Traffic

Opinion: Wider roads fail and the public knows this

By Letters to the Editor
Photo: Virginia Department of Transportation

With the region’s elected officials gathering at their annual retreat this Friday and Saturday, the Coalition for Smarter Growth continued to urge reform of the region’s transportation priorities.

A national poll of 2001 voters (90% of whom are drivers) released last week by Transportation for America revealed that two-thirds of Americans know highway expansions don’t cure traffic. Sixty-seven percent of American voters polled agreed that widening highways attract more people to drive, which creates more traffic in the long run, defeating the stated purpose for countless road expansion projects across the country.

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Spike-strip success: Stafford deputy praised for stopping car

By Uriah Kiser

Stafford County Sheriff’s Office: “On July 13th at approximately 1:51 p.m. Deputy McAlister was in the area of Kings Highway and Cool Springs Road when the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a vehicle pursuit. It was advised the King George County Sheriff’s Office was pursuing a vehicle, and that vehicle was about to enter Stafford County.”

“Deputy McAlister predicted the suspect vehicle would be heading towards the Kings Highway and Little Street intersection. He responded to the intersection and got ready to deploy his stinger, commonly referred to as spike strips. In a matter of moments, the speeding vehicle headed the exact route Deputy McAlister predicted, putting him in perfect position.”

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Gainesville woman, 72, struck and killed in crosswalk

By Uriah Kiser
[Scott Rodgerson/Unsplash]

“The investigation revealed the driver of a 2011 Honda Odyssey was traveling east on Somerset Crossing Way approaching the intersection with Forkland Way when the vehicle struck a pedestrian who was in the crosswalk. Fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene where the pedestrian was pronounced deceased.”

“The driver of the striking vehicle remained at the scene. Speed, alcohol, or drug use were not factors in the collision with the driver of the vehicle. The investigation continues.”

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Travel hot spots in VDOT’s Fredericksburg District

By Amelia Breeden
I-95 looking north at the Cowan Boulevard overpass in Fredericksburg.

Virginia Department of Transportation: “I-95 Northbound:  Exit 110 (Ladysmith) to Exit 118 (Thornburg) Sunday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Alternating lane closures for milling and paving work at mile markers 111 to 112.”

“Exit 130 (Route 3) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) Monday – Wednesday, 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Double lane closures at mile markers 132 to 134 for overhead sign erection for 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension construction.”

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VRE to offer limited service Wednesday, July 12, 2023

By Uriah Kiser

Virignia Railway Express: “Due to this morning’s incident involving an Amtrak train just south of Union Station, VRE service will continue to be impacted tomorrow. Train traffic is still suspended going into and out of Union Station, and we still are unable to retrieve our train equipment from the coachyard north of Union Station. This evening, we used the five train sets that had not entered the coachyard this morning to run as much service as possible. We plan to do the same for Wednesday, July 12 tomorrow morning.”

“Please note that trains will not be able to enter Union Station tomorrow morning, so they will terminate at the L’Enfant Station. We plan to run ONLY the following trains to the L’Enfant Station tomorrow morning:”

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This week’s VDOT hot spots in the Fredericksburg district

By Amelia Breeden
Intestate 95 [Photo: VDOT]

“Exit 130 (Route 3) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) Monday – Wednesday, 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Double lane closures at mile markers 132 to 134 for overhead sign erection for 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension construction.”

“Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 143 (Aquia/Garrisonville) Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Single lane closure for guardrail work at mile markers 138 to 139.”

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VDOT seeks feedback about Dale Blvd./I-95

By Amelia Breeden

Virginia Department of Transportation: “The Virginia Department of Transportation is seeking feedback on a STARS (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions) study assessing potential safety, operational and multimodal improvements for just over a mile of Dale Boulevard (Route 784) from Gideon Drive to Route 1, and nearly half a mile of Rippon Boulevard (Route 1392) from Route 1 to Blackburn Road.”

“The study is assessing existing traffic, safety and multimodal conditions in the corridor, including driver weaving issues at the Dale Boulevard/I-95 interchange and accommodations for people walking and biking. Within the study limits, Dale Boulevard averages about 42,000 vehicles a day and Rippon Boulevard averages about 12,000.”

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Truck driver charged in double fatal crash; 78K pounds beer spilled

By Uriah Kiser

Virginia State Police: “Virginia State Police continues to investigate a fatal three-vehicle crash in Stafford County. The crash occurred Wednesday (July 5) at 4:42 a.m. on Interstate 95 at the 136-mile marker.”

“A 2022 Freightliner tractor-trailer was traveling northbound in the center lane when it attempted to change lanes into the right lane and collided with a northbound 2014 Nissan Altima. The impact caused both vehicles to veer into the left lane where they collided with a northbound 2010 Subaru Forrester. All three vehicles continued off the left side of the roadway and collided with the guardrail before the tractor-trailer overturned on top of the Nissan and Subaru.”

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Manassas celebrates finished Route 28 widening project

By Uriah Kiser

Press release: “The City of Manassas and partners from The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) celebrated the completion of the Route 28 Widening Project with a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, June 29. The jointly-funded project has reduced traffic congestion, increased safety, and includes a bike/pedestrian shared-use path.”

“Anyone who lives, works, or visits Manassas—or this region—knows how traffic can impact your life,” Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger said. “We all know that the time we lose in traffic is time we could have spent with family and friends. Now that this project is complete, you should notice that it takes less time to travel along this road. And if you are making a left turn at Pennsylvania Avenue to get ice cream or turning onto Godwin Drive to get to our Customer Service Center, the extra turn lanes make it a lot safer.”

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