HOV lanes

Police Gear Up for ‘HOV Awareness Day’

By ARLnow.com

HOV violators are due for an unpleasant commute tomorrow.

The Arlington County Police Department is partnering with Virginia State Police and other local law enforcement agencies to conduct a “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day.” Officers will be conducting “saturation patrols” during the morning and evening rush hours in an effort to boost enforcement of High Occupancy Vehicle laws on I-395, I-66 and other local highways.

Two HOV Awareness Day operations last year resulted in police issuing more than 2,300 summonses and arresting two fugitives.

Authorities released the following press release about the operation this evening.

Virginia and Maryland law enforcement agencies are partnering June 14, 2011, to conduct another “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day.”

The comprehensive traffic-safety enforcement operation will involve High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) saturation patrols by Maryland State Police, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Police, Arlington County Police,
Fairfax County Police and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police (MWAA PD).

Virginia law enforcement will be targeting HOV violators on Interstates 66, 95, 395, and the Dulles Toll Road. Maryland State Police will be conducting its HOV enforcement efforts on Interstate 270 and Route 50.

During both morning and evening rush hours, law enforcement will be utilizing moving and stationary enforcement methods to detect and deter HOV violators. Police will be adjusting their enforcement methods throughout the operation in order to prevent traffic backups and added congestion.

With the increased presence of troopers and officers on the highways, motorists are reminded of Virginia’s “Move Over” law. The “Move Over” law requires motorists to change to another travel lane or, when not able to, to cautiously passing emergency personnel stopped out on the road.

Two multi-state HOV enforcement operations were conducted in May and July of 2010 and yielded a combined total of 1,669 HOV violations. The one-day initiatives also resulted in more than 2,300 summonses and arrests for other violations and offenses, to include the arrests of two fugitives.

Woman Arrested After HOV Violation

By ARLnow.com

A woman was arrested last week after being pulled over in Shirlington for an alleged HOV violation on I-395.

Police say 28-year-old Juanita Maxwell ignored orders to stay in her vehicle, then refused to comply with other police commands. According to the police report, she called 911 and then fought officers as they attempted to place her under arrest.

Maxwell was charged with resisting arrest and false summoning of law enforcement. She also received summons for an HOV violation and a window tint violation. She was released on a $1,250 bond.

Several Injured in 14th Street Bridge HOV Wreck

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:40 a.m. — The accident has been cleared and traffic is moving smoothly.

Four people have been injured, two seriously, in a wreck in the northbound HOV lanes of the 14th Street Bridge.

Nearly a dozen police, fire and medic units from Arlington and the District have responded to the accident scene. Northbound HOV traffic on I-395 is backed up to Washington Boulevard.

Several vehicles were involved in the collision.

McDonnell: “Looking At” Hybrid HOV Exemption

By ARLnow.com

On WTOP’s Ask the Governor program this morning, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was asked about the state law that allows vehicles with clean fuel license plates (like hybrids) to travel on HOV lanes without occupancy restrictions.

“Is there any point at which that will formally and permanently be canceled?” a caller asked the governor, adding that single-occupant hybrids “clog up” the HOV lanes during rush hour.

McDonnell, who signed a one-year extension of the law in March, noted that the law was “put in place in previous administrations… to create an incentive for using fuel-efficient cars.”

McDonnell said the exemption, which expires on June 30, 2011, will be examined as part of his administration’s transportation effort.

“The overall idea behind these… high occupancy lanes is to reduce congestion, and one person in a car doesn’t do that,” McDonnell said. “It’s part of one of the overall things that we’re looking at in the Department of Transportation in order to get people moving faster. Being able to have more people in one vehicle, or in rail or other modalities, is part of the solution.”

Motorcyclist Wipes Out On I-395

By ARLnow.com

A motorcyclist was injured after wiping out on I-395 around 8:00 this morning.

The accident happened in the southbound HOV lanes of I-395. Police on the scene reported that the man had taken out at least one of the gates used to prevent traffic from going the wrong way on the combined HOV lanes.

The extent of the man’s injuries are unknown. A repair crew from VDOT has been dispatched to repair the gate.

The motorcycle was described as a black Harley-Davidson with a West Virginia license plate.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Joins Region-Wide HOV Enforcement Effort Today — Today Arlington police will be joining Virginia State Police and other local law enforcement agencies in an effort to crack down on HOV violators. During the morning and evening rush hours, police will step up HOV patrols on I-66, I-395 and other local highways. More from WaPo’s Dr. Gridlock.

Injured Vets Stop at Iwo Jima Memorial on Cross-County Bike Ride — A group of 18 bicyclists, many of them wounded veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stopped in Arlington last night on their way from San Francisco to Virginia Beach. The vets stopped at the Marine Corps Memorial to see the retiring of the colors ceremony. More from the Associated Press.

Moran’s Cash Advantage Over Murray Nearly 20:1 — Talk about an incumbent advantage. In the latest disclosure period, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) reported nearly twenty times as much cash on hand as his Republican challenger, Patrick Murray. Murray has $29,890 to Moran’s $581,829. The Sun Gazette reports that Murray’s congressional campaign also has $35,000 in unpaid debt.

Annual Twilight 5K Returns to Crystal City Saturday — Now in its third year, the Crystal City Twilighter 5K will once again wind its way through the streets of Crystal City as the sun sets Saturday night. The race will get underway around 8:00 p.m. on Crystal Drive between 20th Street and 23rd Street. The Twilighter features medals for the top three finishers in 16 age groups, cash prizes for the top five finishers, and a killer after party. Online registration for the race ends Friday.

Arlington Participating in HOV Awareness Day

By ARLnow.com

Wednesday will not be a good day to try to skirt the HOV restrictions on I-395 or I-66. Not that any day is.

The Arlington County Police Department is coordinating with Virginia State Police, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police and other regional law enforcement agencies for the first “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day” on May 5.

Police will conduct “saturation patrols” targeting HOV violators on local interstates during the morning and evening rush hours.

As part of the HOV Awareness Day campaign, authorities are also warning Virginia drivers to follow the state’s Move Over law, which requires motorists to change lanes or — if it’s not possible to change lanes — slow down when passing stopped emergency personnel. Violating the law carries a fine of up to $2,500 and/or 12 months in jail.