road closures

Portion of George Mason Drive Closed by Crash

By ARLnow.com
1/2

(Updated at 5:15 p.m.) Another evening rush hour crash is causing significant backups, this time on N. George Mason Drive, south of Ballston.

A reported “head-on” crash on George Mason, near the intersection of 2nd Road N., has prompted police to close the northbound lanes of George Mason Drive at Route 50.

Two ambulances have been dispatched to the scene for reports of non-life-threatening injuries.

A witness said via Twitter that one of the vehicles “jumped the median and hit a car traveling northbound at 2nd Road N.”

Buckingham Festival To Close N. Pershing Drive This Weekend

By Airey

The annual Buckingham Festival returns this weekend, bringing food, dancing, and a road closure to Arlington.

This year marks the 19th year that tenant association BU-GATA has organized the daylong festival, which returns this Sunday, August 25, from 2-8 p.m.

The Arlington County Police Department announced today (Friday) that officers will a section of N. Pershing Drive between N. Glebe Road and N. Thomas Street from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. to block traffic from festival goers.

In the past, the street event has celebrated the heritage of the neighborhood’s Latino residents with food and folk dances — both of which are expected to return this year. In addition, children will be able to play games and enjoy a bounce house.

Falls Church-based Latin band Grupo Quimbao is also scheduled to perform live during the event.

Organizers noted in their bilingual event flyer that parking will available at Barrett Elementary School.

File photo

Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn to Close for Night Work for One Month

By Vernon Miles

If you cruise Rosslyn streets late at night, you might want to avoid Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn over the next month.

From Sundays through Thursdays between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., Wilson Blvd is scheduled to be closed between N. Oak and N. Quinn streets.

The closures are expected to start Sunday, Aug. 18, and continue through the end of September.

The street will be closed to allow Dominion workers to upgrade power service to handle Arlington Public Schools’ new Heights Building and the redevelopment of 1555 Wilson Blvd as luxury condos and retail, according to a press release.

Cars and buses are expected to be detoured north to Key Blvd during the closures, though the sidewalk on the south side of the street will remain open for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

Morning Notes

By Vernon Miles

SB Route 1 Blocked by Crash — Updated at 8:35 a.m. — Southbound Route 1 was blocked by a crash involving an overturned vehicle at 23rd Street in the Crystal City area. All lanes reopened shortly after 8 a.m. [Twitter, Twitter]

Arlington Real Estate Still Hot — “In July, Arlington had the most brisk trip between listing and contract – just nine days – followed in the local region by Alexandria (10), Fairfax County (17), Falls Church (20), Loudoun County (23) and Prince William County (24).” [InsideNova]

AWLA Seeking Adoptions, Cheese — The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is holding its annual “Clear the Shelters Day” event this Saturday, with adoption fees waived for all animals. Also, the league is seeking donations of Easy Cheese spray, which is used as a treat for dogs. [Facebook, Facebook]

TRAFFIC ALERT: NB I-395 Closed at 14th Street Bridge

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) A crash has temporarily shut down all main lanes of northbound I-395, just before the 14th Street Bridge.

First responders were first called to the scene for reports of a two-vehicle wreck with injuries.

Police and firefighters are working to move the vehicles off to the side. At least one of traffic is expected to reopen shortly.

Part of Glebe Road Closed Due to House Fire

By ARLnow.com
1/2

An under-construction home caught fire this morning, prompting an emergency response that closed part of N. Glebe Road during the morning rush hour.

Video from the scene shows smoke coming from the top of the home, at the intersection of Glebe and 33rd Street N., just north of Washington Golf and Country Club.

The fire, which was first reported just before 7 a.m., has since been extinguished. No visible signs of fire damage can be seen on the front of the home.

BREAKING: ART Bus Careens into Community Garden After Crash

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) An Arlington Transit bus has careened into the Barton Street community garden after a crash near Courthouse.

The crash happened around 3:05 p.m. at the intersection of 10th Street N. and N. Barton Street.

At least two vehicles were involved: a sedan, which suffered heavy front-end damage, and an ART bus, which knocked over a light pole and street signs before coming to rest in the middle of the garden.

A passenger told ARLnow that the bus had a green light and was coming down the hill on Barton when it was struck by the sedan. The sedan’s driver was cited by officers for running a red light, Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage said.

Passengers could be heard comforting the bus driver after the crash, saying it “could have happened to anyone.”

