race

Taste of Arlington to Close Roads in Ballston and Virginia Square This Weekend

By Anna Merod

Taste of Arlington will result in significant road closures in the Ballston area this weekend.

The closures will begin on Saturday at 12 p.m. through Sunday at 10 p.m. to accommodate the annual event, which runs from 12-6 p.m. Sunday. Organizers are encouraging attendees to take the Metro or other forms of transit, rather than driving.

Here are the specific roads that will close for the event, according to Arlington County Police:

  • Wilson Boulevard will be closed between N. Randolph Street and N. Lincoln Street, all North/South cross streets will be blocked.
  • The 7-11 Store at 3510 Wilson Boulevard will be open and accessible by motorists using the eastern parking lot entrance.
  • N. Quincy Street will be closed with modified traffic between N. 5th Road and N. 9th Street.
    All traffic trying to cross Wilson Boulevard on Pollard, Piedmont, Oakland, Nelson and Monroe Streets will be turned around.
  • N. Randolph Street will be open between the Ballston Parking Garage/Loading Dock to N. 9th Street, the area garages will not be closed.
  • Other area roadway restrictions may be in place to minimize traffic impacts in the event and area neighborhoods.
  • Motorists are encouraged to use Fairfax Drive as an alternate East/West route.

The Girls on the Run 5K, held in conjunction with Taste of Arlington, will be happening Sunday morning. Here are the specific times some roads will be closed in Ballston, per ACPD:

  • Fairfax Drive, from N. Taylor Street to Kirkwood Road. Both directions will be closed from 8:15 AM until 10:15 AM.
  • Fairfax Drive, from Kirkwood Road to Wilson Boulevard/N. 10th Street, eastbound lanes only, from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM.
  • Traffic lanes will be closed, from N. 10th Street to N. Irving Street, then east on N. 7th Street to Washington Boulevard. Roads will be closed from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM, but parking will not be affected.
  • Washington Boulevard, from N. 7th Street to N. 10th Street, will be closed to eastbound traffic. Motorists from Washington Boulevard will be diverted to N. 10th Street east toward Rt. 50. from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM.
  • 10th Street, from Washington Boulevard to N. Irving Street, will be closed to eastbound traffic from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM.
  • Wilson Boulevard will be closed in both directions at 10th West bound traffic will be diverted onto Fairfax Drive, while east bound traffic will be turned south prior to Jackson Street, where drivers can access Pershing Drive and maneuver around the race course.
  • Wilson Blvd. will be closed from 8:15 AM to 10:15 AM.
  • Ballston Metro Buses will be delayed for 15 minutes at the start of the race and ALL buses will be re-routed via N. Quincy Street to exit the area and continue their assigned routes.
  • Motorists are reminded that other roads in the Ballston area will be closed further west of the race course for the Taste of Arlington event. Pershing Drive, Glebe Road, and Lee Highway are recommended as alternate routes to reach points west and north of Ballston.

For both events, ACPD notes there will limited parking in the area and motorists should look out for “No Parking” signs. Those who violate the signs run the risk of getting ticketed or towed.

Photo courtesy of ACPD

Nelson Mandela’s Grandson Heads to GMU’s Arlington Campus, Hopes to Continue the South African Leader’s Legacy

By Alex Koma

Siyabulela Mandela, grandson of the iconic South African leader Nelson Mandela, never thought he had much reason to come to America.

After all, the 25-year-old scholar is busy working on his doctorate at a South African university named for his famous grandfather. Someday, he even hopes to work as a diplomat for his country and follow in Nelson’s footsteps to resolve conflicts across Africa.

Nevertheless, he felt himself pulled toward the U.S., and Arlington specifically, for one simple reason — he had to get to George Mason University. Mandela arrived in Arlington on April 1, and he plans to spend the next four months working as a visiting scholar at Mason’s conflict resolution program.

“If it was not because of George Mason University, I would’ve never laid my foot in America,” Mandela told ARLnow in a recent interview. “I never wanted to come here. But the school here gave me an opportunity. The work that they do at George Mason overshadows that track record America has in the rest of the world.”

