Fort Belvoir gate closes today

The Fort Belvoir gate on Telegraph Road has closed and will remain locked until Oct. 2 due to a construction and renovation project.

Pedestrians and cyclists have also been barred from using the gate, and Army officials are encouraging those who need to get onto the base to car-pool, using a bus and to alternate their schedules around peak travel times, said Fort Belvoir spokesman Donald Carr.

An automated entry system is being installed at the gate which, in the future, will allow Department of Defense vehicles to enter the installation by using an EZ-Pass-like system, said Carr.

Guard booths will also be renovated.

New engines for VRE

Virginia Railway Express has been awarded a $8.87 million grant for the purchase of the diesel-electric engines, capable of 3,600 horsepower, with a life span of 25 years each.

The new locomotives will be used on VRE's Fredericksburg and Manassas lines. The award was granted by the Federal Transit Administration.

—Uriah A. Kiser