(Updated at 11:50 a.m.) Arlington County firefighters are on scene of a vehicle fire in Pentagon City, near the TSA and DEA headquarters and the front entrance to the mall.
A truck caught fire and was fully engulfed in flames, sending a column of dark smoke rising into the air — visible from nearby office buildings and I-395 — around 11 a.m., near the intersection of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S.
The fire has been extinguished but Hayes Street is closed between Army Navy Drive and 12th Street S. Police are helping to direct traffic and preparing to reopen the southbound lanes of Hayes.
A video of the fire, taken from a nearby building, shows a small explosion as someone can be heard describing the fire — apparently to a 911 dispatcher — in the background. (Note: there is NSFW language in the video.)
More via social media:
ACPD is conducting traffic control in the area of S. Hayes at 15th Street as @ArlingtonVaFD units respond to a vehicle fire. Follow police direction in the area. pic.twitter.com/OmLMhoSmrQ
Parents Protest APS Proposal — “School officials tasked with the perpetual jigsaw puzzle of reassigning school zones have stirred new tensions… If you drive McKinley Rd., you can’t miss the printed signs ‘SAVE MCKINLEY: Our Neighborhood School Since 1951.’ The Madison Manor Civic Association has revved up with nearby PTAs and community groups to assemble contrary arguments.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Tafti Pushes Back on AG Comments — From Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney-elect Parisa Dehghani-Tafti: “We are neither righteous warriors nor avenging angels. We are public servants. So a little humility in how we do our job and how we accept public critique of our work would go a long way toward building a system that is both safe and just.” [Twitter]
Free Holiday Grief Support Service — “For those who’ve suffered loss-whether recently, or even years prior-the holiday stress can make the season more difficult. To help those grieving in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia during the holidays, Capital Caring Health, a local non-profit, offers a wide range of free counseling and support services.” [Press Release, Arlington Public Library]
Special Burial at Arlington National — “Private Edwin Francis Benson was killed in action at Tarawa during World War II. In 2017, his remains were located. Earlier this year, his remains were identified and a couple weeks ago he was laid to rest in Section 60. We honor his service.” [Twitter]
APS Students Learn About the Census — “The U.S. Census Bureau kicked off its Statistics in Schools program, offering Arlington teachers and others a wide array of resources that teach students not only about data but also about the importance of being counted in the upcoming 2020 Census. Arlington Public Schools shared the free program with its teachers, who can integrate it into their lesson plans.” [Arlington County]
Road Closures for Race in Pentagon City — “The Jingle Bell Run/Walk 5K for Arthritis will take place on Saturday, December 7. Police will conduct road closures in the area of South Joyce Street and Army Navy Drive to accommodate this event.” [Arlington County, Twitter]
New Additions to Story Map — A number of properties have been added to the Arlington Historical Society’s Story Map, per organizer Charlie Clark, including: 817 N. Irving St. (Lyon Park), built circa 1904; Hendry House, 2411 N 24th St. (Woodmont), built circa 1900; 3405 N. Glebe Rd. (Country Club Hills), built circa 1907. [Arlington Historical Society]
If fighting horrific traffic and crowds to see the National Christmas Tree Lighting tonight in D.C. isn’t your thing, there’s an Arlington alternative to consider.
The Village at Shirlington will be hosting its annual Light Up the Village event tonight, from 6-8:30 p.m. along Campbell Avenue.
The event will feature a tree lighting hosted by NBC 4’s Adam Tuss. Also on the agenda: “holiday musical performances by Signature Theatre and Bishop O’Connell High School, plus horse and carriage rides with a donation to Arlington Food Assistance Center, photos with Santa, merchant specials, and so much more.”
The schedule is as follows:
6 p.m. — Musical performance by Signature Theatre’s cast of Motown Christmas
6:30 p.m. — Tree lighting hosted by Adam Tuss
6:40 p.m. — Horse and carriage rides
7 p.m. Photos with Santa (located inside Hardwood Artisans)
The event will also necessitate a number of road closures and parking restrictions. From Arlington County Police:
The annual Light Up the Village at Shirlington is being held on Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 6:00 PM until 8:30 PM. Set up will begin at approximately 12:00 PM and cleanup should be completed by 9:00 PM.
