TRAFFIC ALERT: Beltway Crash Is Causing Gridlock Across the Area

(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) Traffic in the Tysons and McLean areas is extraordinarily heavy due to the tanker truck crash on the Beltway.

With the Inner Loop completely blocked before the American Legion Bridge — and the closure and hazmat cleanup expected to continue for hours — traffic is spilling onto other local arteries and bridges.

(As of 3:45 p.m., a single lane of the Inner Loop had been temporarily opened to allow some traffic through.)

A solid line of very heavy traffic has been reported on eastbound Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road) from downtown McLean to Chain Bridge, which is also jammed. Arlington County Police have been called to the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and N. Glebe Road to assist with gridlocked traffic.

Elsewhere in McLean, Route 193 (Georgetown Pike) is a virtual parking lot between the Beltway and Route 123. The northbound GW Parkway exit to the Inner Loop is closed, following an earlier, complete closure from Route 123 to the Beltway. And in Arlington, police are responding to reports of very heavy traffic in Rosslyn approaching the Key Bridge.

The Inner Loop itself, meanwhile, is a solid line of slow-to-stopped traffic from Merrifield to the crash scene. VDOT is advising motorists to avoid it altogether.

Folks, do not attempt to get on the Inner Loop at this time. Period. And if a responder is behind you, find a way to move. Period. Your National Capital Region responders are amazing, but they need to get there in order to help. https://t.co/PljWNJgC2L

— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) March 28, 2019

Virginia State Police say they’ve deployed additional resources to the area to help with traffic control. Drivers should “plan ahead for detours and delays,” VSP said in a press release, which notes that charges are pending in connection to the crash.

At 1:52 p.m. Thursday (March 28), Virginia State Police responded to a crash involving an overturned tanker truck. The crash occurred in the northbound lanes of I-495 at the American Legion Bridge. Another vehicle struck the tanker truck as it overturned in the roadway. Neither the driver of the truck nor other vehicle was injured.

The tanker is loaded with approximately 8,500 gallons of fuel, which must be unloaded/pumped into another tanker before the overturned vehicle can be brought upright and removed from the scene.

Additional Virginia State Police resources have responded to the scene and manage traffic control. VSP is working with VDOT, U.S. Park Police, and Fairfax County Police to detour and redirect travel throughout the area. Motorists are advised to avoid the Inner Loop, northbound I-495 Express Lanes  and the northbound lanes of the American Legion Bridge through evening rush hour.

The crash remains under investigation. Charges are pending.

More via social media:

This is a first for us (and a career highlight)— we’re enroute with 2 of our Incident Management Coordinators (1 is already there) to the overturned tanker at the AL Bridge with two of our spill support trailers. Let’s talk about Traffic Incident Management! pic.twitter.com/fkVxHtKhHq

— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) March 28, 2019

INCIDENT: Traffic Delays
LOCATION: National Capital Region
IMPACT: A major accident has occurred NB I495 at the American Legion Bridge in Fairfax County. Expect delays and heavy traffic in the region throughout rush hour. pic.twitter.com/OO0E2gWp3e

— Arlington Alert (@arlingtonalert) March 28, 2019