heavy traffic

Flooding in D.C. Jams 14th Street Bridge

By ARLnow.com

(Updated 12:50 p.m.) The 14th Street Bridge is jammed heading into the District as flooding has blocked several major arteries into the city.

DDOT has reported the ramp to I-395 eastbound is closed at the 14th Street Bridge due to high standing water. Traffic is being directed onto 14th Street. As a result, major delays have formed across the bridge here in Virginia.

Traffic is moving very slowly approaching the bridge. Cars are backed up to Pentagon City on I-395, and police report that on-ramps in the area are also jammed. In fact, we’ve observed cars heading the wrong way on ramps to I-395 in order to get out of the backup. (See traffic camera image, above right.)

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the 14th Street Bridge if at all possible.

Morning Poll: ‘Terrible Traffic Tuesday’ Takes its Toll

By ARLnow.com

The Tuesday after Labor Day in Washington is traditionally known as ‘Terrible Traffic Tuesday.’

The monicker, which comes from AAA Mid-Atlantic, refers to the sudden, jolting return to heavy traffic that occurs when Washingtonians return from their summer vacations and head back to work — while students in Virginia, at the same time, head back to school.

Among other traffic jams, nearly the entire length of northbound I-395 was slow this morning, from the 14th Street Bridge through Alexandria.

How was your commute, either on the roads or on transit?

TRAFFIC ALERT: Northbound GW Parkway Closed

By ARLnow.com

The northbound GW Parkway has been shut down at the Spout Run Parkway due to falling rocks in the roadway. From the county’s Office of Emergency Management:

George Washington Parkway Northbound past Spout Run Parkway, Arlington Co. VA has been closed until atleast 10 PM due to debris in Roadway (Falling rocks)

All northbound travel lanes are blocked.  Traffic is being diverted onto Spout Run Parkway to I-66 Westbound.  Delays begin near the Roosevelt Bridge, approximately 1.5 miles.  Drivers should avoid this area and take alternate routes.

TRAFFIC ALERT — Very Heavy Traffic on NB I-395

By ARLnow.com

Update at 6:00 p.m. — Traffic has largely cleared out on I-395.

Earlier: Traffic is moving at a crawl on northbound I-395, from Alexandria to the 14th Street Bridge.

Commuters heading from Virginia to the District following today’s earthquake have jammed the highway, causing major delays. The southbound GW Parkway is also reported to be slow heading toward interchange with I-395.

Traffic is relatively light on Route 50, I-66 and Columbia Pike as of 5:10 p.m.

Rosslyn Road Closures Expected to Remain Through Rush Hour

By ARLnow.com

Update at 7:35 a.m. on 8/9/11 — Clarendon Boulevard has reopened, but neighborhood streets in the area of the collapse remain closed.

Update at 5:55 p.m. — Clarendon Boulevard and 16th Street will both remained closed between N. Pierce Street and N. Oak Street through the morning rush, the county said this afternoon.

Update at 1:10 p.m. — The processes of shoring up the collapsed retaining wall could take up to 48 hours, according Arlington County Inspection Services Division Chief Shahriar Amiri. While some road closures will remain, Amiri said that Clarendon Boulevard may reopen as soon as tomorrow’s morning rush hour. “We are working hard at it,” he said.

The road closures related to last night’s construction site collapse are expected to remain in place through tonight’s evening rush hour. Heavy traffic is expected as a result.

Arlington’s Office of Emergency Management issued the following alert just after 10:30 this morning.

It is anticipated that both lanes of eastbound Clarendon Blvd (N. Pierce St. to Oak St.) will remain closed through the evening rush hour, related to the construction site collapse.

On northbound Rte 110, the Rosslyn exit (via Wilson Blvd) has also been closed to relieve congestion. Motorists are encouraged to continue onto westbound I-66 to the Lee Hwy exit.

Lee Hwy (Rte. 29) and Arlington Blvd (Rte. 50) are the suggested routes for getting to and around Rosslyn. Those with plans in Rosslyn should expect major traffic delays. Transit, pedestrian & bicycle routing will also be affected.

