road closures

BREAKING NEWS — Storm Damage Shuts Down George Mason Drive

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:15 a.m.) A brief but intense thunderstorm ripped through Arlington around 12:45 this morning, bringing with it high winds and driving rain.

A 54 mile per hour wind gust was recorded at Reagan National Airport during the storm, which covered area roadways with wet leaves and, in some cases, trees and utility lines. As of 3:10 a.m., 2,400 Dominion customers were without power in Arlington.

The most significant damage was reported in Arlington’s Tara-Leeway Heights neighborhood, near Virginia Hospital Center. Downed trees and utility lines blocked numerous side streets, which were darkened by the power outage. County tree crews were out in the neighborhood with chainsaws and wood chippers at 2:30 this morning.

A large tree and live power lines also fell across George Mason Drive, next to the hospital. Police have shut down George Mason Drive between Washington Boulevard and 15th Street while Dominion cleans up the mess. The road is expected to remain closed through the morning rush hour.

Storm damage was reported in the following locations:

  • 1600 block of North George Mason Drive
  • 1900 block of North Glebe Road
  • 1400 block of North Greenbrier Street
  • 5500 block of 14th Road North
  • 1300 block of North Illinois Street
  • 1600 block of North Harrison Street
  • 1800 block of South Monroe Street
  • 2900 block of 16th Road South

Update at 9:55 a.m. — The number of Dominion customers without power is now below 300. However, the medical offices of Virginia Hospital Center (not the hospital itself) are among those in the dark. Dominion spokesperson Le-Ha Anderson says crews hope to have power restored there within an hour.

Update at 10:00 a.m. — WJLA meteorologist Adam Caskey says that after analyzing radar data, he believes there’s a slight possibility that a tornado hit part of Arlington.

Road Closures and Metro Changes for Marine Corps Marathon

By ARLnow.com

It’s going to be very hard to get around certain parts of Arlington on Sunday. The Marine Corps Marathon will shut down streets in Rosslyn, Crystal City and Pentagon City. The Key Bridge and a stretch of Lee Highway will also be closed.

The good news is that Metro will be opening at 5:00 a.m., two hours earlier than usual, to accommodate marathon runners and spectators (the race starts at 8:15 a.m.). Metro will be running additional Blue Line trains for much of the day, but the agency says riders should expect the system to be especially busy.

“Customers can expect crowded conditions, especially after the race as people will have to wait in long lines to get back into the rail stations,” Metro said in a statement.

Also due to the marathon, buses that normally serve the Pentagon Transit Center will be relocated to the Pentagon City station until 4:00 p.m.

The Arlington County Police Department’s full road closure list, after the jump.

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Road Closures Near Pentagon on Sunday for Army Ten Miler

By ARLnow.com

A number of roads near the Pentagon will be closed for Sunday morning’s Army Ten Miler race. Here’s the news release from the Arlington County Police Department:

The Arlington County Police Department will close several streets near the Pentagon on Sunday, October 24, for the 26th Annual Army 10-Miler race.  The race begins at 8 a.m. on Washington Boulevard, crosses the Potomac River into the District of Columbia, and ends in the Pentagon South Parking Lot.

The following roads in Arlington will be affected:

* Washington Boulevard (Route 27), between I-395 and Memorial Bridge, will be closed in both directions at 5:30 A.M.
* Columbia Pike, east of South Joyce Street, will be closed at 5:30 A.M.
* I-395 HOV southbound lanes will be closed at 5:30 A.M.
* South Eads Street, from Army Navy Drive into the Pentagon/northbound I-395 HOV lanes, will be closed at 4:30 A.M.

All of the roads should be reopened by noon.

In addition, access to the Pentagon Reservation will be restricted to “Authorized Vehicles Only” from 4:30 A.M. to 2 P.M. Pentagon employees must park at the North Parking Lots using the Boundary Channel Drive access points.

Runners, spectators and support personnel are encouraged to use Metro, parking is limited.  The Pentagon and Pentagon City stations on the Blue and Yellow Lines are located within walking distance of the start and finish lines.

Columbia Pike Shut Down for Suspicious Package Investigation

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:12 a.m. — And just like that, the scene has been cleared. The package has been declared harmless and Columbia Pike has reopened.

Columbia Pike is being shut down near the Navy Annex as Pentagon police investigate a suspicious package at a bus stop. The bus stop is located next to a Department of Defense-run parking lot.

