Location of crash on the GW Parkway (via Google Maps)
A crash involving three vehicles, one of which ran into the woods, has been reported in the southbound lanes of the GW Parkway.
The crash happened around 3 p.m., south of Key Bridge. So far, no serious injuries have been reported, but at one car was said to have gone well off the road and into a wooded area.
Southbound traffic on the Parkway is currently backed up past Spout Run
This afternoon’s wreck did not happen in the “usual spot” for rainy day crashes, on the northbound GW Parkway north of Key Bridge, but it did happen at a bend in the road amid rainy weather.
Overturned vehicle on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge (staff photo)
Overturned vehicle on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge (staff photo)
Location of crash on GW Parkway near Key Bridge (via Google Maps)
A well-known spot for rainy day crashes has claimed more vehicular victims.
The crash happened around 11 a.m. on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, and involves one vehicle — which appears to be a pickup truck — on its side near the stone wall. The bend in the two-lane stretch of parkway has been the scene of repeated crashes, particularly when it rains.
This is at least the sixth such crash in this spot since June, and that only counts those that have been reported by ARLnow. Four of the six crashes involved overturned vehicles.
Initial reports suggested that the latest crash involved two vehicles, though the exact circumstances are unclear. All occupants of the overturned vehicle were able to get out before firefighters arrived on scene, according to scanner traffic.
No serious injuries were reported. Northbound traffic on the GW Parkway is currently backed up past the Roosevelt Bridge.
LOCATION: George Washington Pkwy/Key Bridge INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: All lanes on NB George Washington Parkway are closed to traffic for a collision under the Key bridge. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/cm21xgyNg6
Flipped vehicle on S. Walter Reed Drive (photo courtesy Jennifer G.)
Only minor injuries were reported after a vehicle overturned on S. Walter Reed Drive this afternoon.
The crash happened around lunchtime, just north of the intersection with Four Mile Run Drive and near the bottom of a steep hill. All lanes of Walter Reed Drive were closed during the crash response but fully reopened by 1:30 p.m.
It’s unclear how the crash happened. No serious injuries were reported.
This is at least the second crash involving an overturned vehicle in Arlington in as many days. Yesterday a vehicle overturned on westbound I-66 at the entrance to the Rosslyn tunnel, blocking traffic for about an hour.
LOCATION: S Walter Reed Dr/ S Four Mile Run Dr INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: Lanes are closed to north and southbound traffic on S Walter Reed Dr from S Four mile run Dr to S Randolph St. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/97c2VK0VgI
Ireland’s Four Courts on fire and an injured person being helped after a vehicle reportedly crashed into it (photo courtesy Craig Smith)
Ireland’s Four Courts on fire after a vehicle reportedly crashed into it (photo courtesy Sean Quinn/Twitter)
Damage inside Ireland’s Four Courts as of 9/15/22 (staff photo)
The car that crashed into Ireland’s Four Courts is taken away on a flatbed tow truck (photo courtesy Dave Cahill)
Ireland’s Four Courts boarded up on 9/15/22 (staff photo)
(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) The rideshare driver who plowed into Ireland’s Four Courts in August, seriously injuring several people, will not face charges.
Arlington County police reiterated this morning that the driver most likely suffered a medical emergency while driving up N. Courthouse Road and speeding into the front of the pub during a Friday happy hour.
“The comprehensive investigation, which included an extensive review of evidence, supported the conclusion the driver experienced a medical emergency prior to the crash,” ACPD said today in a brief update. “Following consultation with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, criminal charges will not be sought against the driver.”
All three pub-goers who were hospitalized with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries were out of the hospital as of one month ago. One patient was still in critical condition and two others were in stable condition within a week of the crash.
Four Courts’ managing partner told ARLnow today that the cleanup will start soon, now that police and private investigations have wrapped up, though no reopening date has been set. The pub suffered extensive fire damage after the car burst into flames.
