Drivers traveling near Shirlington and North Ridge or the Braddock neighborhood this weekend might want to plan ahead for some upcoming lane closures.
The first one is a planned lane closure on the Shirlington Circle south rotary bridge over I-395 — connecting Arlington and Alexandria.
“Weather permitting, the right lane will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday, April 19 to noon Saturday, April 20 on the bridge that connects the southbound I-395 collector-distributor lanes and southbound Shirlington Road to North Quaker Lane at the I-395 Exit 6 interchange,” VDOT said in a release.
The closure is part of a project to rehabilitate the bridge and extend its life. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2025.
The second closure is on the 500 block of N. Henry Street in the Braddock neighborhood.
According to a release:
On Saturday, April 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the 500 block of N. Henry Street will be reduced to a single lane between Pendleton Street and Oronoco Street due to construction activity. The Crane Service Company will be placing a crane in the roadway to hoist a new HVAC on the rooftop of 525 N. Fayette Street. The operation, which is expected to take 4 hours, requires the shutdown of two of the three lanes on N. Henry Street and a portion of the sidewalk. Merge traffic signs and parking restrictions will be posted around the area during work hours.
Photo via Google Maps
It seems like construction cranes have been flocking to Alexandria streets recently. Just after a street closure due to crane activity in the Braddock neighborhood, crane activity is closing a block of King Street this Friday.
From 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, to 3 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, the 1500 block of King Street (between Peyton Street and Harvard Street) will be closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
According to a release:
On Thursday, February 15 from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on Friday, February 16 (weather permitting), Extreme Steel Crane & Rigging will be closing the 1500 block of King Street between Peyton Street and Harvard Street for a sidewalk and road closure. This closure is necessary to place a crane and trucks in the roadway to hoist HVAC equipment to the building located at 1555 King Street. Parking will be restricted along this block during the scheduled work hours, and noise levels during early morning hours will be kept to a minimum.
All westbound traffic on King Street at Peyton Street will be directed to Cameron Street, and back to King Street. All eastbound traffic on King Street at Daingerfield Road will be directed to Prince Street, then S. Peyton Street, and finally back to King Street.
Travelers through Alexandria might want to steer clear of N. Henry Street in the Braddock neighborhood this weekend as a section of the road will be closed for construction work.
The 700 block of N. Henry Street — between Madison Street and Wythe Street, next to the Charles Houston Recreation Center — will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4.
According to an alert from the city:
On Sunday, February 4, 2024, from 12:01 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (21:00) (weather permitting), W.O. Grubb Crane Rental will be closing the 700 block of N. Henry Street between Madison Street and Wythe Street for a sidewalk and road closure. This closure is necessary to place cranes and trucks in the roadway to dismantle the tower crane located at 701 N. Henry Street, a result of ongoing land development construction and residential development projects. Parking will be restricted along this block during the scheduled work hours, and noise levels during early morning hours will be kept to a minimum.
Southbound traffic on N. Henry Street will be detoured along Madison Street.
If you’re thinking of heading out for a drive in the snow, you may want to hold off on that unless you live on one of the city’s arterial roads.
The City of Alexandria’s SnowReport website provides a look at current roadway conditions around Alexandria during a snowstorm.
As of 10 a.m., the map shows that most major roads like King Street or Duke Street are cleared, though drivers are still warned to be cautious.
“Snow has been pushed to the sides of the street, leaving visible snow, or cleared down to blacktop, with running water visible,” the website said. “Streets are also treated with salt. Drivers should continue to use caution and expect icy spots and/or snow.”
Most of the residential streets, however, currently remain snow-covered, which the city’s website helpfully defines as “Street is covered with snow.”
#DYK that the City has a Snow Report tool that allows you to see the condition of the roads during a snow event? Try it out for yourself to get an idea of what your trip will be like before leaving your house. https://t.co/UJOuMQ9cvo pic.twitter.com/J6mO6QDHdG
— Alexandria Transportation & Environmental Services (@AlexandriaVATES) January 18, 2024
Sunday isn’t just New Year’s Eve in Alexandria; the city has its own special celebration called First Night Alexandria.
The event returns at various venues across Old Town starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, and running to midnight.
Tickets are available for the event online, but those not attending should still be aware of road closures caused by the event this weekend.
According to a release from the city:
On Sunday, December 31, 2023, the following road closures will be in effect for First Night Alexandria. Please plan your travel route accordingly and drive alert and aware of heavy pedestrian traffic in the Old Town area.
Road closures for December 31, 2023, in the Old Town area include:
- 100 block N. Royal Street – closed from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- 200 and 300 block of King Street – closed from 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- 100 block of N. Fairfax Street – closed from 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Union Street between Duke and Prince – closed between 5 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Some upgrades to Alexandria’s stormwater management will mean a months-long closure of a road between the Carlyle neighborhood and Old Town.
The RiverRenew Project will require the closure of Jamieson Avenue between Holland Lane and S West Street, just north of the Alexandria National Cemetery.
At a City Council meeting earlier this week, Mayor Justin Wilson said intermittent closures started late last month but will escalate starting in October.
