I-395

Arlington Prepares For an Inauguration Day Unlike Any Other

By Matt Blitz

Arlington is continuing its final preparations for a presidential inauguration unlike any other.

In wake of the U.S. Capitol riots and a still-raging pandemic (though, cases are currently on a downward trajectory), tomorrow’s inauguration of President Joe Biden will be a scaled-down and highly militarized affair.

A number of bridges connecting Arlington to D.C. are either completely shut down or have significantly altered traffic patterns.

Memorial Bridge is now closed through Thursday morning at 6 a.m. D.C.-bound lanes on the Roosevelt Bridge and the 14th Street Bridge will also be closed until Thursday morning, but lanes leaving the city “will flow normally” according to a Metropolitan Police Department traffic advisory. There are also a host of D.C. road closures.

Key Bridge will remain open, but there’ll be no access to Whitehurst Freeway and only local traffic may turn right on M Street. Thru traffic can only turn left onto Canal Road/MacArthur Blvd, according to the advisory.

Chain Bridge will remain open in both directions, as well as the Wilson and American Legion Bridges connecting Virginia to Maryland. Despite the unprecedented bridge closures today, traffic on N. Glebe Road leading to Chain Bridge appeared little changed from a typical weekday, suggesting that between the pandemic and the inauguration many would-be commuters were staying at home.

Traffic on the Key Bridge was heavy this morning (as seen in the photo above), as was the traffic being diverted from the 14th Street Bridge.

The county is advising residents to use the live cameras that are set up to monitor traffic.

On Friday, a joint statement from Virginia lawmakers said that this inauguration “will see the strongest Capital-area security response in history” and local law enforcement is trying to have a response “that balances protecting public safety in a manner commensurate with available intelligence about threats without going too far.”

Reiterating previous statements, the Arlington County Police Department says there will be an increased “visible and non-visible” police presence in the county tomorrow. ACPD also remains in contact with neighboring law enforcement agencies about changing information and intelligence.

At this time, there are still no known threats to Arlington County, and the department still hasn’t committed to providing resources outside of the county on Inauguration Day, per ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage.

Newly unsealed court documents, meanwhile, reveal that members of Oath Keepers militia, a far-right extremist group currently being investigated by the FBI, booked rooms for January 5 to 7 at the Comfort Inn hotel in Ballston, ahead of the January 6 storming of the Capitol.

In a Facebook message referenced in the documents, a Oath Keepers member said that the location would allow them to “hunt at night.”

Earlier this month, Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti told ARLnow that the county was aware of at least one local hotel hosting Trump supporters. The situation was monitored, he said, but no behavior there rose to a level of concern at the time.

ARLnow contacted Comfort Inn and was told by an hotel employee that management “definitely does not want to comment” on the allegations included in the documents.

We also have reached out to the hotel’s parent company Choice Hotels, but have yet to hear back as of publication time.

Jo DeVoe contributed to this report.

Four Bridges Connecting Va. to D.C. Will Be Closed Starting Tuesday

By Matt Blitz

(Updated on 1/17/21) A number of bridges connecting Arlington to D.C. across the Potomac River are closing due to presidential inauguration security measures.

Virginia State Police is working with the United States Secret Service to close Roosevelt Bridge, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the I-395 Bridge and the 14th Street Bridge starting Tuesday morning through Thursday at 6 a.m., according to a joint statement from Virginia lawmakers.

The Arlington Memorial Bridge closed Friday night but then reopened, according to news reports. The HOV span of the 14th Street Bridge was set to close Saturday morning until Thursday, according to the Secret Service, but was open as of noon on Saturday.

Those closures would leave the Key Bridge in Rosslyn and the Chain Bridge from N. Glebe Road as the main routes from Arlington into the District for two days.

“The 2021 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony will see the strongest Capital-area security response in history. We worked together to push for a response that balances protecting public safety in a manner commensurate with available intelligence about threats without going too far,” reads the lawmakers’ statement.

It was issued by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Reps. Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly, and Jennifer Wexton.

“It is very important now that the U.S. Secret Service and its partner agencies communicate road and bridge closures swiftly and clearly in order to keep disruptions to a minimum,” the lawmakers added. “All of us want the transfer of power to be as peaceful as possible, and we thank all of the men and women in uniform helping to make this historic occasion safe.”

