road closures

Police, Fire Training Exercise Will Close Part of George Mason Drive

By Chris Teale

A planned joint training exercise by the Arlington County police and fire departments will close a busy street in the Alcova Heights neighborhood tomorrow.

From approximately 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the northbound lanes of S. George Mason Drive will be closed between Columbia Pike and Arlington Blvd (Route 50) to accommodate the exercise.

“Realistic training is critical to enhancing the police department’s capabilities to serve and protect the community to the best of our ability,” organizers wrote. “Those traveling in the area can expect to see an increase in public safety presence but are reminded that this is a training exercise only.”

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.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Gas Leak Along George Mason Drive — Part of S. George Mason Drive near Columbia Pike was closed this morning due to a gas leak. [Washington Post]

Blue, Yellow Line Delays — A “signal problem” outside of National Airport, the site of weekend track work, caused delays on the Blue and Yellow lines this morning. [Twitter]

Bethesda Has Most Expensive One-Bedroom Apartments — Bethesda has the highest median rents for one-bedroom apartments, at $2,270, according to a new report. “In comparison, D.C.’s typical one-bedroom costs $2,260 per month, while one-bedroom rents in Arlington, Virginia, cost a median of $2,140 per month.” [Curbed]

Remembering Hoover Field — A pair of airports, Hoover Field (later Hoover Airport) and Washington Airport, operated during the 1920s and 1930s on the site of the present day Pentagon reservation. National Airport was opened shortly after both closed down to make way for the Pentagon. [Paul Freeman, Twitter]

Best Places to Watch the Marine Corps Marathon — A number of Arlington locations are listed among the best places for spectators to watch the Marine Corps Marathon. [WTOP]

Photo courtesy Peter Golkin

N. Cleveland Street Closed for Water Main Repairs

By Chris Teale

A section of N. Cleveland Street off Lee Highway will be closed until this afternoon as crews make emergency repairs to a water main.

A spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Environmental Services said the repairs on the 1900 block of N. Cleveland Street in the North Highlands neighborhood are being made to a six-inch water main. The spokeswoman said the water for between 50 and 100 customers will be affected.

Repairs are expected to be completed by 3 p.m. The street is closed in the area, with a detour in place.

Photo via John B.

Road Closures for Army Ten-Miler

By Katie Pyzyk

Sunday is the 33rd annual Army Ten-Miler race, part of which takes place in Arlington.

The race begins at 7:50 a.m. on Route 110, and the course takes runners into the District before returning to Arlington in the I-395 HOV lanes. The race ends in the Pentagon north parking lot.

The following road closures will be in effect in Arlington:

  • Route 110 between Rosslyn and Crystal City will be closed in both directions at 5:00 a.m. (Use the George Washington Memorial Parkway as an alternative)
  • I-395 HOV northbound from Crystal City to the 14th Street Bridge will be closed at 6:00 a.m.
  • Eads Street from Army Navy Drive into the Pentagon/northbound I-395 HOV lanes will be closed at 5:00 a.m.
  • I-395 southbound HOV exit to S. Eads Street / Pentagon south parking lot will be closed at 5:00 a.m.
  • Route 27 in both directions from George Washington Memorial Parkway to I-395 will be closed at 7:00 a.m.
  • Army Navy Drive from S. Eads Street to S. 12th Street at 8:00 a.m.
  • 12th Street from S. Eads Street to Long Bridge Drive at 8:00 a.m.
  • Long Bridge Drive will be closed from S. 12th Street to Boundary Channel Drive at 8:00 a.m.

All roads should reopen by 2 p.m.

The Pentagon north parking lot will be restricted to “Authorized Vehicles Only” from 4:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Pentagon employees and visitors to the Pentagon Memorial can park in the south parking lot, which is accessible by Columbia Pike and S. Fern Street.

