VDOT is planning to widen the ramp from the HOV lanes of I-395 to Eads Street in Pentagon City.
The project would add an extra turn lane to the ramp, which often gets backed up during the morning rush hour. The ramp serves commuters heading to both Pentagon City and to the Pentagon itself. The left turn necessary to head to the Pentagon parking lots is a bit tricky, leading to some of the backups.
Developer Wants to Build Pedestrian Bridge in Virginia Square — The Dittmar Company told the Ashton Heights Civic Association that it wants to build an enclosed, elevated pedestrian bridge between the two buildings of its massive proposed “Virginia Square Towers” development. An underground connection is not possible, the company says, because it plans to build one large, continuous parking lot under the two buildings. [TBD]
Arlington Elementary Schools Receive Top State Education Award — Arlington Science Focus, Arlington Traditional and Nottingham Elementary have all received the 2011 Governor’s Award of Educational Excellence, the state’s highest honor under its Virginia Index of Performance awards program. Seven other Arlington elementary schools have been recognized by the Virginia Board of Education for making “significant progress” in student achievement. [Arlington Public Schools]
Ebbin created the bill in the wake of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s lawsuit challenging the Constitutionality of last year’s sweeping federal health care reform act.
“Instead of focusing on enforcing consumer protection laws and making sure Virginia is the safest state in the country to raise a family, the Attorney General is devoting taxpayer dollars and scarce government resources to pursue symbolic lawsuits and other civil actions that serve only to promote his own agenda and political career,” Ebbin said in support of his bill, which is largely symbolic and stands little chance of passing in this year’s General Assembly session.
We caught up with a few local foodies at Lyon Hall (3100 Washington Blvd) in Clarendon earlier this month and asked them what they like about Arlington’s food scene.
Do you agree or disagree with their assessments?
According to a new study, auto commuters in Washington and Chicago spend about 70 hours — nearly three whole days — of extra time in the car thanks to traffic. We beat out the famously congested Los Angeles area, where commuters only spend 63 extra hours in the car each year.
Washington also ranked #1 for “fuel wasted per peak auto commuter” and #2 for “commuter stress” and “cost of delay per peak hour auto commuter” (at $1,555 per year).
We may have discovered an entirely new genre of video on YouTube.
Crystal City’s elevators and escalators have been extensively chronicled on the video sharing site. There are at least two dozen such videos on the site, posted by at least three dedicated elevator enthusiasts. The videos feature commentary and often a critical review of the elevator’s aesthetics and function.
A reader emailed us with the following question about two abandoned newspaper boxes on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, near Ballston Common Mall.
Any suggestions on how to get abandoned newsracks removed? The county says they cannot remove them, that the owners have to do so, but the owners do not respond to calls or emails about this. This has been an eyesore for a year now.
The Apple Store in Clarendon, with its pricey electronics on display for all to touch and try out, is no stranger to thefts and attempted thefts. Last week things got a little more interesting when one of the suspects allegedly tried to flee from police on foot.
POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY-ARREST 01/12/11, 2700 block of Clarendon Boulevard. On January 12 at 3:30 pm, four men were observed stealing from an electronics store. Police responded and one suspect was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. The three remaining suspects were stopped at the store. Antoine Nicholson, 21, of Washington D.C., was charged with Possession of Stolen Property with Intent to Sell. He was held on a $1,500 bond. Wayne Goodwin, 20, of Washington D.C., was charged with Petit Larceny and Possession of Stolen Property. He was also held on a $1,500 bond.
Clarendon Office Building Sells for D.C. Prices — The 200,000 square foot office building at 3101 Wilson Boulevard, located across the street from the Clarendon Metro station, has sold for a whopping $112.6 million.”Pricing was on par with building trades in Downtown DC,” reports GlobeSt.com. The building is home to a TD Bank and Georgetown’s continuing studies programs. [GlobeSt.com]
County Issues Bonds for Projects — Arlington County has sold $11.9 million in bonds at a relatively low 4.18 percent interest rate. The bonds will fund the last phase of Fire Station 3 in Cherrydale, a new park in Buckingham Village and initial construction of the Arlington Mill Community Center. Although a direct comparison is difficult, in July Arlington sold $73 million in bonds at an interest rate of 2.70 percent. [Arlington County]
But now, after threats of being sued or arrested, Metro Halal owner Mohammad Khan has been forced to move the cart to a less trafficked, less familiar section of North Lynn Street. As a result, Khan says, his family and his business are suffering.
“It has affected my business very much,” said Khan, who also owns La’Jawab Kabob House on Lee Highway, where the cart’s food is prepared. “Today I lost money… In this bad economy, my business is destroyed by them.”
Keating, an attorney with the Arlington firm of Bean, Kinney & Korman, just finished his term as the 2010 chairman of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
A New Jersey native, Keating earned his B.A. from Rutgers. He received his J.D., with honors, from George Washington University.
This weekend the county board is expected to approve a $4 million contract that will install six miles of fiber optic line along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, Columbia Pike and Glebe Road. It’s the first phase of a long-term traffic management project that planners hope will allow more intelligent, real-time management of traffic flow in the county.
In addition to connecting 54 county traffic signals, the fiber line will add capacity for traffic management tools like traffic cameras, motorist information signs, and traffic counters.
