After a driver collided with a child on a bicycle on S. Carlin Springs Road this week, neighbors and advocates are calling for street safety upgrades.
For its part, Arlington County says it has already been working on safety measures for the area, which has narrow sidewalks, little or no pedestrian buffer and a history of crashes. Upcoming steps include reducing speeds near the schools in the area: Kenmore Middle School and Carlin Springs Elementary.
“We are looking into the details from police regarding the crash and will identify next steps based on the report,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien said.
And Arlington County Board member Matt de Ferranti has recently gotten involved, too. He tells ARLnow he has walked the area with advocates and will be meeting with staff next week.
“First and foremost, I understand that the young man is okay and the safety of our kids and our residents is highest on my mind,” de Ferranti said. “Second, the accident raises important and urgent questions about safety in that whole corridor… We need to do better to address them.”
How the crash happened
Just before 7 p.m. on Monday, a driver traveling south on S. Carlin Springs Road proceeded through a green light and struck a juvenile riding a bicycle in the crosswalk, Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said.
The driver remained on scene. The child, who did not require a trip to the hospital for treatment, was tended to on scene by medics, Savage said. No citations were issued.
While ACPD does not provide identifying information, she did say the child involved was older than first reported on social media.
The boy was bleeding, but injuries appeared NLT. He was tended to by medics and police in the back of what appeared to be an @APSVirginia white van (logo on pass door – assuming Kenmore M.S. related) to in the 7-11 parking lot. pic.twitter.com/qtr4Yijzrn
— Matthew Young (@matthewyoung31) October 3, 2022
A history of unsafe sidewalks
Community advocate Janeth Valenzuela tells ARLnow that she passed by the crash around 6:45 p.m. and saw emergency responders. She says she’s been working on safety along S. Carlin Springs Road for many years now, and has suggested everything from building a bridge for kids crossing the road to erecting a fence to prevent kids from getting pushed into the street.
“I’ve been proposing a lot of things, but they don’t take it into consideration,” she said. “The solution is hard.”
S. Carlin Springs Road is an important walking route for Kenmore students, but she and other residents say the pedestrian amenities are poor. Sidewalks are narrow and not well maintained and often do not have any landscaping separating pedestrians from traffic.
And people have been telling the county the same thing for nearly a decade, according to a 2014 report by the APS Multimodal Transportation and Student Safety Committee and Advisory Committee on Transportation Choices meeting minutes from 2017.
During one ACTC meeting in 2017, a father said moms with strollers pass kids playfully shoving each other on the sidewalk as cars whiz right next to them. In the winter, if the sidewalks aren’t plowed, kids walk in the road, he added.
New Rail Bridge Design Revealed — “The new rail bridge will be built with many of the features in the existing span, including its structure, material and form, with steel girders and similar pier spacing, according to preliminary site plans approved this month by the National Capital Planning Commission. The plans also call for the use of Ashlar stone cladding for the bridge piers, and abutments and walls near the George Washington Memorial Parkway.” [Washington Post]
County Board Approves ‘Heights’ Parking — From School Board member Barbara Kanninen: “‘APS did us a solid.’ Thx @kcristol for that comment regarding our hosting the County’s temp fire station for several years! Glad to see the use permit for Phase 2 [of The Heights building in Rosslyn] approved this morning, providing important universal access improvements for all students, esp @APS_Shriver.” [Twitter]
APS Hiring Hundreds of Teachers — “Officials in Arlington Public Schools will also spend the summer working to fill an atypically large number of empty positions. Arlington, which enrolls 27,045 students, according to state data, saw 284 teachers resign between August 2021 and mid-May 2022. The district usually employs about 3,000 teachers, per spokesman Frank Bellavia. That is 96 percent higher than the average number of resignations between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021: 145.” [Washington Post]
Free Chicken Today — “July 18th is Nelson Mandela’s birthday. His birthday is recognized and celebrated world wide as Mandela day; a day for us all to inspire change and make a difference in our communities. At Nando’s we are proud of our South African heritage. We will join in celebrating his birthday on July 18th by following his example and giving back to our communities.” [Nando’s Peri Peri]
Cyclist Struck on Busy Ramp — “Police, fire on scene of cyclist struck by driver on the WB Route 50 / Washington Blvd ramp. Cyclist was thrown from bike and is being treated by medics, per scanner.” [Twitter]
Treasurer Honored, Again — “Arlington County Treasurer Carla de la Pava received the President’s Award for her service and leadership to the Treasurers’ Association of Virginia (TAV). The award was presented during the association’s annual conference in June. It is the second time de la Pava has be recognized with the President’s Award.” [Arlington County]
More Bad Driving on I-395 — From Dave Statter: “You’ll want to see this one. Driver goes bowling with the barrels & almost takes one along for the ride. @VaDOTNOVA time for clean-up again on aisle 8C.” [Twitter]
It’s Monday — Mostly cloudy, with rain and possible storms in the evening. High of 88 and low of 74. Sunrise at 5:59 am and sunset at 8:33 pm. [Weather.gov]
Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann
A driver in an SUV struck a juvenile riding a bike along Langston Blvd this afternoon.
