Police detouring drivers prior to crash on I-66 (staff photo)
Emergency vehicles responding to I-66 crash
(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) A multi-vehicle crash with injuries and at least one person reported to be trapped blocked all westbound lanes of I-66 in Arlington this afternoon.
The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. near the exit to Langston Blvd and Spout Run. The person trapped has since been freed by firefighters, according to scanner traffic.
At least four vehicles, including one that overturned, appear to be involved.
Backups on westbound I-66 extended to Rosslyn, while eastbound traffic was also backed up at the crash scene. Police detoured westbound drivers onto Langston Blvd. At least one eastbound lane remained blocked as of 3 p.m.
Shortly before 4 p.m., VDOT said that all lanes were back open.
Construction has started on a project to “repair and rehabilitate” an ’80s-era parking garage over I-66.
The unique parking structure adjacent to Washington-Liberty High School was in need of work “to improve safety and extend the overall life of the garage.”
Virginia Dept. of Transportation crews recently started work on the nearly $4 million project, which is expected to wrap up late next year. Some overnight lane closures on I-66 are expected during that time.
More, below, from a VDOT press release.
Work is underway to repair and rehabilitate the parking garage over I-66 between North Stafford Street and North Quincy Street to improve safety and extend the overall life of the garage, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The three-story concrete garage was built in 1982 and is adjacent to Washington-Liberty High School.
The project includes:
Garage platform and ramp repairs with joint replacement
Repairs to beams and columns
Partial removal of the elastomeric bearing sheets
During construction:
Overnight lane closures may be scheduled on I-66 in the area of the garage
The Custis Trail parallel to the garage will remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians
The project is scheduled for completion in late 2024.
Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
An Arlington Transit (ART) bus outside the Ballston Metro station (staff photo)
(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) Starting today, morning ART bus rides into Arlington and evening rides out during weekday rush hours will be free until the end of December.
“Skip the driving, save money on gas and tolls, and get to your destination stress-free,” the county says on the ART bus website. “When you ride instead of drive, you’re taking single-occupancy vehicles off the road, reducing both traffic and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.”
Free fares will end on Christmas Day, per the release. To ensure passengers do not accidentally pay, fare boxes will be covered on buses headed in the direction with higher demand during rush hours.
Arlington received $1.35 million from NVTC, about $566,000 of which pays for free fares, Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Claudia Pors said. The rest funds activities by Arlington County Commuter Services, which educates commuters and employers about sustainable transportation options.
The grant funding applies to routes along the I-66 corridor. Three ART routes outside the corridor will be free during the same period “for a seamless experience for all ART riders,” Pors said, noting the county’s transit bureau is paying $19,000 for these fares.
The county says it also supports expanding the free-ride initiative to include routes beyond the I-66 corridor. Funding for free fare initiatives comes from revenue from the Express Lanes on I-66, I-395 and I-95, which help finance various transit projects across the region.
ART already offers free transfers for rail riders who transfer from Metro to bus within two hours of taking Metro. Rides are also free for Arlington Public School with registered Student iRide SmarTrip cards.
In addition to the free bus initiative, NVTC funds are also supporting a proposed west entrance to the Ballston Metro station.
A list of free bus routes and times is below.
Free fare routes on ART through Dec. 25, 2023 (via Arlington County)
The newly renovated Ballston Wetlands Park in September (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey speaks to attendees at Ballston Wetlands Park ribbon-cutting (staff photo by James Jarvis)
An exhibit of native plants planted at the newly renovated Ballston Wetlands Park (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey cuts a ribbon, officially opening the newly renovated Ballston Wetlands Park (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Ballston Pond in 2018 (courtesy Arlington County)
Ballston Pond in 2009 (courtesy Arlington County)
The restoration of Ballston Wetlands Park is officially complete and the park is now open to the public.
Arlington County officials and community members marked the occasion today (Tuesday) with a ribbon-cutting.
The rain-soaked event marked the end of a $4 million renovation project that transformed what was formerly known as Ballston Beaver Pond — until the departure of the beavers — from a sludge-filled area into a natural stormwater filtration system and wildlife refuge.
“Over the years, sediment, trash, and invasive plants essentially filled the pond,” County Board Chair Christian Dorsey told a crowd of attendees. “Now, cleared of that sediment and other debris, this retrofitted wetland system not only improves stormwater flow and filtration but also captures trash, serving as both a wildlife refuge and a natural respite within our urban village of Ballston.”
Initially built in 1980 as a stormwater detention facility for runoff from I-66, the pond gradually evolved into a haven for local wildlife. By the 1990s, species such as beavers, muskrats, geese, herons, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, fish and turtles had migrated to the area.
Dam-building activities by the beavers, however, interfered with the site’s original drainage systems. When the beavers eventually left, the county took the opportunity to make necessary improvements.
Planning for the renovations dates back to 2011 but it took a decade for the work to kick off in December 2021. Acquiring the necessary easements took about eight years and Covid further delayed the project.
The site now features new informative signage, educational exhibits and thousands of native trees and plants. Logs for turtles to sun themselves, dubbed “basking stations,” have also been added.
