The controversial vote is scheduled to take place at tonight’s County Board meeting, which will start at 6:30 p.m.
Republican County Board candidate Matt Wavro and Green Party candidate Audrey Clement — who will be facing Democratic County Board member Libby Garvey in November — both say that the streetcar is a bad idea.
Update at 4:45 p.m. — The closed section of road has reopened.
As if the construction along S. Joyce Street weren’t enough of a headache, this morning there’s another obstacle for drivers on that stretch of road. The storms last night (Thursday) have flooded part of the street and it’s shut down.
Organizations such as the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC) haven’t yet taken an official position on the streetcar plan, considering it hasn’t been officially approved yet. Still, individual members of the organizations are raising red flags for potentially dangerous situations.
Shane Farthing, Executive Director of WABA, explains that the streetcar tracks pose a particular problem because bicycle wheels could become caught in them. In addition to such a scenario making it possible for a cyclist to tip over, it increases the danger of being hit by a vehicle.
An Alternative Analysis/Environmental Analysis (AA/EA) was performed as part of the Columbia Pike Transit Initiative, examining transit along the five mile corridor from the Pentagon City area to the Skyline area in Fairfax. The AA/EA included three options besides the streetcar; two involved improving bus service and the final one involved taking no action. The project team recommends the County Board supports the “Streetcar Build Alternative.”
The staff report states that improved mobility along Columbia Pike would have positive economic impacts such as increased property values, an increased pace of development and additional tax revenues. It says the streetcar will attract new riders and encourage more residents to incorporate public transit into their daily lives. The report says the streetcar plan “will best achieve the vision for the Columbia Pike corridor as a vibrant, diverse, and pedestrian and transit oriented community.”
The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on the 1200 block of S. Scott Street, in front of the Wellington apartments, near Columbia Pike. Police say seven men had been drinking when a fight broke out between two of them in the middle of the street.
During the fight, one of the men was stabbed multiple times with a broken beer bottle. The man suffered stab wounds to his groin, leg and throat, and an arterial cut to his arm. The latter wound gushed blood, and police say all seven men were covered in blood by the time officers arrived on scene.
It’s Friday the 13th — According to superstition, it’s a day of supreme unluckiness. According to one Dutch statistics keeper, it’s actually less unlucky than other days. [Wikipedia]
Reminder: Blue, Yellow Line Work — As a reminder, track work will shut down the Blue and Yellow lines between the Pentagon City and Braddock Road stations this weekend. That means the Crystal City and National Airport stations will be closed. Free shuttle bus service will be provided.
(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Firefighters are leaving an apartment building on the 1900 block of Columbia Pike, where they responded to a fire earlier.
Arlington and Fairfax County units fought the small blaze, at the Archstone Columbia Crossing apartments. According to Capt. Gregg Karl, the fire started in a second floor utility closet and spread to an apartment.
The accident was reported between 7:00 and 7:30, and was said to be blocking several lanes. The lane closures have since been cleared, but as a result of residual delays traffic is crawling all the way back to Alexandria on I-395.
Other main routes that feed onto I-395 also seem to be affected. Eastbound traffic on Route 50, Washington Boulevard and Columbia Pike is very heavy, and delays have also been reported on the GW Parkway near Reagan National Airport.
Plane at DCA Sinks into Tarmac — It was so hot Friday that a US Airways flight got stuck in some heat-softened pavement while taxi-ing to the runway. [Washington Post]
Vote Set on Pike Streetcar Plan — On July 21 the Arlington County Board is scheduled to vote on whether to proceed with plans to build a streetcar or add enhanced bus service along Columbia Pike. The Board is expected to formally sanction the streetcar plan, then apply for federal funding. [Sun Gazette]
New Bikeshare Stations Coming to Pike, Trails — A new “Transit Development Plan” for Capital Bikeshare calls for new stations to be installed along Columbia Pike, in Shirlington, at the Pentagon, at Arlington National Cemetery and along the W&OD and Four Mile Run trails. Installation of most of the planned stations is expected to take place in 2013. [The Wash Cycle]
Southwest Comes to DCA — Southwest Airlines will begin operating its first scheduled service from Reagan National Airport on Sunday (July 8). The airline will be flying between DCA and Austin, Texas. [Sun Gazette]
A man had his lower leg impaled on the fence surrounding an apartment complex’s pool late last night (Sunday).
The incident happened between 11:30 p.m. and midnight at the Wellington apartment complex, at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Scott Street. The 29-year-old Arlington resident was was at the pool after hours and was under the influence of alcohol when he attempted to climb back over the fence, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. The man slipped, fell, and was impaled on the fence through the left calf area.
(Updated at 10:25 a.m.) A pedestrian was killed by a car on a section of Columbia Pike partially darkened by the area’s widespread power outages.
The man was struck by a Honda heading westbound on the Pike near intersection with Four Mile Run Drive, where the traffic signal and some street lights are dark due to the power outages. We’re told that the victim was transported to a trauma center in Fairfax County and was pronounced dead.