Indeed, Mandela confesses he is quite skeptical of America’s influence abroad, particularly after President Donald Trump’s vulgar, derogatory remarks about African nations sparked an international uproar earlier this year. But as a student of diplomacy, Mandela felt compelled to take a chance on Mason and its School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

“I think we are where we are in South Africa because of the contribution of scholars who came from George Mason,” Mandela said.

He’s hard at work on a dissertation on diplomacy and conflict resolution in African nations, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and he aims to bring some of the insights he gleans from the Mason scholars whom he admires so much into his work.

Mandela is also planning to do a little sightseeing (he says he’s already toured D.C. a bit and hopes to see the rest of the country in the coming weeks), yet he’d also like to do his best to spread a bit of his grandfather’s wisdom to his American counterparts. He sees plenty of parallels between South Africa’s struggles with racism and America’s history, and he hopes his paternal grandfather’s experience as president working to unite his country after the end of apartheid offers some lessons for American leaders.

“Even though for years and years he was imprisoned by the white folks who perceived themselves as supreme, he could emerge out of that pain and seek nothing but reconciliation,” Mandela said. “That is something that is phenomenal, and angelic. A prisoner who could come out and say, ‘It’s time to make peace.'” (more…)

Fairlington 5K Tomorrow to Benefit Girl with Rare Disease

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) The Fairlington 5K Run and Walk tomorrow will raise money for an Arlington girl with a rare, degenerative disease.

In 2011, Ellie McGinn was diagnosed with LBSL (leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation), which causes impaired nervous system functioning that can lead to muscle stiffness, tremors, weakness, poor balance and difficulty coordinating body movements.

The nonprofit organization “A Cure for Ellie” has been set up in her name to raise awareness of LBSL and funding for research. McGinn appeared on the Today Show last year for her and her parents’ work in their search for a cure.

Tomorrow’s non-competitive run/walk in Fairlington aims to promote general health and physical fitness while also supporting McGinn, who is a third-grader at Abingdon Elementary School. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Abingdon Elementary (3035 S. Abingdon Street) and registration is $35 for adults, $20 for children ages 6-16 and free for children five and under.

Arlington County police will oversee the following road closures from approximately 7-9:30 a.m. to accommodate the race:

  • Abington Street between S. 29th Street and S. 36th Street
  • 36th Street between S. 34th Street up to, and including, Stafford Street
  • Wakefield loop off S. 34th Street
  • Utah Street between S. 32nd Street and S. 34th Street

Photo via A Cure for Ellie

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Flooding Closes Roads, Prompts Warning — Updated at 8:45 a.m. — Many Arlington residents may be bleary-eyed this morning after being woken up twice overnight: once by thunder, and another time by a Flash Flood Warning that sounded on many phones. Heavy rain caused flooding that prompted the temporary closure of I-66 in Arlington and the HOV lanes of I-395 just before the 14th Street Bridge. A Flood Warning remains in effect until 11:45 a.m. as additional rain is expected this morning. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

Crystal City ‘Makes Parking Garages Cool Again’ — Some national press for the Crosshairs Garage Races in Crystal City: “Unbeknownst to the few at street level, there’s a crowd gathering in a parking garage below an unremarkable office building. Inside, giant speakers blast rock music. Cow bells ring. There’s whooping and hollering, there’s pie and beer–and there are bikes everywhere.” [Citylab]

County Employee Recognized for Preventing Abuse — “Cheryl Fuentes, who has been working in the Arlington County government for more than a quarter-century changing the lives of parents and children, was honored as Arlington’s 2018 ‘Ally in Prevention’ by Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia.” [InsideNova]

APS Finalists for WaPo Awards — Hoffman-Boston principal Kimberley Graves and Thomas Jefferson Middle School teacher Timothy Wyatt Cotman, Jr. are among the finalists for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year awards. [Washington Post]

ACPD to Hold Award Ceremony — “The Arlington County Police Department will hold its annual Principles of Government Service Awards (PGSA) Ceremony on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, at 7 p.m. The ceremony recognizes the achievements of police personnel in service to the community and highlights the Department’s dedicated pledge of duty, honor and commitment.” [Arlington County]

Photo courtesy Kathleen Branch

Armed Forces Cycling Classic Returning to Arlington

By Anna Merod
Photo by Rena Schild

Cyclists can now register for the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, which is returning to Arlington in June.

