Washington Boulevard (Arlington)
Encyclopedia
Washington Boulevard is a road in Arlington County, Virginia
. It begins as a highway, connecting the George Washington Memorial Parkway
and Arlington Memorial Bridge
(into Washington, D.C.
) with Interstate 395
, running past The Pentagon
and Arlington National Cemetery
. It then extends north and west from I-395, crossing Columbia Pike
, passing alongside Fort Myer
, and connecting with Arlington Boulevard
. From there, Washington Boulevard continues north as an arterial road and crosses Wilson Boulevard in the Clarendon neighborhood. It continues west, passing just north of Ballston, then crosses Interstate 66
and ends near Falls Church
where it joins I-66.
The Washington Metro
stations directly along Washington Boulevard are East Falls Church
and Clarendon
. The Ballston and Virginia Square
stations are located two blocks from Washington Boulevard.
Washington Boulevard is part of the Pentagon road network
. The portion of Washington Boulevard east and south of Arlington Boulevard was designated State Route 27
when it was transferred to the Virginia Department of Highways on December 17, 1964.
as it passed directly over Washington Boulevard and crashed into The Pentagon
. Witnesses included Daryl Donley and Steve Riskus, both who took some of the first photographs after the plane crashed. As the plane passed over Washington Boulevard, it clipped several light poles; one light pole landed on the windshield of a taxicab
driven by Lloyd England. That section of Washington Boulevard was closed for several weeks following the attacks.
overturned and exploded on Washington Boulevard at the interchange with I-395
, near the Pentagon. The accident killed the driver, and sparked initial concerns that this explosion was another terrorist
attack. The driver was headed to the Citgo
gas station, near the Pentagon.
were put on the drawing board in 1990. The bridge dates from the 1940s. In 2001, public meetings were held and plans drawn up. Under budget constraints, plans for the bridge were scaled down. In March 2005, new plans were put forth, which lacked new bicycle paths and other touches, but would reconfigure the interchange with the goal of easing traffic congestion
. Construction is slated to begin in 2012 with expected completion in 2015.
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
. It begins as a highway, connecting the George Washington Memorial Parkway
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, known to local motorists simply as the "G.W. Parkway", is a parkway maintained by the U.S. National Park Service. It is located mostly in Northern Virginia, although a short section northwest of the Arlington Memorial Bridge passes over Columbia Island,...
and Arlington Memorial Bridge
Arlington Memorial Bridge
The Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. crosses the Potomac River, connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Columbia Island. The northeastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall...
(into Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) with Interstate 395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)
Interstate 395 in Washington, D.C., and Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Springfield, Virginia and ends in northwest Washington, D.C. It passes underneath the National Mall near the United States Capitol and ends at a junction with U.S...
, running past The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. It then extends north and west from I-395, crossing Columbia Pike
Virginia State Route 244
State Route 244, also known as Columbia Pike, is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a four-lane road that runs from State Route 236 in Annandale, Fairfax County east to State Route 27 at the Pentagon in Arlington County.-History:Columbia Pike dates to 1810 when the U.S...
, passing alongside Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, and connecting with Arlington Boulevard
U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
U.S. Route 50 is a transcontinental highway which stretches from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Virginia, US 50 extends from the border with Washington DC at a Potomac River crossing at Rosslyn in Arlington County to the West Virginia state line near Gore in...
. From there, Washington Boulevard continues north as an arterial road and crosses Wilson Boulevard in the Clarendon neighborhood. It continues west, passing just north of Ballston, then crosses Interstate 66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
and ends near Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
where it joins I-66.
The Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
stations directly along Washington Boulevard are East Falls Church
East Falls Church (Washington Metro)
East Falls Church is a Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia on the Orange Line.-Location:The station serves the suburban communities of Falls Church and Arlington, Virginia and is located in the median of Interstate 66 near Lee Highway . Service began on June 7, 1986...
and Clarendon
Clarendon (Washington Metro)
Clarendon is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...
. The Ballston and Virginia Square
Virginia Square-GMU (Washington Metro)
Virginia Square-GMU is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...
stations are located two blocks from Washington Boulevard.
Washington Boulevard is part of the Pentagon road network
Pentagon road network
The Pentagon road network is a system of highways, mostly freeways, built by the United States federal government in the early 1940s to serve the Pentagon in northern Virginia. The roads, transferred to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1964, are now state highways...
. The portion of Washington Boulevard east and south of Arlington Boulevard was designated State Route 27
Virginia State Route 27
State Route 27 is a freeway in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It was built during World War II to connect the Pentagon with U.S. Route 50 and northern Arlington to the west and Washington, DC, to the east. Its route parallels the southern boundaries of Arlington National...
when it was transferred to the Virginia Department of Highways on December 17, 1964.
September 11 attacks
On September 11, 2001, many commuters and drivers witnessed the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
as it passed directly over Washington Boulevard and crashed into The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. Witnesses included Daryl Donley and Steve Riskus, both who took some of the first photographs after the plane crashed. As the plane passed over Washington Boulevard, it clipped several light poles; one light pole landed on the windshield of a taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driven by Lloyd England. That section of Washington Boulevard was closed for several weeks following the attacks.
Other incidents
At 3:40 a.m. on December 22, 2004, a tank truckTank truck
A tank truck or road tanker is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquefied loads, dry bulk cargo or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroad tank cars which are also designed to carry liquefied loads...
overturned and exploded on Washington Boulevard at the interchange with I-395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)
Interstate 395 in Washington, D.C., and Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Springfield, Virginia and ends in northwest Washington, D.C. It passes underneath the National Mall near the United States Capitol and ends at a junction with U.S...
, near the Pentagon. The accident killed the driver, and sparked initial concerns that this explosion was another terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attack. The driver was headed to the Citgo
Citgo
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de...
gas station, near the Pentagon.
Construction projects
Plans to renovate the bridge where Washington Boulevard passes over Columbia PikeVirginia State Route 244
State Route 244, also known as Columbia Pike, is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a four-lane road that runs from State Route 236 in Annandale, Fairfax County east to State Route 27 at the Pentagon in Arlington County.-History:Columbia Pike dates to 1810 when the U.S...
were put on the drawing board in 1990. The bridge dates from the 1940s. In 2001, public meetings were held and plans drawn up. Under budget constraints, plans for the bridge were scaled down. In March 2005, new plans were put forth, which lacked new bicycle paths and other touches, but would reconfigure the interchange with the goal of easing traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. Construction is slated to begin in 2012 with expected completion in 2015.