road closures

Car Flips, Knocks Over Utility Pole on George Mason Drive

By ARLnow.com
1/8

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) George Mason Drive is shut down between N. Henderson Road and Park Drive due to a single-vehicle wreck that knocked over a utility pole.

The crash happened around 1:00 p.m. A driver in a sedan lost control of her car while heading down George Mason, near Barrett Elementary School. The car flipped on its roof and knocked over a utility pole and active power lines.

An Arlington County Fire Department rescue squad helped to pull the woman out of the overturned vehicle while keeping clear of the power lines. She was transported to a local hospital but her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. Initial reports suggest that alcohol might have been a factor in the crash.

The road is expected to remain closed while utility crews work to repair the pole and the lines.

Northbound GW Parkway Diverted

By ARLnow.com

Update at 12:10 a.m. — All lanes have reopened.

All lanes of the northbound George Washington Parkway are being temporarily diverted due to an earlier accident, according to D.C. police.

The accident happened this morning just prior to Route 123.

“Recovery operations” related to the accident have prompted the temporary closure. Traffic is being diverted onto the Spout Run Parkway, police said.

UPDATED: Four Mile Run Water Main Break Leaves 150 Without Water

By Ethan Rothstein
1/8

(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) A broken water main has filled a section of Four Mile Run Drive with water, causing emergency crews to shut down the road while it is undergoing repair.

The break is near the intersection of Four Mile Run Drive and S. Cleveland Street, near the intersection of S. Glebe Road and W. Glebe Road, I-395 and the Alexandria border.

Arlington County Police Department and fire crews are responding to the area. According to scanner traffic, there may be “multiple” breaks in a “pretty big line,” and it may affect water service in the area.

County Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Jessica Baxter said the line is 12 inches big and the break has affected about 150 customers in the area.

“Repairs will continue through the late evening and commuters are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes,” Baxter said.

Last winter, a 16-inch water main burst on S. Arlington Mill Drive in Shirlington, causing water pressure to be significantly affected in large swaths of the area, and causing Abingdon Elementary School and the Fairlington Community Center to close. Repairs to that line took more than 48 hours to complete.

As of noon, water was continuing to flow out of the break, but traffic on Glebe Road is moving through. The section of Four Mile Run Drive that is closed is not connected to the one that runs from Columbia Pike to the Weenie Beenie near Shirlington.

Gas Leak Shuts Down Part of Crystal Drive in Front of EPA Building

By Ethan Rothstein
1/12

Update at 3:45 p.m. — The gas line has been shut off and the incident has been cleared. Northbound Crystal Drive remains shut down between Potomac Ave and 27 Street S. as repairs on the gas line continue.

Emergency crews are shutting down the 2600 block of Crystal Drive to repair a gas leak.

According to scanner traffic, multiple units from the Arlington County Fire Department are on scene for a hole in a four-inch gas line running underneath the street. Crystal Drive is under construction in the area and crews appeared to have hit the line while working.

The construction subcontractor that struck the gas line was working on the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway project, Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokesman Eric Balliet confirmed to ARLnow.com.

Police are also being dispatched to keep pedestrians away from the leak and to try to keep those in the buildings adjacent to the leak inside. One of those buildings is a large Environmental Protection Agency office at 2777 Crystal Drive.

The street is shut down from Potomac Ave to around 26th Street S. Drivers in the area should seek alternate routes. According to the scanner, police have cleared the buildings in the area and there are no evacuations.

There is no indication yet of when the leak will be repaired and how it may affect the evening rush. Washington Gas repair crews are on scene.

Photo via Google Maps

BREAKING: Roads Closed, Bus Service Affected As Snow Makes Driving Treacherous

By ARLnow.com

Extremely slow regional traffic due to snow on 1/6/15 at 7:45 a.m.

(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) This morning’s commute is officially a traffic nightmare for anyone still out on the roads.

The map above shows just how bad traffic is around the region as two and a half inches of slick, powdery snow have fallen. Numerous accidents have been reported around the county as students make their way to school and commuters make their way to work.

Metrobus service has now been limited to snow emergency routes — major roadways only. There is no Metrobus service on secondary streets.