The crash happened around 4:20 p.m., in or near the crosswalk at the intersection with John Marshall Drive. Police received numerous calls reporting a cyclist struck, with some callers saying the victim was unconscious while others said he was alert but not moving, according to initial reports.
“At approximately 4:19 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of a crash involving a bicyclist at Langston Blvd and John Marshall Drive,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The bicyclist, a juvenile, has been transported to an area hospital with injuries that are not believed to be serious.”
“The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene,” Savage added. “Police remain on scene investigating.”
Westbound rush hour traffic initially backed up to near N. George Mason Drive as a result of the emergency response blocking 1-2 lanes.
The crash happened on Bike to Work Day, an annual event in Arlington and the D.C. region that celebrates bicycling as a means for commuting.
(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Police were on scene of a crash near Yorktown High School involving a school bus and a bicyclist this afternoon.
The exact details around the crash are unclear, but a man was reported to be down on the street and bleeding after the collision with the bus. His injuries are not life-threatening, police said.
After the crash the bus could be seen parked on an uphill portion of Yorktown Blvd at N. Edison Street, while a police cruiser was parked at the intersection of Yorktown and N. George Mason Drive.
“At approximately 2:52 p.m. on January 12, police were dispatched to N. George Mason Drive at Yorktown Boulevard for the report of a crash with injuries involving a bicyclist and an Arlington Public School bus,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The bicyclist, an adult male, was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
“There were no students on the bus at the time of the crash,” Savage added. “Police remain on scene investigating the circumstances of the crash.”
Brandi Bottalico contributed to this report
Arlington County police are investigating a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a kid who was riding a bike.
The crash happened around 8 a.m. at the intersection of N. Glebe Road and Langston Blvd, formerly known as Lee Highway.
“The driver of the striking vehicle fled the scene following the crash and responding officers located the unoccupied vehicle on Lee Highway,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The bicyclist, a juvenile, was transported to an area hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.”
The crash and the emergency response shut down multiple lanes at the intersection for about an hour during the rainy morning rush hour.
LOCATION: Glebe Rd/Lee Hw
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
IMPACT: Glebe Rd is blocked NB and SB, Lee Hw is blocked WB with one lane EB open. pic.twitter.com/dT0M9xN9qi— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) October 29, 2021
Police are continuing to search for the driver.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said Savage.
