TLHCA

Long-term lane closure – Arlington Blvd

Long-term Lane Closure on Arlington Blvd. – Expect Delays, Consider Alternate Routes

From March 1 until July, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will permanently close the left travel lane of westbound Arlington Boulevard from Courthouse Road to 10^th Street for a utility relocation project. Additional temporary lane closures are expected throughout the project as needed.

The VDOT utility work is the first step in a longer term effort to improve the dangerous interchange at Arlington Boulevard and Courthouse Road. VDOT has determined that it is necessary to permanently close the left lane of westbound Arlington Blvd. in order to:

• Ensure safety of traveling motorists
• Ensure safety of workers on site
• Significantly decrease the time-span of the project (without a permanent lane closure the project could last nearly twice as long)
• Reduce the overall project costs

Expect traffic delays and detours in the area during this time. Commuters are strongly encouraged to consider alternate routes or take transit. For more information on available transit options, visit www.commuterpage.com.

Contact VDOT staff at:

Matthew McLaughlin – VDOT Utility Construction Program Manager

Phone – 571-248-6111

E-mail – matt.mclaughlin@vdot.virginia.gov

M. Jason Fidel – VDOT Utility Construction Manager

Phone – 571-248-6109

E-mail – mark.fidel@vdot.virginia.gov

For updates on VDOT roadways, visit http://www.511virginia.org and select “Road conditions.”

More snow …. more on snow removal

To All Arlington County Residents: Arlington County is still digging out from near-historic levels of accumulated snow from the Feb. 5 near-blizzard, and is bracing for another severe snow storm expected to hit today, Tuesday, Feb. 9, and last through Wednesday, Feb. 10. We know that this series of severe snow storms is frustrating for our residents and businesses. We appreciate your patience as we work to round-the-clock to serve you. Here’s the latest:

• All County offices, Schools and Courts are closed again today. All programs and classes are cancelled and all facilities are closed.
• Crews have cleared the main and primary roads from the Feb. 5 near-record snow fall, and made significant progress on neighborhood roads.
• Snow-removal efforts will have to be refocused today and tomorrow to main and secondary roads.
• Efforts to clear neighborhood roads will be setback, possibly by days, by the new storm, which could drop as much as 16 inches on the region.
• Trash and recycling pick-ups have been cancelled and delayed, due to the heavy snow. Check the County website for updates.
• The County has deployed more than 30 staffers as volunteer snow spotters, helping to guide crews to problem areas.
• Watch a short behind-the-scenes video on snow spotters and snow removal efforts – produced by AVN, the County’s cable television channel.
• Report snow information to snow@arlingtonva.us
• Visit the County’s web site for frequent updates, closings, cancellations and winter weather tips.
• You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Begins in March

If you’d like to join the growing ranks of Arlington residents who are better prepared for and able to respond to emergencies, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training may be for you.  To-date, over 400 County residents have completed this eight-session training program and many have continued on to be active members of their neighborhood CERTs.  The hands-on training takes place over a six-to-eight week period on six weeknights (Tuesdays or Thursdays) and two Saturday mornings. It follows a national FEMA/DHS curriculum which covers disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster psychology, fire suppression and terrorism. All classes meet at the Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) Training Academy in Shirlington and are taught by ACFD staff and CERT members.  The training is free, but participants are expected to acquire certain supplies themselves, many of which you probably already have on-hand.  The training is open to Arlington residents who are at least 18 years of age (16 if accompanied by at least one parent) and able to participate in all aspects of the training, some of which requires lifting and carrying.

Spring classes are scheduled to begin on March 4 and 9 and there are seats available in both that will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  Advance registration is required.  If you’d like additional information or would like to sign up, please contact the program’s volunteer coordinator, Cynthia Kellams, at ArlingtonCERT@aol.com.

Local Crime Report – January 27, 2010

From the latest Crime Report:

• LARCENY FROM AUTO (SERIES) 01/20/10, 1700 block of N. George Mason Drive. On January 20 between 7 pm and 8 pm, an unknown subject broke into several cars in the same block, stealing various items. There are no known suspects.

To subscribe:
https://www.arlingtonva.us/subscriptions/subscribe.asp

Help preserve Lubber Run Amphitheatre

From Julie Kirchhoff, president of Arlington Forests CA:

“I am the President of the Arlington Forest Citizens Association and I would like to ask for your support. Our Association would like to start up a coalition of Arlingtonians – and others – interested in keeping the Lubber Run Amphitheatre up and running. Unfortunately, with many things these days, the County has cut funding drastically.

If someone in your Association is interested in learning more about this effort and would like to contribute, please contact email me back w/ the name/s and contact information of those individuals.

Much appreciated!!

juliek
Julie , CMP
President
Arlington Forest Citizens Association
email: juliek4828@yahoo.com”

Arlington County’s Car-Free Diet Skeptics Campaign

From Arlington County Commuter Services:

“Can you change your life in 30 days? If you are someone who is very attached to yourcar and can hardly fathom using public transportation, then not only do you qualify for the label of a “Car-Free Diet Skeptic,” but we also have the perfect challenge for you!  Arlington County is currently accepting applications until February 28th to become Arlington’s Car-Free Diet Skeptic!

