I-66

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Army Reservist Finishes First at MCM — Army Reserve 1st Lt. Charles Ware was the fastest finisher at Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon. With an unofficial time of 2:19:16, Ware handily bested second-place runner and Arlington resident Michael Wardian, who finished at 2:23:46. Coast Guard Lt. Patrick Fernandez placed third. [Marine Corps Times]

VDOT Surveys Residents About I-66 — The Virginia Department of Transportation has sent mailers to Arlington residents who live near I-66, asking them to take an online survey. The survey is part of a multimodal study designed to find ways to reduce traffic congestion on I-66 inside the Beltway. [Washington Examiner]

School Board Wants More Autonomy — The Arlington County School Board is expected to ask the Virginia General Assembly for a degree of freedom from various state mandates. Among other items on its legislative wish list, the school board would like to have the option to start the school year before Labor Day — something that state law forbids in most cases. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Divaknevil

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Examiner: It’s All Zimmerman’s Fault— In an editorial, the Washington Examiner encourages drivers stuck on I-66 to “call or tweet Arlington Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman” to complain, since “he’s one of the most vocal opponents of widening I-66 inside the Beltway.” Regarding local opposition to adding a third lane to I-66, the paper concludes: “This whole scenario is beyond short-sighted and incompetent. This is insane.” [Washington Examiner]

Flat Fare Could Cost Arlington Metro Riders — Arlington transit riders take, on average, the shortest trips of any local residents on the Metrorail system. As a result, county officials warn that Arlington riders will pay more if Metro ever switches to a flat fare system — as has been proposed as a way to simplify the agency’s fare system. [Sun Gazette]

Arlington’s First Female K-9 — The Arlington County Police Department recently received its first female police dog. Roxy, a Belgian Malinois, graduated from an intense, 15-week K-9 patrol school in June. Roxy and handler Cpl. Thorpe Lichtenberg are one of Arlington’s nine K-9 teams. [Examiner]

Exchange Students Arrive — Arlington fifth graders will be waiting at the airport today to greet 44 sixth graders from Aachen, Germany, as they arrive with their parents for “a whirlwind week in the D.C. area.” The German students will stay with the families of fifth graders who attend Nottingham, Tuckahoe and Arlington Traditional elementary schools. In addition to attending classes, they will visit memorials and museums, go on hikes and attend sporting events. Aachen is Arlington’s sister city, and the exchange is being organized by the Arlington Sister Cities Association.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

FBI Evidence Response Team on Patrick Henry Drive

By ARLnow.com

FBI agents are using metal detectors, shovels and buckets to try to locate new evidence at the site where gun parts and PVC pipes were found buried in the ground yesterday morning.

An FBI Evidence Response Team truck, an all-terrain vehicle and a tent now line Patrick Henry Drive near the I-66 overpass. Yesterday, VDOT construction contractors found gun parts buried in the ground near a utility box, prompting an investigation by the Arlington County bomb squad and police department. The FBI has since taken over the investigation.

A team from the FBI’s Washington Field Office started searching the muddy grounds, just above the westbound lanes of I-66, around 8:00 this morning. Washington Field Office spokeswoman Lindsay Godwin says she was unaware of any findings at the site so far.

FBI Investigating Guns Found Near I-66

By ARLnow.com

Update on 10/13 — This developing story has been updated.

(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) The FBI is now investigating weapons found buried near I-66 and the Patrick Henry Drive overpass.

FBI agents, a representative from the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and Arlington County police are still on the scene, more than 8 hours after a VDOT construction contractor found the gun and called the authorities.

A gun, two “weapon parts” and PVC pipes were recovered from the ground, near a utility box, according to FBI Washington Field Office spokeswoman Lindsay Godwin said.

The FBI will likely keep the scene cordoned off tonight and continue searching the site tomorrow, Godwin said. Agents have been seen examining maps and walking through the cordoned off area.

1/6

DEVELOPING: Bomb Squad Investigates Suspicious Packages Near I-66

By ARLnow.com

Updates: This developing story has been updated here and here.

Update at 2:50 p.m. — The FBI is now on the scene assisting Arlington police with the investigation, police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal has confirmed. “It’s still continuing the investigation from this morning,” she said. Nosal described the objects found as “several” PVC pipes containing weapons.

Arlington County’s bomb squad and police department are investigating suspicious packages found near a utility box along I-66, at the Patrick Henry Drive overpass.

A VDOT contractor found the objects earlier today and called police, according to Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Gregg Karl. ARLnow.com is hearing that construction crews working on the I-66 widening project found a disassembled machine gun and several PVC tubes full of metallic objects in the ground.

Patrick Henry Drive was closed in both directions while the bomb squad investigated. Earlier, a bomb squad member carried a box from the site with what appeared to be the butt of a military-style gun. Minutes later, “fire in the hole” was called a small controlled detonation could be heard. The bomb squad has since cleared the scene, after determining the objects were not explosive, and police are now photographing the evidence.

