McLaughlin said.

Photo courtesy Todd DuBois

Washington Blvd Bridge Project Could Cause Delays

By ARLnow.com

There’s some good news and some not-so-good news to report for people who regularly travel over or under the Washington Boulevard bridge.

The good news is that both thoroughfares will remain open during construction of the new Washington Boulevard bridge, a three-year process that’s expected to begin next fall. Plus, all original travel lanes on each will be open during rush hour and during certain special events and federal holidays.

The bad news is that during the day, during construction, the re-routing of Columbia Pike traffic around the bridge may get a bit funky and cause some delays. The contractor selected to undertake the project will ultimately be able to design their own traffic management scheme, but the plan initially envisioned by VDOT involves directing Columbia Pike traffic up the existing ramps to a makeshift stop light on Washington Boulevard, turning Washington Boulevard and Columbia Pike into a four-way intersection.

“[The contractor] will need to demonstrate to [VDOT] that they will be able to adequately maintain the traffic demand,” said VDOT senior engineer Christiana Briganti-Dunn.

Residents who live in the area can breathe easier, however, since VDOT says it will not consider any plan that routes traffic onto neighborhood streets. Also, the intersection of Queen Street and Columbia Pike will remain open during construction, we’re told.

“We don’t want to adversely affect neighborhood streets with detours,” Briganti-Dunn said. “We want the least disturbance possible.”

The project, which will cost an estimated $59 million, will ultimately result in the demolition of the crumbling, 65-year-old Washington Boulevard bridge, likely in late 2014 or in 2015.

(more…)

Chain Bridge to Close for the Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Chain Bridge will be closed from 8:00 tonight to 5:00 Monday morning, Arlington County said today.

“There will be no access to the bridge from either the District of Columbia or Arlington, including access for cyclists and pedestrians,” the county advises.

Crews will be performing structural work under the bridge deck.

The bridge will also be closed on the weekends of October 1, 8 and 15.

Car Smashes Over Guardrail on I-395 Exit

By ARLnow.com

A car smashed over a guardrail while trying to exit onto Glebe Road from northbound I-395. Initial reports suggest that the car’s two occupants only suffered minor injuries.

The exit ramp is currently closed while medics attend to the occupants and as a tow truck attempts to clear the wreckage.

Traffic on I-395 does not appear to be affected.

Slow Start to the Weekend For I-66 Commuters

By ARLnow.com

If you were thinking of making a quick break for home or vacation on westbound I-66 today, think again. An accident on westbound I-66 before the Spout Run Parkway exit is backing up traffic leaving the District.

One lane is currently getting by past the accident scene.

Update at 5:45 p.m. — The accident has been cleared. Delays remain.

Heavy Traffic on Westbound I-66

By ARLnow.com

Traffic is remarkably heavy on westbound I-66 this afternoon. Traffic is currently backed up from before Glebe Road past Westmoreland Street.

One emergency responder who was trying to get by the traffic called it “a faster version of a parking lot.”

Elsewhere along I-66, an accident on the ramp from I-66 to Route 110 between a dump truck and a passenger vehicle is reported to be causing some slowdowns. Firefighters have just been dispatched to the scene to help clean up fluid spilled as a result of the accident.

Summer Vacations Over, AAA Declares ‘Terrible Traffic Tuesday’

By ARLnow.com

The way AAA Mid-Atlantic tells it, the Tuesday after Labor Day is one of the year’s most “mind-numbing, soul-robbing” days traffic-wise.

The automobile association says that DC-area drivers should “brace themselves” for the one-two punch of kids going back to school and workers returning from summer vacations today. After a two-month respite from the worst of the area’s traffic, things should be back to gridlock-as-usual — a “dreadful day of reckoning” known as “Terrible Traffic Tuesday.”

AAA notes that about 1.5 million local commuters drive to work solo on any given workday. The group says that despite the increasing number of people working from home, Metro’s recent troubles and the new peak-of-the-peak fare may be putting more cars on the road.

“With the recent fare increases and number of breakdowns, more and more people could be shying away from some of the area’s mass transit alternatives,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson John Townsend.

Delays on Westbound I-66 After Accident

By ARLnow.com

There are some big delays on westbound I-66 after an accident near Glebe Road. Paramedics are currently trying to make their way through heavy traffic to the scene of the accident.

At 9:50 a.m., police on the scene said they were temporarily shutting down the highway while they move the accident to the side of the road.

Traffic had slowed to a crawl before the wreck, but is starting to clear out.

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