Here’s how it works:

1. To apply, you must create a 30-second to 2-minute video explaining why you would make the perfect Skeptic and upload it to carfreetdietskeptics.com

2. Visitors to the site can watch the application videos and vote for their favorites from March 1st – 31st.

3. Two finalists will be selected to begin the 30-day challenge on Earth Day, April 22. They will then be required to use their cars as rarely as possible and share their experience online through video and/or written blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

4. Winning Skeptics  will receive everything they need to travel car-free around Arlington and the D.C. area for up to a year (including a bike, SmarTrip card, and more).

For additional details, please visit www.carfreedietskeptics.com!”

Tara Leeway Heights Civic Association Board mtg – 8 Feb

The February meeting of the Tara Leeway Heights Civic Association will take place on Monday, February 8 from 7-9 pm.   Topics for discussion include progress on the demolition of the old library and its conversion to green space, design options for the “Patrick Henry Plus” project to be submitted to the County for improvement funds, and selection of a nominating committee for Board officers for 2010-2011.

The meeting will take place at the new Westover Library, at 1644 N. McKinley Street, in the large conference room (“Westover Room”).  See you then!

Judges needed for W&L Science Fair

The W&L Science Fair will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m at Washington-Lee High School.  They are expecting students to exhibit more than 300 projects this year, and need about 100 judges to make this a successful experience for the students.  If you are a scientist or have a science background and are interested in being a Judge, they would welcome your participation. Please contact Dr. Isabelle Cozzarelli at (703) 648-5899 or moose1236@comcast.net and indicate your category preferences from the list below:

• Behavioral
• Biochem
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Engineering
• Environmental
• Math
• Medicine and Health
• Microbiology
• Physics
• Zoology

You don’t need to be an “expert” in the particular field to be able to judge the projects.  This can be a very rewarding experience and, while judging, you just might be the person who lights the spark that encourages a student to pursue a career in science.

Judges receive a free breakfast and the gratitude of the community!

Help create Arlington’s Transit Development Plan

Arlington Transit (ART) with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Rail and  Public Transportation (DRPT) has initiated a study that will result in a Transit Development Plan (TDP), which ultimately will be adopted by the County Board.  Please join ART and DRPT staff and the TDP consultant team for an initial briefing and worksession, which will be held on January 28, 2010 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Navy League Building – main floor conference room, 2800 Wilson Blvd. 

The Transit Development Plan will be a comprehensive six-year plan that will guide the growth of transit and paratransit services provided by the County through ART and  STAR and by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) through Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess.  The TDP will build upon the policies, goals and objectives adopted by the County Board in the Master Transportation Plan and in the Transit Element.

The county is now in the initial stage of the TDP study, collecting data and analyzing existing and programed services.  At this initial meeting the consultant team will provide an overview of existing services and program plans, and provide opportunities to discuss with other stakeholders, staff and consultants your interests for the future of the County’s transit and paratransit services.

Extended Leaf Collection Info

Arlington County
Department of Environmental Services
Solid Waste Bureau

LEAF COLLECTION UPDATE – LIMITED COLLECTION
The formal leaf vacuum collection program has ended. However, due to weather related issues we were not able to collect leaves in every area. We are doing everything we can to collect as many leaves as possible with limited resources. Our leaf collection crews will provide limited service for areas not receiving a second vacuum pass.

To address the uncollected leaves the County will:

• Extend the bag collection program until January 29, 2010. Leaf bags will be collected on the next business day after your regular trash collection day. Free biodegradable bags will be available until January 22, 2010.

• Provide limited vacuum collection through each zone not receiving a second pass to collect the leaf piles that were not previously collected prior to the snow storm and to address missed collections. Crews will pass though each zone not receiving a second pass, listed below, through the month of February as the weather permits.

In order to have your leaves removed in a timely manner, we recommend bagging leaves for collection in January. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore services disrupted by the snow storm and apologize for any inconvenience that you may experience. If you have questions, please call 703.228.6570.

Leaf Bag Collection
To recycle your leaves, place leaves in biodegradable bags only. Do not use plastic bags! Leaf bags will be collected on the next business day after your regular trash collection day through Friday, January 29, 2010, Mon. – Fri. There will be collection on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 18. Note: If your trash is collected Friday, your last leaf bag will be collected Monday, January, 25th. Get free leaf bags at several locations around the county, through January 22, while supplies last.

FREE Biodegradable Leaf Bags Available until January 22, 2010

Aurora Hills Center: 735 18th St. S. 703-228-5175
Langston Brown Center: 4854 Lee Highway 703-228-5210
Lee Center: 5722 Lee Hwy 703-228-0550
Long Branch Nature Center: 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd. 703-228-6535
Lubber Run Center: 300 N. Park Dr. 703-228-4712
Thomas Jefferson Center: 3501 2nd St. S. 703-228-5920
Courthouse Plaza Info Desk: 2100 Clarendon Blvd. 703-228-3000
Solid Waste Bureau: 4300 29th St. S. 703-228-6570

View Leaf Collection Progression
http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/swd/EnvironmentalServicesSwdLeafCollectionSched.aspx