Dan Egitto | ARLnow

Study: Many Arlington hiking trails are unsustainable and harmful to the environment

Published February 1, 2024 at 11:45AM

A hiker crosses a stream in Arlington (via Arlington County)

Going for a hike in Arlington? The trail you use might cause harm to the environment.

That’s according to a study on unpaved hiking trails released earlier this month. The Natural Surface Trail Condition Assessment, a first-of-its-kind project for the county, aims to be a comprehensive survey of Arlington’s 20+ miles of trails free from surfacing materials such as pavement or asphalt.

News

McDonald’s to get second drive-thru lane to reduce backups onto N. Glebe Road

By Dan Egitto

Published January 30, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated January 30, 2024 at 11:00AM

The McDonald's at 40 N. Glebe Road (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 11 a.m.) The McDonald’s on N. Glebe Road in the Buckingham neighborhood is on track to get a second drive-thru lane.

The fast food restaurant at 40 N. Glebe Road plans to add another queuing lane leading up to the existing drive-thru window, increasing how many customers can place orders at the same time. The change is expected to bring shorter lines, cutting down on the amount of cars that back up onto the road, according to a county report.

News

County boasts progress in Green Valley but public intoxication hasn’t gone away, residents say

By Dan Egitto

Published January 30, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated January 31, 2024 at 5:01PM

The "FREED" Sculpture in the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Arlington County Police Department has ramped up efforts to curb public intoxication and other illegal behavior near a Green Valley elementary school.

Despite these efforts, however, some of that behavior persists, according to some community members and ARLnow’s observations.

News

Arlington to consider several ways to combat office vacancies this year, starting with looser parking restrictions

By Dan Egitto

Published January 29, 2024 at 10:30AM

A partially vacant office building in Courthouse in December 2022 (via Google Maps)

Several measures designed to combat Arlington’s persistently high office vacancy rate are slated for discussion next month.

On the table are expanded opportunities for shared and offsite parking, as well as more lenient parking requirements for fitness centers. Officials are also set to consider whether to allow large media screens for outdoor entertainment in some business districts.

News

Parking rates along Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors could change this March

By Dan Egitto

Published January 25, 2024 at 3:30PM

Parking along 13th Street S. in Pentagon City near Amazon's second headquarters in 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The cost to park in many of Arlington’s busiest neighborhoods could change March 1.

The most popular places to park along the Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors could ultimately cost up to $5 per hour, according to a county report. Less popular spots, meanwhile, could become less expensive than the current rate.

Around Town

Public art studio, complete with velociraptor sculpture, opens at Amazon HQ2

By Dan Egitto

Published January 25, 2024 at 2:30PM

Artist Adam Henry and his son/apprentice, also named Adam Henry, alongside a sculpture of a velociraptor at a newly opened studio in Pentagon City (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

An art studio featuring free classes and a light-up scrapyard velociraptor opened its doors yesterday (Wednesday) in Pentagon City.

Catherine Anchin, executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA), cut the ribbon for the new Innovation Studio + Store alongside several local officials at Amazon’s second headquarters. The project, a collaboration between Amazon and MoCA, seeks to take a fresh approach to connecting the public with contemporary art.

News

Long Bridge Park aquatics center pool to close early until summer for needed repairs

By Dan Egitto

Published January 25, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated January 25, 2024 at 11:13AM

Olympic-regulation diving boards at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center (staff photo)

(Updated at 11:15 a.m.) The 50-meter pool at the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center will have shorter hours for several months for needed repairs.

The pool area will close at 8 p.m., about two hours early, on weekdays starting next Monday, Jan. 29 to replace leaky pipes and water-damaged ceiling tiles caused by a corroded sprinkler hose, the Arlington County Dept. Parks and Recreation said in a press release. Weekend hours will not be affected.

News

Plans to upgrade East Falls Church bus loop move forward

By Dan Egitto

Published January 23, 2024 at 10:30AM

East Falls Church Metro Station bus bays (via Google Maps)

A larger, more accessible bus loop may soon be coming to the East Falls Church Metro station.

The Arlington County Board on Saturday approved a $527,681 project-coordination agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. This is part of a $12.7 million plan to provide the station with additional routes, expanded passenger capacity and improvements to parking and crosswalks.

News

This could be the year Arlington transfers ownership of the Reeves Farmhouse

By Dan Egitto

Published January 22, 2024 at 4:30PM | Updated January 22, 2024 at 5:38PM

The Reeves Farmhouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 5:35 p.m.) A yearslong attempt to convert a historic Arlington property into a home for adults with developmental disabilities may be nearing the finish line.

The Arlington County Board is expected to consider agreements to transfer the Reeves Farmhouse into the hands of local nonprofits and allocate community development block grant funds later this year, according to a county rep ort. In advance of this, the Board on Saturday took steps toward streamlining the efforts of Habitat for Humanity DC-NOVA, HomeAid National Capital Region and L’Arche of Greater Washington.

News

Arlington County mulls $75K in support for small, legacy businesses in National Landing

By Dan Egitto

Published January 19, 2024 at 11:30AM

Restaurant Row in Crystal City (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A round of recovery funds may soon be coming to long-time small businesses in National Landing.

Potentially up for grabs is $75,000 in funding from the National Landing Business Improvement District. The proposed initiative, which the Arlington County Board is set to consider on Saturday, would build on the ReLaunch program, which provides grants to small local establishments.

News

How Arlington plans to turn your poop into energy and fertilizer

By Dan Egitto

Published January 18, 2024 at 1:30PM

The Water Pollution Control Plant in South Arlington (via DES/Flickr)

More dirty details have emerged in the county’s $175 million plan to start using sewage for consumer-friendly fertilizer and renewable energy.

The first step is a $32 million budget authorization, set to be considered by the Arlington County Board this Saturday, to begin new upgrades the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant.

Events

Holiday wreaths are headed out of Arlington National Cemetery this weekend

By Dan Egitto

Published January 17, 2024 at 1:30PM

Wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery in January 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Arlington National Cemetery will lose some of its festive aesthetics on Saturday as volunteers remove holiday wreaths from the cemetery’s hundreds of thousands of graves.

Thousands of volunteers are expected to participate the annual “Wreaths Out” event, disposing of approximately 257,000 wreaths in Arlington as well as 14,000 wreaths at the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in D.C.