“Uber investigators finished their investigation yesterday and we can now finally start the demolition process,” said Dave Cahill. “Once this is done we will know the extent of the damage. We are very grateful for the all the support from all community and from Arlington County as we start this process. We hoping to start the rebuild in a couple of months.”
N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive intersection near Lubber Run Community Center (image via Google Maps)
(Updated, 4:55 p.m.) A recent crash has renewed concerns about an intersection near the year-old Lubber Run Community Center.
For years, the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive in the Arlington Forest neighborhood has been a source of worry for neighbors. The mix of speeding, four lanes, and a lack of a traffic signal have resulted in too many vehicle crashes, residents told ARLnow.
There have been 19 crashes at the intersection dating back to 2017, per data provided to ARLnow by the county’s Department of Environmental Services (DES). That includes one pedestrian-involved crash in 2018. None of the crashes resulted “in severe injury,” DES said.
A crash near the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive (photo courtesy of David Hartogs)
But since the new Lubber Run Community Center opened in July 2021, the problem has only gotten worse. Nearly half of those crashes have happened in just the past 19 months, statistics from the Arlington County Police Department show.
That includes another crash earlier this week.
@ARLnowDOTcom yet another crash at N. Park Dr. and N. George Mason. @ArlingtonVA how many accidents at this intersection before we get a light? Or are you waiting for a child to get hit first? This is right by the community center and school. pic.twitter.com/ZgcJB4zMyJ
The county did add Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the intersection in late 2020 as part of a transportation study related to the community center project.
But this has not alleviated neighbors’ concerns. There’s a considerable worry that with increased pedestrian traffic, plus with Barrett Elementary School also nearby, it’s just a matter of time before a driver hits another pedestrian.
In other parts of the county, preventing pedestrian and bicyclists-involved crashes has been a significant ongoing concern amid a continued series of tragedies.
David Hartogs, who has lived in the townhomes across the street since 2005, told ARLnow he’s witnessed a “handful of crashes” and has heard at least another dozen at the intersection just over the last few years.
He recounted several of the crashes that stick in his mind most to ARLnow, including a car jumping a curb last spring, two accidents that resulted in vehicles ending up in the woods, and even a school bus “brushing” a motorcycle last November.
A school bus “brushing” a motorcycle at the intersection of N. Park Drive and N. George Mason Drive (photo courtesy of David Hartogs)
Earlier this week, Hartogs saw another crash and tweeted about his concern. As he noted on social media, he believes that there needs to be a traffic signal at that intersection and not just an RRFB.
He walks his kids to school and often thinks about their safety crossing that intersection.
A utility pole blocks a narrow sidewalk, bordering four lanes of traffic on S. Carlin Springs Road (via Google Maps)
After a driver collided with a child on a bicycle on S. Carlin Springs Road this week, neighbors and advocates are calling for street safety upgrades.
For its part, Arlington County says it has already been working on safety measures for the area, which has narrow sidewalks, little or no pedestrian buffer and a history of crashes. Upcoming steps include reducing speeds near the schools in the area: Kenmore Middle School and Carlin Springs Elementary.
“We are looking into the details from police regarding the crash and will identify next steps based on the report,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien said.
And Arlington County Board member Matt de Ferranti has recently gotten involved, too. He tells ARLnow he has walked the area with advocates and will be meeting with staff next week.
“First and foremost, I understand that the young man is okay and the safety of our kids and our residents is highest on my mind,” de Ferranti said. “Second, the accident raises important and urgent questions about safety in that whole corridor… We need to do better to address them.”
How the crash happened
Just before 7 p.m. on Monday, a driver traveling south on S. Carlin Springs Road proceeded through a green light and struck a juvenile riding a bicycle in the crosswalk, Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said.
The driver remained on scene. The child, who did not require a trip to the hospital for treatment, was tended to on scene by medics, Savage said. No citations were issued.
While ACPD does not provide identifying information, she did say the child involved was older than first reported on social media.
