As local residents adjust to some major changes along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, local and state officials are considering another significant adjustment to a major road.
“In response to the community's concerns about the speed on Richmond Highway - our Main Street - I, along with other local officials, requested that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) conduct a speed study to determine if the speed limit on this roadway is appropriate, or if it should be decreased,” wrote Fairfax County District Supervisor Dan Storck in an email to residents.
“While I am supportive of reducing the speed limit on our Main Street, I am very interested in the study findings and hearing from each of you about this important safety issue. The lowering of the speed limit may also prevent the need for sound walls along the corridor,” he continued.
The speed limit along Richmond Highwayis 45 mph, and the study area goes between Belvoir Road/Meade Road at the southern end and I-95/I-495 Capital Beltway on the northern end.
The goal of lowering the speed would be for the safety of all commuters, including pedestrians and bicyclists.
Officials from VDOT and Fairfax County will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. online. Information about joining the virtual meeting is available here.
GW Parkway Changes Update
The potential changes to Richmond Highway come on the heels of a “road diet” completed along the GW Parkway earlier this fall. The changes reduce the number of vehicular travel lanes in an effort to make turning easier, increase safety and decrease the number of accidents.
Not all residents are happy with the changes, saying the Parkway is harder to navigate, and some left turns from side streets onto the Parkway are now nearly impossible.
The changes are not entirely complete: There are still signs to be installed and other changes coming to improve navigability.
On the platform Nextdoor, residents are posting hundreds of comments about the changes.
“I just had an anxiety attack taking the parkway home,” one resident wrote. Another resident expressed concern that cars are now more likely to hit head-on.
However, other residents are more confident that the changes will lead to a safer roadway in the coming months.
“Drove it yesterday afternoon,” one resident wrote Friday. “No issues. I believe, once the change for the regulars on the parkway becomes more known, this will be a welcome adjustment. Change can be startling, like having a new stop signs show up in your neighborhood, but they are always intended to help the community. I wish everyone well as we collectively make the adjustment.”
