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?
The event should attract a large crowd. At least 500 motorcyclists are expected to escort the steel from New York City to the fire station and a middle school choir will be driving up from Georgia to participate in the ceremony.
To handle the crowds, South Hayes Street will be closed from South Fern Street to 15th Street for much of the day, and parking restrictions will be put in place in the area.
On August 28, a 6 to 10 foot steel beam from the World Trade Center will arrive in Arlington to serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives on 9/11.
The steel is a gift from the the Fire Family Transport Foundation, an NYC-based firefighters’ charity, and members of the New York Fire Department. Two years ago a similar donation was made to Shanksville, Pa., the crash site of United Flight 93.
More Proof of Arlington’s Burger Supremacy — The Associated Press has declared that “better burger” joints — think: Five Guys — are “one of the fastest-growing parts of the restaurant industry” and that the D.C. area in particular “has emerged as fertile ground for ground chuck.” Mentioned in the article are Arlington-based Elevation Burger and Ray’s Hell Burger, formerly Arlington-based Five Guys, and BGR-The Burger Joint, which recently opened a location in Lyon Village.
Pentagon Chocolatier Popular With Pelosi, Palin — What do Nancy Pelosi and Sarah Palin have in common? They’re both loyal customers of Sherm Edwards Candies, a Pittsburgh-based chocolate company that recently opened a store in the Pentagon. More from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Metro Fares Going Up This Morning — Metrorail riders will start paying an extra 20 cents during this morning’s rush hour. Starting today, the peak base fare is increasing from $1.75 to $1.95. On Sunday, riders started paying $1.60 for the off-peak base fare, up from $1.45. Metrobus fares have also increased. More from Fox 5.
Pentagon Shooting Heroes Honored — The Pentagon police officers who stopped the Pentagon Metro Station shooter received the Medal of Valor from the Department of Defense on Friday. Officers Marvin Carraway, Jr. and Jeffery Amos, who were shot by 36-year-old John Patrick Bedell in the attack, were honored alongside officers Dexter Jones and Colin Richards, who also who helped to stop Bedell from entering the Pentagon on the night of March 4. More from WUSA 9.
Yes, May has been an insane month. From stolen wigs to stolen cell phones, and from DoD job losses to creating new jobs for exotic dancers (or, at the very least, local arguments for it), Arlingtonians are ready for a long weekend. Take a look at some local events happening around our area to take a load off to fully appreciate Memorial Day weekend.
For the kids: Gulf Branch Nature Center on Military Road is holding their weekly campfire for families on Friday from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. Expect s’mores, games, and campfire songs for the little ones ($5 per person, $20 for families).
The language was included in the 2011 Defense Authorization bill by Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), who is a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
Moran says he’s concerned about the traffic on I-395 around Alexandria’s Mark Center, the development where the jobs are set to move to by September 2011 as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC)..
About 500 enlisted employees, DoD civilians and contract workers showed up at the Crystal Gateway Marriott to find alternatives to moving to out-of-state bases or commuting to traffic-clogged exurbs. The moves are mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing Act, which will result in the closing of dozens of government offices and the loss of about 17,000 jobs in Arlington by next September.
The job fair attendees shared two common traits: they all like their current job and they all want to stay here.
Arlington to Spend $90 Million To Improve Crystal City — Arlington County will spend about $90 million improving roads and parks in Crystal City in the wake of the 13,000 jobs set to leave the area by September 2011 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plan. A long-range economic development plan for Crystal City is expected to be approved this summer. More from the Washington Examiner.
Man With Gun Tried to Visit Fictitious Admiral At Pentagon — From WTOP we learn that on April 9, a month after the shooting outside the Pentagon Metro station, a man approached a screening area at the Pentagon and told security he was visiting an admiral — an admiral whose name was made up. Pentagon police later searched the man’s car and found a loaded 9-millimeter pistol. More from WTOP.
Secretary Gates Calls For Reduction of DoD Spending — On Saturday Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave a blistering speech that called for a significant restructuring of Pentagon spending, reports Andrea Stone at AOL News. Citing a “gusher of defense spending” following 9/11, Gates stated his desire to reduce spending on weapons systems and military health care. He also called for a reduction in the number of generals and admirals in the services. Defense spending is a major component of the local economy.
BRAC Moves May Cause Traffic Woes — The transfer of 13,000 DoD jobs from Crystal City to Ft. Belvoir, Alexandria’s Mark Center development and elsewhere may cause major traffic problems, the Washington Post reports. The areas where the jobs are moving to are not Metro accessible and are not prepared to receive the ensuing crush of traffic, several people told the Post. By law, about four million square feet of office space in Crystal City must be vacated by September 2011.
A B-52 “Stratofortress” flew over Arlington National Cemetery at 11:40 this morning in honor of retired Air Force Colonel Thomas Mounts.
Mounts, a Vietnam veteran, was buried in Section 38 today after a service at Ft. Myer’s Old Post Chapel.
A new technology that generates electricity using bacteria will be unveiled at the Pentagon on Thursday. The Earth Day event will showcase a microbe-powered fuel cell developed by the the Office of Naval Research.
“Microbial fuel cell research is a great example of naval needs propelling advanced technology that also has potential benefit to the public,” said Chief of Naval Research, Rear Adm. Nevin Carr.