The Arlington County Police Department will close the following roadways to all vehicular traffic to accommodate the event:
Campbell Avenue, from the Harris Teeter to S. Randolph Street — closed beginning at 12 PM
Campbell Avenue, from Arlington Mill Drive to S. Quincy Street — closed beginning at 4 PM
S. Randolph Street, from Arlington Mill Drive to the alley behind the businesses on the south side of Campbell Avenue — closed beginning at 4 PM
Additionally, vehicles will not be allowed to enter or exit the covered Harris Teeter parking structure onto Campbell Ave after 4 PM. Harris Teeter customers can access the parking garage via the alternate entrance behind the store.
Traffic is expected to be impacted in and around the immediate area. Motorists are advised to allot extra travel time and seek alternate routes to reduce road congestion. Attendees are encouraged to utilize multimodal and public transportation options to reduce vehicular congestion.
Street parking in the area will be restricted and motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.
Tree down across Yorktown Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Tree down across Yorktown Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Tree down across Yorktown Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Tree down across Yorktown Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Tree down across Yorktown Blvd (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) A large tree has fallen and is completely blocking the intersection of Yorktown Blvd and N. George Mason Drive.
Police and firefighters are on the scene. The tree reportedly also brought down power lines at the intersection, which is just down the street from Yorktown High School.
Drivers should expect detours in the area while crews work to remove the tree from the roadway. Eastbound traffic on Yorktown Blvd is being diverted onto 28th Street N., near the high school, according to scanner traffic.
Pedestrian traffic from the high school may also be re-routed.
UPDATE: N George Mason shut down between 26th St and Yorktown Bl. Yorktown shut down between N George Mason and N Dinwiddie. Seek alternate routes. https://t.co/yThuZHMXes
Separately, further down Yorktown Blvd from the fallen tree, Arlington County firefighters were on the scene of a possible gas leak at Nottingham Elementary as of 1:30 p.m. The school was evacuated while firefighters investigated a reported gas odor.
“Over the course of 13 years, the Trot has generated nearly $800,000 to help Arlington County residents in need,” according to the race’s website.
The following roads will be closed from 6:30 a.m. until approximately 10 a.m., per a county press release:
Pershing Drive from Washington Blvd. to N. Glebe Road
N. Oxford Street from Pershing Drive to 5th Street N.
5th Street N. from N. Nelson St. to N. Oxford Street
N. Nelson Street from Pershing Drive to 5th Street N.
N. Highland Street from Pershing Drive. to 9th Street N.
Washington Blvd. from 9th Street N. to Arlington Blvd. (eastbound lanes only)
N. Fillmore Street from Washington Blvd. to 3rd Street N.
3rd Street N. from N. Fillmore Street to Washington Blvd.
N. Bedford Street from Arlington Blvd. to Brookside Dr.
N. Brookside Drive from N. Bedford Street to Washington Blvd.
Street parking will be restricted and temporary “no parking” signs will be placed along the route. All vehicles parked in violation of the signs will be ticketed and towed, according to Arlington County Police.