The cycling event, which is taking place the weekend of June 9-10, is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. The event was previously known as the Air Force Association Cycling Classic.

The event is sponsored by Boeing, but companies can join as supporting sponsors or enter the race as part of the “corporate challenge,” raising money for nonprofits like the ALS Association, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Our Military Kids.

There are three main competitions throughout the event. The first is the Clarendon Cup, a pro/am criterium race with 1 km course that begins and ends near the Clarendon Metro station. The event’s website says the race is “one of the most difficult criterium races in the USA” due to technical demands of the course.

On June 10 both the Crystal Cup and the Challenge Ride will occur.

The Crystal Cup will feature multiple races starting with the men’s pro race, then the kids races, followed by the women’s pro race and then the men’s amateur race. The 1.3 km course will run down Crystal Drive between 23rd St. S. and 18th St. S., and around S. Clark Street.

The Challenge Ride will take place between 7-10 a.m., allowing riders to take as many laps as they can within the three hour limit. The course is 6.5 miles long and wraps through Pentagon City, Crystal City and Rosslyn.

Each branch of the armed services will have its total laps tracked as a part of the Navy Federal Credit Union Armed Forces Cycling Challenge. The service with the most total laps and the most laps by its top six riders will be awarded on the stage during Sunday’s men’s pro race.

To participate, cyclists will need to indicate which service they are or have been in while registering and must bring a military ID the day of the race. The U.S. Air Force was the top lap accumulator in both 2015 and 2016.

Last year the UnitedHealthCare professional cycling team made a strong showing with a member winning first place in the men’s Clarendon Cup, and two other members winning second place in the men’s and women’s Crystal Cup.

Expect a number of road closures for each course going through the Clarendon, Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City areas.

File photo.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Dem Support for Country Club Bill Slips — A procedural vote in the Virginia House of Delegates to send the Arlington country club bill to the governor’s desk passed, but without a veto-proof margin. Some Democratic lawmakers who supported the bill the first time around voted no instead. If signed by Gov. Ralph Northam (D), the legislation would greatly lower the property taxes of Army Navy Country Club and Washington Golf and Country Club. [InsideNova]

Four Courts Four Miler Closures — The annual Four Courts Four Miler race will close roads parts of Wilson Blvd and Route 110 in Courthouse and Rosslyn this coming Saturday morning. [Arlington County]

Food Trucks Grumble About Festival Fees — “To participate in May’s Taste of Arlington festival… food trucks must pay a flat fee of between $400 and $500. Festival attendees purchase tickets worth $5 each that can be redeemed at food trucks for a few bites. When the gates close, event organizers reimburse the food truck between 25 and 75 cents per ticket… Would you sign this contract?” [Washington City Paper]

‘Women of Vision’ Awards — Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 Arlington Women of Vision Awards. The nomination deadline is April 20. [Arlington County]

How to Do Business With Arlington — Arlington is hosting an event next week that will show small businesses “the nuances of successfully doing business with Arlington County.” Per the event website: “Experts will be speaking on topics such as obtaining opportunities to work with the County and understanding the procurement process.” [Arlington Economic Development]

Nearby: Alexandria Tops Tourism List — Alexandria is No. 1 on Money magazine’s “The 20 Best Places to Go in 2018” list, topping Anaheim, Calif., the home of Disneyland, among other destinations. Harper’s Ferry, W. Va. was ranked No. 2. [Washington Post]

‘Love the Run You’re With 5k’ Brings Road Closures to Pentagon City

By Anna Merod

The annual Love the Run You’re With 5K is returning to Pentagon City this Sunday, prompting some road closures.

Runners can register as a couple, as singles, or can run without signaling their relationship status. Solo registration currently costs $45 and couples’ registration is $80.

The race will begin and end at the Pentagon City mall, with after-race deals at Shake Shack and nearby Commonwealth Joe. The course runs up S. Joyce Street and along Army Navy Drive to 23rd Street S. and back.

ACPD has provided a list of road closures for the race, below.

