AlexandriaNews

Although it’s a big government town, the term “sequestration” was scarcely a staple in the average Washingtonian’s vocabulary a year ago. But this year it is casting a pall on their holiday travel plans for Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally jump-starts the summer travel season. All told, nearly 874,000 Washington area residents will travel 50 miles or more from home during the four-day holiday travel period, AAA Mid-Atlantic is forecasting. Call it the “sequester siesta” or “sequestration frustration” and it is pulling down government spending across the national capital area. With thePentagon scaling back the number of unpaid furlough days from ...

The High Occupancy Toll lanes project is under construction and Virginia Department of Transportation officials still want to discuss an additional northern terminus in the city of Alexandria.

On Friday, May 17, more than 12,000 cyclists are expected to take to the streets in celebration of Bike to Work Day in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland.

Top Ten Tips For Parents WRAP’s ten tips for parents to deter underage drinking and drunk driving this summer include: Know the Facts…Underage drinking can lead to substantial harm including traffic crashes, violent crime, property crime, unintentional injury and at-risk sex. In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that 32% of young drivers, 15 to 20 years old, were killed in alcohol-related crashes with the blood alcohol concentration of .01g/dL. Motor vehicle crashes still remain the leading cause of death of young people in the U.S. Learn about the risks of underage drinking and help your child avoid ...

Governor McDonnell announced today that the Commonwealth collaborated with the best and brightest minds in the public and private sectors to utilize innovative technology to move traffic with greater ease throughout the state. The Virginia Department of Transportation issued a Notice of Intent to Award to Serco, Inc. to operate the state’s five transportation operations centers and manage the Safety Service Patrol. The contract is up for consideration by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which will make a decision on whether to award the finalist during its meeting in June. The six-year contract is worth $355 million.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and police urge motorists to pay close attention to increased number of cyclists on our roadways this spring. According to Department of Motor Vehicles figures, the number of registered cyclists is at an all-time high; 189,000 registered cyclists in 2012. The number of crashes, however, has increased as well. There’s been a 14% increase in crashes involving motorcycles between 2009 to 2012. In Fairfax County, the number of motorcycle crashes drastically increased by almost one third; from 139 in 2011 up to 190 in 2012.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, City of Alexandria, Federal Transit Administration and National Park Service have been collaborating on an Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The purpose of the EIS is to determine if a Metrorail station should be built in Potomac Yard, and if so, where that station should be located.

Pump up the tires and grab your helmets! May is National Bike Safety Month. The spring weather will encourage many of us to jump on bikes, but before you do take a moment to review bike safety.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is conducting an emergency preparedness exercise at Washington Dulles International Airport on Saturday, May 4 from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 12:00 p.m. A simulated aircraft accident will test the Airport’s emergency plan and provide hands-on training to airport and mutual aid emergency response personnel.

Sixty-two percent of U.S. motorists believe the federal government should invest more money to improve roadways, according to a recent public opinion poll conducted by AAA. The vast majority of drivers (81 percent) also believe the federal government should do more to improve the condition of roads and bridges.