Virginia State Police is investigating a chain reaction crash on I-66 near Oakton that happened during last night’s evening rush hour.

The crash — near the Chain Bridge Road exit — involved 14 vehicles, two of which caught fire after the wreck, but only one minor injury was reported.

“At approximately 5:50 p.m., Virginia State Police received a call about a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of I-66 near Exit 60,” said VSP spokeswoman Corinne Geller. “As oncoming traffic swerved to avoid those vehicles and then one another, a chain-reaction crash occurred. In the end, there were 12 vehicles in the chain reaction crash. The last two vehicles caught fire.”

Geller says the crash is still under investigation but charges against at least one of the drivers are pending.

Approx 6 pm last night, crews responded to I-66 EB prior to Rte 123 for report of multiple vehicles involved in a crash w/1 on fire. Units arrived to find 2 cars on fire extending to 3rd car. 14 vehicles involved w/19 passengers total–17 adults and 2 children. No injuries. #FCFRD pic.twitter.com/n3t8nv55xo

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) April 5, 2019

Photo courtesy Virginia State Police

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is looking for some public input on new trail names for the bicycle and pedestrian path along I-66.

No Traily McTrailface, please — FCDOT is seeking a more pleasant, non-gimmicky monicker for the trail, which is currently in planning but set for construction later this year.

“The concern was that I-66 has a negative connotation because everyone hates I-66,” Chris Wells, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for FCDOT, said at an earlier meeting. “But everyone knows where I-66 is and where it’s located. We’re going to be doing sample names and present those at a future meeting.”

The trail — will run from Gallows Road in Vienna to Centreville — has more problems than just the name. Discussion of the I-66 trail at that meeting turned contentious as bicycle advocates prodded Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) staff over issues like separation of the trail from the road and snow removal.

For most of the length of the trail, the bicycle path will be at a separate elevation from the highway or running parallel on side streets.

For a few miles, particularly near Vienna, however, the trail will be running directly alongside the highway. VDOT officials at the meeting noted that it was “not ideal for a pleasant bike-riding experience,” but placing the trail on the other side of the sound barrier would have cut into the back yards of homes along the road.

Upcoming meetings are planned to review the proposed trail and offer an overview of the upcoming construction timeline. The two meetings are scheduled for:

• Vienna: Tuesday, April 9, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Marshall Road Elementary School  (730 Marshall Rd SW)
• Centreville: Saturday, April 27, from 1-11:30 a.m. at Centreville Elementary School (14330 Green Trails Blvd)

According to a Department of Transportation post for the meetings:

The meeting will also include an interactive exercise with attendees to explore possible names for the new trail.  Attendees will be asked to submit names and weigh in on a sampling of names that have been suggested. FCDOT will than narrow the list of names and host an online survey to vote on the trail names to be presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board for consideration and approval.

Image via VDOT

There was a lot of heavy sighs and reluctant head shaking from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) staff at their meeting last night to discuss the bicycle trail planned for I-66, the subject of a fair bit of controversy over the years.

There are 22.5 miles of multimodal improvements planned for I-66, from Gallows Road in Vienna to Centreville. Preliminary construction activity started in December 2017, but Susan Shaw, megaprojects director for VDOT, said construction was about to increase at a noticeable pace.

“We’re at the very beginning of four heavy construction seasons,” said Shaw. “This year, ramping up over what we’ve done in the past.”

Unlike other transportation projects, which start at one end and work towards the other, staff said construction will be occurring at several locations along I-66 simultaneously.

As part of the new improvements, a bicycle trail is planned to run along most of the length of the trail, though Shaw said there were no milestones laid out for the trail’s construction.

“When it’s being constructed, the staging and some of the details are yet to be worked out,” Shaw said. “In terms of the contract, there are no requirements except to have [the trail] in place by the end.”

The packed meeting was held in the Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive) and was hosted by the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling (FABB). The group of local bicycling advocates is small enough that nearly everyone in the room, from county staff to hardline cycling advocates, knew each other on a first-name basis. More than a few had been on both sides of the public/policy maker divide over the years.

