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Traffic signal at Truro Parish and Belmont Ridge Road

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by vacliff, Oct 8, 2009.

  1. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Saw this in the notes from the last Board of Supervisors meeting:

    TRAFFIC SIGNAL FUNDING REQUEST/BELMONT RIDGE AND TRURO PARISH ROAD: The Board of Supervisors moved to approve an appropriation of $60,000 from the Traffic Signal Contingency Fund for the design of a traffic signal for the Belmont Ridge Road and Truro Parish intersection.
    The Board further moved that the Board direct staff to process the associated Budget Adjustment BA#103719.

    I think this pays for the design, but not the actual traffic signal.
     
    vacliff, Oct 8, 2009
    #1
  2. Tech Head

    Tech Head New Member

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    Does anybody have any idea when the Broadlands Blvd - Belmont Ridge intersection is supposed to open?
     
    Tech Head, Oct 8, 2009
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  3. maeve

    maeve New Member

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    That light would be nice but I think one at Ashburn Village Blvd. and Waxpool is more desperately needed.
     
    maeve, Oct 8, 2009
    #3
  4. msflynn

    msflynn New Member

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    I was told that VDOT says when they light is operational the intersection can open. Of course as with all the lights here in Broadlands that will be in 30 days - not sure what year :)

    Staci
     
    msflynn, Oct 8, 2009
    #4
  5. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    I've never been at that intersection during 'rush' but every other time I'd find a light there to be more annoying then beneficial.

    Ashburn Villiage and Waxpool needs to be a roundabout - not a light! Hopefully VDOT is starting to figure it out. The roundabouts on Rt50 are finally done. One was recently opened on Rt15 on the Maryland side too.
     
    flynnibus, Oct 9, 2009
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  6. JLC

    JLC Member

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    A light at Truro Parish *and* a light at Broadlands Blvd? Seems excessive.
     
    JLC, Oct 9, 2009
    #6
  7. Zeratul

    Zeratul Well-Known Member

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    Steve - great idea. A roundabout (or circle if you speak New Jersey) is a great idea! I had not thought about that but you are right. The traffic flow there is perfect for a circle. And they work pretty well.
     
    Zeratul, Oct 9, 2009
    #7
  8. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Wait until your kids start driving to high school. I'll be curious to see what your opinion is then!
    It also backs up a bit during the afternoon rush hour.
     
    vacliff, Oct 9, 2009
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  9. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    As I said.. I don't go through there are rush so I qualified my statement as such. As for other times of day, I wouldn't have a problem with them driving through there.

    Traffic lights are often simply hack solutions to poor planning. I don't know why we need intersections on belmont every 1/2 mile (waxpool, truro, broadlands, ashburn farm, hay, etc). Before you know it, its going to be as bad as 28 and 7 was.. and they'll go back and try to fix it all again in 10 years.
     
    flynnibus, Oct 9, 2009
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  10. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    When have you seen "them" try and fix anything around here..... LOL
     
    beahmer, Oct 9, 2009
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  11. volvo_nut

    volvo_nut New Member

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    Not sure how I feel about traffic circles. Experienced them when I lived in the Gettysburg/East Berlin area and now they are on Rt 15 headed to Frederick - the "who has the right of way" confuses people and slows down the flow of traffic during peak usage.

    Would it be move effective for traffic flow (maintain speed) to do a cloverleaf or similar whereby Waxpool would go over or under Ashburn? Rush hour at this intersection can be brutal.
     
    volvo_nut, Oct 10, 2009
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  12. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Cloverleaf? Sure.. if you got the tens of millions of dollars to build it.

    I don't believe in building towards the lowest common denominator. Roundabouts are not about being the most efficient at peak usage.. they are a cheap way to keep traffic flowing and when you have educated drivers you can be much more effective then stop signs, and the intersection is way more effective then traffic lights off-peak.

    Maybe instead of spending billions trying to build roads to be idiot proof, we could spend a fraction and improve driver education and raise the expectations before we hand out licenses like candy.
     
    flynnibus, Oct 10, 2009
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  13. volvo_nut

    volvo_nut New Member

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    Great point. No matter what the topic, health care or road construction, it all starts with prevention and education.

    Driver's Ed really needs to educate people to put the phone down and stop gliding into other lanes!! Do they still offer Driver's Ed in schools today?
     
    volvo_nut, Oct 11, 2009
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  14. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Drifting off topic... be it in the schools or private is moot to me. As long as the material presented and WHAT WE TEST is sufficient. Then we have the people that aren't required to take driver's ed at all (any adult). I'm all for re-testing at the 5yr intervals and including aspects such as defensive driving, accident avoidance, etc. Instead, today our tests basically consist of 'staying between the lines', and knowing pointless facts like the # of feet required to stop rather then focusing on people recognizing and adapting to the situation.
     
    flynnibus, Oct 11, 2009
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  15. CoachCal

    CoachCal New Member

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    Re: the Traffic circle confusing people.

    During rush hour, everyone knows where they are going and typically are not the types to be confused about a type of traffic pattern (the way they are driving is the exact route they drive 200+ days a year). After a month of opening, between 4:00-6:00pm everyone will most likely have the circle down cold.

    Only concern would be the huge backup a fender bender could potentially cause at a circle.
     
    CoachCal, Oct 14, 2009
    #15
  16. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    well that is another advantage of a traffic circle... no high speed collisions (except people rear-ending someone). So most accidents would be less tramatic and people need to get pushed out of the way :)
     
    flynnibus, Oct 14, 2009
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  17. mamatothree

    mamatothree New Member

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    I was told today that the light should be operational by mid November.
     
    mamatothree, Oct 14, 2009
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  18. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    That would be the Broadlands Blvd/Belmont Ridge light, not this one.
     
    vacliff, Oct 14, 2009
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  19. mamatothree

    mamatothree New Member

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    Yes that is correct!
     
    mamatothree, Oct 15, 2009
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  20. SarasMom

    SarasMom Member

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    mid November 2012?? :pofl:
     
    SarasMom, Oct 15, 2009
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