News

Arlington police officers positioned themselves at the busy intersection of Wilson Boulevard and North Lynn Street during the morning traffic rush and the lunch time pedestrian rush, in an effort to catch people violating basic traffic safety laws. During the course of the morning rush hour alone, they handed out 33 citations to drivers and gave 50 verbal warnings to pedestrians and cyclists.

The enforcement was part of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s eighth annual Street Smart safety campaign, which officially launched today with a lunchtime press conference in Rosslyn.


News

A pickup truck ran into the side of a Metro bus on South Glebe Road near the interchange with I-395, snarling rush hour traffic and sending at least two people to the hospital.

The accident happened at the intersection of South Glebe and West Glebe road around 4:30 this afternoon. Initial reports suggest two children in the truck were brought to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.


News

One meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 21 at the Shirlington Library (4200 Campbell Ave). Another is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 23 at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association building (4301 Wilson Blvd). Each meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

At both meetings, service on the 23A, 23C, 25A, 25C and 25D routes (The McLean-Crystal City and the Ballston-Bradlee-Pentagon City lines) will be discussed. WMATA is reviewing the travel time and reliability of the routes.


Around Town

Hit-and-Run Bus Driver Facing Discipline — The Metrobus driver accused of rear-ending a car in Ballston and then driving off “will be disciplined,” a WMATA spokesperson tells TBD. Metro says the accident was “preventable” but is refusing to release the results of drug and alcohol tests performed on the driver after the accident.

Local Technology Firm Sold — Arlington-based ICx Technologies has agreed to be purchased by Oregon-based Flir Systems for $274 million. ICx manufactures high-tech sensors that can detect radiation, chemicals, explosives, and biological agents. Some of ICx’s largest clients include the U.S. military and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. More from the Oregonian.


News

Police and WMATA are investigating an apparent hit and run accident that happened in Ballston this afternoon.

The three occupants of the car that was hit and another witness told police that a Metrobus rear-ended a car at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and Glebe Road, then fled the scene by making an illegal right turn from the main travel lanes of Fairfax onto Glebe.


News

The ART 41 and WMATA 16S buses will now use a temporary stop at the Pike and South Columbus Street, just before the Four Mile Run bridge. The ART 45 bus will now stop at South Thomas Street, about a quarter mile up a hill from the Buchanan Street stop.

One resident who emailed us about the closure complained that the new Columbus Street stop was too far away and that too little notice was given about the changes. We’re told WMATA is in the process of producing a brochure to help explain the new stop locations.


News

Board Approves $250,000 in Art Grants — The county board voted unanimously last night to provide a quarter million dollars worth of grants to 19 Arlington-based arts organizations and three individual artists. The grants range from $44,600 to $1,240. See a list of recipients here.

Fisette Pens Green Jobs Op-Ed in Richmond Paper — In a column for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette compares Thomas Jefferson’s far-sighted and, at the time, controversial Louisiana Purchase to proposed federal spending on clean energy. Fisette argues that investing in green jobs now will pay off in a big way down the road.


News

Arlington’s ART bus system may stop honoring Metrobus passes if WMATA doesn’t start sharing revenue, according to Michael Perkins at Greater Greater Washington.

While regional bus providers like ART are compensated when SmarTrip holders pay for individual rides, so far there is no revenue-sharing agreement for SmartTrip (and paper) “flash passes.”