I-66

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City in the distance from the Route 1 bus lanes in Alexandria

Dems Breathe Sigh of Relief After Win — Local Democrats have a bit more of a bounce in their step following Rip Sullivan’s convincing 48th District House of Delegates victory. Some believed that Arlington was becoming more competitive for Republicans, following John Vihstadt’s County Board win in April. Sullivan, however, significantly outperformed Alan Howze, Vihstadt’s Democratic opponent, winning every 48th District precinct. [InsideNova]

Woman Gives Birth on I-66 — A woman gave birth in her car on I-66 in Arlington early this morning. The woman was pulled over onto the shoulder of the eastbound lanes near Washington Blvd when the baby was delivered. Emergency personnel arrived after the delivery and transported mother and baby to the hospital. [Washington Post]

Shirlington Oktoberfest Date Set — Capitol City Brewing has set the date of its annual Oktoberfest celebration in Shirlington, which is billed as the largest Oktoberfest beer festival in Northern Virginia. The street festival, featuring 65+ breweries and German food and music, is set for Saturday, Oct. 4. [Shirlington Village Blog Spot]

Falls Church Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking — A Falls Church man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for “engaging in the sex trafficking of a child and transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution.” Alan Cooley, 34, allegedly used force and threats to force a 17-year-old runaway to perform sex acts for money. [U.S. Justice Department]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Shadowy jogger in Banneker Park (Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick)

One Candidate for Treasurer Race — Democrat Carla de la Pava, who has served as Arlington County treasurer since July 7, following the retirement of Frank O’Leary, is running unopposed in November. No other candidate filed to run in the special election by the Aug. 15 filing deadline. [InsideNova]

Bracket Room to Host Pregame Shows — The Bracket Room, 1210 N. Garfield Street in Clarendon, will host both the Fox 5 and the 106.7 The Fan Redskins pregame broadcasts this fall, according to a press release. The on-location broadcasts will take place at the sports bar for all 16 regular season games. [PRNewswire]

Cyclists Stopped on I-66 — A pair of bicyclists “dressed like Lance Armstrong” were stopped by Arlington County police on I-66 this morning, according to scanner traffic. It’s unclear why the cyclists were on the interstate. Police directed them to nearby Glebe Road.

Arlington: Great for Soccer Moms? — Arlington is the No. 3 locality in the country for “soccer moms,” according to an analysis that factored in things like the number of soccer clubs and food and transportation affordability. [Nerd Wallet]

Ohio Town Raises Money for Arlington Family — Residents of Chagrin Falls, Ohio are trying to raise $10,000 for the Sachar family of Arlington. Their son, 8-year-old Ashlawn Elementary student Eli Sachar, was struck and killed by a car on July 12 during a visit to Chagrin Falls. [Cleveland.com]

Flickr pool photo by Dennis Dimick

Six Injured After Police Chase on I-66

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

(Updated at 12:40 p.m. on 8/3/14) Six people were hospitalized after a police chase turned into a multiple-vehicle collision on I-66 Saturday afternoon.

Around 3:15 p.m., Virginia State Police say they pulled over a Dodge Charger for a routine traffic stop on eastbound I-66 in Fairfax County when it was spotted driving on the shoulder. The Charger stopped for a state trooper in Fairfax County, near exit 57 for Route 50. The responding trooper discovered the driver, 25-year-old Ericka S. Oliver, had an arrest warrant from another local jurisdiction and took her into custody. According to a VSP press release, the male passenger, 33-year-old Anthony G. McCrae of Washington, D.C., then grabbed the wheel of the car and sped off, which led to a high-speed pursuit.

McCrae reportedly exited I-66 at Route 123, turned around, then got back onto eastbound I-66. When the Charger approached traffic before the exit for N. Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive, police say it struck a Ford Expedition and spun out of control. The Charger then smashed into a Subaru Outback.

The Arlington County Fire Department responded to the crash scene, and Capt. Bill Shelton told ARLnow.com they transported six patients — including McCrae — to local hospitals. McCrae was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The other patients also suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but Shelton said a few were in serious condition when they were transported.

McCrae was arrested and is being held without bond at the hospital on outstanding warrants from both Arlington and Prince William counties. He likely will face additional charges for Saturday’s incident when VSP completes its investigation of the pursuit and crash.