Arlington snow crews so far are only treating primary and secondary roads, not neighborhood streets.

Conditions are bad enough on local roads that we’ve heard of at least one tow truck getting stuck en route to an accident scene An Arlington County Police spokesman, who himself was stuck in heavy traffic having moved only 3 miles in an hour and a half, said officers were doing their best to keep up with all the accidents.

“Obviously traffic is pretty [bad],” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The county’s 911 call center is “getting a steady flow of emergency calls. The majority of calls are for struck vehicles… we’re addressing accidents first, then stuck vehicles.”

Sternbeck noted that the police department has a normal staffing level this morning.

At least one crossing guard has not been able to make it to her post near Jefferson Middle School, but no police officers are available to replace her, according to scanner traffic. At N. McKinkey Road in 9th Street, medics are responding to a crossing guard who slipped, injured her knee and is lying in the middle of the road.

Students are tweeting ARLnow.com saying their buses are running late or are getting stuck. Others say their school bus never showed up at all.

There have been police reports of school buses getting stuck in various locations, including near Oak Ridge Elementary and on 16th Street S. at S. Taylor Street.

The following roads have been closed by police due to cars getting stuck on hills:

  • 14th Street N. between Kirkwood and Kenmore
  • S. Adams Street between 25th and 26th
  • Wilson Blvd at N. Larrimore Street
  • 16th Street between Taylor and Stafford
  • N. Patrick Henry Drive at 9th
  • 8th Road S. at Dinwiddie
  • N. McKinley Road north of Wilson Blvd (several accidents reported)

Drivers and residents have been tweeting reports of accidents and stuck vehicles.

Trash collection is being delayed until later in the day today, according to the Dept. of Environmental Services.

A “ground stop” was in place for flights at Reagan National Airport for part of the morning. As of 8:50 a.m., the airport said the main runway had been treated and “our operations are back to normal.”

While numerous problems have been reported on the roads, at least one bike trail was well-treated this morning.

The National Weather Service belatedly issued a Winter Storm Warning just after 9:00 a.m.

… WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW… HEAVY AT TIMES.
* ACCUMULATIONS… 4 TO 6 INCHES.
* TIMING… UNTIL 1 PM. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE THROUGH 11 AM.
* TEMPERATURES… LOW 20S.
* WINDS… VARIABLE 5 MPH.
* IMPACTS… HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATING ON ALL SURFACES WELL BELOW FREEZING AND VISIBILITY BELOW HALF MILE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL… KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT… FOOD… AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Turkey Trot Race to Close Roads in Lyon Park Tomorrow

By Ethan Rothstein

Turkey Trot 5K logoThe annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K returns tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., and motorists hoping for an early Thanksgiving drive should avoid Lyon Park.

The race is organized by, and starts at, Christ Church of Arlington at 3020 N. Pershing Drive. The course takes runners west on Pershing Drive, turning around on 5th Street N. before heading back west on Pershing Drive. Runners will then turn left on N. Fillmore Street and right on 9th Street N. before turning on the southbound lanes of Washington Blvd.

The course goes along Washington Blvd until runners turn right at the intersection with Arlington Blvd. They will turn right on N. Bedford Street and continue until it turns into Brookside Drive and intersects again with Washington Blvd. Runners will turn off Washington on 3rd Street, turn right on Fillmore and end at the church on Pershing.

Roads are expected to close all morning in the area. There is no word from the Arlington County Police Department if the northbound lanes of Washington Blvd will be open to either one or both directions of traffic.

Michael Wardian, Arlington’s own champion distance runner, will both officiate and participate in the 5K, according to the race website.

More than 3,000 runners are expected to participate, and registration is full. Proceeds from the race will go to benefit the Arlington Food Assistance Center, Doorways for Women and Families and the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless.

UPDATED: Pentagon City Hotel Evacuated Due to Large Gas Leak

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 6:00 p.m.) The Doubletree hotel at 300 Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City was evacuated  this afternoon due to a large gas leak.

The gas leak was said to be in the hotel’s parking garage. Firefighters at the scene reported strong odor of natural gas inside and outside the hotel. Guests and employees were evacuated from the hotel.