The project attracted some controversy over whether the trail would be located inside or outside the highway’s noise walls, and some of the bicycling advocates grilled VDOT staff over the decision to put the bicycle trail inside the sound wall, separated from the street by a 50-inch high barrier. As someone in the audience brought the argument up again that the trail should be outside the sound barrier, there was a long pause and sigh before Shaw answered.

“People are very concerned, sound or not, that suddenly anybody can be in their back yard,” said Shaw. “It was a compromise to come up to this, but it was a way that we could get the bike trail accomplished. There were many options discussed, but we’re kind of past that now and moving on.”

Along most of the route, the trail will be at a separate elevation from the main street, though the length along the side of the highway between the Dunn Loring and Vienna Metro stations will be at-grade. For most of the trail, there is also an auxiliary lane and full shoulder separating the trail from the street, though it’s narrower in some parts.

“I know that’s not ideal for a pleasant bike-riding experience, but that’s the longest segment like that,” Shaw said. “But there, we’d be taking bits of backyards off of homes in that neighborhoods.”

While VDOT is handling construction for most of the trail, the Fairfax County Park Authority is handling construction where the trail goes through park land and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is handling the stretches of trail where it diverges from I-66.

“There are places where it isn’t physically possible to keep the trail along I-66, so we’ve developed areas called off-corridor pieces,” said Chris Wells, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for FCDOT.

Construction on the off-corridor trails are, in part, funded by developer contributions from projects under construction in Tysons.

One of those areas will be near the Vienna Metro station, where a new shared-use path will take the place of the southernmost lane from the street north of the station. Wells said construction will begin on the off-corridor projects this year with the intent of delivering them around the same time as the other I-66 improvements.

At the western end of the improvements, the trail stops at the entrance to Bull Run Regional Park. Shaw said no funds were identified for the project past that, where the trail also faces complications surrounding environmental and park-related issues with continuing into the battlefield.

Among other concerns raised about the bicycle trail, the trail will not connect directly with the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. Cyclists were happy to hear, though, that new bridges at the Dunn Loring and Vienna Metro stations will help make the trail accessible from the Metro.

Amenities related to the trail were also rather sparse, with no additional lighting planned except where the trail goes through underpasses or culverts under roadways.

One of the biggest topics of consternation was Shaw’s response to inquiries about snow removal on the trail.

“That’s not in our plan,” Shaw said, and when pressed about what will happen to snow piling up on the trail, she shrugged and answered, “It will melt.”

Cindy Engelhart, Northern Virginia district bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for VDOT, said the organization’s policy since 2004 has been that it does not handle snow removal. While Arlington County removes snow from the Custis Trail, Fairfax County currently has no policy regarding its bicycle trails.

“Under a maintenance agreement, we could explore that possibility,” said Engelhart. “If Fairfax County wanted to do something like that, I’m sure we would be interested in talking.”

“It’s easy to notice the compromises and the things that aren’t perfect, like snow removal, but in the end we’re getting a cross-county bicycle facility,” said Wells. “That’s a really good thing. In the end, the intent of both the on-corridor and off-corridor pieces is a new bicycle facility that will serve as an east-west spine, much like the Washington and Old Dominion Trail today.”

Two more meetings are planned to take place in the spring, one near the Vienna Metro station and another at the western end of the project. Among other topics of discussion are whether or not the trail should have a new name.

“The concern was that I-66 has a negative connotation because everyone hates I-66,” said Wells, “but everyone knows where I-66 is and where it’s located. We’re going to be doing sample names and present those at a future meeting.”

Map via VDOT

A meeting tomorrow (Thursday) will look at the current status of some surprisingly controversial efforts to make I-66 more bike and pedestrian friendly.

The meeting will be held by the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling in the Providence District Office (3001 Vaden Dr.) at 7:30 p.m.

Susan Shaw, the VDOT Project Manager for Transform I-66, and Fairfax County Department of Transportation representatives are scheduled to attend and offer an update on the status of the trail.

The planned trail will run from Gallows Road in Vienna, near the Dunn Loring Metro station, to Route 29 in Centreville. Three miles of the trail will be adjacent to the interstate while eight miles will be removed from the interstate.

