A family of geese — walking, instead of flying — backed up traffic on westbound I-66 in Arlington for more than an hour this afternoon.
A Metro Transit Police K-9 officer was the first to respond, protecting the birds alone for about 45 minutes, according to a post on X from longtime D.C.-area public safety chronicler Dave Statter. Virginia State Police and Arlington County Police later joined the effort.
An attempt to guide the geese off the interstate at the Sycamore Street exit in East Falls Church appeared to fail, Statter said, and a second appearance from the K-9 spooked the adult birds.
The goslings and their parents ultimately became separated, according to Statter. Footage from SafetyVid shows an Arlington motorcycle officer scooping up one of the young ones from the side of the highway as part of the effort to bring them to safety
NEW: A family of geese, walking instead of flying, clogged I-66 westbound for more than an hour this afternoon. A @MetroTransitPD K-9 officer protected them by himself for about 45 minutes. After @VSPPIO and @ArlingtonVaPD joined in, there appeared to be a failed effort to guide… pic.twitter.com/QCRX5aQtjo
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) May 14, 2026