Advocates Pushing for Less Parking at HQ2 — “Amazon wants employees at its new Northern Virginia headquarters to commute car-free to work… So why does the development’s current design include an underground parking garage with nearly 2,000 spaces — guaranteeing that a significant chunk of Amazon’s workforce will drive to work?” [Greater Greater Washington]
Express Lanes Causing 14th Street Bridge Slowdown? — Some commuters have been taking to social media to gripe about what they say is heavier traffic caused by the I-395 Express Lanes: “This morning the express lanes made 395N regular lanes undriveable. The problem is they closed off the 14th street bridge hov to regular traffic, which is creating a tremendous clog point. Its now taking 30 mins just to cross the 14th street bridge.” [Twitter, Twitter]
Northam in Arlington Today — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) is scheduled to attend the Governor’s Transportation Conference this morning at a hotel in Crystal City. [Cvent]
‘Feuerwehrmann’ Joins ACFD for Three Weeks — “Two Arlington County Fire Department crews had a unique opportunity recently when they welcomed a fellow firefighter from the Aachen Fire Department in Germany. Lieutenant Sebastian Ganser, a firefighter, paramedic, and fire instructor in Arlington’s sister city of Aachen, Germany, spent three weeks with Station 5C in Crystal City and Station 2B in Ballston — living and working alongside Arlington’s firefighters and paramedics.” [Arlington County]
Long-Distance Runners Arriving in Arlington Soon — “Josh and Brian will be running roughly 500 miles from Massachusetts National Cemetery to Arlington National Cemetery in VA for your donations. This journey will take between 10-14 days averaging 40-50 miles per day. They will start on November 11th, 2019 (Veterans Day) and will only stop to eat and sleep until they make it to Arlington, VA.” [Mission 22]
Road Closures for Annual 5K — “The 5th annual Jennifer Bush-Lawson Memorial 5K Race will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2019. The Arlington County Police Department will implement several road closures from approximately 8:00 AM until 11:00 AM to accommodate this event.” [Arlington County]
Planetarium Boosters to Stay Active During Closure — “The Arlington school system’s lone planetarium will be closed for about a year and a half starting later this month, as construction takes place turning the nearby Arlington Education Center building into classroom space. But leaders with the Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium say they will fill the gap with programming elsewhere during the closure.” [InsideNova]
A portion of Lee Highway in Rosslyn will be closed during the day this week for paving.
The southbound section of Lee Highway, adjacent to the Custis Trail between N. Lynn Street and Fort Myer Drive, is expected to be closed from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
More from a Virginia Dept. of Transportation press release:
Southbound Route 29 (Lee Highway) between North Lynn Street and Fort Myer Drive will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 20 and Thursday, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day for paving as part of the Lynn Street Esplanade and Custis Trail Improvements project, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Traffic will be detoured via North Lynn Street and Fort Myer Drive back to southbound Route 29.
During the closures, traffic coming from the Key Bridge will still be able to proceed through the Fort Myer Drive/southbound Route 29 intersection. The Custis Trail will also remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians during the work.
A quarter-mile of a wider Custis Trail from North Lynn Street to North Oak Street opened to bicyclists and pedestrians in August. The overall Lynn Street Esplanade and Custis Trail Improvements project is scheduled for completion in spring 2020.
Arlington County crews are planning to close N. Glebe Road again tonight, between Military Road and Chain Bridge Road, for more repairs. The work is intended to “restore full water system capacity and redundancy following the large water main emergency of last Friday,” according to a press release.
The closure is expected to start “no earlier than 7 p.m.” tonight (Wednesday). The road is expected to reopen by Thursday night’s rush hour “barring complications.”
More from the county:
Throughout the work, northbound traffic on Route 123 will only be able to turn left onto Chain Bridge. Traffic crossing Chain Bridge from the District will have to turn right onto Route 123.
Within a few hours of the Friday break, crews were able to isolate and stabilize the break and restore pressure to the County’s drinking water system. This week’s work is required to repair the 36-inch transmission main segment, which was installed in 1944.
The repairs are not expected to have any impact on customers’ water service.
Permanent roadway infrastructure repairs including guard rail replacement and drainage improvements will be conducted in the coming weeks. These repairs will be scheduled to minimize traffic impacts.
Glebe Road is a state route but Arlington County’s Department of Environmental Services has taken the lead in repairs in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Meanwhile, the cold and changing temperatures have raised the specter of additional water main breaks. Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services is encouraging locals to call them if they suspect a water main break somewhere in the county.
Large shifts in temperature can make water mains cranky. If you think you've seen or are experiencing a water main break, report it to the 24/7 water-sewer hotline: 703-228-6555. https://t.co/sIiPnubTcEpic.twitter.com/Nlnl1igkIi
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 13, 2019
Update at 12:15 p.m. — N. Glebe Road has reopened but crews will need to return for follow up work “in a few days,” the county says. Photos posted earlier today show the sinkhole fixed and the roadway re-paved.
Repairs made overnight to portion of North Glebe Road damaged in Friday's big water main break but that stretch near Chain Bridge remains closed pending inspection. Check back for updates. pic.twitter.com/DNSeLU2bpE
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 10, 2019
Update at 10:15 a.m. — The boil water advisory that much of Arlington has been under over the past couple of days is now lifted. Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services made the announcement Sunday morning.
