A new traffic pattern will be in effect at the under-construction Columbia Pike and Washington Boulevard interchange starting Thursday.
VDOT says drivers heading eastbound on the Pike will now have a different way of getting to northbound I-395 (toward the District). Now, instead of bearing right after the light at S. Quinn Street, drivers will need to wait to turn left at the light, onto a new ramp to Washington Boulevard.
(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) A large water main break has been reported on Columbia Pike, just in time to cause significant issues with the evening commute.
The water main break was reported at Columbia Pike and Carlin Springs Road, on the Arlington/Fairfax county line. Fairfax County police are shutting down the Pike in both directions between Carlin Springs and Route 7.
The effects of Sunday’s winter storm continue to be felt as the county braces for another Tuesday morning.
Reports of downed trees, branches and electrical wires, as well as several car accidents, have continued to come in during the day (Monday).
The area is under a Winter Storm Warning through 10:00 a.m. Monday as forecasters call for a quarter inch of ice. Via Twitter, readers have reported slick roads, especially on neighborhood streets. A Domino’s delivery driver in south Arlington told ARLnow.com that side streets were “very bad,” and that another driver had been involved in an accident. Bridges were also said to be particularly icy.
VDOT, which is responsible for maintaining highways and certain major roads in Arlington, says Monday’s morning rush hour could be impacted by the slick conditions.
The bridge, which has been under construction since 2012, was built to replace the previous structure. The old bridge was built in the 1940s as part of the original Pentagon Roadway Network and had been in “poor condition,” according to VDOT.
Construction on the project is still expected to wrap up at some point in 2015, according to VDOT’s project website.
Two water mains in south Arlington broke this morning, requiring major repairs and closing roads and county buildings in the process.
A 16-inch water main burst on S. Arlington Mill Drive at the entrance to the Village at Shirlington early Tuesday, closing the road from S. Randolph Street to S. Taylor Street. The break caused Abingdon Elementary School and Fairlington Community Center to close for the day.
From 4:00 to 10:00 p.m., Campbell Avenue, from Arlington Mill Drive to S. Quincy Street and S. Randolph Street, from Arlington Mill Drive to the alley behind Charlie Chang’s Restaurant (roughly the 3000 block), will be closed for the event.
During that time, vehicles will not be allowed to leave Harris Teeter’s covered parking lot onto Campbell Avenue. Parking in the area is also restricted, so drivers should be on the lookout for spaces with “No Parking” signs.
Two passengers of a Red Top taxi cab were injured in a three-vehicle collision today.
The crash happened around noon in the southbound lanes of George Mason Drive, in front of the Army National Guard Readiness Center. Initial reports suggest an Arlington County work truck and the Red Top Cab sedan were stopped in the right-hand lane when the cab was rear-ended by an Advanced Towing truck. The cab was sandwiched between the other two vehicles, causing front- and rear-end damage.
The race is hosted by Christ Church of Arlington. All 3,100 registration spots have been claimed, according to the church’s website.
Arlington police issued the following press release about closures associated with the event.
For those flying on Thanksgiving, expect crowded airports and airport parking lots until Monday, Dec. 2, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The peak times for holiday flights is early in the morning, between 5:30 and 8:00 a.m., and late afternoon, between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
Because of the heavy volume of passengers, MWAA recommends getting to the airport two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights. Because planes will be so full, MWAA recommends packing lightly to ensure carry-on luggage fits in on-board compartments and under the seats.
The accident happened right in front of the on-ramp from the George Washington Parkway. Multiple lanes were blocked as fire trucks and police cruisers responded, but the cars have been moved so they are blocking only the right lane.
No significant injuries were reported.
Updated at 4:08 p.m. — All lanes of Washington Blvd are now open to traffic.
The southbound lanes of Washington Blvd are temporarily closed near the Arlington Blvd overpass due to an accident involving a bicyclist.