No serious injuries were reported, though one female passenger said her arm hurt. Drivers should expect lane closures on 10th Street and slow traffic in the area while crews work to clean up the crash scene.

The crash follows an incident on Tuesday in which an ART bus crashed into a building after rolling through a rental truck depot.

Vernon Miles contributed to this report.

JUST IN: Street Closed in Ballston After Man Falls from Building

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A man has been rushed to the hospital after falling from a building in Ballston in an apparent suicide attempt.

The incident happened around 3:45 p.m. at a residential building on the 1000 block of N. Stuart Street, a block from the Ballston Metro station.

Initial reports suggest that workers in a nearby office building called police to report a man standing on the roof of a building, but the man jumped before first responders arrived on scene, striking a lower roof before landing on the ground.

The man was transported via ambulance to a trauma center at a local hospital, alive but with reported serious injuries.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911 or the Department of Human Services’ emergency services line at 703-228-5160. CrisisLink also has a 24-hour crisis hotline at 703-527-4077 or 800-SUICIDE, or text 703-940-0888.

Airey contributed to this report.

Major Weekend Road Work to Affect Route 50, I-395

By ARLnow.com

Those traveling to, from and through Arlington may need to pack their patience this weekend, depending on the route and time of day.

Both directions of Route 50 will be closed in the area of Wilson Blvd in Seven Corners, from Friday night to Monday morning, to allow VDOT to lift a new, 87-foot Wilson Blvd bridge span into place. Drivers are being encouraged to avoid the area if possible.

More from a VDOT press release:

Eastbound and westbound Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard) at the Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) interchange and eastbound Wilson Boulevard (Route 613) between the eastbound Route 50 service road and the westbound Route 50 service road will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, August 2 to 5 a.m. Monday, August 5 to safely demolish the Wilson Boulevard bridge deck over Route 50 and install the new bridge deck, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Eastbound Route 50 traffic will be detoured via the eastbound Route 50 service road back to Route 50, and westbound Route 50 traffic will be detoured via the westbound service road back to Route 50.

Eastbound Wilson Boulevard traffic will be detoured via Route 7, Patrick Henry Drive, Route 50 and the westbound Route 50 service road back to Wilson Boulevard.

Drivers can expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.

The work is part of the Wilson Boulevard over Route 50 bridge rehabilitation project. After the weekend closure, drivers can expect single-lane closures on Route 50 and the eastbound Wilson Boulevard bridge until late fall. The project is scheduled for completion this winter.

Also this weekend, “significant lane closures” are planned along I-395.

The work, part of the 395 Express Lanes project, will close multiple northbound lanes at night, starting Friday. Drivers are being encouraged to use the HOV lanes of I-395, which will be switched to the northbound direction starting at 8 p.m. tonight.

More on the I-395 work, from VDOT:

Northbound I-395 from Duke Street (Exit 3) to past the Pentagon City/Crystal City exit (Exit 8C) will have nighttime lane closures Friday night, August 2 through Sunday night, August 4 for bridge work. The I-395 HOV lanes will be switched to northbound at 8 p.m. Friday and will remain northbound all weekend.  The 95 Express Lanes from Edsall Road to Garrisonville Road will operate on a standard schedule; on Saturday from midnight to 2 p.m., the 95 Express Lanes will operate in the southbound direction while the I-395 HOV lanes are open northbound.

Photo via VDOT/Twitter

Crash Closes Old Dominion Drive

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Update at 12:40 p.m. — The crash has been cleared and the road has reopened.

Earlier: Old Dominion Drive in North Arlington is closed between Little Falls Road and Rock Spring Road due to a crash.

The crash happened at the intersection of Old Dominion and Little Falls, according to Arlington Alert.

No other details were immediately available.

Utility Work for Ballston Park Closes Nearby Street

By Vernon Miles
1/5

Utility work on the under-construction Mosaic Park will close a road in Ballston for the next three weeks.

County crews are closing 5th Road N. between N. Quincy and Pollard streets on weekdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The closures kicked off yesterday (Monday) “to accommodate utility work” for the park and are set to wrap up on Friday, Aug. 16, according to an Arlington Alert.

The road is just south of the Gold’s Gym in Ballston, on the southern edge of Mosaic Park.

The utility work is the start of a long-planned effort to overhaul Mosaic Park, with a new playground, athletic court and water feature, among other upgrades. The park, once largely a grass field with some playground equipment, is currently fenced off and mostly mounds of dirt and construction equipment.

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