road closures

GW Parkway to again close for removal of wrecked car near river

By ARLnow.com
1/2

The northbound lanes of the GW Parkway will be closed this Sunday between Spout Run in Arlington and Chain Bridge Road in McLean.

The closure, from about 6 a.m.-4 p.m., is for the removal of “an abandoned vehicle that is below the road near the Potomac River.”

From the National Park Service:

On Sunday, March 5, 2023, the National Park Service (NPS) will close both northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway to remove an abandoned vehicle that is below the road near the Potomac River. The NPS expects to close the lanes between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Spout Run Parkway to Chain Bridge Road, VA 123. The southbound lanes will remain open. The NPS will also temporarily close parts of the Potomac Heritage Trail near the vehicle for up to half an hour at a time while the work is happening.

The abandoned vehicle is located below the parkway next to the Potomac River near Donaldson Run. The car left the road during a snowstorm in January of 2022. The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash and rescue happened during snowy conditions on Jan. 3, 2022.

“The driver — the only occupant of the vehicle — was trapped inside the car and suspended upside down, with a broken arm and leg, according to initial reports,” ARLnow reported at the time. “After being extricated from the vehicle, the man is now being brought to a waiting ambulance at Columbia Island Marina via D.C. fire boat.”

This is not the first time in recent memory such a closure of the Parkway has been planned. Indeed, drivers have been running down the Parkway’s steep embankments with some regularity, posing logistical challenges for the Park Service.

In March 2021, a portion of the GW Parkway was closed over the weekend as crews remove two vehicles that ran down embankments and crashed near the river.

Other such crashes since the start of 2021 include:

The northern portion of the Parkway, where many of the crashes have taken place, is in line for a significant rehabilitation project. As we previously reported:

For the first time since it was built in the early 1960s, the northern section of the GW Parkway will be getting a major overhaul.

The National Park Service announced yesterday that it had awarded a $161 million contract to rehabilitate the Parkway from Spout Run in Arlington to the Capital Beltway in McLean. After a design process in 2022, construction is expected to take place between 2023 and 2025.

Drivers are being cautioned that there will be traffic impacts during construction.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) touted the project in a statement, saying such work is overdue. This stretch of the Parkway has had to close at least three times over the past seven years due to sinkholes.

The Park Service, in today’s press release, noted that the Parkway has turned into a major commuter and travel artery, after first being envisioned as a scenic parkway.

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is a scenic roadway and memorial to the first president of the United States. When the NPS completed the northern part of the parkway in 1962, the NPS used the most up-to-date road engineering methods by integrating a wide, gently curving roadway with a grassy median, low stone guide walls and soaring steel-and-concrete arched bridges. Today the George Washington Memorial Parkway facilitates travel for more than 33 million vehicles per year, with the northern section seeing the heaviest traffic of about 85,000 daily users.

As a critical link in the national capital region’s transportation network, closing the parkway is never a decision the NPS makes lightly.

BREAKING: Firefighters rescue workers after accident at fire station construction site

By ARLnow.com
1/10

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) Firefighters have rescued two construction workers after they got stuck in a lift that reportedly contacted power lines.

The incident happened around 2 p.m. at the construction site for Arlington Fire Station No. 8, at 4845 Langston Blvd.

Two men could be seen standing on the lift, which had been raised to the top of the under-construction fire station, shortly before the rescue. Initial reports suggested that one was dangling from their safety equipment immediately after the accident.

A crowd of local residents gathered on the other side of Langston Blvd, watching the rescue unfold.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to reach the lift. The men were then lowered to the ground and helped onto stretchers. They both appeared shaken but not seriously injured.

The thoroughfare remained blocked in both directions by the police and fire department activity for about an hour, reopening shortly after 3 p.m.

Power outage map (via Dominion)

Just over 900 Dominion customers are now without power in the neighborhoods around the construction site.

Power company personnel and workplace safety investigators are heading to the scene, according to the fire department.

Part of Columbia Pike to close later this month for cemetery expansion

By Matt Blitz
The Arlington National Cemetery Defense Access Roads Project, set to be completed in 2025 (image via screenshot/FHWA)

(Updated at 12:40 p.m. on 8/16/23) A portion of Columbia Pike is set to close for more than a year later this month to help make way for Arlington National Cemetery’s expansion.

The half-mile section of Columbia Pike between S. Joyce Street and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) facility just east of S. Oak Street is expected to be shuttered starting Monday, Jan. 23.

It will remain closed until the summer of 2024.

