I-395

GW Parkway Repairs to Cause Lane Closures

By Heather Mongilio

Map of GW Parkway that will have repairs.The National Park Service will begin a repair project on the GW Parkway between Reagan National Airport and Interstate 395 on June 15, causing traffic delays in both directions.

Ramps to the 14th Bridge and on and off GW Parkway are also affected by the construction.

Single-lane closures will occur in both directions between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Two-lane closures are expected between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. The lane closures are expected to cause delays.

NPS will work to minimize disruptions to travelers using Reagan National Airport.

Construction is anticipated to be finished by mid-December 2015, barring any inclement weather delays.

“Every effort will be made to minimize traffic delays and accomplish the work in a timely manner. The NPS regrets any inconvenience and appreciates all motorists’ understanding and patience,” NPS said.

Photo via Google Maps

Overturned Vehicle on I-395 in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

I-395 accidentPolice and firefighters are on the scene of a reported rollover accident on I-395.

The accident happened at the exit 8A ramp off of northbound I-395, near Pentagon City. Two travel lanes and the ramp are blocked approaching the scene.

Initial reports suggest that it’s a single-vehicle accident involving an overturned SUV. The driver was able to get out of the overturned vehicle on his or her own power, according to scanner traffic.

The driver’s injuries are said to be minor.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Waterview condominium building in Rosslyn

World Trade Center Pieces Transported — An Arlington resident snapped a photo of the convoy on I-395 that way carrying pieces of the World Trade Center to the Marine Corps Museum in Triangle, Va. [Twitter]

Women in Business Conference — The Arlington County Commission on the Status of Women will be holding its third annual Women in Business Conference this week. The conference, to be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the NRECA conference center in Ballston, will highlight women in non-traditional fields. ABC 7’s Maureen Bunyan will host. [Arlington County]

Football and Open House Attendance — Do Washington Redskins games impact attendance at Sunday open houses? The Sun Gazette posed that question to 18 realtors — most said “yes” or “sometimes.” [InsideNova]

I-Beam From World Trade Center to Travel Down I-395

By ARLnow.com

FDNY presents Arlington with steel from the World Trade Center (file photo)A motorcade carrying an I-beam from the World Trade Center could have some traffic impacts in Arlington over the weekend.

The I-beam, accompanied by a motorcade that will include a New York City fire engine, is expected to transported down the HOV lanes of I-395 Saturday afternoon. It will travel through the District, then Arlington, en route to the Marine Corps Museum in Triangle, Va.

From the Virginia Dept. of Transportation:

Motorists on I-95 can expect delays on Saturday, Oct. 4 due to a massive motorcade transporting an I-beam from the World Trade Center to the Marine Corps Museum.

The I-beam will be escorted by a New York City fire truck, with an estimated 500 to 1,500 motorcycles and support vehicles accompanying the truck. The convoy will enter Virginia from Washington, D.C. via the I-395 HOV lanes at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday. It will follow the southbound HOV lanes to a stretch of the new I-95 Express Lanes near Dumfries and use a new flyover ramp to merge onto the southbound I-95 regular lanes and exit at Joplin Road (Exit 150). VDOT will close the right regular lane of I-95 South near the merge and close the Joplin Road exit ramps in both directions.

Motorists will have two regular lanes in the area of Joplin Road and can expect traffic delays from approximately 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists should also expect delays on Route 1 when the motorcade is traveling from Joplin Road to the museum.

The I-395/95 HOV lanes were already scheduled to be closed for 95 Express Lanes construction, beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, October 3 through 8 a.m. Sunday, October 5. The contractor, Fluor-Lane, will clear construction in the lanes Saturday afternoon to accommodate the motorcade. The HOV lanes will reopen in the northbound direction by 8 a.m. Sunday.

Fluor-Lane accelerated the opening of the flyover ramp to accommodate the motorcade and avoid the complete closure of I-95 that otherwise would have been required.

As seen above, the Arlington County Fire Department was presented with a steel beam from the World Trade Center in 2010.

File photo

Crash Causes Backup on I-395

By Ethan Rothstein

Car crash snares traffic on I-395 Sept. 30, 2014 Car crash snares traffic on I-395 Sept. 30, 2014

(Updated at 12:20 p.m.) A car crash closed all lanes of traffic on southbound I-395 this morning.