Eastbound I-66 was closed for about an hour following the wreck, and traffic started to get through around 4:30 p.m. Just after 6:00 p.m., all lanes of the highway were open to traffic.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Post-storm sunset over North Arlington and D.C. (Flickr pool photo by Joseph Gruber)

County Official: I-66 Doesn’t Need More Lanes — Arlington County officials have repeatedly expressed opposition to widening I-66 inside the Beltway. Now one county official is even decrying a proposal to add lanes to I-66 outside of the Beltway. Arlington County Commuter Services chief Chris Hamilton says the plans “are not only maddening, but they fly in the face of everything we’ve learned about induced demand… it’s impossible to build ourselves out of congestion because the roads themselves cause traffic.” [Mobility Lab]

ACPD to Hold ‘Chief-for-the-Day’ Contest — The Arlington County Police Department is holding an essay contest for children ages 8-12. The kid who submits the best answer to the question “what does it mean to be a police officer?” will be named “chief-for-the-day.” The winner will be “picked up at his or her house on August 5, 2014 by a patrol car and driven to the ACPD to spend the day involved in fun filled activities.” [Arlington County]

Arlington Beauty Queen Almost Married Dean Martin — Beauty queen and Washington-Lee High School grad Gail Renshaw, who was named Miss USA-World in 1969, nearly married the late Rat Pack crooner Dean Martin. In the end, Renshaw turned down Martin’s marriage proposal, moved to Prince George’s County, worked as a dialysis nurse and married a banker. [Falls Church News-Press]

Arlington Native Goes to China, Voices TV Show — Yorktown High School grad Emily Jeffers wasn’t sure about what exactly she wanted to do for work when she traveled to China on a one-way ticket and a tourist visa. Eventually, she found employment dubbing a state-produced Chinese sitcom into English for syndication on South African TV. [InsideNova]

Potomac Yard Metro Station Progress — Federal transit authorities have narrowed down the list of potential locations for a Potomac Yard Metro station from four to two. The two remaining locations are also the two least expensive options studied — one is relatively close to the existing Potomac Yard shopping center while the other is close to the Potomac Greens neighborhood. [Washington Business Journal]

Flickr pool photo by Joseph Gruber

Car Runs Off Road, into Woods on I-66

By ARLnow.com
1/4

A car ran off the road and into the woods on westbound I-66 at the Route 110 ramp, near Rosslyn.

The wreck happened around 12:30 p.m. Rescuers responded for a report of an occupant trapped in the vehicle, but that person was apparently able to get out before firefighters arrived on scene.

Two people were reportedly transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

View of Memorial Bridge and Arlington House (Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman)

McAuliffe: I-66 Widening Outside the Beltway — Speaking to the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said he will press for more lanes on I-66, but only outside the Beltway. The governor “noted ruefully” that the Arlington County Board strongly opposes the widening of I-66 through the county. [InsideNova]

Flags In at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery — Soldiers from the Old Guard helped to place more than 220,000 American flags in front of gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day. The annual event has taken place every year for four decades. On Monday the cemetery will host the annual Memorial Day observance and wreath-laying ceremony. [WJLA]

Ben’s Now Open Late Night — The Ben’s Chili Bowl in Rosslyn (1725 Wilson Blvd) is now open until 3:00 a.m. every Friday and Saturday, the restaurant announced via social media on Thursday. [Twitter]

Confusing Metro Maps — New strip maps that incorporate the Silver Line are too complicated, says a writer for the blog Greater Greater Washington. “They confuse many riders with labels that line up in a misleading way, and try to cram too much information on the maps,” the writer opines. [Greater Greater Washington]

Rosslyn, the Brooklyn of Washington — A 1889 real estate ad in the Washington Post describes Rosslyn as “the Brooklyn of Washington.” Editor’s note: This item previously appeared in a previous Morning Notes post. Its inclusion today was inadvertent. [Ghosts of DC]

Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman

Three Arlington Police Cruisers Damaged in I-66 Crash

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police carThree Arlington County police cruisers were damaged this morning in a wreck on I-66.

The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. near the Lee Highway/Sycamore Street exit on eastbound I-66. Initial reports suggest the officers were returning to Arlington from a training facility when they somehow collided with one another.

No civilian vehicles were reported to be involved. No injuries were reported.

A tow truck was called to the scene for one of the cruisers, which had its airbag deploy during the wreck.