The closures are part of the Federal Highway Administration’s Arlington National Cemetery Defense Access Roads (DAR) project that’s being done to accommodate the 50-acre southern expansion of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC).

This will add about 80,000 burial sites, allowing the cemetery to continue burials through the 2050s. The expansion will also bring the Air Force Memorial within cemetery grounds as well as provide space for the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center, with construction on that currently slated to start next year.

The overall expansion project remains on track to be completed by 2027, an ANC spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow.

Some detour specifics for the Pike closure are expected to be announced in the coming days, though the ANC spokesperson did share the general plan via email.

Traffic will be redirected to travel north on a new segment of S. Nash Street that will be opened between Columbia Pike and Southgate Road and one block east of S. Oak Street. It’s marked as a “new access road” on the map below.

The new road layout circumventing the closed portion of Columbia Pike over the next year (map via Arlington National Cemetery)

Then, to circumvent the closed portion of the Pike, traffic will be sent east on Southgate Road to the existing S. Joyce Street/Columbia Pike intersection, which will remain open.

For pedestrians and cyclists, there is set to be a “dedicated” sidewalk with a buffer zone and barricades. Those “are currently being constructed in anticipation of the 1/23 closure,” the ANC spokesperson said

At the moment, there is an established pedestrian and bike detour along the north side of Southgate Road as well as a temporary sidewalk to the east of S. Joyce Street that connects with the sidewalk under the I-395 bridge.

Vehicle, pedestrian, and bike detours along Columbia Pike through Jan. 23 (via Arlington County)
Vehicle, pedestrian, and bike detours along Columbia Pike through Jan. 23 (via Arlington County)

Last week, though, a reader reached out to ARLnow about how a portion of the pedestrian and bike detour has a “large patch of gravel” rendering it not accessible for some.

“While a wheelchair user might be able to make it across that patch, it wouldn’t be easy,” they wrote. The reader said that locals have reached out to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) about the gravel but, so far, little has been done.

Local officials told ARLnow that they have since addressed that patch of gravel.

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UPDATED: Man dies after medical emergency causes Langston Blvd crash

By ARLnow.com
1/4

(Updated on 12/24/22) A serious crash blocked Langston Blvd at the intersection with N. Harrison Street.

Dispatchers received numerous calls about a head-on crash at the intersection around 2:15 p.m., according to scanner traffic. One driver was reported to be unconscious and in critical condition, though it was not immediately clear whether that was from the crash itself or a medical emergency.

The intersection, adjacent to the busy Lee-Harrison Shopping Center, was closed while police investigate and document the scene. It reopened around 4 p.m.

On Saturday, Arlington County police confirmed that a driver, age 84, suffered a medical emergency and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. From ACPD:

The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation after a driver suffered an apparent medical emergency on Friday, December 23.

At approximately 2:12 p.m. on December 23, police were dispatched to the report of a crash with unknown conditions at the intersection of Langston Boulevard and N. Harrison Street. Upon arrival, officers located the two-involved vehicles in the westbound lanes of Langston Boulevard.

The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle was traveling eastbound on Langston Boulevard when he suffered an apparent medical emergency before continuing into the westbound lanes of traffic and striking the other vehicle. Medics performed lifesaving measures before transporting the driver of the striking vehicle, an 84-year-old male, to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No other injuries were reported. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death.

This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

UPDATED: Police block off street near schools to arrest wanted suspect

By ARLnow.com
Police activity at S. Glebe Road and 2nd Street S. (photo courtesy Amy H.)

(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) Arlington County police blocked of a busy street near elementary and middle schools this morning to arrest a wanted suspect.

The arrest happened on the 3600 block of 2nd Street S., near Alice West Fleet Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School. The street was blocked to traffic at the intersection with S. Glebe Road, next to the 7-Eleven.

ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow that a suspect wanted out of Loudoun County was arrested and that this was not a barricade situation.

Passersby described a “heavy police presence.”

“Police are there and people in green camo/body armor with [rifles],” one tipster said.

In a social media post, police said “there is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident.”

Later Wednesday, the man who was arrested was identified in a Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office press release as a 20-year-old Arlington resident.

The suspect, Joshua Patino, is accused of abducting a juvenile victim at gunpoint yesterday.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has charged an Arlington man with multiple felony offenses, including abduction.

Yesterday evening, shortly before 8:00 p.m., deputies responded to the 25000 block of Hartwood Dr., Chantilly, for a report of an abduction. The preliminary investigation revealed that the juvenile victim was forced into their car at gunpoint by a man wearing a mask.