An Arlington County hazmat team and Washington Gas crews responded to the scene. Police shut down down Army Navy Drive between Eads and 12th Streets to accommodate the large emergency response.

Firefighters and gas company crews managed to shut off the gas after about an hour. Army Navy Drive reopened just after 5:30, and people are being allowed back into the hotel.

No injuries have been reported.

Sean Astin, War Hero to Run Marine Corps Marathon Sunday

By Ethan Rothstein
1/5

Actor Sean Astin, famous for playing Rudy in “Rudy” and Sam in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, will be among the tens of thousands of runners of the Marine Corps Marathon this Sunday.

Preparations are currently underway for the race in Arlington. Astin and the estimated 30,000-plus runners — U.S. Marines and civilians — will also be joined by retired Marine Cpl. William Kyle Carpenter.

Carpenter is a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the armed services’ highest honor, for leaping in front of a grenade to protect a fellow Marine, and losing his right eye in the process. He was awarded the medal this June.

Carpenter will skydive into the race — which starts at 7:55 a.m. on Route 110 — along with 11 other jumpers, to deliver a 7,800-square-foot American flag before running in the 39th annual edition of the race, the U.S. Marine Corps said in a press release. The race is the third-biggest marathon in the country, in terms of participation, after the Boston and New York marathons.

The race will end, as always, at the Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn.

Runners will start on Route 110, travel through Rosslyn and up Lee Highway to Spout Run Parkway, before heading down the George Washington Parkway, over the Key Bridge and into Georgetown.

After about 15 miles in the District, the runners will cross the 14th Street Bridge before traveling through Crystal City and Pentagon City. From there, runners will pass Long Bridge Park and the Pentagon before traveling back up Route 110, past Arlington National Cemetery, for the race’s conclusion back in Rosslyn.

The Crystal City Business Improvement District is hosting a kid’s day for children in the area to have fun while the family takes in the race. At the corner of 18th Street S. and Crystal Drive, there will be “moon bounces, face painting, arts and crafts, cotton candy, balloon animals, circus activities, and more,” and admission is free.

Rosslyn will be hosting the race’s finish festival, featuring numerous post-race events and activities, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Many of the roads in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City will be shut down on Sunday to accommodate the race. The full list of closures in the county is provided by the Arlington County Police Department, but among the notable roadways that won’t be accessible are:

  • Wilson Blvd from N. Nash Street to Route 110, from 4:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Route 110 from I-66 to Jefferson Davis Highway, from 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • George Washington Memorial Parkway, from Spout Run to Memorial Circle, from 7:00-10:00 a.m.
  • Eastbound Lee Highway, from Kirkwood Road to N. Lynn Street, from 7:00-10:00 a.m.
  • All lanes of the Key Bridge, from 7:00 a.m. to noon
  • Crystal Drive from 12th to 23rd Streets S., from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • Columbia Pike, from S. Rotary Road to the Washington Blvd ramp, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  •  Washington Blvd, from Columbia Pike to the Route 110 off-ramp, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

There will also be plenty of road closures in the District to accommodate the race, including in Georgetown and along the National Mall. Parking restrictions will be in place along the course in both Arlington and the District.

Numerous Road Closures for Army Ten-Miler

By ARLnow.com

Army Ten-Miler logoThe 30th annual Army Ten-Miler race will be held Sunday morning, and numerous local roads and highways will be closed for the event.

The race begins at 8:00 a.m. The course runs from the Pentagon, across the Memorial Bridge into D.C., and back to the Pentagon via the 14th Street Bridge.

More than 30,000 runners are registered for the race.

Arlington County Police and U.S. Park Police have announced the following road closures for Sunday.