A passerby says he was told by an officer that authorities found “a box of guns.”

“People call in found firearms frequently,” police spokeswoman Det. Crystal Nosal told ARLnow.com. “Officers will make sure they weren’t used in the commission of a crime.”

“The bomb squad was called in to make sure the tubes weren’t pipe bombs,” she added.

Neighbors say the area where the objects were found is a popular cut-through for kids on their way home from school.

1/9

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Construction to Begin on Rosslyn Office Project — The long-stalled Central Place office project may finally be moving forward. Developer JBG says construction on a new 390-foot office tower, adjacent to the Rosslyn Metro station, will likely begin in the second quarter of 2012. The project will be competing with the nearby 1812 N. Moore Street project for the title of tallest skyscraper in the D.C. area. [Washington Post]

Taxi Fee Increase in the Works — The Arlington County Board is expected to advertise public hearings for a possible increase in two fees charged by taxi cabs. County staff is recommending the initial base taxi fare (the “drop fee”) be raised from $2.75 to $3.00, while also recommending the extra-passenger charge be hiked from $1.00 to $1.50. All fees charged by Arlington-based taxis are set by the county. [Sun Gazette]

Is Arlington Blocking I-66 Widening? — Why isn’t VDOT rushing to widen additional sections of I-66 inside the Beltway? Bob Chase, of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance blames obstructionism from Arlington. But County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman says a lack of money is behind the lack of action — and that Arlington “by itself doesn’t have the power to get in the way of more lanes.” [Washington Examiner]

H-B Woodlawn, a.k.a. Hippie High — H-B Woodlawn Secondary School — the educational experiment once known as ‘Hippie High’ — turned 40 this year. According to the Post: “Hippie High enters middle age far more conventional than it once was, with many of its students loading up on AP courses and obsessing about their SAT scores and grade-point averages just like their peers at ordinary high schools.” [Washington Post]

New Remy Music Video — Arlington Rap Guy Remy Munasifi has released a new, politically-charged music video. The video takes on the recent Occupy Wall Street protests. [Clarendon Culture]

Group Renews Call for Widening of I-66

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:50 p.m.) The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, a persistent critic of Arlington County, is renewing its call for additional lanes on I-66 inside the Beltway.

The Alliance points to the nearly-complete I-66 “spot improvement” — which added a third westbound lane between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street in Arlington — as evidence that the county’s stated opposition to widening I-66 is misguided.

“Drive I-66 westbound past Ballston,” the Alliance said in a recent email. “Look to your right. Behold, a new 12-foot lane! Look again. What do you see? Same sound walls. Same trees. Same houses. Same bike path. The sky didn’t fall; the earth remains on its axis.”

“What is different is that soon a major regional bottleneck will be reduced along with travel times of tens of thousands of daily morning work trips, home commutes and weekend trips of all kinds,” the email continued, calling the improvement “a baby step.”

The Alliance says that VDOT should now work to add a third lane in both directions on I-66 from Spout Run to the Dulles Toll Road. Such a move would surely draw opposition from Arlington, which tends to support transit-oriented transportation policies that discourage car use and traffic congestion. Still, the Alliance says the state should push forward despite possible “obstructionism” from Arlington.

“Our region continues to rank #1 in congestion, not for lack of regional solutions, but because localities too often oppose them and the state too often defers to localities,” the group said.

VDOT recently kicked off a study of “multimodal and corridor management solutions (operational, transit, bike, pedestrian, and highway) that can be implemented to reduce highway and transit congestion and improve overall mobility within the I-66 corridor, between I-495 and the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.”

TRAFFIC ALERT — Flooding Slows Evening Commute

By ARLnow.com

Update at 7:45 p.m. — Adding to the misery on the roads: more than 2,600 Dominion customers are without power in Arlington. Many of the outages are concentrated in the area of Route 50 and Carlin Springs Road. Several traffic lights are reported to be dark as a result.

Thanks to today’s heavy rain, and the resulting flooding in Alexandria, Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church, tonight’s commute can only be described as nightmarish.

Southbound I-395, westbound I-66 and westbound Columbia Pike are all still slow through Arlington, as of 7:00 tonight. Meanwhile, WTOP just reported that the Capital Beltway has been closed at Cameron Run in Alexandria, due to flooding across the roadway.

Due to the continued threat of flooding, local residents are being encouraged to stay off the roads if at all possible.

Major Backups on Westbound I-66

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:30 a.m. — The heavy traffic is starting to clear out, with delays now starting somewhere between Spout Run and Ballston.

It’s very slow-going on I-66 this morning. The westbound lanes are currently backed up from Rosslyn to Great Falls Street due to an accident.

The accident was earlier reported to be blocking two lanes just before the Dulles Toll Road. Significant delays remain.