The boy was bleeding, but injuries appeared NLT. He was tended to by medics and police in the back of what appeared to be an @APSVirginia white van (logo on pass door – assuming Kenmore M.S. related) to in the 7-11 parking lot. pic.twitter.com/qtr4Yijzrn
Community advocate Janeth Valenzuela tells ARLnow that she passed by the crash around 6:45 p.m. and saw emergency responders. She says she’s been working on safety along S. Carlin Springs Road for many years now, and has suggested everything from building a bridge for kids crossing the road to erecting a fence to prevent kids from getting pushed into the street.
“I’ve been proposing a lot of things, but they don’t take it into consideration,” she said. “The solution is hard.”
S. Carlin Springs Road is an important walking route for Kenmore students, but she and other residents say the pedestrian amenities are poor. Sidewalks are narrow and not well maintained and often do not have any landscaping separating pedestrians from traffic.
Narrow sidewalks provide no separation between pedestrians and drivers on S. Carlin Springs Road (via Google Maps)
And people have been telling the county the same thing for nearly a decade, according to a 2014 report by the APS Multimodal Transportation and Student Safety Committee and Advisory Committee on Transportation Choices meeting minutes from 2017.
During one ACTC meeting in 2017, a father said moms with strollers pass kids playfully shoving each other on the sidewalk as cars whiz right next to them. In the winter, if the sidewalks aren’t plowed, kids walk in the road, he added.
Amid rainy weather, a vehicle crashed and overturned on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, at a bend in the road that — as we reported yesterday — has been the scene of numerous crashes. This is at least the third crash at that location in the past three days.
The crash occurred shortly before 8:45 a.m. The driver was able to get out of the overturned vehicle and no serious injuries have been reported, according to scanner traffic.
Drivers should expect significant backups on the northbound GW Parkway south of the bridge as a result of the crash.
Many commuter routes in Arlington are currently experiencing heavy traffic due to the rain, crashes, and — in the case of inbound traffic heading over the Key Bridge — a demonstration in D.C.
ADVISORY: In NW, M St is BLOCKED btwn 34th and 33rd Streets by demonstration. AVOID #Georgetown#NWDC#DCTraffic
LOCATION: NB Glebe /SB Glebe INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: Traffic is closed due to a vehicle blocking the ramp to I-395 at the intersection of North Glebe Road and South Glebe Road. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/rg9kURbQ4A
We’ve heard from many that Wednesdays have become the busiest commuting days of the week. Throw in some rain on our roads, a few accidents, and this is what we get. Back to soul-crushing traffic @nbcwashington#dctrafficpic.twitter.com/29tcj2riSv
All lanes of eastbound I-66 lanes approaching Rosslyn were closed tonight due to a crash.
A car crashed and overturned shortly after 8:30 p.m. No serious injuries were reported but traffic was diverted onto Langston Blvd while crews worked to clean up the crash scene.
Vehicle crash on the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge on Sunday (photo courtesy Alan Henney)
It’s almost as automatic as Steph Curry draining free throws at this point.
Whenever there’s a soaking rainfall, it seems that some drivers cannot help but slide off the road at a certain bend in the northbound GW Parkway near Key Bridge, sometimes flipping their cars in the process.
One such overturned vehicle crash happened during last night’s commute, shutting down the northbound lanes for nearly an hour.
LOCATION: NB GW Pkwy / Key Bridge INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: One vehicle overturned and in the roadway NB GW Pkwy just before Key Bridge. Seek alternate route. pic.twitter.com/FAx7KDP8uK
And that was just the most recent crash during our current rainy stretch.
Over the weekend, police responded to at least one single-vehicle crash in the same spot.
ANOTHER PARKWAY CRASH— from just before 5:30 p.m. on n/b George Washington Memorial Pky on curve prior to Key Bridge. Single-vehicle crash with one patient with minor cut to the head. US Park Police have responded to several similar crashes today on area parkways. @ARLnowDOTcompic.twitter.com/giLCQVPtOs
A crash with an overturned vehicle that snarled morning rush hour traffic in June 2019
The crashes have, over time, pockmarked the stone wall along that stretch of the Parkway. The wrecks also inspired a Mike Mount cartoon earlier this year.