Additionally, Metro announced this afternoon that the Pentagon Metro station will be closed, and bus service there suspended, on Inauguration Day.

“Blue and Yellow Line trains will continue to operate but will pass through the station without stopping,” Metro said. “The Pentagon Transit Center, served by six Metrobus lines, will also be closed. Buses will be relocated instead to Pentagon City, on the east side of Hayes Street S. and 12th Street S. for the day.”

Arlington Cemetery station is also closing, along with a number of D.C. stations, starting today.

Virginia Railway Express trains, meanwhile, will not be running Monday through Wednesday, due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday and “enhanced security measures” related to the presidential inauguration.

Arlington County Police Department recently announced an “increased police presence” on Inauguration Day in the wake of the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

While Arlington Acting Police Chief Andy Penn didn’t commit to any road closures in Arlington as of yet, he did say discussions are ongoing.

Much of D.C. will be shut down, though, including many roads and the National Mall.

Minivan-Driving Felon Facing Charges After Dramatic Traffic Stop

By ARLnow.com

A felon driving a minivan with allegedly stolen plates was pulled over Saturday night along northbound I-395.

The traffic stop just before the 14th Street Bridge involved a small fleet of Arlington County Police and Virginia State Police cruisers and was caught on video. The highway was blocked while the incident played out.

In a crime report today, ACPD said the suspect had a concealed weapon in the vehicle and did not have a driver’s license. He is facing a number of charges.

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2020-11280126, I-395 at Washington Boulevard. At approximately 8:45 p.m. on November 28, police received a License Plate Reader alert for a vehicle traveling with stolen license plates. Officers observed the vehicle and, with the assistance of Virginia State Police, conducted a traffic stop. During the course of the investigation, officers determined the driver was suspended and recovered a concealed weapon. Erich McDonald, 45, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Felon in Possession of a Concealed Weapon, Receiving Stolen Goods and No Operator’s License. He was held on no bond.

Also in today’s crime report, another armed carjacking was reported. The crime happened on Thanksgiving afternoon in the Crystal City area.

CARJACKING, 2020-11260081, 2000 block of S. Fern Street. At approximately 1:51 p.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim parked and exited her vehicle, then observed the male suspect walk past her. The victim walked away from her vehicle, then returned to retrieve her belongings. As she re-approached the vehicle, the suspect turned around and ran towards her. The suspect displayed a firearm and demanded the victim’s keys. The suspect took the victim’s keys and fled in her vehicle prior to police arrival. The unoccupied vehicle was later recovered in Prince George’s County, MD. The suspect is described as a Black male in his 40’s, medium build, approximately 5’8″, wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, mirrored glasses, with short hair. The investigation is ongoing.

State Police Investigating Gun Battle on I-395

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) I-395 in Arlington was the scene of a shootout on wheels last night.

Virginia State Police say gunfire was exchanged between two cars headed northbound, between Shirlington and Pentagon City. One driver was shot and suffered serious injuries, while the other vehicle — a Nissan Maxima with a Texas license plate — remains at large.

The shooting prompted the temporary closure of northbound I-395 near the Pentagon last night.

“At 10:36 p.m. on Nov. 18, Virginia State Police received a call about a Toyota Corolla and Nissan Maxima exchanging gunfire as the vehicles were traveling north on I-395 just south of S. Glebe Road,” state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said this morning. “The Toyota was fired upon again as the same two vehicles passed by the S. Joyce Street overpass.”

The driver of the Toyota was shot, but kept driving into the District. He stopped at a Metro station and was given first aid by police before being rushed to the trauma center at GW Hospital for “serious, but non-life threatening, injuries.”

WTOP reports that the victim was a Metro employee and that he was shot in the shoulder in what’s described as “an apparent road rage incident.” No gun was recovered from the victim’s vehicle.

State police are still investigating the shooting, noting that “there is no evidence of any other vehicles being fired at or damaged during the course of the shootings.”

“The dark-colored Nissan Maxima with Texas plates has yet to be located,” Geller said. “Anyone who may have witnessed the incidents or has information about the suspect vehicle is encouraged to call Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026 or email us at [email protected].”

