Metrobus Involved in Accident on Columbia Pike
An accident involving a Metrobus on Columbia Pike sent three people to the hospital tonight.
The wreck happened just before 7:00 p.m. at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Queen Street. According to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel, a driver in a white Kia pulled out from Queen Street in front of a 16G Metrobus heading eastbound on the Pike. The bus and the car collided head-on, police said. The Kia then spun around and made contact with another vehicle heading westbound on the Pike, causing minor damage.
Firefighters had to extricate the adult female driver and adult male passenger from the Kia. They were transported to George Washington University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
The driver of the Metrobus was transported to Virginia Hospital Center, complaining of back pain, Stessel said.
As of 7:50 p.m., westbound Columbia Pike was still shut down and traffic was being diverted onto Washington Boulevard. The lanes were expected to reopen shortly after 8:00 p.m.
S. George Mason Closed Due to Downed Tree
The southbound lanes of S. George Mason Drive between Columbia Pike and Four Mile Run Drive are closed due to a downed tree.
The closure is expected to be lifted by 4:30 p.m. as crews work to remove the tree.
The northbound lanes of George Mason Drive are still open, according to police.
Morning Commute: Accidents, Ice, and a Water Main Break
(Updated at 10:10 a.m.) Light snow and freezing rain made for a slick commute for those who had to head in to work this morning
There have been numerous accidents reported on local roads and highways, including several on the 1700 block of Lee Highway, near the intersection with N. Scott Street. Among those was a serious one-vehicle crash involving a minivan that ran off the road and into a wall along I-66.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 1:00 p.m. In an Arlington Alert, the county asked residents to drive carefully.
“The weather should turn to all rain after 10 AM,” the alert said. “Please drive with caution.”
Meanwhile, a water main break has shut down the eastbound lanes of Columbia Pike at S. Buchanan Street. Repairs are expected to “last into the afternoon.”
Photo courtesy @CAPT258
Police Situation Blocks Lanes on 14th Street Bridge
Two lanes of the inbound 14th Street Bridge are blocked due to a police situation.
A man who had parked mid-span and was sitting on the ledge was taken into police custody just before 4:00 this afternoon. D.C. and Arlington police, along with a police boat, were all said to be on the scene.
D.C. police have jurisdiction over the incident and are reportedly in the process of clearing the scene.
George Mason Drive Accident Knocks Down Light Pole
(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) At least one northbound lane of George Mason Drive is reported to be blocked at N. Park Drive due to an accident.
No injuries were reported as a result of the two-vehicle accident, but a light pole was knocked down and fell into the roadway.
Police are on the scene. One northbound lane of George Mason Drive may be squeezing by the accident scene, according to a witness. It’s not clear how long it may take for crews to clean up the downed pole.
Photo courtesy David Hartogs
Vehicle Overturns on Eastbound I-66
(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) An SUV overturned on eastbound I-66 between Glebe Road and Quincy Street this afternoon.
The accident happened just after 1:00 p.m. Initial reports suggest the driver of the overturned vehicle got spooked by a merging vehicle and swerved into the median. The SUV then flipped on its side.
A second vehicle that was reported to have been involved in the wreck didn’t stay on scene, but stopped further down I-66, according to scanner traffic.
Only one lane of EB I-66 is getting by the wreck at this time. No word yet on any injuries, but an ambulance was called to the scene.
SUV Runs Into the Front of Bangkok 54
(Updated at 6:20 p.m.) An out-of-control SUV struck the front of Bangkok 54 restaurant (2919 Columbia Pike) this afternoon.
The crash happened around 3:45 p.m. Damage to the building appeared to be relatively minor and confined to the front facade of the eatery. The vehicle also nicked a street tree before coming to rest between Bangkok 54 and Maruko Japanese Restaurant. A box of beer could be seen in the back of the SUV.
The driver tried to run once police arrived on scene, we’re told. He hopped a fence behind the nearby McDonald’s restaurant but was tased by police and apprehended a block or two away.
The man, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was evaluated for minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he will undergo drug and alcohol testing, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. No other injuries were reported.
Police are investigating whether the vehicle might have been stolen or used without authorization.
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.
Lane Closures on the Pike Due to Medical Emergency
Columbia Pike is down to one lane in each direction near S. Glebe Road due to a medical emergency.
Initial reports suggest an 82-year-old woman passed out in her car, possibly while waiting for a traffic light. Passersby tried to assist her, but by the time medics arrived she was not breathing and CPR was being performed.
Emergency vehicles are reported to be blocking one lane in each direction on Columbia Pike.
Crystal City 5K Fridays to Start This Week
An annual springtime athletic tradition is coming back to Crystal City this week.
Crystal City’s 5K Fridays will start this coming Friday, April 6 — the first of four Friday races that will run through April 27. The race, organized by Pacers Events, will take runners on a looped course up and down Crystal Drive, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Registration is $20 per race or $60 for all four races. Runners can register online or in person, before the race.
