Roosevelt Bridge

Major Backups on EB I-66 Due to TR Bridge Damage

By ARLnow.com
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(Updated at 5:30 p.m.) Traffic on eastbound I-66 was backed up to the Beltway this morning due to roadway damage on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

A photo sent to ARLnow.com from an I-66 commuter shows a section of roadway that has sunk a foot or more, creating a large gap. The damage is located on the east end of the bridge at the E Street exit, we’re told. In a tweet, DDOT says one lane is closed as a result.

That lane closure is causing big problems: even at 10:30 a.m. traffic on eastbound I-66 was very slow inside the Beltway, which in turn caused backups on Arlington arterial roadways that lead to the highway.

DDOT spokesman Reggie Sanders says the damage was caused by a “utility cut in the roadway.” As of 5:30 p.m., DDOT had installed metal plates over the damaged section.

Movie Shoot to Close Roosevelt Bridge

By ARLnow.com

The filming of a big Hollywood movie will temporarily close the Roosevelt Bridge on Sunday.

The closures are scheduled from 8:20 to 9:10 a.m., and again from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. From the D.C. film office:

On Sunday, May 5 there will be intermittent closing of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to allow for the filming of a major motion picture set in the District. MPTD has negotiated an agreement with the DC Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Virginia Department of Transportation, Arlington Police and the National Park Service to close the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge plays an integral role in the storyline. Aerial photography will be used to capture various angels (sic) of the bridge. While in the nation’s capital the production company will film other iconic sites.

VDOT is advising drivers to take alternate routes.

Drivers accessing the bridge from Virginia via I-66, Route 50 or the George Washington Parkway will be detoured. Virginia motorists heading into D.C. from I-66 have three options:

  • Take I-66 East to Route 110 to the 14th Street Bridge (this is the official detour motorists can follow).
  • Take I-66 East to Exit 73/Lee Highway to the Key Bridge.
  • Take I-66 East to Exit 72 to Spout Run Parkway to George Washington Parkway to the Memorial Bridge.

Motorists heading from D.C. to I-66 can use the same options in reverse.

During the closures, message signs on I-66 as far west as Centreville will advise motorists to use alternate routes.

Virginia State Police, Arlington County Police, and U.S. Park Service Police will be stationed at various traffic control points on Route 50, I-66 and the GW Parkway.

VDOT traffic engineers anticipate that the 8:20 a.m. shut down will create 15-minute delays and the 1 p.m. closure will create 30-minute delays.

While neither agency specified which movie is being filmed, ComicBookMovie.com speculates that the closures are for the filming of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a new superhero movie that’s set in D.C.

Hat tip to @shticksstickler

Street Closures Planned for Sunday’s Bike DC Ride

By ARLnow.com

Today may be Bike to Work Day, but Sunday might be an even better day to go car-free.

A number of road closures are planned for the annual Bike DC ride through the District and Arlington. The route, which starts at the Capitol, will take cyclists across the Roosevelt Bridge, up the GW Parkway and down to the Air Force Memorial, before returning to the District.

As a result, the following streets will be closed to vehicular traffic from about 7:00 to 11:00 a.m.

  • Roosevelt Bridge westbound
  • GW Parkway northbound from Memorial Bridge to Chain Bridge
  • Route 110 southbound from Rosslyn to Crystal City
  • Route 50 eastbound from GW Parkway to Lynn Street/Meade Street
  • Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Rosslyn
  • Marshall Drive between Meade Street and Route 110
  • Washington Boulevard eastbound from Memorial Bridge to Columbia Pike
  • Columbia Pike westbound from the Pentagon to the Air Force Memorial

In addition to those road closures, Sunday will also see the closure of a number of streets in the Ballston area due to the annual Taste of Arlington food festival.

Slick Roads Lead to Accidents, Slow Traffic

By ARLnow.com

Heavy rain is making for a slow go this morning. Nearly the entire length of northbound I-395 is slow, and multiple accidents have been reported.

One accident, seen above, is blocking a left-hand lane on southbound I-395. Another accident, now cleared, caused a car to flip over in the westbound lanes of the Roosevelt Bridge, blocking traffic heading toward Virginia from DC.

Update at 10:20 a.m. — A three-vehicle accident involving a tractor trailer has been reported on Route 110 near the Pentagon. No injuries have been reported, but the accident is causing major backups on Route 110.

Roosevelt Bridge Blocked For Suspicious Package

By ARLnow.com

The Roosevelt Bridge was blocked in both directions last night as D.C. police and Arlington firefighters investigated a suspicious package on the Virginia side of the span.

Authorities shut down the heavily-traveled thoroughfare around 7:30. The all-clear was given around 8:15.

The large backups that formed as a result of the closure cleared quickly once the bridge was re-opened.