OFFICIAL: The boil water advisory for portions of Arlington County has been lifted following tests showing the drinking water system is safe. Follow-up suggestions will be posted shortly at https://t.co/1OlbopFCOE. pic.twitter.com/LhBMtRAmAN
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 10, 2019
Emptying and cleaning automatic ice makers and water chillers is also encouraged.
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 10, 2019
Arlington County issued the following press release Sunday morning:
Arlington County has lifted the Boil Water Advisory.
Following the large water transmission main break on Nov. 8 at Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road, residents and businesses in Arlington can resume using tap water for all purposes.
Water customers are advised to run their taps for a few minutes to release any air and sediment that may have accumulated following the break. Emptying and cleaning automatic ice makers and water chillers is also encouraged.
A series of rigorous tests have determined that the system is safe following the significant water main break early Friday, Nov. 8, that caused pressure drops in several locations across the County. Because of significant pressure loss before the 36-inch transmission line was bypassed, Arlington issued a Boil Water Advisory for affected areas of the County as a safety measure.
Tests identified no potentially threatening bacteria in the system as a result of the break, and samples met Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. The County consulted with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to ensure the water system is safe for public use.
Arlington County appreciates the patience and understanding of its residents, businesses and their customers as staff followed procedures that place public health and safety as the highest priority.
The incident also affected portions of the Arlington-linked DC Water system, which has also been deemed safe following tests.
The section of North Glebe Road damaged by the break near Chain Bridge is expected to reopen to traffic Sunday afternoon. Because of the complexity of the break, permanent repairs and restoration will continue later this week, depending on the weather.
Earlier: A large portion of Arlington County remains under a boil water advisory, as crews make progress with repairs following a large water main break near Chain Bridge.
The boil water advisory is in effect until at least Sunday, Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services said Saturday morning.
N. Glebe Road, meanwhile, is still closed, but expected to open by Sunday evening — a shorter closure than the initial worst case scenario of extending into next week.
Among other neighborhoods, the boil water advisory is in effect along the Orange Line corridor from Rosslyn to Ballston. That has prompted changes at local stores and restaurants, from soda machines shut off to bottled water used to wash hands in bathrooms.
The CVS in Courthouse, meanwhile, ran out of most packs of bottled water on Saturday, the Washington Post reported, and Starbucks stores up and down Wilson Blvd are not serving hot coffee — leading some customers to get “a little nasty,” a manager told the Post.
More via social media:
The Day After: The big water main repair at Glebe Road near Chain Bridge is fully stabilized and the roadway is expected to reopen to traffic Sunday pm. Boil Water Advisory for eastern Arlington still in effect at least into tomorrow. What to do/map links: https://t.co/7lHsjyMXZzpic.twitter.com/fSry3CeLIu
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 9, 2019
It’s a rough morning for anyone driving on either end of Glebe Road in Arlington.
In addition to the closure of a portion of N. Glebe Road due to a large water main break, a portion of S. Glebe Road is temporarily closed due to a crash.
The crash, involving a box truck and at least one car, has prompted the closure of Glebe at 24th Street S., near I-395, in both directions, according to the Arlington County Fire Department.
“Expect major delays and seek alternate routes,” ACFD said.
So far, there’s no word on injuries.
Updated at 9:15 a.m. — The road is back open after the earlier closure.
Sinkhole caused by large water main break in Nov. 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Sinkhole caused by large water main break (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Sinkhole caused by water main break (photo via Arlington DES/Twitter)
Sinkhole caused by water main break (photo via Arlington DES/Twitter)
Chain Bridge closed on the D.C. side
Road closures near Chain Bridge (map via Google Maps)
(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) A large water transmission main serving Arlington ruptured early this morning amid falling temperatures, prompting major closures.
The water main break was first reported around 4:30 a.m. on the Arlington side of Chain Bridge. The northern end of N. Glebe Road, a portion of Chain Bridge Road and Chain Bridge itself were all expected to remain closed throughout the morning rush hour as a result.
(Chain Bridge and Chain Bridge Road has partially reopened as of 9:45 a.m. for drivers heading to and from D.C. and Fairfax County, VDOT said via Twitter.)