The section of the trail running alongside I-66 inside the highway’s noise walls drew sharp criticism from cycling advocates, including the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling, who pushed to have all of the trail outside the walls. But neighbors living along the highway refused to have the trail run near their properties, prompting some squabbling between state officials and lawmakers over the project.

The trail is planned to be 10 feet wide with two-food-wide shoulders on each side. Access to the trail is planned to be implemented at every half-mile.

Image via VDOT

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of the most interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Monday (Feb. 25)

• Vienna Town Council Meeting — 8 p.m. at Town Hall Council Chambers (127 Center St. S) — At tonight’s meeting, the Town Council will review public input on the ongoing effort to revise the town’s Maple Avenue zoning guidelines. Most of the feedback so far indicates Vienna residents prefer a rustic brick look to the sleek, modern design popular in new developments.

Wednesday (Feb. 27)

• ‘The Color Purple’ Screening — 7-10 p.m. at Angelika Film Center (2911 District Ave) — As part of the theater’s “Black is the New Black” film series, the Angelika Film Center will show the coming-of-age story about an African-American woman growing up in rural Georgia. Tickets are $14.50.
• State of the Chesapeake Bay — 7:30-9 p.m. at the Vienna Fire House (400 Center St. S) — The Potomac River Smallmouth Club is hosting a discussion with Captain John Page Williams, a senior naturalist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Williams is scheduled to discuss the state of the Chesapeake Bay, including issues related to climate and agricultural changes underway.

Thursday (Feb. 28)

• Transform 66 Update — 7:30 p.m. at Providence Community Room (3001 Vaden Dr.) — The Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling is hosting a meeting with the Virginia Department of Transportation for an update on train alignment, access points, barrier design and construction timing on the ongoing Transform 66 program.
• A Tribute to Dave Grohl — 8 p.m. at Jammin’ Java (227 Maple Ave E) — Jammin’ Java is hosting a musical tribute to Northern Virginia native Dave Grohl with a series of bands covering the music of Nirvana, Food Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Friday (March 1)

• Vesper Trail Ribbon Cutting — 10 a.m. at Vesper Street — A new half-mile bike and pedestrian trail is set to officially open this Friday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for the Vienna end of the trail, followed by refreshments and a bicycle mechanic available for free tune-ups.
• Mardi Gras Party — 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Tysons Biergarten (8346 Leesburg Pike) — Citing difficulties with partying all night on a Tuesday, the Tysons Biergarten is hosting its “Fat Tuesday” party on Friday. The celebration will include beads and live music, with guests encouraged to bring masks and feather boas.

Saturday (March 2)

• SHARE Food Drive — 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Safeway (1688 Anderson Road) — The SHARE Food Pantry is in need of food and supplies. The food pantry benefits around 40 local families or older adults per week. The pantry is in need of volunteers and non-perishable food.
• McLean Project for the Arts Spring Open House — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at MPA (1446 Chain Bridge Road) — At the open house, the McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) will host information sessions about the all-ages spring art classes and summer camps. Art activities will also be available for children. No registration is required.
• 11th Annual Capital Princess Ball — 6-10 p.m. at Westwood Country Club (800 Maple Ave E) — A musical dinner and dance in Vienna will celebrate fathers and daughters. The event is a fundraiser for organizations promoting adoption, orphanages and foster care. The event is black tie optional and includes a silent auction and raffle.

Photo via Facebook

Those traveling on I-66 should be forewarned: removal of the overhead gantry signs will mean three lanes in each direction will be closed from 9 p.m.-9 a.m.

The closures will take place between Route 123 and Gallows Road tonight (Friday). On Saturday, the closures will occur between Blake Lane and I-495.

The closures mean only one lane of traffic in each direction will be open.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the closures will include periodic traffic stoppages of up to 20 minutes between midnight and 5 a.m. in both directions on I-66.

Michelle Holland, a spokesperson for VDOT, said the closures are necessary for the sign removal, as the crews are unable to work on parts of the gantry while traffic is continuing on the street below.

Daytime lane closures are expected on Sunday (Jan. 27) for lane striping work on I-66 between Gainesville and I-495. Two lanes will be closed on eastbound and westbound I-66 as crews refresh pavement markings between 12-4 p.m.

Photos via Google Maps

Virginia State Police say an altercation between drivers resulted in a gunshot just south of Tysons.