Detectives discovered that the suspect was known to the victim, and detectives worked closely with the Arlington County Police Department to locate and arrest him shortly after 9:00 a.m.

The suspect has been identified as Joshua Patino, 20, of Arlington. Patino has been charged with Abduction, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, Brandishing a Firearm, Preventing the Summoning of Law Enforcement, Unlawful Use of a Mask, and Assault and Battery. Patino is currently awaiting extradition back to Loudoun County.

“These efforts by our detectives and the Arlington County Police Department illustrate the value of collaboration and partnerships among law enforcement in Northern Virginia.  I want to thank the Arlington County Police Department for assisting us in quickly apprehending this dangerous individual,” said Sheriff Mike Chapman.

The exact relationship between Patino and the victim, as well as the victim’s age, was not given.

Major road closures planned as Marine Corps Marathon returns for first time since 2019

By ARLnow.com
Marine Corps Marathon runners in the Rosslyn area in 2012 (photo by Kevin Wolf)

The Marine Corps Marathon — along with its extensive road closures — is back this weekend.

The marathon, which is in-person for the first time since the start of the pandemic, is being held on Sunday, Oct. 30.

It will again start between the Pentagon and Rosslyn, winding its way through Rosslyn and into D.C. before crossing the 14th Street Bridge, rounding the Pentagon, and finishing in Rosslyn.

This year the runners village gateway, which runners go through on their way to the starting line, has been moved to Pentagon City. The finish festival remains in Rosslyn, near the Marine Corps War Memorial.

Numerous road closures are planned along the marathon route in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City.

“Runners, spectators, and volunteers are strongly encouraged to use Metro, ridesharing or other forms of multimodal transportation,” Arlington County police said in a press release, below. “Motorists should expect significant delays in and around the race course.”

The 47th annual Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), the MCM 50K, and the MCM 10K will take place on Sunday, October 30, 2022.  The 50k will begin at 7:15 a.m., followed by the wheelchair/hand cycle division at 7:50 a.m., and the Marathon at 7:55 a.m., all on Route 110 in Arlington County, Virginia. The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency will close numerous roadways in Arlington in support of these events.  Additionally, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and United States Park Police will close roadways in Washington, D.C., in support of race operations.

Road Closures

The following road closures will take place in Arlington County on race day:

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Shucktoberfest beer and oyster fest returns to Shirlington this weekend

By ARLnow.com
1/4

The annual Shucktoberfest oyster and craft beer festival is returning to Shirlington this weekend, complete with a number of road closures.

The 5th annual event is taking place in Shirlington from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. It will feature local breweries, food and oyster tents and local vendors, and is being billed as family- and dog-friendly.

Tickets to the event, organized by Shirlington restaurant Copperwood Tavern, are $46 for those 21+ and include a beer tasting mug and tickets redeemable for beer and oysters.

Arlington County police will be shutting down some main streets in Shirlington to make way for the festival.

From an ACPD press release:

The 5th annual Shucktoberfest in the Shirlington Village will take place on Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures from approximately 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. in order to accommodate the event:

  • Campbell Avenue, from S. Quincy Street to S. Arlington Mill Drive
  • S. Randolph Street, from S. Arlington Mill Drive to 2800 S. Randolph Street

The public should expect to see an increased police presence in the area, and motorists are urged to follow law enforcement direction, be mindful of closures, and remain alert for increased pedestrian traffic. Additionally, vehicles will not be allowed to enter or exit the covered Harris Teeter parking structure on Campbell Avenue. Harris Teeter customers can access the parking garage via the alternative entrance behind the store.

Attendees are encouraged to use multimodal transportation services, as parking in the area will be limited around the event. In addition, street parking in the area will be restricted and motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs. Illegally parked vehicles in violation of the posted signage may be ticketed or towed. If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Westbound I-66 blocked by overturned vehicle

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Updated at 2:45 p.m. — At least one lane has reopened as crews work to finish clearing the crash scene.

Earlier: All lanes of westbound I-66 are currently blocked at the Rosslyn tunnel due to a crash.

An SUV crashed and overturned near the entrance to the tunnel around 1:30 p.m. Police are on scene and report that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle prior to their arrival.

The crash happened near the beginning of what had been a backup between Rosslyn and the N. Glebe Road exit of I-66.

No serious injuries have been reported. Westbound I-66 traffic is being diverted to Rosslyn and drivers in the area should expect heavy traffic.

