road closures

Roads Closed in Clarendon for Vice Presidential Visit

By ARLnow.com

A number of roads around Clarendon were closed this morning for a visit by Vice President Mike Pence.

The veep was speaking at the Leadership Institute, which runs training programs for conservative activists and is based on the 1100 block of N. Highland Street, next to Trader Joe’s.

Buses were rerouted as the Secret Service and Arlington County Police closed several roads in the area. The closures were lifted around 11:45 a.m.

Courtesy photo (top)

Old Dominion Drive to Be Closed for ‘Urgent’ Repairs

By ARLnow.com

A portion of Old Dominion Drive in the Rock Spring neighborhood, near the McLean border, is scheduled to be closed during the day this week for “urgent” repairs.

The road will be closed near the 37th Street N. intersection from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Friday, according to VDOT. The agency says a detour will in place.

The urgent repairs follow the flash flood emergency earlier this month.

More from VDOT:

Old Dominion Drive (Route 309) between North Edison Street and 37th Street North will be closed daily Monday, July 22 through Friday, July 26 for urgent slope repairs, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Old Dominion Drive will be closed between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

Traffic will be detoured via North Edison Street, 37th Street North, North Harrison Street, Williamsburg Boulevard and North George Mason Drive back to Old Dominion Drive.

Photo via Google Maps

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Family Sues Metro for Va. Square Death — “A family has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), claiming negligence in the death of a man who lay down on the tracks at the Virginia Square rail station in July 2017.” [NBC Washington]

Jury Duty Process Starting Soon — “The Arlington Circuit Court… will soon begin its annual juror qualification process. Juror questionnaires will be mailed in early August to randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City.” [Arlington County]

Tech Company Relocating to Arlington — “Still fresh off of raising millions in venture capital funding, Amify Inc. is leaving Alexandria for a larger space in Arlington just a few blocks from Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters. The company, which markets, sells and ships products for other companies on Amazon, has signed a three-year lease with JBG Smith Properties to take over the Crystal City space that was last rented by Trustify Inc., an embattled tech company that’s now in bankruptcy.” [Washington Business Journal]

Plaque Proposed for Wilson School — “Gone but not forgotten. That’s the hope of historic-preservation advocates when it comes to the Wilson School in Rosslyn… Plans for an historic marker noting the school’s provenance are wending their way through the county government’s approval process.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Exec Tapped as Accenture CEO — “Accenture Inc.’s board of directors has promoted Julie Sweet, a Greater Washington executive who now serves as the company’s North American CEO, to the top job of global chief executive effective Sept. 1. Her ascension makes Sweet, based in Arlington County, the 34th female CEO of a Fortune 500 company.” [Washington Business Journal]

Nearby: Update on Flooded Commuter Routes — “After time-consuming repairs, the District Department of Transportation reopened Canal Road between Reservoir and Foxhall roads late Monday morning…. In McLean, a rain-swollen [Pimmit] Run undermined a large section of Kirby Road. VDOT said the work to repair the road and embankment will take weeks.” [WTOP]

Flickr pool photo by John Sullivan

TRAFFIC ALERT: Fallen Tree Blocks I-66 Ramp Near Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
1/5

A tree has reportedly fallen, blocking the ramp from westbound Lee Highway to I-66, near Rosslyn.

Both lanes of the ramp are currently blocked. Drivers, including the driver of a commuter bus, could be seen heading back up the ramp in reverse. An Arlington County Police officer and VDOT sign truck are now on scene and blocking off the ramp.

Those on Lee Highway hoping to reach I-66 should continue heading westbound to the entrance near Spout Run.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the tree falling.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Amazon and Local Real Estate — “Amazon has yet to break ground in Northern Virginia for its second headquarters, but residents are already turning away persistent speculators, recalculating budgets for down payments on homes and fighting rent increases.” [New York Times]

Low Young Adult Home Ownership — “Arlington ties with Richmond for the lowest home-ownership rate among young adults in the commonwealth, according to a new analysis… only 16 percent of young adults living in Arlington were homeowners – perhaps not surprising given the cost of real estate in the county.” [InsideNova]

HQ2 Helps Va. Rank as Top State for Business — “CNBC has named Virginia America’s ‘Top State for Business’ in 2019. CNBC unveiled Virginia as the top state for business [Wednesday] morning during a live broadcast from Shenandoah River State Park, and Governor Northam was on location to discuss the announcement.” [CNBC, Gov. Ralph Northam, Twitter, Arlington Economic Development, Washington Business Journal]

Amazon Information Meeting — Officials from Amazon and Arlington County discussed the company’s HQ2 plan and its approval process at a public meeting near Shirlington last night. [Twitter]