Arlington County Police will be blocking off lanes of several Crystal City-area roads between 6:15 and 7:45 p.m. on race days. Among them:
- Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 23rd Street and 12th Street (one northbound lane of Crystal Drive will remain open between 15th and 12th Street)
- Northbound lanes of Crystal Drive between 26th Street and Potomac Avenue/27th Street
- Northbound lanes of Potomac Avenue between 27th Street and 33rd Street
- One southbound lane of Potomac Avenue between 27th and 33rd Street
- Two westbound lanes (one lane to remain open) of 12th Street between Crystal Drive and Old Jefferson Davis Highway/Clark Street
- One northbound lane of Old Jefferson Davis Highway will be closed for approximately 100 feet (one lane to remain open)
Disclosure: Crystal City BID is an ARLnow.com advertiser
BREAKING NEWS — Rollover Accident on Route 50
(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Police and firefighters are on the scene of a two vehicle rollover accident on Route 50 near Park Drive.
The initial police investigation indicates that the driver of an SUV suffered a medical emergency and collided head-on with a Saab while going the wrong way on Route 50, according to Arlington County police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The SUV flipped on its side as a result of the accident, and the female driver had to be extricated by firefighters. She was taken via ambulance to a local hospital.
The driver of the Saab appears to have suffered only bumps and bruises.
All lanes of Route 50 are expected to be back open by 11:00 a.m.
Route 50 Exit Closing for Construction
An Route 50 exit used by Clarendon area drivers is set to close for the rest of the week.
The Fairfax Drive exit from Route 50/Arlington Boulevard will be closed from Wednesday to Friday so that VDOT contractors can install new storm water infrastructure. The construction is part of the ongoing Arlington Boulevard/Courthouse Road/10th Street interchange project.
Lane closures are also planned in the area on both east- and westbound Route 50, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., through Friday.
Work on the interchange project is scheduled to continue through fall 2013, and is expected to result in additional periodic lane, exit and road closures.
Image via Google Maps
Lane Closures on Route 50 Begin Sunday
Various lane closures due to work on the new Courthouse interchange could cause some additional traffic headaches starting this weekend.
The Virginia Department of Transportation will be closing up to two of three lanes in each direction of Route 50 from 10th Street to N. Rhodes Street. Those closures will take place at night, from 9:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., starting on Sunday and running through Thursday, February 2. Daytime closures from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will begin on Monday and continue until Friday, February 3.
VDOT warns drivers that although late night closures don’t officially begin until 9:00 p.m., preparations for the road work could start as early as 7:00 p.m. Drivers should use extra caution in the area and be aware of construction crews.
The $39 million project to redesign the interchange at Route 50, Courthouse Road and 10th Street was launched to improve accessibility and safety in the area. Aesthetic improvements will also be added.
The project’s second phase of utility relocation is scheduled to be finished this spring. The entire project is slated to be completed in fall of 2013.
Loose Gravel Closes Two Lanes of I-66
Two lanes of westbound I-66 are closed prior to Sycamore Street due to an apparent gravel spill.
VDOT crews are on their way to the scene to clean up the loose gravel, but Arlington County officials say they don’t know long the clean-up will take.
Just before 9:30 a.m. a car slammed into the guardrail on westbound I-66 beneath the Patrick Henry Drive underpass, near the gravel spill. It’s not clear if the gravel caused or is somehow related to the accident.
VDOT Suspends Most Lane Closures for Holiday Travel
In order to make your holiday traveling easier, the Virginia Department of Transportation is suspending most lane closures during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Here’s what VDOT said in a release:
RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is clearing a path for travelers this holiday season by lifting lane closures over the extended Christmas and New Year’s weekends.
VDOT will suspend lane closures from noon Friday, Dec. 23, to noon Tuesday, Dec. 27, and again from noon Friday, Dec. 30, to noon Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012.
“We want everyone to arrive safely at their destinations during the year-end holidays,” said VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley. “We are opening lanes where appropriate to increase lane capacity on our interstates and other major roads. I encourage motorists to do their part to keep one another safe by obeying all traffic laws, staying alert and engaged behind the wheel, and being courteous to your fellow motorists.”
While temporary work zones are lifted during the holiday period, VDOT is always prepared to mobilize in case of inclement weather. VDOT will monitor weather forecasts for any snow or ice that could affect travel over the holidays. Its offices and snow-removal equipment will be fully staffed in the event of any accumulation.
In addition, the Northern Virginia High Occupancy Vehicle Lane schedule is as follows:
Christmas:
The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be open to all traffic:
- Southbound from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23 until 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24
- Northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27 when HOV-3 takes effect
- HOV restrictions on I-95, 395 and 66 are lifted on Monday, Dec. 26
New Year’s:
The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be open to all traffic:
- Southbound from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30 until 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31
- Northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, when HOV-3 takes effect
- HOV restrictions on I-95, 395 and 66 are lifted on Monday, Jan. 2