Runners and spectators are encouraged to use Metro, which will open two hours early, at 6 a.m., for the event. Metro offers the following tips for traveling to and from the race on Sunday:

  • While the closest Metrorail station to the start of the race is Pentagon Station on the Blue and Yellow lines, to avoid crowds, riders are encouraged to consider using Pentagon City instead.
  • Pentagon Station will be available for “exit only” from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m.
  • In the event of crowded conditions at Pentagon Station, trains may temporarily bypass the station. (In the event of crowding, some customers may be directed to use Pentagon City instead.)
  • Please take note of service changes on the Red Line.
  • Additional Blue Line trains will run between Franconia-Springfield and Stadium-Armory from 6 a.m. until 8:40 a.m., and from 11:15 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.
  • Metro recommends purchasing a SmarTrip card in advance loaded with enough value for the entire day to avoid long lines and speed your trip. SmarTrip cards can be purchased at fare vending machines located at station entrances.

All Metrobus service that usually runs to and from the Pentagon will be diverted to Pentagon City until about 2 p.m.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Car Fire on 23rd Street N. — A car was engulfed in flames on 23rd Street N. near the Overlee pool last night just before 6:30 p.m. The fire department arrived on scene and quickly extinguished the fire. [Twitter]

Local Tech Firm Benefiting from Trump — Giant Oak, a low-profile data mining firm based in Clarendon, has been awarded nearly $3 million in contracts from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since President Donald Trump took office. Most of the contracts are for “social media data analytics.” [Forbes]

Arlington On-Time Grad Rate Dips — “Arlington Public Schools’ on-time-graduation rate dipped slightly in 2017, remaining roughly on par with the state average, according to figures reported Sept. 27. The school system’s on-time-graduation rate of 90.8 percent was down from 91.1 percent a year before and the lowest since 2012.” [InsideNova]

No ‘Code Red’ Days This Year — Summer is over and the D.C. area got through it with no “code red” and fewer “code orange” low air quality days. “We’ve seen a dramatic improvement in the region’s air quality thanks to more than a decade of action and coordination at all levels of government,” said Hans Riemer, chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. [MWCOG]

Road Closures for Shirlington Oktoberfest — Campbell Avenue and part of S. Randolph Street in Shirlington will be closed most of the day Saturday for the annual Shirlington Oktoberfest, which runs from noon to 7 p.m. [Arlington County]

County Awarded for Economic Development Efforts — “Arlington Economic Development (AED) has been honored with three Excellence in Economic Development Awards by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The awards were presented at a ceremony earlier this month during the IEDC Annual Conference in Toronto.” [Arlington County]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

BREAKING: Walter Reed Drive Closed Due to Major Crash, Wires Down

By ARLnow.com
1/9

All lanes of S. Walter Reed Drive are closed in the area of Four Mile Run Drive due to a major crash.

The wreck happened just before 3:45 p.m. Monday on the steep hill leading down to Four Mile Run Drive. Initial reports suggest that at least three vehicles were involved and at least two people were hurt and are being transported to the hospital.

At least one of the vehicles overturned as a result of the crash, which knocked down utility poles and wires.

A number of people witnessed the crash. Witnesses reportedly told police that one of the drivers crossed into oncoming traffic at a high rate of speed.

Map (top) via Google Maps

Prio Bangla Multicultural Street Festival Set for Saturday

By Chris Teale

An annual multicultural street festival this Saturday (September 23) will bring together members of various immigrant populations that live throughout Arlington County.

Local nonprofit Prio Bangla will host its sixth annual free street festival from 1-7:30 p.m. at 880 S. Walter Reed Drive, near Columbia Pike. Its motto this year, according to organizers, is “Let’s Celebrate the Cultural Diversity.” They expect between 5,000 and 8,000 attendees.

The event includes vendors of traditional foods, handcrafts, arts, jewelry and art as well as local businesses. Other highlights will be a parade and live music and dancing at the county’s mobile stage.

“During this event, our goal is not only to promote any specific culture and heritage, but also to participate in a cultural exchange by giving opportunity to other communities living and growing here with our rich cultural beauty and performances,” organizers wrote.

The nonprofit received a Space & Service Grant from the county in July for FY 2018, which provides it with performance and rehearsal space as well as technical services.

