Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort is spent, rather than whether the money or effort actually achieves the announced goal.
Donald Rumsfeld

Virginia Department of Transportation

Original Post June 11, 2008

Revised Post October 1, 2008

 

Hello VDOT - Virginia Heights Road Now Has An Accident  - June 10, 2008
 
You've made it abundantly clear that accidents are important to you taking action on speed limits, road improvements, etc.
 
We residents of Virginia Heights can now report a June 10, 2008 accident on our road that required one fire truck, one ambulance, one state police trooper, one deputy sheriff, and one wrecker.
 
We are concerned about those involved in the accident but we realize a certain unspecified number of accidents and possibly fatalities must occur before VDOT will take actions that should have long since been implemented.
 
Additionally, in August, 2008 an unreported accident occured at the intersection of Virginia Heights Road and Riverbend Drive. A vehicle was travelling too fast to negotiate the curve and ran off the road, crossed the ditch, and hit the dirt embankment.
 
Portions of the road are now being used as a neighborhood race track for teenagers who yearn for speed. A speed limit sign won't stop speeders but it will remind everyone that a speed limit exists and they will be ticketed if caught exceeding the posted limit.
 
Virginia Heights Road is a mere 18 feet wide, has no posted speed limit except for selected curves, vehicles routinely travel at speeds of 50 plus miles per hour, the grass growing along both sides of the road is allowed to reach heights of 4 feet plus before, or if, any action is taken to mow the grass, and pedestrians routinely walk along this road at great risk of being struck by a vehicle.
 
These concerns have been expressed to county supervisor Chappy Baker, with the speed limit concern having been expressed on numerous occasions dating back to 2005. VDOT has reported that their speed study didn't indicate a need for a posted speed limit. That study must have been taken on another road by mistake, because Virginia Heights Road isn't safe for travel at any speed in excess of 35 mph.
 
We hope that you will take our expressed concerns seriously and take appropriate action before someone is injured or killed on Virginia Heights Road. If the worst does occur, possibly it will place on your conscious heart impugned suspicion where none was previously felt.

To Supervisor Baker and Hobbs:

Why haven't you requested another speed study for Virginia Heights Road? Crickett Lane has a posted speed limit of 35 and that request was made at the same time as the Virginia Heights Road request. The initial VDOT response was that Crickett Lane didn't need a speed limit but it looked like Virginia Heights did; pending an official study which would be completed in a couple of months. All of this took place in 2005.


Virginia DepartmenTo SupervisorTt of Transportation (VDOT)
February 14, 2008
 
VDOT is consistently the object of funding battles. Most of these funding issues involve projects far removed from southwest Virginia. Giles County in particular is omitted from much needed funding for projects such as 4-laning the remaining 3.1 miles of Route 100. This project has been funded numerous times and the funds have been transferred to other "more important" projects elsewhere in the state. These actions are political in nature and don't reflect negatively on the management of VDOT by past or current high-ranking officials. Our elected state representatives can take "credit" for not having, or not exerting, enough clout in the General Assembly to get funds appropriated for Route 100 and other road issues in Giles County. They can point the finger at others and say that it isn't their fault but in the end analysis Giles County is treated like a red-head stepchild when it comes to road funding and other important issues requiring help from our state elected officials. Our only recourse is to elect people who will represent us in the manner we deserve.
 
A county issue that is often brought to the attention of the VDOT representative who attends the Giles County Board of Supervisor meetings involves road speed studies. This is a perfect example of how VDOT has evolved into an over managed bureaucracy. They are layered with personnel and policies that unnecessarily encumber their ability to achieve results in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost. We often hear the VDOT representative state "there haven't been enough accidents or fatalities to justify implementation of your request". How does this sound to you? We need to meet an accident or death quota before we can get a speed limit lowered, guard rails installed, a road widened, or spilled paint removed from a road? In the recent words of Bill Clinton "Give me a break".
 
This section of my web site will strive to make you aware of various VDOT issues, which might be of interest to you.
 
I will start with the issue of Speed Limits:
 
The following information appears on the VDOT site at:

http://www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-speedlimits.asp

Why are there speed limits?

