Here’s one way that Arlington County is making sure that pedestrian routes like the W&OD Trail are clear for cyclists, runners and walkers during the winter.
This pickup-mounted snow plow was spotted near today’s fire on Four Mile Run Drive.
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bicycling
Wheels to Africa, a group founded by Arlington teen Winston Duncan five years ago, will be collecting bikes Saturday to send to people in need in Africa.
Duncan, now 16, held his first collection drive in 2005 when he was just 11. It was a success far beyond his expectations, and soon local and national media outlets were profiling him and simple yet powerful idea of improving the mobility of needy Africans by sending them old bikes.
Planetarium Fundraising Now Exceeds $100K — The Friends of Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium group has now raised $120,000 to help fund renovations at the 40-year-old facility. The group is still far from its goal of raising $400,000 by summer 2011, but it is hoping to close the gap by landing a few major donations from local defense contractors. More from TBD.
Sharrows on Clarendon Boulevard — Arlington County is doing away with a bike lane between Courthouse Road and Rhodes Street on Clarendon Boulevard. In its place, the county is making the right-hand traffic lane a shared car/bike lane. Bikes should be able to keep up with traffic on the stretch of road, much of which is a steep downhill. More from WashCycle.
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In this week’s Arlington County crime report, we find two similar cases of sexual battery. In each case, the suspect is alleged to have committed the crime while riding a bicycle.
SEXUAL BATTERY 12/04/10, 2800 block of N. 11th Street. On December 4 at 2 am, a woman was walking when an unknown male rode past her on a bicycle and grabbed her buttocks. After the woman walked further, the same suspect rode by her again, and assaulted her a second time. The suspect was wearing a dark knit cap and a dark jacket. He also had long dark hair.
A bicyclist was reportedly struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and North Randolph Street in Ballston around noon today.
Initial reports suggest the cyclist is conscious and will be okay.
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Yesterday we reported that Arlington police are warning residents about bike thefts. Now we’re hearing that nearly 30 bikes were stolen from a bike rack inside a locked apartment building garage in Rosslyn last weekend.
Building management for the Rosslyn Heights complex at 1860 North Scott Street confirmed the thefts, but could not confirm the number of bikes that were stolen. A resident who contacted ARLnow.com said about 30 bikes, all locked either to each other or to the bike rack, were stolen.
To help residents protect their bikes, the police department is asking cyclists to use a U-lock rather than chains or cables.
Police are also reminding bike owners that they present thieves with an easy target anytime they leave their bike unlocked on a front porch, in a shed or in an open garage.
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Changes could be coming to Army Navy Drive that will make the intersection-laden and car-clogged stretch of road a lot friendlier to bicyclists.
This weekend, the county board is expected to accept $210,000 in federal grant money to help plan a bike route on the busy Pentagon City thoroughfare. The funds will also help plan a bike route on South Joyce Street that will connect Army Navy Drive, Columbia Pike and an existing pedestrian path.
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A safety tip for those who take their bike with them on public transit: don’t try to put your bike on a bus as it’s moving.
That’s apparently what happened Friday afternoon on Columbia Pike.
A bicyclist was struck by a car on Columbia Pike near the intersection with South Jefferson Street around 11:30 this morning.
The cyclist, who was reportedly alert and conscious after the accident, is being transported to a local hospital.
The Multi-Million Dollar Irish Pub — Samuel Beckett’s Irish Pub, expected to open in Shirlington at the end of November, is quite the ambitious undertaking. Owner Mark Kirwan is sinking $2.2 million into the project, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Another Road Gets Sharrows — The county added some bike-friendly sharrows to 15th Street North between North Courthouse Road and North Rhodes Street over the weekend. The sharrows remind drivers to share the road with bicyclists. More from Ode Street Tribune.
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If you’re staying in town for Columbus Day weekend, consider yourself lucky. The forecast calls for perfect warm and sunny weather, and there’s plenty of events around town to keep one busy.
Tonight, we already told you about the Capitals Rock the Red Season Opening Party at The Front Page in Ballston.