The rupture caused a portion of N. Glebe Road, on the hill leading to Chain Bridge, to collapse.
Large water transmission pipes run under the Chain Bridge, bringing water from the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant in D.C. into Arlington. The pipe that burst was a 36-inch transmission main, significantly larger than the typical 12-inch residential water main, WTOP reported.
Though as of 6:35 a.m. Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services (DES) reported that “crews have stabilized the transmission main break and pressure is being restored to County water lines,” much of the Arlington’s water service was impacted and nearly half of the county remains under a precautionary boil water advisory.
The boil water advisory is “expected to last until at least Sunday, after a series of testing,” according to Arlington Alert.
The closure of Glebe Road, meanwhile, is currently expected to last at least into the weekend.
The repair of the water main is expected to stretch into late Saturday or even into Sunday, DES Chief Operating Officer Mike Moon tells ARLnow. The road could remain closed until Tuesday, though there’s also a possibility it reopens this weekend, Moon said.
More permanent repairs to the road may be necessary even after it reopens, according to Moon. DES officials are still assessing the situation and expect to provide more information to the public on Saturday.
“It’s a major repair,” said DES spokeswoman Jessica Baxter. “Crews are working as fast as possible… but we don’t have a [solid] timeline for the repair and the restoration of the roadway.”
Moon noted that water service has been restored to most of Arlington thanks to redundancy in the system. There are three large transmission pipes that run from D.C. to Arlington — two hanging under the bridge, one under the river — that supply the county’s water, and there are multiple paths that the water takes into Arlington once its reached the Virginia side of the Potomac.
Arlington Public Schools, meanwhile, have closed today (Friday) due to the lack of water service, though football games will be played tonight
All schools and offices are closed today, Fri, Nov. 8 due to a large water main break on N. Glebe Rd. Because of the water main break, water pressure is significantly impacted throughout the county. See School Talk Message or Website for details.
Operations Update: Tonight’s @WHSHappenings@yhssports and @WLHSAthletics football games will be played as scheduled and at their posted location. Because of the boil water advisory, only pre-packaged concessions will be available for purchase and water fountains cannot be used.
Two community centers are also closed, in addition to all APS facilities. Libraries are open but patrons are encouraged to bring bottled water.
Fri., Nov. 8 – Due to a water transmission main break: • Carver & Drew Community Centers are closed. • All activities scheduled in Arlington Public School standalone facilities are cancelled. • All Aquatic Enjoy Arlington Classes are cancelled. https://t.co/HL8lCJIjW9
The Library is open today, but some locations are inside Arlington's Water Boil Advisory zone so if you are headed to Central, Cherrydale, Columbia Pike or Plaza be sure to bring a water bottle. More info: https://t.co/nC74EH01f3
Local restaurants, meanwhile, are using bottled water and disposable plates amid the boil water advisory, according to Washingtonian.
Ambar, Buena Vida Social Club, Barley Mac, Bronson Bier Hall and Taco Rock among the Arlington restaurants “taking extra precautions,” including using bottled water and disposable plates https://t.co/AMzzFeE1AN
More on the boil water advisory, from a county press release:
As a precaution, Arlington County has issued a Boil Water Advisory for customers in the eastern area of the County (excluding Crystal City) who may be impacted by a large water transmission main break at Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road. (See area… on the map.) The break caused pressure drops in several locations across the County. The advisory is a safety measure because of the depressurization.
If you live in the affected area, you should bring your water to a rolling boil for three minutes then cool before:
Drinking
Brushing teeth
Washing fruits and vegetables
Preparing baby food and formula
Making ice
Giving to pets
Information will be shared when the advisory has been lifted. Check the County website for updates.
Emergency Water Main Break: Crews are investigating a large water transmission break at Glebe Road and Chain Bridge. Pressure drops reported in several locations. Avoid turning on taps if possible. Avoid Chain Bridge as work continues. #VAtrafficpic.twitter.com/tGTMhX9hWO
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 8, 2019
Update 6:35am: Crews have stabilized the transmission main break and pressure is being restored to County water lines. Boil Water Advisory, issued strictly as a precaution, remains in effect.
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 8, 2019