County Board Approves Construction Contracts — “The Arlington County Board today approved contracts for projects that will improve the streetscape on 20th Road North, upgrade several intersections along the North Pershing Drive corridor, and rehabilitate a North Glebe Road water main.” [Arlington County]
ACPD Searching for Missing Man — “ACPD continues to attempt to locate critically missing adult Paul Winfred Coleman. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact police at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.” [Twitter, Arlington County]
Va. Could Stay Blue Without Arlington — “Virginia Delegate Dave LaRock (R-Loudoun) made headlines when he suggested returning portions of Arlington and Alexandria back to the District of Columbia. Even if this idea were to gain any serious traction with other legislators, it would not help LaRock or Republicans in Virginia hold on to a majority in the legislature.” [Greater Greater Washington]
Ebbin’s Labor Bill Faces Opposition — “The bill has attracted opposition from the state’s commercial and residential development industries, in addition to state Republicans, now in the minority in the General Assembly for the first time in two decades. Even some Democrats expressed skepticism about the legislation in initial committee hearings.” [Washington Business Journal]
Map of Cyclist-Involved Crashes — “Cyclists commuting into the District over Key Bridge have to travel through one of Virginia’s worst areas for vehicle-on-bicycle crashes. Both Clarendon Blvd. and Lee Highway had numerous collisions.” [Twitter, WUSA 9]
Possible N. Va. Coronavirus Case — “The Virginia Department of Health says it is investigating three people, including one in northern Virginia, who ‘meet both clinical and epidemiologic criteria’ for coronavirus.” [Fox 5, Virginia Dept. of Health]
Arlington GRAMMY Connection — At last night’s GRAMMY Awards, one-time Arlington resident Roberta Flack was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Flickr pool photo by John Sonderman
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) A cyclist was struck by a driver at the intersection of Wilson Blvd and 10th Street N., near Clarendon., Friday morning.
Initial reports suggest the cyclist had severe injuries, including head trauma. The crash was first radioed in around 10:30 a.m. by a police officer who was on a traffic stop nearby.
The bicycle could be seen under a black Jeep on the west side of the intersection, in front of the Speedway gas station. A bike rack with a PeopleForBikes sticker could be seen on the back of the Jeep.
The victim was rushed via ambulance to a local trauma center.
“The cyclist was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries,” Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage confirmed. “The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene. The investigation is ongoing.”
The intersection was partially closed by police but reopened as of 11:30 a.m., after detectives documented the scene.
Police said later Friday afternoon that the driver will face a traffic charge in the crash.
“[The driver] was cited with failure to yield,” said Savage. “The cyclist’s injuries are considered non-life threatening.”
It appears a Jeep hit a cyclist outside the Speedway at Wilson & 237. cc: @ARLnowDOTcom pic.twitter.com/NPhGxxClkN
— Matthew Hurtt (@matthewhurtt) December 20, 2019
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
LOCATION: Wilson Blvd/10th St N
IMPACT: WB Wilson at 10th is closed. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/QA7eupRtgS— Arlington Alert (@arlingtonalert) December 20, 2019
(Updated at 2 p.m.) Police and firefighters are on scene of a cyclist struck by a driver in the Pentagon City area.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. at the intersection of 15th Street S. and S. Fern Street, across from the Costco parking lot.
The cyclist could be seen lying on the sidewalk next to the bike, while a passerby stood nearby and called for help. A Jeep could also be seen nearby, but it is unclear if that was the striking vehicle.
Initial reports suggest that the victim’s injuries are non-life threatening. Fern Street and a lane of 15th Street were temporarily closed at the scene.
A local bicycling advocacy group has called for a protected bike lane along 15th Street S.
A cyclist was struck and injured along an on-ramp in the Lyon Park neighborhood this afternoon.
First responders were dispatched to a scene just after 3 p.m. today (Wednesday) for a report of a cyclist struck by a vehicle on the ramp to and from from eastbound Washington Blvd and westbound Arlington Blvd. The cyclist was in a crosswalk when he was struck by the driver, said Arlington County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Michael Sheeran.
The victim was transported via ambulance to George Washington University Hospital with traumatic but non-life-threatening injuries, Sheeran said.
The ramp was closed for about 45 minutes, leading to backups on both Arlington and Washington boulevards, but has since reopened.
No word yet on whether the driver will face any charges.
Map via Google Maps. Ashley Hopko, Vernon Miles and Airey contributed to this report.
Arlington County is pledging to eliminate road deaths and serious traffic-related injuries — but it’s not yet clear how officials plan to accomplish that goal.
The Arlington County Board unanimously passed the “Vision Zero” resolution during its meeting Tuesday night that aims to bring the number of traffic casualties to zero. However, officials expect the details of the plan won’t be ready for another two years.
Now the county plans to gather public input on the proposal this fall, decide specific goals before January, and share a draft plan by next fall, per a county press release.
