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 21 email.
Related story: VDOT pursues safety improvements for Route 7 in Culmore
The new speed limit will apply to Route 7 in Bailey’s Crossroads and Seven Corners between the City of Alexandria and the City of Falls Church.
Torres says VDOT carried out a speed study for that section of the roadway at the request of Fairfax Families for Safe Streets, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling. Those groups asked VDOT to consider lowering the speed limit due to speeding, crashes, increased traffic volume, and concerns about safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Pedestrians were killed on Leesburg Pike in December 2021 and October 2022 – and there were many near misses.
“A preliminary review concluded that the existing conditions warranted a more thorough analysis of the roadway,” Torres said. The results of the study recommended lowering the speed limit to 35 mph.
10 responses to “VDOT to reduce speed limit on Route 7”
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Seems like they are updating pedestrian crossing at route 7 and Glen Carlin drive intersection, overdue and appreciated. Much more work needs to be down from 7 corners to baileys.
If the new speed limit and jaywalking are not enforced vigorously then it’s a paper tiger change. With a sign change expense for taxpayers.
Police cannot stop jaywalkers in the state of Virginia purely for jaywalking. This is a law enacted under the previous governor. Have you noticed increased pedestrian deaths in the last couple years?
That and nothing are the same thing. They don’t enforce the speed limit, so what difference would it make? This is just a joke unless they were to put in some speed cameras. Are they trying to appease the locals? They should’ve lowered it to 30 mph. Besides nobody can see the speed limit signs they’re so small.
It will not solve anything. It’s just window dressing by the same county leaders who gave themselves a pay raise. As the traffic data shows – their incompetence is literally killing people – so they lower the speed limit and gives themselves a pay raise. Guess the bar for leadership has been lowered.
They have never enforced the 40 MPH speed limit and people zoom through there like it’s 50. Nobody is going to notice the new signage. But if they do, they will just ignore it like always.
Cool, I’ve been looking for this one for a long time
Why don’t they just outlaw cars and mandate scooters. Problem solved.
Just another fashionista statement. Without vigorous enforcement (how does falls church) have so many cops hiding in the bushes) when FFC does nothing. FFC needs to establish a new division. Traffic enforcement, with their wages paid from citations).
It appears that at least some of the 35 mph speed limit signs have been installed, because there are some on Leesburg Pike between Glen Carlyn Rd and Nevius St.