Wakefield Chapel residents want NOVA to address student parking problems
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| Residents complain about NOVA students on Wakefield Chapel Road. |
People who live close to the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Annandale campus have been complaining about students parking on
Wakefield Chapel Road and side streets for years.
Wakefield Chapel Road and side streets for years.
The familiar litany of grievances was aired again Feb. 25 at
the most recent quarterly meeting on NOVA/neighborhood issues hosted by
Braddock Supervisor John Cook: Students who can’t afford NOVA’s parking fees
are blocking residents’ driveways and walking on their lawns. Too
many cars are speeding on Wakefield Chapel. The traffic is making it hard to
exit Wakefield Chapel onto Little River Turnpike or Braddock Road.
the most recent quarterly meeting on NOVA/neighborhood issues hosted by
Braddock Supervisor John Cook: Students who can’t afford NOVA’s parking fees
are blocking residents’ driveways and walking on their lawns. Too
many cars are speeding on Wakefield Chapel. The traffic is making it hard to
exit Wakefield Chapel onto Little River Turnpike or Braddock Road.
Several people said students walking in the street at night wearing
dark hoodies and distracted by cell phones are an accident waiting to
happen.
dark hoodies and distracted by cell phones are an accident waiting to
happen.
According to Cook, the conflict boils down to competing
priorities: NOVA wants to make it easier for people to get in and out of the
college; residents want to be able to get in and out of their neighborhood; and
VDOT wants to keep the traffic moving.
Residents have organized a petition drive to urge NOVA to
changes its parking policies—by eliminating the parking fees or reducing the cost.
“This problem will never go away as long as you charge kids to park,” said one
resident. “The college has no interest in being a good neighbor,” another
resident complained. A comment from the audience that NOVA should bear the
brunt of resolving the parking problem, not taxpayers or residents, was met
with applause.
changes its parking policies—by eliminating the parking fees or reducing the cost.
“This problem will never go away as long as you charge kids to park,” said one
resident. “The college has no interest in being a good neighbor,” another
resident complained. A comment from the audience that NOVA should bear the
brunt of resolving the parking problem, not taxpayers or residents, was met
with applause.
“We are listening. We are addressing some of your concerns,”
said NOVA Annandale campus Provost Barbara Saperstone. She said NOVA has hired
two police officers to monitor the Wakefield Chapel entrances to the college and help people get
in and out during the busiest times, 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
said NOVA Annandale campus Provost Barbara Saperstone. She said NOVA has hired
two police officers to monitor the Wakefield Chapel entrances to the college and help people get
in and out during the busiest times, 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
Saperstone also said students and staff will be given access
to a web-based carpooling service called Zimride. The college hopes to initiate
a shuttle service this fall to connect the campus with Metro stations and
NOVA’s Alexandria campus. Other solutions under consideration include spreading
out the class schedule so more courses will be offered on Fridays and
weekends, reducing or eliminating parking costs on weekends, and having parking
fees covered in financial aid.
to a web-based carpooling service called Zimride. The college hopes to initiate
a shuttle service this fall to connect the campus with Metro stations and
NOVA’s Alexandria campus. Other solutions under consideration include spreading
out the class schedule so more courses will be offered on Fridays and
weekends, reducing or eliminating parking costs on weekends, and having parking
fees covered in financial aid.
NOVA cannot eliminate the parking fee, Saperstone said, because
the college depends on the revenue to pay off its bond for building the parking
garage.
the college depends on the revenue to pay off its bond for building the parking
garage.
Cook outlined several steps that have been taken to address
traffic problems on Wakefield Chapel Road, including additional signs aimed at
enforcing the speed limit and bike lanes to slow down traffic. One
resident complained that the bike lanes along Wakefield Chapel have created more
problems than they solved, noting students are using them for parking.
traffic problems on Wakefield Chapel Road, including additional signs aimed at
enforcing the speed limit and bike lanes to slow down traffic. One
resident complained that the bike lanes along Wakefield Chapel have created more
problems than they solved, noting students are using them for parking.
Someone else suggested the Virginia Department of Transportation put in crosswalks, but Randy
Dittberner, VDOT regional traffic engineer, said it’s not a good idea to put crosswalks
in the middle of a block, because they don’t slow down drivers and they give
pedestrians “a false sense of security.”
Dittberner, VDOT regional traffic engineer, said it’s not a good idea to put crosswalks
in the middle of a block, because they don’t slow down drivers and they give
pedestrians “a false sense of security.”
Dittberner said crash statistics for Wakefield Chapel Road
during the period 2006-11 showed most accidents occurred at the two end points:
There were an average of 11 crashes a year at the Route 236 intersection and an
average of 13 a year at Braddock Road. There were four to six crashes annually at
each of the three entrances to NOVA and zero or one crash a year at other
locations on the road. There was one accident involving a pedestrian and one
involving a bicyclist during the five-year period.
during the period 2006-11 showed most accidents occurred at the two end points:
There were an average of 11 crashes a year at the Route 236 intersection and an
average of 13 a year at Braddock Road. There were four to six crashes annually at
each of the three entrances to NOVA and zero or one crash a year at other
locations on the road. There was one accident involving a pedestrian and one
involving a bicyclist during the five-year period.
One resident disputed those statistics, noting most crashes
aren’t reported. He insisted there’s an accident every other day on Wakefield
Chapel at Route 236.
aren’t reported. He insisted there’s an accident every other day on Wakefield
Chapel at Route 236.
Cook suggested creating another residential parking district (RPD), which means parking would be restricted to
permit holders. To get an RPD, 60 percent of the residents of the area of the proposed
RPD and 50 percent of the people in each block have to approve, and the Board of
Supervisors has to sign off on it.
permit holders. To get an RPD, 60 percent of the residents of the area of the proposed
RPD and 50 percent of the people in each block have to approve, and the Board of
Supervisors has to sign off on it.
Cook said he plans to set up an advisory group with community
members to explore more solutions to the NOVA parking issue.
members to explore more solutions to the NOVA parking issue.
The community should just get in contact with a towing company and provide them with unlimited business until this stops. Some can tow two cars at once and each brings in $150 to get the car released. One driver could make good money in a few hours at this location.
The college could figure out other ways to pay for their parking expenses. A number of other Virginia Community colleges have no separate parking fee. In addition Tidewater Community had a number of campus locations, like NOVA CC and they only charge for parking at their Norfolk campus. That charge is only $25 per semester compared to about $95-105 for NOVA CC