Traffic Light Dark After Accident in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 12:45 p.m.) The traffic light at the busy intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Hayes Street is dark after a older model Mercedes sedan crashed into the traffic signal control box.

Police were directing traffic at the busy intersection, which is located across from the Pentagon City mall. The intersection handles Pentagon City traffic exiting and entering I-395. Backups are minor at this time, but police are not allowing drivers to make left-hand turns. County crews were seen erecting portable stop signs just before noon.

Dominion has reportedly been delayed in responding to the scene due to a power outage in Alexandria. Police have been told the repairs may last for much of the day.

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I-395 HOV Lane Blocked in D.C.

By ARLnow.com

Traffic is especially slow approaching the 14th Street Bridge this morning due to a sinkhole on the D.C. side of the bridge.

The ramp to northbound I-395 from the northbound HOV lanes is blocked due to a collapsed storm drain. Crews are on scene trying to repair the drain and reopen the roadway.

Drivers heading toward Capitol Hill via I-395 are advised to head into the District on the main line instead of the HOV lanes.

Westbound I-66 Slow After Accident

By ARLnow.com

Update at 4:45 p.m. — Two lanes are now getting by the accident scene.

Traffic on the westbound lanes of I-66 is heavy from Spout Run to the eastern border of Fairfax County due to an accident.

Two cars were involved in an accident near Williamsburg Boulevard. At least one person was injured and transported to a hospital.

One lane is blocked while crews work to clean up the wreck. A Twitter user said the westbound lanes of I-66 are like “a parking lot” before the accident.

Hay Fire May Cause Rush Hour Delays on I-66

By ARLnow.com

Update at 7:20 p.m. — As of 6:45 p.m., all lanes on I-66 have reopened.

A tractor trailer fire in Fairfax County may tie up rush hour traffic on I-66 this evening.

A truck carrying hay caught fire near Route 123 this afternoon. The hay quickly became fully-engulfed, leaving a smoldering mess that forced authorities to close all westbound lanes of I-66. At least two Bobcat front loaders have been brought in to help with the firefighting and clean-up efforts.

Backups on westbound I-66 now extend to the Beltway. The backups may worsen as rush hour approaches. Cars have been spotted crossing the median on I-66 in an attempt to get out of the miles-long traffic jam.

Westbound Route 50, a possible alternate route, is also backed up to the Beltway.

Photo courtesy @DavidLyonHall

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Heavy Traffic on Area Highways

By ARLnow.com

If you’re trying to leave town for Memorial Day weekend on I-66 or I-395, you’re going to have plenty of company.

Westbound I-66 is slow from Rosslyn to Falls Church. Meanwhile, northbound I-395 is jammed from Glebe Road to the 14th Street Bridge.

In addition to heavy traffic, we’ve also spotted packs of Rolling Thunder motorcyclists heading into town for the annual Memorial Day weekend gathering.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s Highway Bottlenecks — An annual report on traffic congestion is out and Arlington has claimed two of the three worst traffic bottlenecks in the region. Westbound I-66 in Arlington, northbound I-395 in Arlington ranked and eastbound I-66 in Fairfax County rounded out the top three spots. [Washington Post]

Colony House Sells to Developer — The Colony House furniture store on Lee Highway has been sold to Bethesda-based developer B.F. Saul for $5.6 million. The company, which developed the Clarendon Center project, says it hasn’t decided what to do with the site yet. In January, we reported that Colony House’s owner is hoping to find a new Arlington location for the store. [Washington Business Journal]

Columbia Pike Giant to Open This Summer — A 60,000 square foot Giant supermarket will be opening in the Penrose Square development on Columbia Pike at some point this summer, according to a store spokesperson. [TBD]

Video of President Obama’s Wakefield Visit — President Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a jovial visit to an AP U.S. History class at Wakefield High School yesterday. During an informal question-and-answer session, students asked the leaders about “schools in Australia, the recent flooding, Australian rule football, and even Vegemite.” President Obama also led students in a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” for their teacher, Northern Virginia Teacher of the Year Colette Fraley. [The White House Blog]

New Additions to Hillside Park — There’s a new sculpture in Rosslyn’s Hillside Park. Also, some plantings have been added. [Ode Street Tribune]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec

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