There is also a hidden feature to manage beaver activity going forward. The county installed a secondary, concealed pathway for water to flow out and bypass their dams, a solution known as a “beaver baffle.”
That may be prescient, given some reported beaver sightings, Lily Whitesell, a stormwater outreach specialist with Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services (DES), told ARLnow. Perhaps the beavers moved back to enjoy the upgrades to their old habitat.
Jason Papacosma, a DES wetlands project manager, said the project extends beyond local restoration efforts and contributes to the broader clean-up of Chesapeake Bay.
“This is a project that gives us credit for our obligations to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. And in terms of all the progress we’ve made to date, this project gives us at least 10% of that overall progress,” Papacosma said.
Demetra McBride, bureau chief of the county’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management, acknowledged that while the site was not originally an “environmental asset,” it has now become one.
“I realize that this is not a natural asset… But the community, going back as far as 10 years, wanted more. The leadership of Arlington inspired more. And your public servants and their contractors delivered more,” she said during the ceremony.
Virginia State Police vehicle (photo by John Calhoun/JC Photography)
A 26-year-old man from Vienna, Va. has died after crashing his Range Rover on I-66 early Saturday morning.
The crash happened around 3:30 a.m. in the Rosslyn tunnel. Virginia State Police say the driver was not wearing his seat belt and was likely traveling at an excessive speed.
A passenger suffered minor injuries in the rollover crash.
More from a VSP spokesperson, below.
At 3:37 a.m. on Saturday (March 3), Virginia State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on westbound I-66 at the Rosslyn Tunnel.
A 2018 Range Rover was traveling west on I-66 when it ran off the right side of the road and struck a jersey wall just before the tunnel. It then traveled into the tunnel and overturned.
The driver, Talaat B. Hamooh, 26, of Vienna, Va., died during transport. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.
A passenger, Hussain A. Aljahdali, 29, of Arlington, Va., sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was wearing a seatbelt.
Excessive speed is being investigated as a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
If you plan on driving on I-66 during peak hours next month, make sure there are at least two other people in the car with you to avoid paying a toll.
I-66 is shifting from HOV-2 to HOV-3 in early December, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recently announced. Starting Dec. 5, only those with traveling with three or more people will be eligible to avoid the tolls, which apply inside the Beltway during peak travel times and directions.
Single riders or those traveling with just two passengers will now have to pay a toll, at a price based on traffic volume — known as “dynamic tolling.”
The inside the Beltway I-66 tolling takes place on non-holiday weekdays from 3-7 p.m. westbound and 5:30-9:30 a.m. eastbound.
Hours of operation for I-66 Express Lanes inside of the Beltway (image via screenshot/VDOT)
VDOT also notes that in order to use the lanes during these rush hours, drivers need to have an E-ZPass transponder. The state transportation agency said in a press release that the new requirements are “consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia.”
The I-66 tolling inside of the Beltway started five years ago, accompanied by a g ood amount of griping about the high toll prices. Previously, the lanes could only be used by high occupancy vehicles during peak times, with no options for paying a toll.
Construction is now complete on the 22-mile section of Express Lanes outside of the Beltway that runs from Fairfax County into Prince William County, after about six years of work. The eastbound lanes are opening this weekend with the westbound lanes opening by the end of the month, both a few weeks ahead of schedule.
More from the press release:
Motorists can choose to use the 66 Express Lanes, which are adjacent to general purpose lanes on I-66, by paying a toll. Toll prices are dynamic, and fluctuate depending on traffic volumes and speed in order to manage demand for the lanes and keep traffic flowing. Eligible High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) can use the 66 Express Lanes toll-free but must have an E-ZPass Flex set to the “HOV On” mode.
Currently, vehicles must have two or more occupants to qualify as HOV on I-66. Starting Monday, Dec. 5, vehicles will need to have three or more occupants to qualify as HOV on I-66 and travel the express lanes without paying a toll. This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ will apply across the entire I-66 corridor including the 22.5-miles of 66 Express Lanes located outside the Beltway, as well as the nine miles of 66 Express Lanes located inside the Beltway between I-495 and Route 29 in Rosslyn, which operate on weekdays during peak periods in peak commute directions. This HOV-3+ requirement is consistent with HOV requirements on the other express lanes in Northern Virginia.
This change from HOV-2+ to HOV-3+ also will take effect on the stretch of I-66 west of the express lanes between Haymarket and Gainesville where there will continue to be a traditional HOV lane that operates during peak travel periods.
Updated at 2:45 p.m. — At least one lane has reopened as crews work to finish clearing the crash scene.
Earlier: All lanes of westbound I-66 are currently blocked at the Rosslyn tunnel due to a crash.
An SUV crashed and overturned near the entrance to the tunnel around 1:30 p.m. Police are on scene and report that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle prior to their arrival.
The crash happened near the beginning of what had been a backup between Rosslyn and the N. Glebe Road exit of I-66.
No serious injuries have been reported. Westbound I-66 traffic is being diverted to Rosslyn and drivers in the area should expect heavy traffic.