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

Police Use ‘Stop Sticks’ to Apprehend Juveniles in Stolen Car

By ARLnow.com

The aftermath of a felony traffic stop on northbound I-395 near Pentagon City last night.

The Arlington County Police Department says that officers used spikes, known as Stop Sticks, to blow out the tires on a stolen vehicle that was spotted by an automated license plate reader. Two suspects each under the age of 18 were subsequently apprehended.

“At approximately 9:43 p.m. on November 16, police received a License Plate Reader hit for a stolen vehicle,” an ACPD crime report said. “An officer located the vehicle traveling northbound on I-395 and activated his emergency equipment as an additional officer successfully deployed stop sticks.”

“The vehicle came to a stop and the two juvenile occupants were taken into custody without incident,” the crime report continues. “The driver was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Charges for the passenger are pending.”

Arlington is in the midst of a wave of vehicle-related crime, including break-ins, thefts and even carjackings.

Last night’s police action on the highway blocked a number of northbound lanes for more than an hour, leading to backups, as seen in the video below.

Delays on 14th Street Bridge Due to Road Closures as Biden Named President-Elect

By ARLnow.com
1/2

With former Vice President Joe Biden being named president-elect this morning by the Associated Press and others, celebrations in D.C. area leading to traffic on the 14th Street Bridge.

“Expect traffic delays around [northbound I-395] at the 14th Street Bridge due to street closures in DC around the White House,” said an Arlington Alert. The closures were prompted by impromptu celebrations around D.C., including large gatherings outside the White House.

Around Arlington — which voted for the Biden/Harris ticket over Trump/Pence by a margin of 81%-17% — horns honked and people cheered after the race was called.

https://twitter.com/trilly__vanilly/status/1325116257063084032

https://twitter.com/JulieMalear/status/1325122833253425155

A number of local officials have released statements about Biden’s presumptive electoral victory.

From Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.):

I extend my warmest congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their massive victory in the presidential election. Though it is taking time to count, they are on track for major wins in every region of the country, with more votes than any candidate in history. When he is sworn as Commander in Chief in on January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden will have a strong governing mandate.

I recognize that this election has shown we are a divided nation, but we also have grave challenges that require immediate action. The time has come for President Trump to accept his defeat, pass the torch, and ensure an orderly transition of government for the Biden Administration. He has a unique power in this situation to promote national unity and to spare the country further dangerous civil strife by following the example of every American President, beginning with George Washington: the peaceful transfer of power.

We have been bitterly divided, but what unites us – including love of country, the Constitution, and our democratic ideals – must be stronger. Inflammatory rhetoric which undermines Americans’ faith in their national elections threatens lasting harm to our society, and it must stop. The country must come first.

“Our nation faces serious threats, including the pandemic and the stalling economic recovery. At this time of crisis, all leaders regardless of party must come together to support the President-Elect. He must be given the support he needs to take the helm of government, including swift consideration and confirmation of his team, so that he can take the country forward. We have no time to lose – there is serious work to be done.”

(more…)

VDOT Holding Hearing About Boundary Channel Drive Changes

By ARLnow.com

Changes are coming to the Boundary Channel Drive and I-395 interchange, and with a public hearing on the plans set for Thursday.

VDOT is set to hold the virtual design public hearing at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Nov. 5) via Cisco Webex. It will discuss the agency’s plans “to upgrade the Boundary Channel Drive interchange at I-395 to improve safety, traffic flow and enhance accessibility and connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Boundary Channel Drive runs along the northeast side of the Pentagon and under I-395, before connecting with Long Bridge Drive, near Long Bridge Park and the new (but yet to open) aquatics center.

Among the planned changes are:

  • Reducing Boundary Channel Drive from four lanes to two
  • Adding a ten-foot-wide path/sidewalk on either side of the road
  • Installing roundabouts on either side of I-395
  • Reconfiguring the highway ramps
  • Adding crosswalks
  • Creating a new shared-use path that links the Mount Vernon Trail to Long Bridge Park

“In lieu of an in-person hearing, VDOT invites residents and travelers to learn more, participate in the virtual hearing and give feedback,” the agency said in a press release. “Once the hearing is complete, the recorded presentation will be available online. Project materials and details are also available at virginiadot.org/BoundaryChannel.”

