(Updated at 5:25 p.m.) U.S. Park Police are on the scene of a multiple vehicle accident that’s snarling traffic in the southbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway, near I-395.
Traffic is being diverted around the accident but the entire area is congested. Park Police recommend avoiding the area.
Update at 1:15 p.m. — The tree has been cleared and only one westbound lane of Route 50 remains closed. All other lanes are open to traffic.
Earlier: All westbound lanes of Route 50 are blocked near Garfield Street due to a tree that fell across the road.
Update at 4:00 p.m. — Emergency crews have just re-opened all lanes of traffic on N. George Mason Drive.
(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) Northbound George Mason Drive is closed near N. Henderson Road due to an accident with an overturned car.
(Updated at 11:00 a.m.) The northbound lanes of the George Washington Parkway were shut down during Wednesday’s evening rush hour due to a fatal crash.
A three vehicle accident near the second overlook left one driver entrapped in his car and gravely injured. A second driver was also injured, while the third was unhurt. There were no passengers in the vehicles, according to U.S. Park Police spokeswoman Lelani Woods.
(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) A large water main break has been reported on Columbia Pike, just in time to cause significant issues with the evening commute.
The water main break was reported at Columbia Pike and Carlin Springs Road, on the Arlington/Fairfax county line. Fairfax County police are shutting down the Pike in both directions between Carlin Springs and Route 7.
Arlington Ridge Road will be closed from 9:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. Southbound traffic coming from I-395 will be re-routed east and west to 20th Street S. in both directions, and around to 23rd Street. Northbound traffic coming from Glebe Road will be re-routed east and west to 23rd Street S., and around to 20th Street.
The emergency water repair is necessary because an irrigation contractor working in the 2100 block of Arlington Ridge Road accidentally caused a leak. Water service needs to be replaced at that location, from the water main in the street to the meter box in the sidewalk.
(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) All lanes of Glebe Road have reopened at Route 50 following a three vehicle accident that shut down traffic for about half an hour.
Police say all lanes of southbound Glebe Road were shut down and only one lane of northbound is getting by.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Arlington and the D.C. region, warning of the potential for about an inch of snow between 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. Though relatively light, the snow could wreak havoc with traffic during the evening rush hour.
(On January 26, 2011, a much heavier snowfall during the evening rush hour resulted in motorists abandoning their cars on the GW Parkway.)
Arlington and the rest of the Washington region is now under a Winter Storm Watch.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service say up to five inches of snow is possible tomorrow (Thursday). The snow may be at its heaviest during Thursday’s evening rush hour.
Update at 4:35 p.m. — One westbound lane is now slowly getting by the scene of the water main break.
A water main break in Virginia Square is snarling traffic on Washington Blvd, and will continue to do so through the evening rush hour.
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.
Update at 12:20 p.m. — Firefighters have cleared and drivers can now get through on Washington Blvd. Washington Gas remains at the scene.
Earlier: Drivers should avoid the area of Washington Blvd near N. Highland Street, where a gas leak is causing traffic trouble.