Speed regulations and speed limits are intended to supplement motorists' judgment in determining speeds that are reasonable and proper for particular weather and road conditions. Limits are imposed to assist enforcement personnel and to promote better traffic flow by reducing the wide variance in speeds.

How are speed limits determined?

Factors considered in determining reasonable and safe speed limits are categorized into two phases: the engineering investigation and the traffic investigation.

The engineering investigation involves a study of the geometric design of the road.

Engineers review such items as:

*Lane width

*Pavement type and condition

*Terrain

Engineers also look at:

*Parking conditions

*Commercial and residential development along the road

*The number, width and types of entrances and intersecting streets

The traffic investigation involves gathering and analyzing traffic-related data. Engineers study:

*Prevailing vehicle speeds

*Average test runs

*Traffic volumes

*Accident experience

*Traffic control devices that affect or are affected by vehicle speeds

Federal legislation enacted in 1995 gave individual states the authority to establish their own maximum speed limits. Prior to the 1995 law, federal law required that the maximum speed limits on interstate highways be 65 mph for rural interstates and 55 mph for urban interstates.

For the most part, Virginia has chosen to follow those guidelines.

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Now you understand how speed limts are established by VDOT. Why is it so difficult to get these speed limits studied and established in a timely manner?

Example: A speed study for Virginia Heights Road was requested in 2005. Finally in 2007 VDOT reported to the Board of Supervisors that a speed limit wasn't needed on Virginia Heights Road, primarily due to the fact that no accidents had been reported on the road.

This road is a mere 18 feet wide and less than one mile in length. The road is intersected with 4 state-maintained streets and 19 private driveways. A total of 33 houses and 11 house trailers are located on this road, as well as one very busy bed and breakfast and 18 homes that use Virginia Heights Road as their only ingress and egress to their subdivision.  Water-line breaks seem to be a frequent problem along this road and naturally the repairs involve trucks and other equipment that partially block the road. Water meter reading along this road also requires vehicle stops that impede traffic flow. A significant number of pedestrians attempt to walk along this road, including students who walk to and from Giles High School. Some very brave people ride their bicycles on this road and place their lives in the hands of drivers who must dodge oncoming vehicles while also attempting to avoid collisions with the bicycle and rider. Postal delivery and newspaper delivery is provided by automobiles that must stop ON the road and place these items in their appropriate receptacle. All of this activity on a road less than one mile in length yet a speed limit isn't necessary?

A reasonable speed limit on Virginia Heights Road is a maximum of 35 mph. Current traffic often exceeds 35 mph and by doing so the driver increases the risk of having the first accident to ever be reported on this road.

Two members of the Board of Supervisors have been requested to get a speed limit posted on this road. That request was first made in 2005 but to date the supervisors haven't had any positive influence on VDOT to post a speed limit. However, one of the supervisors was able to get a speed limit of 35 mph posted on Crickett Lane after the 2005 request for a speed limit on Virginia Heights Road. The other supervisor was able to get a speed limit of 25 mph posted on Hillcrest Road, which is about 400 feet long and difficult to attain a speed of 25 mph and still be able to come to a stop before reaching the end of the 400 foot road. How many accidents or deaths were reported on Crickett or Hillcrest to justify a posted speed limit? Oh yes, there are other factors considered prior to VDOT posting a speed limit but remember, the VDOT representative most always refers to the lack of enough accidents or deaths.

What has happened to the common-sense approach to problem solving? Apparently, it has been replaced and debased by the sophistication of technology, the influence of those who think every issue must be subjected to numerous studies before a decision can be made, and the many layers of management who have responsibilities that overlap each other.

It took me less than one hour to measure the width of Virginia Heights Road, monitor traffic flow, count the number of homes along the road, count the number of streets and driveways intersecting the road, perform a cursory inspection of the road condition, and drive the road at varying speed limts from 25 to 55 mph. After performing these tasks, it was very obvious to me that a maximum speed limit of 35 mph was appropriate and necessary for this road. It took VDOT 2 years to do all of this and then incorrectly conclude that a posted speed limit isn't needed. Could this be one reason that VDOT's costs are so excessive and a contributing factor to why they don't receive more state money for our road projects?

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Stay tuned for more examples of how VDOT is either helping Giles County, or failing to help Giles County.