APS Capital Improvement Plan Includes New Schools
Big changes have been proposed for a number of local schools.
Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy presented his proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2013-2022 at a meeting last week. The plan totals nearly $538 million and includes funding for two new elementary schools and additions to three others in order to help address the school system’s capacity issues.
“I believe these changes will enable APS to provide much needed instructional space while continuing to maintain existing facilities that meet the needs of our students and teachers,” Murphy said.
Over the past three fiscal years, APS saw an 18 percent increase in students, which is nearly 3,400 additional students. APS is expected to reach capacity at the elementary school level by next fall.
Five specific capacity-generating construction projects have been identified, and would be funded through current reserves and the 2012 and 2014 bond referenda. Those major projects included in the CIP are:
- A 12-room addition to Ashlawn Elementary School that would be completed in 2014 and would add an additional 225 seats. Funding for this would come from current capital reserves.
- A 12-room addition to Arlington Traditional Elementary School that would be completed in 2014 and would add an additional 225 seats. Funding for this project would be included in the FY 2012 and FY 2014 bond referenda.
- A 12-room addition to McKinley Elementary School that would be completed in 2017 and will add an additional 225 seats. Funding would be split between the FY 2012 and FY 2014 referenda.
- A new elementary school on the Williamsburg Middle School site that would be completed in 2015 and would add 600 seats. $4 million to be used for the design phase would come from current capital reserves.
- A new choice elementary school on the Carlin Springs/Kenmore site that would be completed in 2017 and would add 600 seats.
The development of these five projects represents the culmination of the “More Seats for More Students” initiative that launched last year. That planning process involved surveys, computer modeling and months of work sessions.
“The process was structured to be objective, transparent, and result in a set of options driven by School Board determined criteria,” Murphy said. “I am pleased that we met these goals and look forward to deliberating with the Board on this CIP.”
There are “placeholders” included in the CIP to be used for capacity funding in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 referenda. Those funds total $253 million and would likely be used for an additional elementary school, a new middle school and additional space at the secondary school level.
The CIP also includes $34.6 million for HVAC and roofing projects, $21 million for infrastructure projects and $63.4 million for minor construction projects or maintenance.
There will be a public meeting on the CIP on May 24, and the School Board is scheduled to adopt it on June 19.
Photos: Neighborhood Day 2012
Many residents spent this past Saturday taking part in the various Neighborhood Day events throughout Arlington.
The weather cooperated, providing warmth and sun for the outdoor activities. From yard sales to cook outs to petting zoos, residents came out to connect with their neighbors and partake in the festivities. As you can see, kids’ activities took center stage at most of the events.
Here’s a look at the festivities at Highland Park Overlee-Knolls Family Fun Day, Bluemont Neighborhood BBQ and Fairlington Day.
Harris Teeter Sewage Backup Caused by Clog
Officials say a clog at the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant is what caused raw sewage to flow into the Harris Teeter supermarket on S. Glebe Road, near Potomac Yard.
The incident started on the morning of Friday, May 11. An excess buildup of rags and debris got into a pump station and clogged the station’s suction lines, according to Water Pollution Control Bureau Chief Larry Slattery. A sewage line then started to back up, ultimately leading to an overflow of raw sewage into Harris Teeter and the parking garage adjacent to the store.
Harris Teeter is closed indefinitely while crews work to sanitize the store.
Slattery said the sewage wound up in the store because it’s located ”near the lower end of the collection system” — only a short distance across Jefferson Davis Highway from the Water Pollution Control Plant. He was unable to confirm how much sewage flowed into the store and the parking garage.
Temporary pumps were put in place by early Friday afternoon to help clear out the sewage backup. The debris was cleared out of the pump station and the sewage system was back to normal early Saturday morning, Slattery said.
“As soon as we figured out what [the problem] was we took steps as fast as possible to correct the issue,” he said.
As a result of the incident, Arlington County will now be increasing the frequency of sewage pumping system cleanings from once every year to once every three months. The pump that became clogged had last been cleaned out in January, according to Slattery.
“We’re taking steps to check out the sanitary sewer lines,” Slattery said. “That’s not the kind of customer service we want to provide. We don’t want this to ever happen.”
Photo courtesy Douglas Wendt
Woman Wakes Up to Find Neighbor Having Sex with Her
A woman says woke up after a day of drinking to find a neighbor having sex with her as her boyfriend slept on a couch nearby.
The alleged incident happened early Sunday morning on the 300 block of N. Oxford Street in Ashton Heights. Police say the female victim and her boyfriend had been drinking earlier in the day at a cookout attended by some residents of their apartment complex. The pair later returned to their apartment and fell asleep on the couch.
According to police, the woman reported that she woke up in the middle of the night to find herself lying on the floor with someone having sexual intercourse with her. In the dark, the woman initially thought the individual was her boyfriend, but then discovered that it was the resident of a neighboring apartment who was on top of her, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
The woman and the neighbor were acquainted and had met at the cookout earlier in the day, Sternbeck said. The woman’s boyfriend was reportedly sleeping on the couch next to her and only woke up after the alleged incident.
Arlington resident Federico Alfonso Umana Barrera, 35, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and forgery of a public document.
Update at 9:20 on 5/15/12 — Barrera has now been charged with rape, according to Sternbeck.
