The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has activated new pedestrian crosswalks at four intersections along Route 3 (Plank Road) in Spotsylvania County, between Salem Church Road and Gordon Road. The upgrades are part of VDOT’s Statewide Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, aimed at reducing pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
Crosswalks and signal equipment were added at Gordon Road, Chancellors Village Lane/Single Oak Road, Old Plank Road/Five Mile Road Extended, and near the Salem Church Crossing and Chancellor Center shopping centers. Equipment is scheduled to go live overnight on October 15, with full functionality starting Friday, October 17. Pedestrians will now have a dedicated crossing phase, and new median refuge areas will allow them to cross in stages.
Each crossing includes push-button-activated signals and accessible ramps. Once activated, pedestrians may wait up to four minutes before receiving a “walk” signal, with about 30 seconds to cross either eastbound or westbound traffic. Drivers must stop for all pedestrians in a crosswalk.
The $1.1 million project was funded through the state safety initiative, which targets locations with higher crash risks. VDOT says approximately 56,000 vehicles travel this stretch of Route 3 daily. Signal timing has been optimized to reduce delays during peak hours, but pedestrian safety takes priority when crossings are activated.
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