Comments on the plans are being accepted through Monday, Nov. 16.

The $20.4 million project is being paid for “with state (including Revenue Sharing), Arlington County and Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding,” VDOT notes. The agency expects to start the process for selecting a design-build contractor this winter.

Photos via VDOT

Portion of I-395 Closed Sunday Morning After Pedestrian Struck

By ARLnow.com

Southbound I-395 was blocked early Sunday morning after a serious crash involving a pedestrian.

Police and firefighters were dispatched to I-395 near Shirlington Circle just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.

Initially a medevac helicopter was to be flown in to transport the patient, but they ended up being rushed to George Washington University Hospital via ambulance instead.

“The patient was transported to a local trauma center by ground ambulance,” the Arlington County Fire Department spokesperson Taylor Blunt tells ARLnow. “The medevac was called off.”

Blunt was unable to provide an update on the patient’s condition.

The highway was diverted at S. Glebe Road for several hours after the crash as police investigated the crash. Arlington County police assisted Virginia State Police with with traffic control during the closure.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

TRAFFIC ALERT: Overturned Vehicle Snarls I-395 Traffic

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Rush hour isn’t what it used to be, but a crash has caused a big backup on southbound I-395 in Arlington.

A vehicle flipped on its side in the main outbound lanes of I-395 between Washington Blvd and S. Glebe Road around 4:15 p.m. The driver suffered minor injuries and is out of the vehicle, according to scanner traffic.

Police and firefighters are on the scene. Traffic cameras currently show 1-2 lanes of traffic getting by the crash scene.

Drivers should try to avoid southbound I-395 until the crash is cleared.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Local Real Estate Market Rebounds — “After an uncharacteristically slow spring, thanks to stay-at-home orders and economic uncertainty stemming from Covid-19, Washington’s residential real estate market had a record-breaking July. According to the latest local data, the median home sale price in the DC metro area hit a 10-year high last month.” The median days on the market for Arlington, meanwhile, is seven. [Washingtonian, InsideNova, Twitter]

I-395 Wrong-Way Driver Arrested — “A woman driving the wrong way on northbound Interstate 395 Tuesday morning struck two vehicles before taking off, Virginia State Police said. The crash at 4:49 a.m. sent debris across the interstate and shut down all northbound lanes before Washington Boulevard in Arlington for roughly an hour.” [WTOP]

Long Bridge Project May Be Delayed — “The good news is that the coronavirus pandemic has not derailed one of the region’s most important transit projects: the construction of a second Long Bridge over the Potomac River reserved exclusively for Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express passenger trains. The bad news is that due to revenue shortfalls directly related to the pandemic, the $3.7 billion, 10-year project may be significantly delayed.” [Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, Twitter]

W-L Student Dies Unexpectedly — “Generals, it is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of one of our own. Adrian Vega-Alcantara, a student in the 11th grade, passed away suddenly of heart failure on August 10.” [Washington-Liberty High School]

Local Reaction to Veep Pick — “Amid a strong field of highly qualified women, Senator Harris stands out as a powerful and historic choice,” said Rep. Don Beyer. ” I know from our time together in the Senate that she’ll be great for the ticket and more importantly, great for our country,” said Sen. Tim Kaine. [Press Release, Twitter]

Meteor Shower This Week — “Make sure you stay up late one evening (or wake up early) to see the annual Perseid meteor shower! It will peak this week on the mornings of Wed, Thu, and Fri.” [Twitter, EarthSky]

TRAFFIC ALERT: SB I-395 Partially Blocked by Overturned Vehicle

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Southbound I-395 is down to one lane near the Pentagon during this evening’s rush hour due to a crash.

Initial reports suggest a vehicle flipped on its roof just past the exit ramp to Route 1. The occupants of the vehicle were able to get out and no serious injuries have been reported.

Those heading from D.C. to Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge should expect major traffic impacts in the area. The HOV lanes, however, are not affected by the crash.

Update at 5:25 p.m. — Two lanes are now open.

View More Stories