More on 5G in Arlington — “Arlington is preparing its commercial corridors for the next generation of mobile broadband technology — 5G. The impact? Mobile download speeds for movies, video games, apps and more up to 100 times faster than today.” [Arlington County]

County Seeking Volunteers for Disaster Drill — “The County is seeking volunteers to participate in Capital Fortitude, a full-scale emergency exercise designed to evaluate the National Capital Region’s ability to dispense medication quickly in response to an anthrax attack. From 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 19, Arlington will join 24 jurisdictions around the region in hosting a Point of Dispensing (POD) exercise.” [Arlington County]

Flood-Damaged Road Reopening — “Update [on] July 10… Crews expect to have one lane of 18th St N between N Lexington St and N McKinley Road reopen to traffic this evening. Repairs to the other lane set for completion tomorrow. 20th St N at George Mason is [reopened] with minor repairs still pending.” [Twitter]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Incubator Leaving Crystal City — “Startup incubator 1776 plans to open its new D.C. location this year and will ultimately shut down its Crystal City location. 1776 spokesman Lucas McCanna said the company will relocate to ‘the general McPherson Square area,’ but declined to give a specific address.” [Washington Business Journal]

AAA: Worst Times for Independence Day Travel — “Holiday travelers hailing from the area will face absolute gridlock along key freeway segments starting [today], July 3. Topping the list of the worst corridors for those departing Wednesday, July 3, is Interstate 270 northbound.” [Press Release]

Arlington County Holiday Closures — All Arlington County government offices, courts, libraries and facilities will be closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday, though trash and recycling will still be collected. Also, “metered parking is not enforced but street parking near the US Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima), Long Bridge Park, and the Air Force Memorial will be restricted. Motorists should look for temporary ‘No Parking’ signs.” [Arlington County]

Memorial Bridge Closed to Pedestrians — In addition to other July 4 road closures around Arlington, Memorial Bridge will be closed to both vehicles and pedestrians throughout the day Thursday. [Twitter, National Park Service]

ART Bus Holiday Schedule — “ART will operate holiday service on Thursday, July 4, 2019, in observance of Independence Day. ART 41, 42, 45, 51, 55 and 87 will operate on Sunday schedules. All other ART routes will not operate and the ART customer call center will be closed.” [Arlington Transit]

Superintendent Search May Be Drawn Out — “Arlington’s new School Board chair, who will be focused in coming months on the selection of a new superintendent, asked for patience in the community as the process plays out. ‘Finding the right leader and the best fit for our community will take time,’ Tannia Talento said July 1 as she rotated in as chair of the School Board for the coming year.” [InsideNova]

Flickr pool photo by Lisa Novak

Shirlington Road Closed in Nauck Due to Water Main Break

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) A portion of Shirlington Road in the Nauck neighborhood is closed due to a reported water main break.

The closure appears to be in place between S. Four Mile Run Drive and 25th Street S. Of the two Arlington County traffic cameras closest to the reported break, however, one is out of service and the other is pointed away from the closure.

“Repairs are in progress,” Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services said in a tweet Monday afternoon. “Expected completion time is 10 p.m. Approximately 50 customers may be impacted. The street is closed in the area and traffic is being detoured.”

Via Twitter, Arlington Transit said ART buses are detouring around the closures.

Photo via Google Maps

Fourth of July Celebrations to Prompt Road Closures

By Airey
1/2

Law enforcement agencies are planning several road closures for Fourth of July.

Several main roads will be closed on July 4, including Memorial Bridge and Memorial Circle, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Arlington County Police Department is encouraging people to use to use public transit as large crowds are expected during the celebrations.

ACPD announced it will be working with the Virginia State Police, U.S. Park Police, and the Virginia Dept. of Transportation to close several roads, including:

1:00 PM to 11:00 PM

  • Marshall Drive from Route 110 to N. Meade Street
  • N. Meade St. from N. 14th St. to Marshall Dr.

2:00 PM to 11:00 PM

  • Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Route 50 (access to the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood will be from the Rhodes Street bridge)
  • Exit ramp from westbound Route 50 to N. Lynn Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Exit ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N. Meade Street (Rosslyn exit)
  • Long Bridge Dr. from Boundary Channel Dr. to S. 10th

8:00 PM to 11:00 PM

  • Eastbound Route 50 at Washington Blvd. All traffic diverted from Rt. 50 on ramps to East and West Washington Blvd.
  • Eastbound N. 10th ramp to eastbound Rt. 50 will be closed, all traffic diverted to westbound Rt. 50
  • Courthouse Rd. ramp to eastbound Rt. 50 will be closed, all traffic diverted to westbound Rt. 50 or N. 10th St.
  • Pershing Dr. at Rt. 50 will only be allowed westbound
  • Eastbound N. Fairfax Drive from N. Pierce Street to N. Fort Myer Drive
  • Columbia Pike between S. Orme Street and S. Joyce St.
  • Joyce Street between Army Navy Drive and Columbia Pike
  • The exit from westbound Washington Blvd. to eastbound Columbia Pike/S. Orme St.