The incident was reported to have taken place on I-66 at the Route 7 exit ramp, near Pimmit Hills at around 1:38 p.m. this afternoon (Friday).

According to police:

When troopers arrived on scene, they found a Toyota Highlander stopped on the shoulder with a bullet hole in the front, driver’s side, quarter panel near the headlight. No bullet was recovered.

The Toyota’s adult male driver said that a black Audi sedan with tinted windows cut him off on Interstate 66 as they were both headed east and merging from three to two lanes.. The Toyota’s driver sounded his horn in response, at which point the driver of the Audi “brake checked” him. Then the Audi pulled up alongside the Toyota and the driver displayed a handgun and fired a single round at the Toyota.

The driver of the Toyota was not injured and was not able to provide a valid tag number of the suspect vehicle.

Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information related to it is encouraged to call the Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026 or by cell at #77. The investigation remains ongoing.

New Theater Coming to Tysons Galleria — “The soon-to-close Macy’s at Tysons Galleria will be replaced with multiple storefronts — including what appears to be an iPic movie theater — each with their own facade and materials to set them apart. That’s the word from a Fairfax County staff report published last week ahead of a planning commission hearing on an amended sign plan for the Galleria, which specifically addresses the 260,000-square-foot Macy’s. That store alone accounts for 30 percent of the upscale Galleria.” [Washington Business Journal]

Journalist’s Mosque Opposition Questioned — The leader of the community opposition to an expansion of the McLean Islamic Center’s prayer service is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post’s Paul Farhi asks: should mainstream journalists be taking activist stances against religious institutions, even in a community setting? [Washington Post]

McLean Fire Causes Extensive Damage — The manage estimate from Friday’s big house fire in McLean is $1.1 million. Three people were displaced by the fire. The cause is still under investigation, according to the Fairfax County Fire Department. [Facebook]

Positive Results for I-66 Tolls — “Since HOV lanes went into effect on I-66 one year ago, the results have been largely positive. Carpooling has increased, and motorists are traveling at higher speeds and experiencing fewer collisions thanks to less congestion.” [Greater Greater Washington, WTOP]

DXC Makes Another Acquisition — “Tysons-based DXC Technology announced Monday plans to acquire Luxoft Holding Inc. (NYSE: LXFT) in a deal worth roughly $2 billion. The New York-based Luxoft provides digital strategy consulting and engineering services for countries across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.” [Washington Business Journal, BusinessWire]

Photo courtesy @tysonspartners

I-66 Tolls Shifted Behavior, Did Not Improve Traffic — “The new high-occupancy toll lanes on one of the busiest highways in the Washington region have sparked dramatic shifts in commuter behavior, prompting motorists to alter their commute times and routes, data show, while yielding tolls as high as $47.50 — some of the highest per mile in the country.” [Washington Post]

‘Green’ Vienna Businesses Recognized — “Nine Vienna businesses who have successfully completed the Town’s 2018 Sustainability Challenge were recognized at last night’s Town Council meeting… Through the program, certified businesses tally points on a checklist of green practices that they undertake as part of day-to-day operations.” [FairfaxNews]

Local Restaurants Open On Christmas — Staying in town for the holidays and planning to dine out? Patch has compiled a list of McLean, Vienna and Tysons restaurants that are planning to remain open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. [Patch, Patch]

Rough Night for Silver Line Commuters — Those heading home on the Silver Line last night faced delays, offloading and other issues during the evening commute due to a track problem outside of Foggy Bottom. [Twitter, Twitter]

The following article excerpt is from our content sharing partner, FairfaxNews.com.

Today — Friday, November 30 — would not be a good day to try to sneak through on the I-66 HOV lanes without either paying the toll or having enough people in your vehicle to avoid it.

Virginia State Police plan to crack down on HOV violators along the portion of I-66 that runs inside the Beltway. The troopers will be out in force during both morning and afternoon rush hours.

HOV hours run Monday through Friday, from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. eastbound and 3 to 7 p.m. westbound. All vehicles with two or more people are allowed to use the road during rush hours for free, but need an E-ZPass Flex switched to HOV-mode.

Read more at FairfaxNews.com