File photo

I-66 Eastbound Shut Down Due to Accident

By Ethan Rothstein

Crash on I-66Update at 1:20 p.m. — Arlington County announced that a tow truck is on scene and all lanes of traffic should open shortly.

All lanes of I-66 eastbound at N. Sycamore Street are currently shut down as police and firefighters clear the scene of a multi-vehicle accident.

Virginia State Police, and Arlington County police and fire and rescue workers responded just before 12:30 p.m. to a three-car crash, including one of the cars suffering a head-on collision, according to scanner traffic.

At least one driver was injured in the crash and required medical transport, but it’s unclear the extent of the driver’s injuries at this time.

Traffic is reportedly getting by on the left shoulder, but drivers should avoid the area for the time being.

Major Backups on EB I-66 Due to TR Bridge Damage

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) Traffic on eastbound I-66 was backed up to the Beltway this morning due to roadway damage on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

A photo sent to ARLnow.com from an I-66 commuter shows a section of roadway that has sunk a foot or more, creating a large gap. The damage is located on the east end of the bridge at the E Street exit, we’re told. In a tweet, DDOT says one lane is closed as a result.

That lane closure is causing big problems: even at 10:30 a.m. traffic on eastbound I-66 was very slow inside the Beltway, which in turn caused backups on Arlington arterial roadways that lead to the highway.

DDOT spokesman Reggie Sanders says the damage was caused by a “utility cut in the roadway.” As of 5:30 p.m., DDOT had installed metal plates over the damaged section.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

"Nailed it" (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

County Board Approves Projects — The Arlington County Board approved a number of projects at its Saturday meeting. Among the projects approved: Arlington’s portion of the $10.3 million Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway, a new half-million-dollar tot playground at Chestnut Hills Park, and six Neighborhood Conservation Projects in Waverly Hills, Arlington Ridge and elsewhere.

Two Rescued from I-66 Storm Sewer — Two people were rescued Saturday afternoon from a storm sewer on I-66. The confined space rescue tied up traffic on westbound I-66 near Sycamore Street. The individuals were not injured. [Twitter]

Blind ‘Dad’ Mentors Blind Triplets — Born blind and raised by a single mother, the Argel triplets are now 14-years-old and have a new outlook on life thanks to a man who has become like a father to them — so much so that he’s now in the process of formally adopting them. Ollie Cantos, a blind man who lived in the boys’ Arlington neighborhood, has changed the brothers’ lives for the better by helping with their homework, teaching them how to use their canes more effectively and providing moral support during tough times. [NPR]

Advocates Decry Arlington Mill, Langston Changes — Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Murphy will unveil his proposed FY 2015 budget this week, but before he does supporters of Arlington Mill High School and the Langston High School Continuation Program are speaking out against possible changes. The advocates are concerned that Murphy may merge the two programs or may do away with APS’ policy of providing education to immigrants after the age of 22. [Sun Gazette]

Del. Sickles: ‘I Am a Proud, Gay Man’ — Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax), one of the 11 Democrats vying to replace Rep. Jim Moran (D) in congress, has revealed that he is gay. That makes Sickles the second openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly. The first was state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who is also running for Moran’s seat. [Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

County to Study Sale of Air Rights Over I-66

By Ethan Rothstein

Air Rights mockupThe Arlington County Board could approve a study into the sale of air rights over I-66 to private developers this weekend.

The state Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships (OTP3) announced in July that it was reaching out to developers to gauge interest in leasing VDOT’s air space over I-66, east of N. Lynn Street in Rosslyn, and over the East Falls Church Metro station.

According to county staff, private developers have expressed enough interest that the county wants to further study the plan. An initial study will be rolled into an amended contract with a planning and preservation firm that is already working on the Realize Rosslyn sector plan update. Depending on the outcome of the initial study, the county could fund more study in the future before a decision is reached to lease the air rights.

The previous contract with the firm had been for $493,544, and the County Board is likely to approve an additional $290,706 for not only assisting county staff with the air rights study, but also for an increased role in Realize Rosslyn.

Realize Rosslyn, a planned update to the Rosslyn Sector Plan, has been in the planning stages since 2011. A Board-appointed panel has been charged with sorting through the community concerns and developing the framework for the future direction of Rosslyn development. The panel was initially supposed to meet six times annually, but it has increased its scope of work and has met closer to 22 times annually.

A framework of the sector plan is expected to go before the Board this April, and county staff hope a full new Rosslyn Sector Plan will be complete by November.

Image via OTP3

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