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Major Road Improvements Coming to Columbia Pike

Published April 11, 2013 at 1:30PM | Updated April 11, 2013 at 2:23PM

Arlington County’s Columbia Pike Multimodal Street Improvements Project seeks to implement “streetscape and related improvements for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicles along Arlington’s 3.5 mile Columbia Pike corridor.” The improvements include a completely reconstructed roadway, new left-turn lanes, planted medians, additional street trees, enhanced pedestrian crossings and so-called bicycle boulevards.

The $80 million project is currently in progress, and expected to run through 2018. About $72 million of the $80 million price tag coming from the county’s commercial tax-funded Transportation Capital Fund.

Traffic

Pedestrians Struck on Lee Highway

By ARLnow.com

Published April 11, 2013 at 9:15AM

The incident happened at the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Veitch Street just before 9:00 a.m. Via a traffic camera, it appears that the pedestrians were attempting to cross Lee Highway on the western side of the intersection when they were struck near the center median.

One of the victims suffered a head injury, while the other suffered a possible back injury, according to scanner traffic. Both victims’ injuries are described as relatively minor.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 11, 2013 at 8:55AM

Arlington Outpaced in Home Sale Prices — Falls Church, Alexandria, Fairfax County and D.C. have all outpaced Arlington when it comes to growth in home sale prices. Prices in Arlington increased only 1.1 percent year over year in March, and year-to-date prices are down 1 percent, according to data from RealEstate Business Intelligence. The median home sale price in Arlington hit $515,000 in March. [Washington Post]

O’Connell Defeats Stone Bridge — The highly-ranked Bishop O’Connell softball team defeated their closest competitors in Virginia, Stone Bridge, by a score of 3-0 last night. The Knights improved to 10-0, and remain ranked No. 2 in the region. The team will face No. 9 McLean and No. 1 Northern (ranked second in the country; DJO is ranked third) later this month. [Washington Post]

Weather

Temperature Hits 90, Sets Record

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 3:30PM | Updated April 10, 2013 at 7:15PM

The previous record, of 89 degrees, was set back in 1922. The average high temperature for April 10 is 65 degrees, per the Capital Weather Gang.

The unseasonal spring heat is expected to stick around for at least another day. Tomorrow’s high temperature is predicted to be 81, according to the National Weather Service.

News

Police Seek Theft Suspects

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 3:00PM | Updated December 23, 2021 at 1:48PM

(Updated at 1:45 p.m. on 12/23/21)

Update on 4/11/13 — Hamid and Frederick have been arrested, police say.

Feature

Arlington Pet of the Week: Cooper

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 2:30PM

This week’s Pet of the Week is Cooper, an energetic dog who hits both the gym and the dance floor.

Here’s what he wanted to say to his fellow Arlingtonians:

News

Crime Report: Failed Police Impersonation

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 1:25PM | Updated January 9, 2018 at 3:37PM

A man who was pulled over by police in Clarendon on Saturday night allegedly thought it would help his case if it was known that he was a police officer.

The only problem? He wasn’t a police officer at all, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

Around Town

Photos: Biden Films ‘Morning Joe’ Segment at Liberty Tavern

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 11:35AM | Updated April 12, 2013 at 2:53PM

Then-Vice President Biden visits Liberty Tavern in 2013

(Updated at 1:20 p.m.) Vice President Joe Biden stopped by Liberty Tavern (3195 Wilson Blvd) in Clarendon this morning to film a segment for a TV news show.

Biden was one of the guests on the MSNBC show Morning Joe, which filmed a roundtable discussion on gun reform at the restaurant.

Around Town

Nottingham Elementary 5K to Be Held Saturday

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 10:40AM

Several north Arlington streets will be closed Saturday for the annual Nottingham Elementary 5K run/walk.

The race will be kicking off around 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 13 at Nottingham Elementary (5900 Little Falls Road). Registration is $25 if booked by the end of the day today, then $30 thereafter. Proceeds from the race will go toward Nottingham Elementary School PTA programs.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 10, 2013 at 9:25AM

Streetcar Forum Tonight — The Arlington Committee of 100 will be holding a forum tonight entitled “Streetcar for Columbia Pike: Are the Benefits Worth the Costs?” The forum will be moderated by Sun Gazette editor Scott McCaffrey and the scheduled speakers are Arlington Chamber of Commerce Chairman David Decamp (speaking in favor of the streetcar) and ARLnow.com columnist Peter Rousselot (speaking against the streetcar). The event will take place at 8:00 p.m. at Marymount University (2807 N. Glebe Road). [Arlington Committee of 100]

Pricey Streetcar FOIA Request — Local fiscal watchdog Tim Wise is decrying the price tag attached to a Freedom of Information Act request he made regarding the Columbia Pike streetcar project. The county says Wise’s wide-ranging request will cost $2,858 to process. More than 80 percent of that cost would go to AECOM, a consultant working on the county’s transit program. [Sun Gazette]

Schools

School Board to Present Budget to County Board

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2013 at 4:30PM | Updated April 9, 2013 at 8:35PM

The School Board’s proposed budget calls for $524.5 million in expenditures, roughly $4 million more than Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy’s proposed budget. The board’s budget keeps most elements of Murphy’s budget in tact — including merit-based pay raises for teachers, no increase in class sizes and funding to buy more school buses — but scales back some proposed cuts.

Cuts to teen parenting staffing, elementary reading teachers, high school gifted teachers, Standards of Learning teachers and minor construction/major maintenance have been reduced collectively by $2.3 million. The budget also adds a $600,000 reserve, and $1.1 million to account for an increase in projected school enrollment.

News

Sewage Release Prompts Stream Warning

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2013 at 3:40PM

The sewage release was the result of a blocked 12 inch sewage pipe, in the area between the Dominion Plaza Apartments (1200 S. Courthouse Road) and the Arlington Village Condominiums (1400 S. Barton Street), near Columbia Pike.

Crews have successfully cleared the blockage and stopped the flow of raw sewage into Arlington Branch, according to the Arlington Department of Environmental Services.