Tag: traffic
This intersection is a hot spot for crashes
There’s no question that the intersection of John Marr Drive and Backlick Road in Annandale is a dangerous one. Vincent Moten, who has been keeping track, has seen six crashes at that intersection since the start of 2023. There was a horrific crash on April 8, he says. A silver RAV4 went through a red … Continued
VDOT to reduce speed limit on Route 7
In response to concerns about safety issues on congested Leesburg Pike, the Virginia Department of Transportation is reducing the speed limit from 40 to 35 mph. New speed limits will be installed by the end of April, Gustavo Torres, an engineer with the Traffic Engineering Section in VDOT’s Northern Region Operations, stated in a March … Continued
Police target aggressive drivers
The Fairfax County Police Department rolled out its 2023 Road Shark campaign on March 13 targeting aggressive driving. Road Shark is a high-visibility coordinated enforcement and education effort aimed at reducing crashes, changing driving behavior, and, ultimately, saving lives. The police department will station officers in high-visibility areas all over the county. They will look … Continued
Sleepy Hollow Road gets a speed camera
Fairfax County plans to install speed cameras at eight school zones – including Sleepy Hollow Road at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School – by Feb. 10 The goals of the photo monitoring program are to encourage drivers to slow down and protect pedestrians. Studies have shown that speed camera enforcement reduces crashes and traffic-related injuries and … Continued
Braddock Road needs traffic calming
A driver crashed into this sign on Braddock Road. [Photos: Richard Zambito] A sign put up on Braddock Road in Parklawn urging drivers to watch out for pedestrians last week was knocked down by a vehicle that jumped the curb just four days later. That symbolizes the dangerous conditions on Braddock Road and the failure … Continued
VDOT recommends improvements for key intersections on Braddock Road
The Virginia Department of Transportation has come up with recommendations for improvements to three critical intersections on Braddock Road. Those proposals, announced at a community meeting Nov. 29, are part of the Braddock Road Multimodal Project, which is aimed at reducing traffic flow and making the corridor safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. In May 2021, … Continued
Transportation officials talk safety
Improving safety on the region’s busiest roadways requires retrofitting an infrastructure built decades ago, cooperation among jurisdictions, and changing drivers’ mindsets. Those were the key points from a discussion among regional transportation leaders at a recent webinar hosted by the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Annual traffic fatalities in Virginia … Continued
Rt. 50 McDonald’s proposes major upgrade
The second-oldest McDonald’s in Virginia – at 6729 Arlington Blvd. – is slated for a major upgrade to include a drive-through. When it was built in 1958, it had large golden arches on either side and an outdoor food-ordering counter. It’s currently a simple brick building that needs to be modernized. Following a public hearing … Continued
County launches ‘Take a Moment’ pedestrian safety campaign
In the face of an alarming increase in pedestrian and bicycle-related crashes, Fairfax County urges drivers to “take a moment” to slow down and be extra careful at intersections. Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay, Police Chief Kevin Davis, and other county leaders unveiled the Take a Moment campaign at a press conference Sept. … Continued
Backlick signal improvements underway
Construction is underway on improvements to enhance pedestrian and driver safety and traffic operations at the intersection of Backlick Road and Leesville Boulevard in the Springfield area of Mason District. The traffic signal upgrades include new mast arm poles, foundations, wiring, electrical equipment, high-visibility signal backplates, and signs, VDOT reports. Drivers on Backlick Road will … Continued
Duke Street bridge work to cause delays
The Duke Street (Route 236) bridge over Interstate 395 in Alexandria will be closed during two periods in August as crews work on pavement repairs, the Virginia Department of Transportation reports. Eastbound Duke Street will be closed at I-395 from 11 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7, to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10.During the closure, … Continued
Congressional School exit to be widened
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on June 28 approved a plan to reduce traffic backups caused by vehicles exiting Congressional School. The agreement calls for Congressional to contribute all necessary land rights for improvements to the exit from its property onto Sleepy Hollow Road and up to $61,476 to widen its exit from one … Continued
VDOT assesses Route 236 improvements
The Virginia Department of Transportation is considering several improvements to Little River Turnpike (Route 236) in Annandale. Potential options include innovative intersection enhancements at Backlick Road, a pedestrian hybrid beacon at Minor Lane, raised medians between Markham Street and John Marr Drive, a traffic signal and crosswalks at Green Spring Road, and improved traffic flow … Continued
Little River Turnpike targeted for improvements
The state of Virginia has identified a section of Little River Turnpike in Annandale as in need of improvements. The goal is to reduce congestion and make the corridor safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. A study assessing traffic capacity and safety on a half-mile stretch of Route 336 between Prosperity Avenue and Wakefield Chapel Road … Continued
Congressional School will help relieve traffic backups
The bottleneck on Sleepy Hollow Road in front of Congressional School during drop-off and pick-up times could eventually be resolved. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a funding agreement Jan. 25 that calls for the private school to contribute land rights for the Sleepy Hollow sidewalk project and pay up to $25,000 to widen … Continued