“These closures are designed to facilitate the safe passage of large crowds for the Independence Day events and fireworks,” Arlington police wrote in the press release.

ACPD is encouraging people to use public transportation or ride hailing services due to the large crowds, and noted that the Rosslyn and Pentagon City Metro stations are close to most of the prime firework viewing spots.

The department noted that police will cite drivers who stop or stand in traffic to view fireworks, and that those who park on Route 110 will be towed.

Additionally, ACPD is reminding people that county and federally-owned parks ban people from bringing their own alcohol, grills, and fireworks to the party, and that drones are banned by the Federal Aviation Administration in Arlington and other areas around D.C.

If the road closures, crowds and traffic were not enough, police are also warning people to prepare for the heat and humidity forecasted for the holiday.

Image 1 via Arlington County Dept. of Parks and Recreation, image 2 via ACPD

UPDATED: Clarendon Blvd Still Closed in Courthouse Due to Water Main Break

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Updated at 2:35 p.m. — “The roadway remains closed through the evening commute due to water main repairs,” per an Arlington Alert. “Expect delays and seek alternate routes.”

Earlier: An early morning water main break has prompted a major road closure in Courthouse.

Officials say a 12-inch water main burst under Clarendon Blvd, near the Courthouse Metro station, and repairs are expected to last into the afternoon.

Clarendon Blvd is currently detoured between N. Veitch Street and Courthouse Road.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Overturned Vehicle on GW Parkway — “The northbound George Washington Parkway was closed [past Key Bridge] during Tuesday morning’s rush hour after a vehicle overturned, authorities said… The southbound side of the parkway was also affected.” [Washington Post]

Transgender Policy Discussion at School Board Meeting — “Students, parents and advocates packed the [Arlington school] board meeting to loudly back [a transgender non-discrimination] plan, waving miniature LGBT and transgender pride flags to signal agreement with the nearly three dozen speakers who proclaimed support… Supporters on Tuesday vastly outnumbered those who turned out to protest the plans.” [Washington Post]

Good Samaritan Murder Trial — “The Good Samaritan who intervened to try to stop a sexual assault in Arlington last fall was beaten so badly it was impossible to tell what killed him, a medical examiner testified Monday.” [Washington Post]

Feds Giving Grant to DCA — “Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International both will see millions in funding from the FAA for improvements. DCA is slated to get $4,921,500 in funding.” [WUSA 9, Press Release]

ACFD Chief Battalion Honored — “Chief Wesley was recognized at the event for being the #first #AfricanAmericanWoman Battalion Chief not only in @ArlingtonVA but also the entire Northern Virginia region.” [Twitter]

Amazon HQ2 Jobs Update — There are currently 63 positions listed on Amazon’s HQ2 jobs page, many of them technical. Recently listed job titles include “Region Build Technical Program Manager,” “Full Stack Software Development Engineer” and “Systems Development Manager, Cloud Computing Operations.” [Amazon]

Police to Close Busy Intersection for Crash Investigation

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) Arlington County Police will close the busy intersection of S. Glebe Road and Columbia Pike for two hours over the weekend as part of a crash investigation.

The closure is scheduled from about 6-8 a.m. Saturday, ACPD said in a statement today. Detectives will be conducting “follow-up investigation pertaining to a critical multiple vehicle crash,” which happened last Friday afternoon.

One person was seriously injured and trapped in their vehicle as a result of the crash, according to scanner traffic at the time.

“One victim was transported to an area hospital with critical, but non-life threatening injuries,” said ACPD spokeswoman Kirby Clark. “No other significant injuries were reported.”

More from ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department’s Critical Accident Team will close the intersection of South Glebe Road and Columbia Pike on Saturday, June 22 in order to conduct a follow-up investigation pertaining to a critical multiple vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 3:14 p.m. on June 14.

The following road closures will be conducted in order to restrict access to the intersection from 6:00 a.m. until approximately 8:00 a.m.:

  • South Glebe Road, northbound at South Monroe Street and southbound at 9th Street South
  • Columbia Pike, eastbound at South Monroe Street and westbound at South Highland Street

Access to businesses within the area will not be impacted, but vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic in some areas will be restricted.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area during the specified time and seek alternate routes. To access points north and south, motorists may use South George Mason Drive and South Walter Reed Drive. To access points east and west, motorists may use Route 50 and South Four Mile Run Drive.

The investigation into the circumstances of this crash remain ongoing and anyone with additional information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective B. Ames at [email protected] or 703-228-7073. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866.411.TIPS (8477).

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