“From the first week of October through January 2024 [we’ll have] full closure of Jamieson in that section, 24/7,” Wilson said. “We have signs up, social media, mailings; we’re working to get the word out. There’s certainly a change coming and detours will be required.”
The RiverRenew project website said the closure is to allow work crews to access Hooffs Run.
“To prevent combined sewage from polluting and harming local waterways, RiverRenew crews must upgrade the Hooffs Run Interceptor at our construction sites north of Jamieson Avenue and within African American Heritage Park,” the website said. “RiverRenew crews must fully close Jamieson Avenue to through pedestrian and vehicular traffic while they work to connect these two areas.”
Westbound drivers may want to avoid Duke Street near Landmark next week as construction will shut down part of the road.
The closures will affect the westbound lanes on Duke Street between the off-ramp to Van Dorn Street and South Walker Street. The westbound lanes are scheduled to be closed from 10 p.m. on Tuesday to 10 p.m. on Friday.
According to a release put out by the City of Alexandria:
The westbound lanes of Duke Street, between the Van Dorn Street off-ramp and South Walker Street, will be closed to vehicle traffic for 72 hours beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6. The ramp from southbound Van Dorn Street to westbound Duke Street will also be closed during this period.
During this construction-related closure, westbound Duke Street traffic will be detoured onto Van Dorn Street, then onto Stevenson Avenue and South Walker Street, before rejoining westbound Duke Street beyond the work area (see map below). Traffic traveling southbound on Van Dorn Street will also be directed by the detour. All businesses along Duke Street will remain open during the road closure.
The westbound lanes are scheduled to reopen at 10 p.m. on Friday, June 9, after the completion of the work, which includes demolition of the existing fly-over into Landmark Mall as part of the Re-Development of Landmark. Working hours and dates are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. The developer will provide written notification directly to Residential Properties within a 3 block radius and/or high-rise buildings visible from to the work area; as equipment will run the full 72-Hours.
Traffic might be a little slower around Lincolnia and Landmark this week due to lane closures on Duke Street.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said in a release that there will be daytime closures on Duke Street between Oasis Drive and South Walker Street starting today (Tuesday) through Thursday.
“Single-lane closures along eastbound and westbound Duke Street will take place Tuesday between noon and 3:30 p.m.,” VDOT said in the release, “and Wednesday and Thursday between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day.”
The shift will allow the deck to be replaced on the eastbound side of the bridge over I-395, part of the rehabilitation of the Duke Street bridge. The improvements aim to extend the life of the bridge and boost safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
The project’s website said improvements for the bridge include:
- Replacing the concrete bridge deck and beams
- Upgrading the westbound sidewalk to a shared-use path
- Widening the eastbound sidewalk
The project is scheduled for completion this winter.
According to the release:
Once the shift is complete, the eastbound Duke Street lanes over I-395 will be temporarily routed over the westbound side of the bridge alongside the westbound lanes. This shift will allow the deck to be replaced on the eastbound side of the bridge. In addition, as part of the shift, drivers along the northbound I-395 ramp to westbound Duke Street will temporarily encounter a stop sign instead of a yield at the end of the ramp. These traffic patterns are scheduled to be in place until mid-summer.
Alexandria: On Tue 4/11 from noon-3:30PM, and Wed 4/12-Thu 4/13 from 9:30AM-3:30PM each day, Duke St (Rt 236) will have single-lane closures at I-395 to implement a traffic shift as part of the bridge rehab project. More info: https://t.co/MHunSHokhi pic.twitter.com/ZNnT6ks3Kj
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) April 10, 2023
Image via Google Maps
(Updated 2:50 p.m.) The westbound lanes of Seminary Road between the 4600 and 4700 blocks — near Francies C. Hammond Middle School — have reopened following a two-vehicle car crash that temporarily shut down traffic.
Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) spokesperson Raytevia Evans said the call for an accident went out around 2 p.m.
“AFD units were dispatched, including rescue squad to help get a car door open,” Evans said. Two individuals sustained nonlife-threatening injuries, and both are being transported for additional treatment.”
Evans said police are at the scene of the incident and road closures were in place for the westbound side of Seminary Road.
Notification:: Due to a two-vehicle car crash, the 4600-4700 westbound lanes of Seminary Road are temporarily closed. Non-life-threatening injuries were reported. APD and AFD are on scene. pic.twitter.com/fp5pFRSgSW
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) March 17, 2023
James Cullum and Vernon Miles
Image via Google Maps
A section of South Washington Street has been closed as the Alexandria Police Department (APD) and other city agencies respond to an oil spill.
There are temporary lane closures around the 600 block of South Washington Street as officials work to clean up the spill.
APD said in a release that the spill has been contained and has not entered any waterways.
Alexandria Police Department spokesperson Marcel Bassett told ALXnow the spill is likely the result of a hydraulic fluid leak in a vehicle and there was no crash at the site.
Notification:: There are temporary lane closures near the 600 block of South Washington Street. This is in response to an oil spill, the spill is contained and is reported to have not entered any waterways. APD and other City agencies are on the scene. pic.twitter.com/HdMefwA53B
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) February 2, 2023
Vernon Miles and James Cullum contributed to this story
