Modern Mobility is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.
The 20′ Clear Width rule of the VA Fire Code has removed on-street parking that had existed safely for decades, prevented the installation of protected bike lanes and made new sidewalk installations politically infeasible and you’ve probably never heard of it. This rule can save lives by speeding fire response or cost lives by preventing safer street designs. Is Arlington finding the right balance?
What is the 20′ Clear Width Rule?
The 20′ Clear Width rule is codified in section 503.2.1 of the VA Statewide Fire Prevention Code: “Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 20 feet.”
Former Grafton DPW property to become luxury apartment complex wbjournal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wbjournal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
(Updated at 11:30 p.m.) The Arlington County Fire Department responded to “multiple calls for service” after a Tornado Warning was issued for parts of the county.
The fire department said shortly after 9 p.m. that it was swamped with calls and was “prioritizing life threatening emergencies.” Among the most serious calls were a man trapped after a tree fell on his house and an overturned vehicle near Columbia Pike.
“Calls for downed trees, stuck elevators and downed power lines are being addressed as units are available,” ACFD said on social media.
The National Weather Service says it will be surveying storm damage in Arlington to determine whether a tornado touched down.
We ve rounded up the latest appeals that were sent out from this week
Workington Police are investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred outside a Pizza shop on Campbell-Savours way, Workington, on May 5. It is reported that at about 9.35pm, two males have approached a parked vehicle and smashed the rear windscreen before running into a nearby building site and through the tunnel leading towards Brow Top car park. One of the males was wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled up, black tracksuit bottoms and black trainers as well as a face mask. The second male was wearing a black jacket with the hood pulled up, grey jogging bottoms, black trainers and was also wearing a face mask.