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Tag: route 1

  • At least 7 injured in scrap metal pile fire; shutting down Route 1 in Fairfax Co. – WTOP News

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    Several people were hurt after a large scrap metal debris pile caught fire in Lorton, Virginia, leading police to shut down Route 1 on Tuesday afternoon, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

    Listen to WTOP Traffic on the 8s for the latest impact on the roadway. 

    Several people were hurt after a large scrap metal debris pile caught fire in Lorton, Virginia, leading police to shut down Route 1 on Tuesday afternoon, according to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

    Firefighters have extinguished the fire at a scrap metal facility in the 9900 block of Richmond Highway, according to the department, after “delayering” and cooling all the material in the pile. Hazmat crews are monitoring the air near the industrial area.

    A pile of scrap metal caught fire in Lorton, Virginia, on Oct. 14, 2025.
    (Courtesy Fairfax County Fire and Rescue )

    Courtesy Fairfax County Fire and Rescue

    smoke route 1
    Smoke is seen from Route 1 in Fairfax County during a fire at a scrap metal facility.
    (Courtesy Sallie Twentyman )

    Courtesy Sallie Twentyman 

    A pile of recycling caught fire
    smoke route 1

    “Out of an abundance of caution, residents within a one-mile radius are advised to shelter in place,” the fire department wrote in a post on X. That shelter in place will remain in effect until about 7:30 p.m., fire officials said.

    When firefighters first got to the scene at around 1 p.m., they encountered a worker at the site who was trapped in a crane elevated about 40 feet in the air.

    “Our initial units were able to climb that tower, access the person, and, utilizing some of our aerial devices, effect a rescue, removing that individual from the crane,” Deputy Chief Greg Hunter said.

    That worker was airlifted to the hospital, where he’s receiving treatment for critical injuries, Hunter said.

    At least six other people were injured, including at least one firefighter. The firefighter who was hurt was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition, Hunter said. That firefighter is associated with the Fort Belvoir Fire Department.

    According to Hunter, high winds were pushing the smoke down and in several different directions, exposing many people on the site to the dense, toxic fumes.

    Hunter said firefighters were able to use foam to contain the blaze, and, as of 5 p.m., were “delayering” the pile of scrap metal and cooling the hot materials with water. That process was complete before 6:30 p.m.

    Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

    Drivers could see heavy smoke from Route 1; WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine said the road was closed in both directions near Giles Run Road as firefighters worked to control the fire.

    Below is the area where it happened.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report. 

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Thomas Robertson

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  • Ranking quicker, cheaper fixes to Northern Virginia’s congestion woes – WTOP News

    Ranking quicker, cheaper fixes to Northern Virginia’s congestion woes – WTOP News

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    A group that helps develop Northern Virginia’s long-term transportation plan has ranked projects that offer cheaper fixes in terms of traffic congestion relief.

    Alexandria’s Smart & Connected Vehicle Infrastructure plan would aim to reduce congestion on Route 1. (WTOP/Neal Augenstein)

    Construction projects to improve commutes for drivers in Northern Virginia typically take a lot of time and money. But a group that helps develop the area’s long-term transportation plan has ranked projects that offer the biggest bang for the buck in terms of traffic congestion relief.

    The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority will present its ranked recommendations Thursday, for funding nearly $700 million in projects to advance the region’s multimodal transportation network.

    With nine counties and cities, as well as Virginia Railway Express seeking pieces of the funding pie, the most expensive slice is $210 million for Fairfax County to improve Route 7 between the Beltway and Interstate 66.

    However, the transportation authority also ranks the projects that would bring the most congestion relief for the least money.

    At the top of the column labeled Congestion Reduction Relative to Cost — or CRRC — the City of Falls Church Signal Prioritization Project ranks No. 1.

    The focus of the city’s plan is on Route 7, also called Broad Street, in Falls Church.

    Five intersections on Route 7, and two on nearby Washington Street, would be outfitted with technology called Transit Signal Priority. With the technology, sensors on transit buses communicate with traffic signals, to make green lights longer and red lights shorter, as the bus approaches an intersection.

    In its proposal, the city said the Transit Signal Priority technology “improves transit options and operations, without taking up additional space on the roadway or right of way.” With a project cost of $1.4 million, it would start in 2028.

    The second-highest-ranked project is the City of Alexandria’s Smart & Connected Vehicle Infrastructure plan.

    The Alexandria plan focuses on the Potomac Yard area. On Route 1 and near the new Metrorail station, a network of sensors, edge servers and a data management system would facilitate communication “with human-driven motor vehicles and autonomous shuttles.”

    The technology would help ‘smart’ driven and autonomous vehicles “optimize their approach speed at intersections, reducing stopping time and congestion on heavy traffic corridors.”

    In addition, camera and LIDAR detection could help warn compatible vehicles when a pedestrian or other vehicle is dangerously entering an intersection.

    With a request of $5 million, the project ranks second in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s list of most cost-effective safety and congestion relief projects.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Neal Augenstein

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