Arlington County Police will close 9th Street S. from S. Walter Reed Drive to S. Highland Street from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to accommodate the event. Street parking will be restricted, and drivers should look out for temporary “No Parking” signs.

Photo via Prio Bangla.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Board Stalls on VRE Decision — The Arlington County Board, at a Tuesday meeting that stretched into early Wednesday morning, declined to endorse one of the options for a proposed new Virginia Railway Express station in Crystal City. VRE officials, county staff, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Arlington’s Transportation Commission backed Option 2, which places the station closer to the Crystal City Metro station and transit center. Some local condominium residents and the Planning Commission, citing concerns about noise, wanted Option 3 — which places the station behind an office building — to be considered as well. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

Michelle Obama Stops By Arlington for Salon Opening — Former first lady Michelle Obama and her Secret Service entourage were among “a crowd of about 40 VIPs” who came to Arlington Tuesday night for the opening of a new salon. The business, Aesthetics Salon, is owned by stylist Yene Damtew, who was part of Obama’s “glam squad” while she was in the White House. Aesthetics Salon is located at 2412 26th Road S. in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood just south of I-395. [Washington Post]

Clarendon Day Closures — Expect lots of road closures in central Clarendon on Saturday for the annual Clarendon Day festival, which is taking place from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. On Sunday morning Wilson Blvd will be closed from Clarendon to Rosslyn for the Clarendon Day 5K, 10K and Kids Dash races. [Arlington County, Arlington County]

More on Proposed Columbia Pike Bus Revamp — “Recently Metro unveiled the latest proposed changes to the Metrobus network which includes a major restructuring to the 16 series bus lines on Columbia Pike in Arlington. The long-awaited restructuring is aimed at simplifying and improving bus service in the corridor.” [Greater Greater Washington]

County Seeking Pike Bus Feedback — While WMATA continues to collect feedback on the proposed Columbia Pike bus changes via an online survey, a public meeting is scheduled tonight (Thursday) to discuss the changes in person with residents. The meeting is taking place at the Arlington Mill Community Center from 6-8 p.m. [Arlington County]

Local Nonprofit Lender Steps Up Loan Volume — “Arlington-based Capital Impact Partners said Wednesday it provided $75 million in private financing in the second quarter of 2017, the largest quarterly loan volume in its history. The nonprofit community development financial institution backs projects that support increased access to health care, education, affordable housing and healthy food in the United States.” [Washington Business Journal]

Flickr pool photo by Alan Kotok

TRAFFIC ALERT: Accident Closes Eastbound Columbia Pike

By Chris Teale
File photo

(Updated 8:25 a.m.) Columbia Pike’s eastbound lanes have reopened. Those nearby can expect residual delays.

Earlier: The eastbound lanes of Columbia Pike between S. Courthouse Road and Washington Blvd closed this morning after a traffic crash.

Arlington County Police said the crash happened at S. Scott Street. They closed the Pike around 6:50 a.m.

Drivers heading east can expect significant delays, and are encouraged to seek alternate routes.

Metro’s 16A, 16B, 16G, 16H, 16J and 16X routes all are experiencing delays on the Pike, as well as ART’s 42 and 74 routes, which also run through the area.

UPDATED: Major Gas Leak in Courthouse

By ARLnow.com

Update at 1:35 p.m. — The gas has been turned off and firefighters are leaving the scene. Any remaining road closures are expected to be lifted soon.

Earlier: A pair of busy roads are closed due to a major gas leak in a building in Courthouse.

Wilson Blvd is blocked approaching Courthouse Road and Courthouse is blocked approaching Wilson. The gas leak is reported in the building housing a number of restaurants, including the Afghan Kabob House, on the 2000 block of Wilson Blvd.

Firefighters are reporting elevated gas readings in the building’s basement, according to scanner traffic, and an “extended” ventilation operation is underway.

The gas leak was first reported around 11:30 a.m. Wilson Blvd is expected to remain closed until at least 12:45 p.m. Pedestrian traffic is also restricted near the scene.

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