The accident occurred at just after 11:00 a.m. Virginia State Police closed off all lanes of the highway next to the Shirlington Circle to clear the scene for Arlington firefighters and paramedics.

Police diverted traffic onto the exit ramp, where cars are able to pass through and continue on I-395 past the crash.

Backups on SB I-395 stretched to the exit for Washington Blvd. The roadway has since reopened.

I-395 Bridge to Be Named After Trooper Killed in 1988

By Ethan Rothstein

I-395 bridge over S. Glebe Road (Photo via Google Maps)The bridge that takes I-395 over S. Glebe Road is slated to be renamed for Virginia State Trooper Jacqueline Vernon, who was killed in 1988 during a traffic stop on the interstate.

The Arlington County Board passed a resolution asking the General Assembly to rename the bridge in Vernon’s honor. Vernon was killed Aug. 4, 1988, after pulling over an HOV violator on a nearby stretch of I-395 when, while speaking to the driver, a Metrobus struck and killed her.

Vernon, who was born in West Virginia during segregation in 1955, was the first woman and first African American Virginia state trooper to be killed in the line of duty.

Jackie Vernon (Photo via Facebook)The resolution erroneously calls for “the Glebe Road bridge over I-395” to renamed, but there is no such bridge. According to the county’s legislative liaison to the General Assembly, Pat Carroll, there was a mistake in the resolution, and the I-395 bridge over Glebe Road is what’s actually expected to be renamed.

Vernon’s family was in attendance during the resolution on Tuesday afternoon, and County Board Chair Jay Fisette read a letter written by Vernon’s brother, Ron, transcribed after the jump.

Vernon’s family had been trying for years to get a bridge or stretch of road named after her, and their efforts appear likely to pay off. Fisette said he “can’t imagine” the General Assembly wouldn’t approve of naming the bridge after her during their 2015 session.

After the jump is Ron Vernon’s letter, “Sacrifice.”

(more…)

Very Heavy Traffic on I-395, GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com

14th Street Bridge accident 9/25/14The entire stretch of northbound I-395 inside the Beltway was jammed up during this latter part of this morning’s rush hour, in part due to an accident on the 14th Street Bridge.

The left two lanes of the bridge were blocked by the accident, though as of 8:05 a.m. only one lane remained closed.

In addition to the traffic crawling on northbound I-395, heavy traffic could be seen approaching the 14th Street Bridge from the north and the south on the George Washington Parkway.

Traffic on eastbound I-66, meanwhile, was relatively clear through Arlington until the Rosslyn tunnel.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Multiple Vehicle Accident on GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) U.S. Park Police are on the scene of a multiple vehicle accident that’s snarling traffic in the southbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway, near I-395.

Traffic is being diverted around the accident but the entire area is congested. Park Police recommend avoiding the area.

Rescue crews attended to one injured person who sustained non-life threatening injuries. The Arlington County Fire Department confirms the injured person was an off duty Park Police officer.

ACFD confirms a Park Police helicopter landed at the scene to assist and transported the injured officer to Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. From Twitter:

UPDATED: NB I-395 Closed After Van Overturns Near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Update at 4:50 p.m. — All lanes have reopened.

Update at 4:00 p.m. — The trapped victims have been extricated from the van. Rescuers are starting to clear the scene and police are planning on reopening at least one right-hand lane shorty.

Earlier: Police and firefighters are on the scene of an overturned minivan on I-395.

The incident happened just before 3:15 p.m., on the mainline northbound lanes under Shirlington Circle. As of 3:20 p.m., the northbound lanes were completely blocked and traffic was being diverted onto the circle.

Rescuers are reporting three people injured, with two people still trapped inside the van. Firefighters are currently trying to extricate the two trapped victims from the vehicle.

Photos courtesy @gogogaryo as noted

Backups on SB I-395 After Accident Near King Street

By ARLnow.com

Accident at I-395 and King StreetThe evening commute on southbound I-395 is especially slow today due to a multi-vehicle accident.

The accident happened in the mainline lanes near King Street just before 5:00 p.m. Medics are reportedly evaluating two people: a pregnant woman and a person with a head injury.

Currently, three lefthand lanes are blocked by the emergency response. Traffic is backing up just past the Pentagon.

View More Stories