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.
No, you weren’t imagining things on your commute that morning. Those were, in fact, two horses grazing near the off-ramp from northbound I-395 to Glebe Road.
It’s unclear why exactly the horses were there — some sort of accident or mechanical mishap involving the tow vehicle, perhaps — but those tending to the horses apparently decided that they needed to munch on some grass while waiting to continue on with their journey.
Finally, around 10:00 this morning, the horses loaded back into the trailer, following the arrival of an SUV. Minutes later, the SUV towed the trailer away and everything was back to normal.
Photo (right) courtesy Matt Coyne
Arlington County is being told to hand over some funding, by a group blasting the county for forcing the end to the proposed HOT lane project on I-395.
Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance has released a statement blaming Arlington for the loss of transit improvement funds that would have been generated by the HOT lanes. A key factor in scrapping the HOT lanes project was Arlington County’s lawsuit against the state. The county questioned turning over the project to a foreign company, said the project was poorly designed and said the plan could cause more traffic congestion.
NVTA says Arlington, not other communities which supported the HOT lanes proposal, should have to pay for future transit improvements. The group suggests dipping into the $60 million earmarked for Arlington highways and transit in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Six-Year Improvement Plan. NTVA also put forth the idea of stripping funds from the county’s proposed streetcar line, which would run along Columbia Pike and Crystal Drive.
Arlington County withdrew its lawsuit in February, days after VDOT announced it would no longer pursue HOT lanes on the Arlington and Alexandria portions of I-395.
(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.
Arlington is taking action to fend off potential by-right development by big box retailers, like Walmart, in the county’s industrial areas.
Just before adjourning for the summer, the County Board quickly and unanimously passed an item that did not appear on the board agenda. The item, a request to advertise public hearings, is the first step to passing a zoning amendment that would effectively prevent Walmart, Target and other large-format retailers (including certain supermarkets) from building stores without the Board’s prior approval.
The Board took the action as Walmart eyes an industrial site near Shirlington, adjacent to I-395 and the former Washington Golf store, for potential development. A source tells ARLnow.com that the retail giant is in the very early stages of a plan to build one of its new, multi-story urban-style stores, like those proposed for the District and Tysons Corner, at the site, which is currently occupied by a large car storage lot. The store, according to the source, would be two to three stories high with a smaller footprint than the typical, suburban Walmart store.
The proposed zoning amendment advertised Tuesday night specifies that any building in a “C-1” or “C-2” commercial zone, with a “gross floor area of 50,000 square feet or more on any level” would be subject to prior approval by the County Board under a Special Exception Use Permit. The exception would also apply to buildings with 200 or more parking spaces. Under the current zoning ordinance, Walmart would be able to build a store on the Shirlington site “by right” — without Board approval — a source with knowledge of zoning issues tells us.
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.
A truck has overturned on the ramp from northbound I-395 to King Street.
The ramp and one lane of I-395 is currently blocked.
Firefighters and paramedics from Arlington and Alexandria are responding to the scene. So far, no injuries have been reported.
Drivers should expect some delays in the area.
We’re riding along with Virginia State Police this morning as law enforcement agencies region-wide conduct a “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day” mass enforcement operation.
So far drivers on I-395 have been well-behaved — we’ve only seen two HOV violators in the past hour and a half.
That will likely change, we’re told, as the commute goes on. Typically, more drivers will try to test their luck near the end of the morning rush hour.
The most surprising observation so far? The number of hybrid and clean fuel vehicles on the road. Such vehicles, with clean special fuel license plates issued before July 1, 2006, are exempt from HOV rules on I-395 and I-95. Hybrid drivers, it seems, take full advantage of that exemption.
Waterfall on I-395 — NBC4 captured video early Thursday morning of a burst pipe underneath the 34th Street Bridge. The rupture sent a torrent of water onto I-395 for more than an hour. The old pipe that created the “waterfall” was reportedly patched up by 2:30 a.m. Utility crews are planning to make permanent repairs. [NBC Washington]
Burger Cook-Off For a Good Cause — The newly-minted Harry’s Smokehouse in Pentagon City mall will be holding a fundraiser for D.C. Central Kitchen on Sunday. From 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., “three teams of DCCK chefs-in-training will battle to create the city’s tastiest mini-burgers.” In addition to the burgers, attendees will be able to sample ribs, brisket and other BBQ items from Harry’s. [Eventbrite]
Woman Complains About Mosquito Spray — An Arlington woman has taken to her neighborhood email listserv to complain about a chemical spray used by one of her neighbors. Kate Pemberton says she and her young daughters walked through a cloud of “neurotoxin” while returning from school, thanks to an extermination company that was applying an anti-mosquito spray to a customer’s yard. Pemberton says she reported the incident to county officials, but was told that there was nothing they could do about it. The story was reported by Press Action, a left-leaning environmental news web site. [Press Action]
President Obama’s motorcade sped through Arlington this morning, en route to an appearance at Northern Virginia Community College’s Alexandria campus.
There, the president will announce a series of initiatives intended to improve the country’s manufacturing workforce. He will also tour NOVA’s automotive training program.
Mister Obama is currently on the campus. He is expected to return to the White House by 12:30 p.m.
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.