The backups have spilled onto local streets, as well. Arlington police have reported a long line of cars on Fairfax Drive at the I-66 on-ramp.

Reminder: Major Road Closures for Motorcycle Ride

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:55 a.m. — Virginia State Police have issued a brief statement about the road closures: “Please be advised that the roads that will be temporarily closed for the 9/11 Memorial Ride will only be shut down for the duration of time it takes for the riders to proceed through safely. Once the last rider has cleared that particular section of the road, it will be re-opened to the motoring public.”

As a reminder, several major highways in Virginia will be shut down this afternoon to accommodate more than 1,800 motorcyclists participating in the America’s 9/11 Foundation Memorial Ride.

Among the highways expected to be shut down in Arlington during the ride this afternoon are eastbound I-66 and Route 110. The bikers’ ultimate destination is the Double Tree Hotel in Pentagon City, where they will be holding a street fair with a performance by country music artist Aaron Tippin from 6:30 to 9:30 tonight.

To accommodate the street fair, Army Navy Drive will be closed today between 12th Street S. and S. Fern Street, from 9:30 a.m. to midnight.

Here’s the press release from Virginia State Police describing the event and some of the closures.

Those living, working and traveling through the Northern Virginia region on the afternoon and evening of Friday, Aug. 19, 2011, are advised to begin preparing now for major road closures associated with a  Sept. 11, 2001, motorcycle tribute procession.

This year’s America’s 9/11 Foundation, Inc., event is anticipated to have its largest turnout ever with over 1,800 motorcyclists expected to participate. The annual remembrance ride honors all who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attacks, aftermath and recovery. The ride travels from Somerset, Pennsylvania to the Pentagon, then to the site of the World Trade Center over a four-day period of time.

Once the riders exit the Dulles Toll Road, they proceed onto the Connector Road and enter Interstate 66. I-66 eastbound will be closed to traffic from the Capital Beltway to Route 110 southbound. No traffic will be allowed to access the on-ramps to I-66 east- bound between Fairfax and Arlington Counties. As a result, heavy traffic congestion and delays are expected on I-66 and I-495. A suggested detour route for travelers headed to the District is to take I-495 north to the George Washington Memorial Parkway or I-495 south to Route 50 east (Arlington Blvd.).

Once the riders reach Route 110 in Arlington, the Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police and partnering law enforcement agencies will escort the motorcycles into Crystal City. For more information about the ride through Arlington please visit http://www.arlingtonalert.com.

A police escort will accompany the 9/11 motorcycle riders throughout their entire route in Virginia to ensure the safety of all motorists. With major traffic congestion expected for the 911 Memorial Ride, motorists are strongly advised to prepare themselves for anticipated gridlock in the affected regions. Alternate plans are highly recommended and drivers are advised to be patient. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will have portable message boards alerting motorists to delays. Virginia maps are also available online through VDOT at www.virginiadot.org/travel/maps-state.asp.

For further information about the 9/11 memorial ride, you can visit the Foundation’s Website at www.americas911foundation.org.

The Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Leesburg Police, Dulles Greenway,  Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police (MWAA PD), Fairfax County Police, Arlington Police and Pentagon Force Protection Agency Police have been working together to coordinate a route that ensures the safety of the motorcyclists and general motoring public while attempting to minimize traffic congestion and delays.

Major Road Closures Planned for 9/11 Event This Week

By ARLnow.com

The annual America’s 9/11 Foundation Memorial Ride will be rolling into Arlington on Friday, and several road closures are planned to accommodate the large number of motorcyclists expected to participate.

According to an email from Arlington Alerts, police are planning on shutting down eastbound I-66 from the Beltway to Route 110, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

“The [police] escort is being provided to ensure the safety of all motorists along the path of travel,” the email said. “It is recommended that anyone who travels along this route take alternate routes to their destination during this period. It is anticipated I-66 will be reopened by 4:00 pm at the beltway to minimize the impact on rush hour traffic.”

The bikers’ ultimate destination is the Double Tree Hotel at 300 Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., ride organizers are planning on holding a street fair-type event on Army Navy Drive, complete with barbeque and beer from street vendors, a gun raffle and a performance by country music artist Aaron Tippin.

According to the Arlington Alerts email, Army Navy Drive will be closed from S. 12th Street to S. Fern Street from 9:30 a.m. to midnight. Traffic will be rerouted around the closure, according to county spokeswoman Mary Curtius. Still, drivers should still expect significant traffic issues around the evening rush hour in Pentagon City if the Army Navy Drive/Eads Street intersection, which leads to an I-395 on-ramp, is blocked.

At 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, the ride will move to the Pentagon’s North Parking lot for a ceremony commemorating the upcoming 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. At 7:00 a.m., the ride will depart the Pentagon and head out across the 14th Street Bridge, en route to New York City.

The ride, which could featuring as many as 3,000 motorcyclists, helps to fund scholarships for the children of 9/11 first responders.

Photo via Facebook

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