LOCATION: WB I-66 / Rosslyn Tunnel INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: All lanes of the Rosslyn Tunnel are blocked. Please follow Police direction. pic.twitter.com/nHbQFuIf9L
VDOT has kicked off work on its I-66 Rosslyn Tunnel Rehabilitation project.
The nearly $38 million project is expected to stretch well into 2025, retrofitting the tunnel under Rosslyn’s Gateway Park that was built some 40 years ago.
The construction will prompt some lane closures on I-66, but mostly during overnight hours.
More from a VDOT press release:
Construction is underway on the rehabilitation and improvements to the Rosslyn Tunnel that carries I-66 under North Nash Street, Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street and Gateway Park, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project’s purpose is to improve safety and extend the overall life of the tunnel.
The project includes removing the existing tunnel ceiling to improve long-term maintenance; upgrading electrical systems; installing a new fireproofing system; repairing steel beams, abutment and pier concrete, and joints; cleaning and repairing bearings; and replacing the tunnel lighting system.
Lane closures on I-66 associated with the project will mainly occur overnights, with at least one lane of I-66 in each direction open at all times.
The tunnel, which opened to traffic in 1983, is nearly a fifth of a mile long and averages 64,000 vehicles a day.
The $37.7 million project is financed with state funding and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
For the most recent updates and to learn more, visit the VDOT project webpage.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
All lanes of eastbound I-66 lanes approaching Rosslyn were closed tonight due to a crash.
A car crashed and overturned shortly after 8:30 p.m. No serious injuries were reported but traffic was diverted onto Langston Blvd while crews worked to clean up the crash scene.
Eastbound I-66 at Exit 72 / Langston Blvd (via Google Maps)
Someone driving the wrong-way on I-66 in Arlington caused a crash that seriously injured three people, state police say.
The crash happened early this morning around 1:30 a.m., near one of the Langston Blvd exits between Rosslyn and Glebe Road.
“At approximately 1:23 a.m. Monday (Sept. 19), Virginia State Police received an emergency call concerning a vehicle driving west in the eastbound lanes of I-66,” VSP spokeswoman Corinne Geller tells ARLnow. “As state troopers were responding, the wrong-way vehicle struck an eastbound vehicle head-on near Exit 72.”
“The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, and the driver and passenger in the eastbound vehicle were all transported to a nearby hospital for treatment for serious injuries,” Geller continued. “The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.”
ARLnow is awaiting an update on the condition of the three people seriously hurt in the crash.
Ballston Beaver Pond during a pause in renovations (staff photo by Mavis Chan)
The Ballston Beaver Pond might become Ballston Wetland Park, a more befitting name since the beavers have moved on.
The human-made pond, originally built to collect stormwater runoff and trash from I-66, is undergoing a $4 million renovation. With that makeover and the fact that the beavers have taken their dam-building skills elsewhere, the pond and park are set to get a new name.
Earlier this year, residents were given the opportunity to recommend a new name for the park.
Ballston Wetlands, as a way to highlight the wetland feature.
Crossroads Wetland Park, to recognize nearby Ball’s Crossroads, which was one of the more populated areas in the county in the mid-19th century and the inspiration for Ballston’s name
Thaddeus Lowe Park, to honor the Union Army’s Chief Aeronaut who performed aerial reconnaissance from his hot air balloon near this location.
Wetlands Vista Park, because of the natural feature and the new vista platform that’s being built at the park.
Last week, Arlington’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) voted to move forward on a slight variation of the top vote-getter — “Ballston Wetland Park.”
“As the County was renovating the pond to be more of a destination for nature lovers and to better support its important wetland function, it seemed appropriate to update its name,” Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson Susan Kalish told ARLnow. “While the area does not have beavers, which generally migrate from pond to pond, it is a wetland and it is in Ballston.”
The Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee is planning to vote on the proposed name either next month or October. Then, it will go to the Parks and Recreation Commission later in the fall. If the recommended new name passes both bodies, it will then head to the County Board for a vote likely in October or November.
The reason for the change is that the beavers have gone bye-bye.
The pond was originally built back in 1980 to collect stormwater runoff from I-66. However, in the 1990s, and to the surprise of county officials, beavers started moving in — along with other wildlife like muskrats, geese, heron, egrets, redwing blackbirds, fish, and turtles.
The beavers proceeded to do what they do best, which is building dams and messing up drainage systems. The dams compromised water quality, prevented certain vegetation from growing, and essentially defeated the park’s purpose of being for stormwater runoff.
However, the beavers have since moved on.
The county began planning renovations back in 2011, but it took eight years to acquire all the easements. Then, right when construction and draining were about to start, the pandemic delayed the project again. Finally, in December 2021, work began on renovating the pond and park.
As part of that work, the county is installing beaver baffles as a means of keeping the busy mammals out.
The county is also adding updated trash control devices, turtle basking stations, interpretive signs, and a new boardwalk on the eastern side of the pond.
With work ongoing, the bike trail on the east side is currently closed. A temporary detour is in place along the south side of the pond, that connects Washington Blvd to the Custis Trail.