Police: Man Sent Ex-Girlfriend Topless Photo of Herself
Update on 10/11/12 — Frye has been convicted of unlawful filming but acquitted of unlawful entry.
An Arlington man has been arrested after police say he sent his ex-girlfriend an authorized photo he took of her topless.
In addition to sending the topless photo, police say the suspect made more than 50 attempts to contact the woman over the weekend, via both phone calls and text messages, and then broke into her Ballston apartment early Sunday morning and started banging on her bedroom door.
The woman called police and the man, identified as 27-year-old Trevor Frye, was later arrested at his residence, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck
Frye is also accused of “yelling inappropriate comments” outside the woman’s apartment. He was held without bond.
Board to Consider Outdoor Seating for William Jeffrey’s
William Jeffrey’s Tavern may be adding outdoor seating along Columbia Pike if it can win approval from the Arlington County Board on Saturday, May 19.
The Board is expected to vote on the restaurant’s request to set up 6 tables and 18 seats on the sidewalk along the 2300 block of Columbia Pike. County staff is recommending the request be approved, since it maintains a minimum 6 foot wide clear section of sidewalk for pedestrians to walk by the seating area.
Staff is also recommending, however, that the restaurant’s request to add sidewalk cafe seating along S. Adams Street be deferred to the July 21 County Board meeting. Staff says the Adams Street sidewalk seating request, as is, may not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act access requirements.
William Jeffrey’s Tavern is located at 2301 Columbia Pike, on the ground floor of the new 188-unit Siena Park apartment building.
One Injured After Truck Loses Wheels on Glebe Road
(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) A tractor trailer lost two of its wheels while driving down S. Glebe Road this morning, causing an accident that sent one driver to the hospital.
Initial reports suggest the truck was heading southbound on Glebe near the intersection with S. Walter Reed Drive when a pair of its rear wheels flew off and struck a Mercedes SUV traveling northbound.
The driver of the Mercedes was taken to the hospital for evaluation of minor injuries, according to Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The driver of the tractor trailer stayed on scene after the accident. The wheels ended up at the base of a clump of trees along the southbound side of Glebe.
As of 11:45 a.m., both the SUV and the tractor trailer had been towed away and an earlier northbound lane closure was lifted.
Closures to Begin for Washington Blvd Bridge Project
Daytime lane closures will begin this week for the Washington Boulevard bridge project.
The three year, $51.5 million project will ultimately result in the construction of a new, wider Washington Boulevard bridge over Columbia Pike, complete with a reconfigured ramps, additional bridge clearance and a new shared use path along Columbia Pike. To help facilitate the construction, daily lane closures on Washington Boulevard will start this week.
“Drivers can expect single lane closures daily on Washington Boulevard in both directions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.,” VDOT said in a press release. “Drivers can also expect periodic traffic shifts, the first this summer to new temporary pavement crews will construct over the next few months.”
VDOT also announced additional closures Tuesday night.
“On Tuesday, May 15, crews will close a lane in each direction from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. between I-395 and the entrance to Fort Myer,” the press release said. “Beginning at midnight, crews will also stop traffic for up to 30 minutes at a time on southbound Washington Boulevard just prior to the ramp to Columbia Pike to remove an overhead sign structure. Drivers should use an alternate route on this night if possible.”
The Washington Boulevard bridge carries more than 80,000 vehicles over Columbia Pike every day, according to VDOT.
In addition to the closures on Washington Boulevard, Columbia Pike will be completely closed up to five weekends per year to allow for bridge demolition and other work.
“These closures will begin after rush hour Friday evening and reopen by rush hour on Monday morning,” VDOT said. “Traffic will be rerouted between S. Quinn Street and S. Orme Street around the north side of the intersection. Message signs will notify motorists of these closures in advance.”
Morning Notes
Bikes Stolen From Arlington Found on Craigslist — A woman who had her bike stolen from the Ballston Metro station last month ended up finding the bike for sale on Craigslist by a dealer in the District. When she went to D.C. police for help recovering the bike, however, she was reportedly told that police there can’t help her because she’s an Arlington resident. [DCist]
Pike Development Voted Down by Planning Commission — Last week the Arlington County Planning Commission voted against plans for a residential development at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road. Planning commissioners objected to the project’s plans for routing traffic only onto eastbound Columbia Pike and southbound Glebe Road, as well as to the composite siding that will be used to cover the buildings. The vote against the project was made despite the fact that it complies with existing zoning codes. [Arlington Mercury]
Va. HOV Rules Clarified – “Virginia’s rules for who’s legal in the HOV lanes are a mess — and they keep changing,” writes Robert “Dr. Gridlock” Thomson, who goes on to explain what exactly the current HOV rules are for highways like I-395 and I-66. [Dr. Gridlock]
Real Estate Rise in Arlington – April was a good month for real estate sellers in Arlington. The number of sales and the average sales price were both up by double digits compared to one year prior. The average residential real estate sales price in Arlington is now $613,421 — $809,450 for single family homes only. [Sun Gazette]
Options for Recycling a Computer – If you have some old computer equipment you need to get rid of, there are several options for recycling a computer in and around Arlington. [Arlington Virginia Computer Repair]
Flickr pool photo by ddimick