The final version of the Vision Zero plan isn’t likely to be completed before 2021.
County Board Chair Christian Dorsey noted that the number of accident-related deaths and injuries in Arlington remained steady for the past five years despite Arlington’s quickly growing population.
“But we can, and must, do better,” said Dorsey during the Tuesday meeting. “As our population continues to grow, and more cars, buses and bicycles share our streets, it is important that we work with the community toward the goal of completely eliminating deaths and serious injuries from traffic collisions.”
The resolution puts Arlington among network of governments, including neighboring jurisdictions like D.C., Alexandria and Montgomery County, which have passed similar “Vision Zero” promises to rethink traffic deaths as preventable, instead of inevitable.
However, advocates from New York to San Francisco have criticized officials for failing to live up to the goals in recent years. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also faced pushback for raising traffic fines and increasing the number of speed cameras, but doing little to prevent a rising tide of deadly collisions.
In Arlington, two people were killed last year in crashes, versus six in 2017, and one in 2016. This is the about on par with Alexandria (five fatalities in 2018, and four in 2017) but much lower than in D.C. where 34 people were killed in 2018 alone.
Almost 60 people were reported to have been seriously injured in crashes in Arlington last year — a number that’s remained relatively steady since 2013.
As a condition of the newly-approved resolution, Arlington will publish regular reports on traffic fatalities and injuries, as well as an annual update on overall progress.
Officials in Arlington have discussed a Vision Zero resolution for years. Former Democratic County Board candidate Alan Howze promised to enact the pledge during his 2014 unsuccessful campaign for County Board.
This year, as the county updated the bicycle portion of Arlington’s Master Transportation Plan, officials said that they would put forth a formal Vision Zero proposal this summer.
Some took to social media to criticize the slow-moving process, including Chris Slatt, who chairs the Transportation Commission.
“After all this time I expected a plan, not a one-page resolution,” Slatt said.
So it's great that @ArlingtonVA just adopted a #VisionZero resolution, but I can't help but question…what took so long? Staff have been mulling this for like FIVE YEARS. After all this time I expected a plan, not a one-page resolution.
— Chris Slatt (@alongthepike) July 16, 2019
“For now, we celebrate and strategize,” replied Gillian Burgess, who chairs the county’s Bicycle Advisory Committee.
“We are making progress,” Burgess added. “This is a good step.”
File photo (top). Graphs via Arlington County.
New APS Verification System — “For the 2019-20 school year, Arlington Public Schools will implement a new annual online verification process for updating and maintaining accurate student information. This will replace the First Day Packet students used to receive on the first day of school.” [Arlington Public Schools]
Garvey: Board Should Get Full-Time Pay — From Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey, who has previously spoken out about the issue: “To expect 5 Board members to hold outside jobs to supplement our $55k salary while maintaining Arlington’s presence in the region and the Board’s connection to the multitude of civic associations, commissions, and organizations we have is, I believe, unreasonable and not healthy for our County.” [Libby Garvey, Blue Virginia]
Border Wall May Cost Local Projects — Arlington may lose out on more than $50 million in military construction projects — including a road project and Pentagon exterior and security upgrades — if the money is diverted to President Trump’s southern border wall project. In all, nearly a half billion dollars worth of projects are at risk in Virginia. [WUSA 9]
Cyclist Struck in Shirlington — “ACFD on scene of a cyclist struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Shirlington Road at Arlington Mill, in Shirlington. Victim is being transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, per scanner. Several lanes blocked.” [Twitter]
Wardian Does it Again — “Running from south to north, Michael Wardian of Arlington, Virginia has set an FKT on the 631-mile (1,009K) Israel National Trail of 10 days, 16 hours and 36 minutes (unofficially). That’s like running a 100K race every day for 10 days.” [Trail Running]
Ride Hailing Service for Kids Comes to Arlington — “A California transportation service is looking to make life easier for Greater Washington families — by driving their kids. Los Angeles-based HopSkipDrive Inc., whose service chauffeurs kids between school and other activities much like a family-friendly Uber or Lyft, is launching in the D.C. area, now live in Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria.” [Washington Business Journal]
Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley
