A disaster waiting to happen
The speed limit as you approach downtown Floyd is 25 miles per hour but you wouldn’t know it based on the speed that trucks and other vehicles travel when they barrel through town.
Too often I’ve watched those huge semis streak down Locust Street at speeds well over 25 while pedestrians jump back because the monsters are traveling much faster than they should.
In recent weeks, we’ve had parked cars hit by trucks that couldn’t make the turn at Route 8 and U.S. 221 under the stop light and I’ve observed too many near misses when cars pull out of side streets and underestimate the speed of the approaching trucks.
Somebody is going to get killed if we don’t take steps to slow these speed demons down. Or do we have to wait for someone to die before action is taken?
Boones Mill has a population of what, 200? They have a police officer who is nationally known on speed trap web sites, and truckers are so paranoid that the majority of cars and trucks slow down to 40-45mph when passing through town. Before the light was put in the officer was making $60K a year for Boones Mill. If you have a part-time police officer who spends 8 hours a day tagging absolutely anyone going 10mph over the limit, the problem might be solved in less than a year. News travels fast nowadays.
People exceed the speed limit because the chances of being caught are low. When the speed limit is enforced, people learn to drive the speed limit.
The borough of Hartleton, PA has one east-west paved road and a few that cut off in other directions are paved as well. For 25 years that I know of, they have had a speed enforcement policy — it’s 35 in Hartleton and if you forget it, you’re going to help Hartleton maintain its low tax policy. They have 4 part-time officers and are now doing well-enough that they are contracting their officers out to nearby towns that need a police presence.
In 1983, one of Hartleton’s residents forgot to slow down while passing through town and got a ticket. He was mad enough to put a sign on the western approach to town which read “Charlie Sez Speed Trap Ahead”. On the eastern edge of town where he had is business, he would put out a little lawn tractor with flashing lights and a sign that said “Speed Trap Active” anytime he knew that the police were active. The only people who paid attention were those who were local — the people driving through on their way to a football game on Saturday still got caught.
It’s not just trucks. Even I find myself going too fast down that long hill into town. The hill lends itself to going too fast. I have seen so many cars (and trucks) fly through there and it is extremely dangerous. The article in this weeks press says VDOT has shot down many ideas for speed bumps and other bumpy things in the road…what about signs? A couple of signs saying SLOW/Pedestrian crossing could help.
This problem has been raised many times in the past, and each time lowering the speed limit had been done (albeit with small signs).
I think we can all agree that in the last year alone, there have been significant increases in pedestrian traffic on normal days due to the expansion of Winter Sun, El Charro, Angels in the Attic, Floyd Country Store, and of course the Village projects.
It is worth noting, as well, that most of the near-misses have happened in the last year or so. I believe it is safe to say the issues are directly related to an increase in pedestrian traffic, allowing an increased chance of incident. Furthermore, there are plenty of ideas out there to minimize the hazards:
1. SPEED BUMPS: VDOT will not allow them on a major thoroughfare such as Rt 8, and I tend to agree.
2. RUMBLE STRIPS: very good idea, in practice although they require maintenance (replacement every few years or so when the come up, due to the amount of traffic this road inevitably will see)
3. ELEVATED CROSSWALKS: expensive proposition, but contrary to the idea of “drainage issues” being a problem, they can be done in an efficient manner if time and resources are devoted to it. I personally doubt it will be beneficial though, the cost will outweigh the benefits significantly in such a concentrated/small area.
4. ADDING CROSSWALKS (in new high flow areas): very good idea, and needs to be done. I would encourage anyone entertaining the idea to visit downtown Christiansburg and look at the reflective crosswalks in the new downtown area. I think that these types of crosswalks would work well in town, especially considering the Friday night Jamboree foot traffic.
I ask that all readers please keep in mind though, that Rt 8 is scheduled to be repaved in the coming months, so any addition will need to be done AFTER that (otherwise its a moot point, they will be destroyed). One good thing to note is the paving (which will involve profiling the asphalt currently on the road) will be done at night to minimize traffic in an already congested area.
As for trucks making the turn: the white lines are back for a reason on the Rt 221 side, and are being moved back on the Rt 8 side when the upcoming paving is done. Also, take note that the curb areas are yellow, meaning a no parking zone, to give the most room to turning trucks as possible. we occasionally have a trucker that will make a misjudgement of the turn, but if you sit at the courthouse and watch them on a daily, minute by minute basis, I think we would all be impressed with some of the driving skills these individuals have.
The only true way to reduce the traffic through the town of Floyd would be the bypass that has been discussed for the last 10 years, which I have a feeling will be pursued in the near future. Granted, that will also reduce traffic volume through the town, which may hurt local revenues.
There is no way I could negotiate the turn at the stoplight in a big rig. The big rig drivers I have seen are good at making the turn if the other drivers stay behind the white lines to wait out the light. Some mishaps are inevitable. I haven’t noticed dangerously excessive speeds through town, but few are driving the posted speed limit.