safety | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published November 1, 2018 at 9:00AM

Bluemont Park and the banks of Four Mile Run in the fall (Photo via Flickr pool/Dennis Dimick)

Street Smart Campaign to Start Up Next Week — “As part of the Arlington County Police Department’s overall traffic safety program, the Special Operations Section is again participating in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Fall Street Smart campaign. This region-wide public safety campaign, which runs from November 5 – December 2, 2018, aims to educate drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and scooter operators about existing traffic laws and how to safely share our roadways.” [Arlington County]

County Board Lauds County Staff — In a video posted on YouTube, County Board Chair Katie Cristol and Vice Chair Christian Dorsey said “thank you” to Arlington County staff for the hard work that helped propel the county to high resident satisfaction ratings. “We are really proud of you… of your commitment to excellence and the role you play in making Arlington a terrific community.” [YouTube]

Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead, But You Can — Prepare Now

Published September 6, 2018 at 12:45PM | Updated September 6, 2018 at 2:21PM

The average warning time for a tornado is 13 minutes. Would you be able to get your family to safety in 13 minutes? Would more time help?

The National Weather Service issues weather Watches when the potential for a weather incident exists, but how would you find out?

News

Police to Enforce Laws During Traffic Safety Program

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published April 30, 2018 at 3:45PM | Updated May 2, 2018 at 9:05AM

Arlington County police are gearing up for a new traffic safety enforcement push.

As part of this year’s 2018 Spring Pedestrian & Bicyclist Safety Awareness Program, police officers will be out enforcing traffic laws in Virginia Square and along Columbia Pike this week.

News

County Board Approves Additional Funds for N. Lynn Street Esplanade

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published February 28, 2018 at 2:45PM | Updated February 28, 2018 at 3:18PM

Cars and bicyclists fight for space at Lee Highway and N. Lynn Street.

The Arlington County Board approved $1.4 million in additional funding for the N. Lynn Street and Lee Highway esplanade and safety enhancement project.

The Virginia Department of Transportation came to county officials with a cost estimate significantly higher than the initial $7.95 million price tag, which was approved by the Board in December 2016.

Around Town

Video: D.C. Taxi Drives Onto Custis Trail

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published February 20, 2018 at 3:00PM

A D.C. taxicab drove onto the Custis Trail yesterday and the incident was caught on video.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 2, 2018 at 9:05AM

Arlington Tree Canopy Increases — “Arlington’s tree canopy increased slightly from 2011 to 2016, according to new data, but remains below levels of a decade ago. A total of 41 percent of Arlington’s acreage was filled with tree canopy when evaluated last year, an improvement from the 40 percent from the last time it was studied.” [InsideNova]

Police: Drive Safely This Weekend –Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning and predicted six more weeks of winter, and the Patriots and Eagles will be facing off in Super Bowl LII on Sunday — both are occasions for the Arlington County Police Department to remind residents to drive safely. [Twitter, Twitter]

Around Town

Now in Effect: New Location for New Virginia Inspection Stickers

By ARLnow.com

Published January 9, 2018 at 10:45AM

As of Jan. 1, there is a new location on your windshield for Virginia state inspection stickers.

Year 2019 inspection stickers — aka those issued in 2018 — should be placed on the lower driver’s side corner of the windshield (lower left from the inside of the vehicle), according to Virginia State Police. Existing stickers can stay where they are — the bottom center of the windshield — until they expire.

News

Local Business Owner Warns of Biking Dangers on Columbia Pike

By Chris Teale

Published January 4, 2018 at 12:45PM

Photo by John Harpold

A local business owner is urging road users on Columbia Pike to be more cautious, after what he said is a recent spike in accidents involving cyclists.

John Harpold, who manages the Papillon Cycles bike store at 2805 Columbia Pike emailed ARLnow.com just before Christmas after one such crash.

News

Parents Petition for Traffic Calming Near Thomas Jefferson Middle School

By Katie Pyzyk

Published October 4, 2017 at 11:30AM | Updated October 4, 2017 at 11:56AM

Parents of Thomas Jefferson Middle School students are petitioning for traffic calming measures on a stretch of road near the school where they report witnessing a number of vehicle-pedestrian close calls.

They’re asking for a crossing guard and a traffic-calming measure — such as a four-way stop — at the intersection of 2nd Street S. and Irving Street, which is a heavily traveled pedestrian thoroughfare for students going to and from school.

News

County Department Changes Name, Designs New Logo

By Katie Pyzyk

Published August 28, 2017 at 2:30PM

As of July 1, emergency management employees and those in the county’s Emergency Communications Center work in the Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management. Department staff voted for the name from several suggestions.

“While we do not often change the name of our departments, and not all departments have logos, in the past 15 years some have had name changes,” said County Manager Mark Schwartz. Two examples are the current Department of Environmental Services and the Department of Parks and Recreation, which both underwent reorganizations.

Around Town

Middle School Student Asks County Board For Stoplight at Crash-Prone Intersection

By Katherine Berko

Published June 20, 2017 at 3:30PM

Williamsburg Middle School student Andy Nogas, who emailed the County Board with his request

A local teen is trying to make a difference by lobbying for safety improvements to a crash-prone intersection.

At 13 years old, Williamsburg Middle School student Andy Nogas is too young to vote, but not too young to email the Arlington County Board and ask for members’ help.

News

Increased Traffic Enforcement to Boost Safety

By Katie Pyzyk

Published April 18, 2017 at 4:30PM

On Friday, police will set up at the corner of Fairfax Drive and N. Kenmore Street from 3-5 p.m. to enforce traffic laws. They’ll ticket any driver, cyclist or pedestrian who commits a violation. On May 2, they’ll do the same at the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Oakland Street from noon to 2 p.m.

ACPD will conduct the enforcement events as part of a larger D.C.-area safety campaign to reduce injuries and deaths by changing pedestrian, cyclist and driver behaviors. That campaign started yesterday and runs through mid-May.