Arlington police will be shutting down Columbia Pike from South Joyce Street to South Orme Street. The ramps from Washington Boulevard may also be shut down.

Water Main Break Shuts Down Part of Clarendon Boulevard

By ARLnow.com

Clarendon Boulevard is closed between Scott Street and Rhodes Street due to a water main break.

So far, no word on when the road might reopen. Traffic should be able to continue east on 16th Street and make a left on Quinn Street to get around the closure.

Update at 4:40 p.m. — The repairs and the closures will last into the night, Arlington County officials say.

BREAKING NEWS — Shots Fired At Pentagon, Lanes Closed

By ARLnow.com

Traffic on southbound I-395 is being diverted onto southbound Route 1, just before the Pentagon, causing big backups. We’re told Pentagon police are investigating some sort of an incident that occurred last night.

Update at 9:20 a.m. — In the comments section, FREDTERP has what is very likely the subject of the investigation: an unconfirmed report of shots fired near the Pentagon early this morning. We’re still awaiting comment from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

Update at 9:40 a.m. — Southbound I-395 has reopened, but now northbound I-395 is being diverted at Washington Boulevard.

Update at 9:55 a.m. — Traffic on northbound I-395 is backing up past Seminary Road.

Update at 10:00 a.m. — The mainline of northbound I-395 is back open.

Update at 10:25 a.m. — The northbound HOV lanes are closed. Cars in the HOV lanes before the closure are essentially trapped, although a number of vehicles are escaping the backup by going the wrong way up a ramp near Shirlington.

Update at 10:35 a.m. — NBC4 is reporting that at least two bullets hit the Pentagon this morning.

Update at 10:55 a.m. — The HOV lanes on I-395 are back open.

Update at 12:25 p.m. — “What we have is an isolated incident, so far,” a Pentagon official says at a news conference. There has been speculation about a possible connection to shots fired at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va. over the weekend.

Route 50 Ramp to Courthouse Road Reopens

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:40 p.m.) Repairs are complete and the ramp has reopened.

“Repairs are temporary until they find out exactly what caused the sinkhole,” said VDOT spokesperson Joan Morris. Workers think a “bad pipe” may be to blame.

Original post from 2:38 p.m. on 10/12 — The ramp from westbound Route 50 to Courthouse Road will likely be shut down throughout the rush hour due to a sinkhole that’s about the size of a tire in diameter and 4-5 feet deep.

Arlington police have blocked off the ramp with orange barrels from the adjacent VDOT utility relocation project, which already had the far left-hand lane of Route 50 shut down.

Two VDOT workers are on the scene evaluating the sinkhole. A VDOT spokesperson is checking to see how long repair work is expected to take.

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Glebe Road Shut Down Due to Pedestrian Accident

By ARLnow.com

A serious pedestrian accident has shut down all lanes of Glebe Road between North Carlin Springs Road and North Henderson Road, near Ballston Common Mall.

A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Glebe Road and was taken to a local trauma center, according to Arlington police spokesperson Det. Crystal Nosal.

Update at 4:20 p.m. — The northbound lanes of Glebe Road have reopened. Traffic heading northbound from Glebe and from North Randolph Street is being allowed to enter the Harris Teeter parking lot.

Update at 4:30 p.m. — An accident investigation is underway. Police with surveying equipment are taking measurements and detectives are taking photos of the striking vehicle, a large commercial Chevy pickup truck with Maryland tags.

Witnesses tell ARLnow.com that the victim was a younger man, possibly a young father, who had just left Harris Teeter with a bag of diapers. The man’s injuries appeared to be life-threatening, witnesses said. Multiple witnesses said the man may have been trying to cross the intersection of Glebe Road and Randolph Street against the light.

Update at 4:50 p.m. — The striking vehicle has been taken away by a tow truck. One southbound lane of Glebe Road has been reopened.

Chain Bridge to Close for the Weekend

By ARLnow.com

Chain Bridge will be closed from 8:00 tonight to 5:00 Monday morning, Arlington County said today.

“There will be no access to the bridge from either the District of Columbia or Arlington, including access for cyclists and pedestrians,” the county advises.

Crews will be performing structural work under the bridge deck.

The bridge will also be closed on the weekends of October 1, 8 and 15.

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