The streets of Arlington are being readied ahead of this weekend’s Armed Forces Cycling Classic, the arrival of thousands of competing bicyclists, support teams and spectators.
Races will take place Saturday and Sunday for amateurs and professionals alike, with police set to close roads across various neighborhoods to accommodate the festivities.
Road Closures for Bike Races — As a reminders, there will be significant road closures in Clarendon and Crystal City on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, for the Armed Forces Cycling Classic.
Arlington Woman Invented ‘Monopoly’ Precursor — An Arlington woman may have been the “real” inventor of the board game Monopoly. Lizzie Magie, who died in Arlington in 1948, created a board game very similar to Monopoly. Three decades later, Charles Darrow, taking inspiration from Magie’s game, created Monopoly and sold it to Parker Brothers. [Arlington Magazine]
The children-only triathlon includes a swimming race, a bike race and a run. The race will begin in the pool at Washington-Lee High School, followed by a loop bike course and a flat run on the outdoor track at Washington-Lee.
“The races are intended to encourage children to have fun while participating in physical activities,” according to an online event listing. “The swim-bike-run disciplines of triathlon are life-long sports that support a healthy lifestyle from childhood through adulthood.”
Arlington Ridge Road, the scene of numerous water main breaks in the past few years, will be partially closed Saturday for water service installation.
The road will be closed between the I-395 ramp and 23rd Street S. between 8 a.m.-4 p.m., barring any complications, according to Arlington County.
Update at 2:30 p.m. — The fire has been extinguished and Four Mile Run Drive is expected to reopen shortly. The access road is expected to remain closed until the fallen tree is removed.
Update at 2:15 p.m. — Electricity has been shut off to the fallen power lines and firefighters are now working to extinguish the brush fire.
Update at 10:40 a.m. — The westbound lanes have reopened.
Washington Blvd is currently blocked in the area of 2nd Street S. due to a large fallen tree, according to scanner traffic.
Tomorrow is the Marymount University 5K, and police will close several roads from approximately 8:45-10 a.m. Near the university, officers will close 26th Street N. from its intersection with Yorktown Blvd to where it becomes 31st Street N. and intersects Military Road.
Westbound Lorcom Lane will be closed to Vacation Lane, while Vacation Lane will be closed from N. Utah Street to N. Vermont Street and N. Vermont Street will be closed from Vacation Lane to N. Vernon Street. Traffic will be slowed on Military Road from 31st Street N. to Lorcom Lane, and the rest of the race will take place on the running trails.
Police closed part of westbound Arlington Blvd during the Friday morning rush hour after a collision between two cars in Arlington Forest.
Officers shut Route 50 from just before N. Henderson Road to the intersection with N. Park Drive at around 8:30 a.m. Drivers heading west on Arlington Blvd. were diverted around the crash scene.
Police closed a section of Washington Blvd in Virginia Square this morning after a U.S. Postal Service truck struck a utility pole.
Officers shut down the 3400 block of Washington Blvd between N. Kirkwood and N. Lincoln streets just after 11 a.m. Thursday.
(Updated at 9:35 a.m.) A PRTC commuter bus smashed into the side of the Lenox Club apartment building in Pentagon City Wednesday evening.
The crash happened just before 6 p.m., along 12th Street S. The bus, which was not carrying passengers at the time, hopped the curb, struck the front of a convertible and ran into a storefront on the side of the building.
Big Changes Coming to DCA — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has revealed updated designs of the coming changes at Reagan National Airport. Among the changes are a new commuter terminal, replacing the outdoor commuter gate 35X, and a new structure to house security checkpoints, which will be positioned before travelers enter the airport’s main terminal B/C hallway. [WTOP, WTOP]
Ethiopian Restaurant Coming to Courthouse — Chercher Ethiopian restaurant is expanding from the District to a new location at 2000 14th Street N. in Courthouse. It will be the first Virginia outpost for the acclaimed Ethiopian restaurant. Its owner says he chose Courthouse because the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor lacks Ethiopian dining options. [Washington Business Journal]
Arlington Ridge Road was shut down between 23rd Street S. and S. Glebe Road this morning due to emergency water main repairs.
The AM rush hour closure affected those dropping students off at Gunston Middle School and Oakridge Elementary.