The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures to accommodate the race:

  • South Joyce Street, between South 15th Street and Army Navy Drive, will be closed from 7:00 AM until 11:00 AM.
  • South 15th Street, between S. Hayes Street and S. Joyce Street, will be closed from 6:00 AM until 11:00 AM (The southern entrance to the Pentagon City Mall Garage will be closed for the duration of the event).
  • Army Navy Drive, between South Joyce Street and South 23rd Street, will be closed from 7:00 AM until 11:00 AM.

Street parking in the area will be restricted. Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs, and illegally parked vehicles will be subject to ticketing and towing. If your vehicle is towed from a public street during this event call the Emergency Communication Center at 703-558-2222.

Race attendees are strongly encouraged to use Metro or other forms of transportation services.  Participants arriving by car can park in the Pentagon City Mall garage, which will be accessible via the Army Navy Drive entrance.

Photo via Pacers Running

Underground Bike Races Return to Crystal City With New Name

By Anna Merod

Registration is now open for Crosshairs Garage Races, formerly known as Wednesday Night Spins, in Crystal City.

The underground bike races will begin in March. The course will be set up on the G4 level of the parking garage at 201 12th Street S., Designed as a “dry criterium” course, it will feature plenty of turns and no dismounts.

In addition to the new name for the series, there’s also a new competition to see who can rack up the most points over the first four races.

“Crosshairs Garage Races challenges amateur and elite cyclists alike to compete weekly for prizes and points in pursuit of the ‘Petty Cup.’ Named in honor of Joseph Petty, the former Crystal City BID employee and Crosshairs racing team member who conceptualized the event, the Petty Cup is awarded to the racer in each category with the most points earned over the course of the first four weeks of the series (March 7th to 28th),” the Crystal City Business Improvement District said in a press release.

The event is free for spectators and $15 for most bicyclist race registrations. There will also be a pop-up bar.

Here’s the list of upcoming races:

  • March 7
    • Beginners’ Race Series, 6:30 p.m.
    • Women’s Open Series, 7:25 p.m.
    • Open Race Series, 8:25 p.m.
  • March 14
    • Beginners’ Race Series, 6:30 p.m.
    • Women’s Open Series, 7:25 p.m.
    • Open Race Series, 8:25 p.m.
  • March 21
    • Beginners’ Race Series, 6:30 p.m.
    • Women’s Open Series, 7:25 p.m.
    • Open Race Series, 8:25 p.m.
  • March 28
    • Beginners’ Race Series, 6:30 p.m.
    • Women’s Open Series, 7:25 p.m.
    • Open Race Series, 8:25 p.m.
  • April 4
    • Beginner/Intermediate/Junior Open Race, 6:30 p.m.
    • Feds v. Contractors Race, 7:25 p.m.
    • Cargo Bike/Tandem/Bikeshare Showdown, 8 p.m.
    • Fixed Gear Finale, 8:25 p.m.

Crosshairs Garage Races is hosted by the Crystal City BID in partnership with JBG Smith and In The Crosshairs.

Photo courtesy Crystal City/Bruce Buckley Photography

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

‘Great Chocolate Race’ Cancelled — “The Great Chocolate Race, originally scheduled to take place in Rosslyn on Saturday, December 9, 2017, has been canceled due to circumstances outside the control of Arlington County and its Police Department. Runners who signed up to participate are advised not to respond to the area as planned.” [Arlington County]

Tax Bill Could Boost N. Va. Over D.C. — The GOP tax bill currently making its way through Congress could make Arlington and Northern Virginia a significantly more attractive a place to live for higher-income residents, tax-wise, than D.C. That is due to the proposed elimination of state and local tax deductions. [D.C. Policy Center]

Decal Design Finalists Revealed — Four finalists have been chosen in the Arlington County treasurer’s annual vehicle decal design contest for high school students. The potential designs for the 2018-2019 decal include ball players atop a goalpost, a depiction of Arlington’s skyline with blossoming cherry trees in the foreground, a ferris wheel from the county fair and the Cherrydale War Memorial. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Bekah Richards

Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation 5K & Family Fun Day Set For Saturday

By Chris Teale

A 5K race and festival in memory of an Arlington mom killed by a passing truck while placing her children in a minivan will be held for the third time on Saturday.