  • Memorial Avenue, Memorial Circle, and Arlington Memorial Bridge will be closed from 5:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., including all entrance and exit ramps.
  • 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.
  • S. 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 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • Army Navy Drive from S. Eads Street to S. 12th Street from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • S. 12th Street from S. Eads Street to Long Bridge Drive from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • A single traffic lane on Long Bridge Drive will be open from S. 12th Street to Long Bridge Park for access to the soccer fields and area residents from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • The southbound GW Parkway ramp to the Pentagon North Parking Lot will be closed from 5 a.m. until 12 p.m.
  • The Memorial Avenue ramp to Route 110 southbound will be closed from 5 a.m. until 12 p.m.
  • The Route 110 northbound ramp to Memorial Avenue will be closed from 5 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Those participating in the Ten-Miler are being encouraged to honor fallen servicemembers through a social media campaign called “Run to Honor.” The campaign calls on those taking photos at the race to post them to Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #RuntoHonor.

Shirlington Oktoberfest Returns This Weekend

By Ethan Rothstein

Two attendees at the Shirlington Oktoberfest (photo courtesy Capitol City Brewing Company)Lederhosen, schnitzel and steins of beer return to the streets of Shirlington this weekend.

Capitol City Brewing Company is hosting the 15th annual Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest on Saturday from noon to 7:00 p.m. on Campbell Avenue. For $30 tickets, patrons 21 or older get a tasting glass and 10 tasting tickets. Further tickets can be bought for $1 each, with a $5 minimum. Beer taps will close down at 6:00 p.m.

Capitol City says more than 65 breweries will have booths, and more than half of those breweries come from the D.C. region. The list includes Virginia staples like Port City, Devil’s Backbone and Lost Rhino, with lesser known Northern Virginia breweries like Adroit Theory, Old Ox Brewery and Heritage Brewing Company. There will also be three cider makers and a “meadery” to offer some variety in the suds options.

There will be traditional German music being played all day and specialty German food to accompany the beer in honor of the Bavarian region’s centuries-old harvest festival.

Starting at 6:00 a.m., roads in Shirlington will be closed to allow the booths to set up, and they are expected to remain closed until about 10:00 p.m. According to the Arlington County Police Department, Campbell Avenue from S. Arlington Mill Drive to Quincy Street and S. Randolph Street between Charlie Chang’s restaurant and Arlington Mill Drive will be closed off. Drivers should also be on the lookout for “no parking” signs in the area.

File photo courtesy Capitol City Brewing Company

Clarendon Day Returns With More Chili, Beers

By Ethan Rothstein

2013 Clarendon Day 5K/10K race (Flickr pool photo by J Sonder)Clarendon’s biggest annual street festival, Clarendon Day, is back for its 17th iteration this Saturday, and with it comes the return of the D.C. Chili Cookoff.

This year’s festival goes from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the streets outside the Clarendon Metro station, at the intersection of N. Highland Street and Wilson and Clarendon Blvds. There will be 40 bands and musicians playing on five stages throughout the day, headlined by singer-songwriter Amber Rubarth at 2:45 p.m. on the main stage.

While music will fill the air all afternoon long, so will the smell of chili. The chili cookoff, sponsored by the International Chili Society, will see dozens of homemade chili chefs cooking up batches of red chili, chili verde, salsa and homestyle recipes, all competing for the chance to participate in the World Championship Chili Cookoff this October in Palm Springs, Calif. Chefs will be providing tastings of their chili, and those hankering for something else will be able to choose from more than a dozen local restaurants’ tents. 

Participants last year were disappointed by the long lines for beer, which often stretched dozens deep. This year, festival organizer Clarendon Alliance said “we have revised our event layout to allow for faster beverage service,” which includes two bars in different sections, with breweries participating in next month’s Courthouse Arts and Craft Beer Festival and wine.

Along Wilson Blvd, there will again be dozens of arts and crafts vendors and exhibitors, and by Clarendon Central Park there will be activity spaces for children. The festival itself is free to enter.

Roads in Clarendon will be closed all day Saturday to accommodate the festival. That includes starting at 5:00 a.m. on Wilson Blvd to N. Lynn Street to accommodate the annual Clarendon Day 5K/10K, which will also close southbound Route 110 from 8:00-10:00 a.m. Wilson and Clarendon Blvds will close from Washington Blvd to N. Highland Street until the evening, as will Highland Street from 11th Street N. to just before N. Hancock Street.

Flickr pool photo by J Sonder

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