At 9:50 a.m., police on the scene said they were temporarily shutting down the highway while they move the accident to the side of the road.
Traffic had slowed to a crawl before the wreck, but is starting to clear out.
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Traffic
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The accident happened around 3:30 p.m. Initial reports suggest the biker’s injuries are minor.
The right-hand lane of I-66 is temporarily blocked.
Arlington BRAC coordinator Andrea Morris tells WAMU that she expects that many workers who have been relocated to Alexandria will have to make trips back and forth from the Pentagon. Those trips will increase traffic on I-395 and, as I-395 becomes backed up, overflow traffic may spill onto Arlington’s residential streets, Morris suggests.
It seems that one solution to the problem — if it is, in fact, a problem — could be to increase capacity on I-395. What do you think?
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Update on 8/20 — The water main repair work has been completed, but crews are now working on a gas main leak in the same area. One lane is blocked in each direction.
Expect a slowdown on South Glebe Road between Columbia Pike and the Route 50 tonight, as crews work to repair a water main.
The drive around Arlington wasn’t terrible during this morning’s deluge — nothing like the dozen drivers who had to be rescued due to rising water in the District.
There were patches of bad traffic, though.
The repaving is expected to begin on Thursday, depending on weather conditions and logistical issues.
Later this week, another stretch of Wilson Boulevard — from North Highland Street to Washington Boulevard, near the Clarendon Metro Station — is scheduled to be milled, with repaving to follow. Next week the same work will take place on Washington Boulevard from Pershing Drive to North Highland Street, according to Department of Environmental Services spokesperson Karen Acar.
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That’s to be expected. But one area of the Pike is particularly hazardous for drivers at the moment.
The asphalt on two patched-up sections of road between South Barton Street and South Wayne Street has begun to sink, causing a violent jolt for motorists traveling at speed. Some drivers who spot the big bumps early suddenly hit the brakes, presenting the risk of a rear-end collision.
The traffic light at South Courthouse Road and 2nd Street is malfunctioning, causing backups near Fort Myer.
The light is only staying green for a few seconds for motorists traveling north or south on Courthouse Road. Police have checked out the intersection and requested that Arlington’s traffic engineering department reset the light.
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Update at 11:20 a.m. — Per DC Fire & EMS: The injured worker has been extricated and is being taken via fire boat to a waiting ambulance at the Columbia Island Marina. Most of the emergency vehicles on the bridge have cleared out, although the lane restrictions have not been lifted yet.
Update at 11:45 a.m. — All lanes on the bridge have reopened.
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Photo of a Gold’s Gym step aerobics class being held outside during the power outage courtesy Matthew Henneman.
More than 3,600 Dominion customers are without power in the Clarendon area this evening. Police are reporting that numerous traffic lights are dark on Wilson, Clarendon and Washington Boulevards, causing traffic tie-ups in the area.
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Police have blocked a stretch of North George Mason Drive between 16th Street and 15th Street after utility lines fell across the roadway.
The closure is adjacent to Virginia Hospital Center. George Mason Drive is a key route for ambulances heading to the hospital.
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The first break occurred around 7:30 this morning at South Courthouse Road and 2nd Street. Water from the break flooded the intersection and nearby Washington Boulevard, snarling rush hour traffic.
Arlington County crews just finished repairing the break and patching up the road. Now, they’re beginning to work on a second break that occurred at South Wayne Street and 2nd Street. Drivers should expect road and lane closures in the area. The repairs should wrap up around 10:00 tonight.