Broken Public Clocks Remain Frozen Across Arlington

Several prominent outdoor clocks in Arlington have fallen into disrepair, leaving residents and visitors with incorrect times.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Corruption

Broken Public Clocks Remain Frozen Across Arlington

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Multiple large public clocks across Arlington are currently inoperable, with some units frozen for as long as five years. The malfunctions affect several high-traffic locations, including landmarks at Courthouse Plaza, Penrose Square, and Wilson Boulevard.

Why it matters

Public clocks serve as community fixtures that provide consistent timing for residents navigating the area. Their ongoing disrepair highlights the difficulty of maintaining specialized infrastructure when the original manufacturers go out of business.

The Courthouse Plaza clock has remained stuck at 11:55 since 2021, and the Whole Foods Market clock at 2700 Wilson Blvd is frozen at 5:10. Repairs are currently stalled because the original manufacturer of the Courthouse Plaza unit is no longer in business.

The details

Several sites across the city now feature inaccurate displays, including a clock tower in Penrose Square and a unit at 2466 Army Navy Drive. The Courthouse Plaza clock has proven particularly difficult to restore due to a lack of available replacement parts.

The Courthouse Plaza clock stopped functioning in 2021.

Legal Context

The failure of the 2021 Courthouse Plaza clock represents a broader challenge in maintaining legacy mechanical infrastructure in modern urban spaces. These malfunctions reflect a recurring issue where specialized public assets fall into obsolescence without clear maintenance protocols.

Residents and commuters relying on these public landmarks for quick time checks should verify the time using personal mobile devices instead. No official safety advisories have been issued, but the broken displays continue to create confusion for pedestrians in these areas.

The takeaway

Maintaining civic infrastructure requires proactive planning for part obsolescence long before equipment fails. Residents can help by reporting non-functional public assets to local city departments to ensure they remain on the radar for future upgrades.