Army Ten-Miler to prompt road closures near Rosslyn and Pentagon City this weekend

By ARLnow.com
Runners in the 2014 Army Ten-Miler Race in Arlington (Photo via Flickr Pool/Rob Cannon)

The annual Army Ten-Miler race will prompt numerous road closures in Arlington this weekend.

Runners will zip through parts of Rosslyn, D.C. and Pentagon City, starting and finishing the race near the Pentagon.

“The 38th annual Army Ten-Miler race will occur on Sunday, October 9,” Arlington County police noted last week in a press release. “The race begins at 7:50 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Key Bridge into the District of Columbia, returns to Virginia via the 14th Street Bridge in the northbound I-395 HOV, and ends in the Pentagon reservation.”

“The Arlington County Police Department, Virginia State Police, United States Park Police, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency will conduct road closures to accommodate the race,” ACPD said.

Planned road closures include parts of Army Navy Drive, S. Eads Street, Route 110, northbound I-395, and N. Lynn Street and Long Bridge Drive.

Metro plans to operate on a normal Sunday schedule while opening the Pentagon station after the start of the race, directing participants to use the Pentagon City station instead.

The planned Arlington road closures, from the ACPD press release, are below.

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Clarendon Day and other local events are back this weekend, which means road closures

By Matt Blitz
Street scene from Clarendon Day 2017 (file photo)

A number of in-person events are back in Arlington this weekend after extended pandemic-related hiatuses. With those, though, comes road closures.

Clarendon Day is returning this Saturday (Sept. 24) for the first time since 2019. One of Arlington’s largest street festivals, the event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and include music, food, vendors, and art.

There will be road closures throughout the neighborhood, including large swaths of Wilson Blvd and Clarendon Blvd. The closures will begin in the middle of the night, around 3 a.m., and go as late as 10 p.m.

The closures include:

  • Wilson Boulevard, from N. Highland Street to Washington Boulevard
  • Clarendon Boulevard, from Washington Boulevard to N. Garfield Street
  • N. Highland Street, from 11th Street N. to Wilson Boulevard
  • N. Herndon Street, from Wilson Boulevard to alleyway behind CVS
  • N. Hudson Street, from Wilson Boulevard to alleyway behind CVS
  • Southbound N. Highland Street, from N. Hartford Street to Wilson Boulevard
Clarendon Day 2022 road closures (image via ACPD)

The Prio Bangla Multicultural Street Fair is also making its comeback after a pandemic hiatus, taking place on Saturday (Sept. 24) in the Arlington Heights neighborhood between Columbia Pike and the Arlington Career Center. The annual festival has been going on for about a decade.

There’s only one road closure related to this event and that’s 9th Street S. from S. Highland Street to S. Walter Reed Drive. The closure will be from 6 a.m. Saturday until midnight on Sunday (Sept. 25).

There are also two events in the Shirlington and Green Valley neighborhoods this weekend.

Beckett’s Celtic Festival is also set for Saturday in the Village of Shirlington. Campbell Avenue from S. Randolph Street to 28th Street S. (the alleyway near the Harris Teeter) will be closed from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Finally, Valley Fest is taking place near Four Mile Run Drive on Sunday. The beer-centric event, organized by New District Brewery, did take place last year. The festival is set to begin around noon and go until 5 p.m.

S. Oakland Street, from S. Four Mile Run Drive to S. Nelson Street, will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Sunday to accommodate the event.

Valley Fest 2022 road closures (image via ACPD)

Arlington County police are cautioning that roads may be congested with vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the areas around these events, asking drivers to “remain alert.”

Parking will be restricted and there will be a larger police presence in the area, according to ACPD.

“Street parking near the events may be restricted. Motorists should be on the lookout for temporary ‘No Parking’ signs. Illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed,” said a press release. “If your vehicle is towed from a public street, call the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222.”

JUST IN: Crash closes N. Glebe Road in Ballston area, knocks out power

By ARLnow.com
1/3

All lanes of N. Glebe Road are closed just south of Quincy Street due to a crash involving an overturned vehicle.

The single-vehicle crash took down power lines, according to scanner traffic, and the southbound lanes of Glebe are expected to be shut down for an extended period of time as a result.

One person was reportedly taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Police are on scene and investigating the cause of the crash and whether the driver might have been intoxicated.

Dominion, meanwhile, is reporting via its outage map that nearly 2,750 homes and businesses are without power in the area of the crash. The utility company expects power to be restored between 3-6 a.m.

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