The Jennifer Bush-Lawson Memorial 5K Race begins at 9 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road). It will feature a 5K race, a kids’ fun run with Teddy, one of the Washington Nationals’ Racing Presidents, and a “Family Fun Day Festival.”

The family festival will live feature music from local band Gutterball Kingpin, as well as moon bounces, a rock climbing wall, obstacle course, in-line jumper, human hungry hippo, food trucks, a beer garden, corn hole, face painting, balloon animals and more.

The event benefits the Arlington Pediatric Center and the Virginia Hospital Center Outpatient Obstetrics Clinic, with a focus on prenatal and postnatal health services for underprivileged mothers and babies.

Police will close several roads to accommodate the event. Per the Arlington County Police Department:

The 3rd Annual Jennifer Bush-Lawson Memorial 5K Race will take place on Saturday, November 18, 2017.  The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures from approximately 8:30 AM until 11:00 AM to accommodate this event:

Main Closures:

  • Little Falls Road: N. George Mason Drive to Yorktown Blvd.
  • Yorktown Blvd.: N. George Mason Drive to Williamsburg Blvd.
  • Williamsburg Blvd.: Yorktown Blvd. to N. Emerson Street
  • 33rd Street: N. Emerson Street to N. George Mason Drive
  • George Mason Drive: N. 33rd Street to Yorktown Blvd.
  • Smaller closures exist within the race area

Marine Corps Marathon Will Close Arlington Roads, Highway Lanes

By Chris Teale

The 42nd Marine Corps Marathon and MCM 10K will bring a bevy of road closures to Arlington County this coming Sunday (Oct. 22).

Opening ceremonies for the races begin at 6:30 a.m., with the wheelchair race starting at 7:45 a.m. and the marathon and 10K beginning at 7:55 a.m. Around 30,000 people are expected to take part in the races, which run through parts of Arlington and D.C.

There are a number of good vantage points in Arlington to watch the runners, including the beginning and end of the marathon in Rosslyn and some of its final miles in Crystal City.

Per an Arlington County Police Department press release, the following roads will close on Sunday:

4:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.  Marshall Drive from North Meade Street to Route 110

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  North Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Lynn Street

4:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.  Route 110 from I-66 to Jefferson Davis Highway

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  Wilson Boulevard from North Nash Street to Route 110

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  Lynn Street from North Meade Street to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  Fort Myer Drive from North Meade Street to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  North Moore Street from Wilson Boulevard to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  19th Street North from Lynn Street to North Nash Street

4:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.  Route 110 ramp from Washington Blvd. to Pentagon North parking

5:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.    Exit 8B, Southbound 395 exit to Southbound Route 1. Motorists seeking to enter Crystal City are advised to continue south, take exit 7 (Glebe Road), and make a left at the traffic signal to travel south on Glebe    Road.  Continue south for approximately 2 miles, where Glebe Road intersects with both S. Eads Street and Route 1. Both thoroughfares lead into Crystal City.

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.  Lee Highway (eastbound) from Lynn Street to North Kirkwood Street

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.  Spout Run Parkway from southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) to Lee Highway

7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.  GWMP from Spout Run to Memorial Circle Drive

7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  Francis Scott Key Bridge (all lanes)

7:35 a.m.-2:00 p.m.  HOV lanes from 14th Street SW to HOV ramp at South Eads Street

7:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.  South Eads Street from South Rotary Road to Army Navy Drive

7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.  Army Navy Drive from South Fern Street to 12th Street South

7:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.  15th Street South from Crystal Drive to South Eads Street

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.   12th Street South from Army Navy Drive to Crystal Drive

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Crystal Drive from 12th Street South to 23rd Street South

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  23rd Street South from Crystal Drive to North Clark Street

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Long Bridge Drive from 12th Street South to I-395

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Boundary Channel Drive from I-395 to Pentagon North Parking

7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Washington Blvd. from Columbia Pike to Memorial Circle (southbound lanes will reopen at approximately 9:30 a.m.)

While roads will close for the race, Metrorail will open two hours early at 6 a.m. and have extra trains on the Blue and Yellow Lines. Metro said the extended hours, now a rarity compared to years past, are “funded through an agreement with event organizers.”

Travel tips from a Metro press release, after the jump.

(more…)

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