While this particular bend is arguably the most crash-prone section of the Parkway in Arlington, other sections have seen recent crashes, including the southbound lanes near Memorial Bridge earlier this morning.
#DC: SB GW Pkwy after the Memorial Bridge – vehicle off road to the right. Watch for response/tow truck along the right side #DCtraffic
The National Park Service, which is responsible for maintaining the Parkway, recently kicked off a major rehabilitation project for the busy commuter route. However, that work is taking place north of both sections referenced above — from Spout Run Parkway to I-495.
Short of potential future safety improvements, the best way for drivers to avoid crashes may be to simply slow down, particularly in rainy weather.
Arlington police cruiser damaged by alleged DUI driver in crash (photo via ACPD)
Arlington police cruisers were “significantly” damaged in two separate DUI crashes in September, according to ACPD.
The police department said on social media that the crashes happened while “officers were working incidents along Arlington roadways” but “the cruisers were unoccupied at the time of the crashes and no officers were injured.”
It’s a cautionary tale against both drunk driving and failing to drive carefully around those working in the roadway, police say.
“These crashes highlight the dangers emergency personnel can face when they step out onto the roadway to assist travelers and keep our communities safe,” write ACPD. “We all have a responsibility to protect those who protect us. Slow down and move over when you see flashing red, blue or amber lights.”
MOVE OVER: IT’S THE LAW. This month, two ACPD cruisers were significantly damaged after being struck by motorists as the officers were working incidents along Arlington roadways. Luckily, the cruisers were unoccupied at the time of the crashes and no officers were injured. pic.twitter.com/gNyslaUdHT
In both incidents, the drivers of the striking vehicles were arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence. Remember, it is never okay to drink and drive. Always plan a sober ride—whether it’s a ridesharing service, taxi, public transportation, or designated sober driver.
The drivers of both striking vehicles were arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence, the police department said. These incidents come amid a continued rise in DUI arrests.
DUI arrests in Arlington (image courtesy ACPD)
After falling in the first year of the pandemic, DUI arrests have been on the rise in Arlington County, according to ACPD stats provided to ARLnow. Between the first of the year and Sept. 22, there were 342 DUI arrests, compared to 253 and 318 arrests during that same time period in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
A fatal hit-and-run that killed a woman crossing the street near Thomas Jefferson Middle School in August has also brought attention to DUI and alcohol-related crashes. The driver was later arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, hit and run, driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license.
“Remember, it is never okay to drink and drive,” ACPD said via social media. “Always plan a sober ride — whether it’s a ridesharing service, taxi, public transportation, or designated sober driver.”
Asked about how the department handles cruisers being damaged by crashes, police spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow that if repairs are not possible it takes 6-8 months to outfit a new cruiser.
“ACPD maintains a fleet of police vehicles for officer use,” Savage said via email. “Generally speaking, vehicles involved in crashes are removed from service and taken to the equipment yard for evaluation and repair. If a police vehicle is determined to no longer be operational due to a crash, it takes approximately 6 – 8 months to obtain and outfit a vehicle with the necessary police equipment.”
Car goes vertical in the Arlington Mill neighborhood (photo courtesy anonymous)
The Arlington Mill neighborhood was the scene of one of the more unusual crashes in recent memory yesterday afternoon.
Just before 4 p.m. Sunday, police and firefighters were dispatched to the intersection of 8th Road S. and S. Florida Street for the report of a single-vehicle crash involving an older Toyota Camry and an elderly driver. One of the first arriving units reported the car “completely up on the telephone pole, a good 10 feet in the air.”
It appeared that the driver somehow backed up onto the guy-wire of a utility pole with enough force for the beige Toyota to get suspended vertically.
Thankfully, no one was injured, we’re told, and little damage was evident in a photo sent to ARLnow.
“The driver was out [of the car] prior to our arrival,” said Arlington fire department spokesman Capt. Nate Hiner. “I can’t speak to the cause or how it happened.”
