What the heck is going on???

Spoke to Terrabrook yesterday. The Broadlands Blvd/Claiborne light is scheduled for the second quarter of 2004.
Here's where the foul up occurred:
Terrabrook had the understanding that once VDOT conducted the warrant study to approve the light (this was done and approved quite a while ago) all they had to do was supply the proffer money to the county and they would design and install the light. Several months went by, and Terrabrook found out that the county required them to do the design work. So, several months went by with nothing being done. That leaves us in our current predicament.

Terrabrook has worked with the county to get a plan for a 4-way stop to be put there until the light is installed. I don't know that this would be a good solution. Some of the drawbacks are:
Lanes would have to be eliminated in all directions. Essentially, instead of having 2 through lanes, a left turn lane, and a right turn lane, it would be constricted to a total of two lanes. This could lead to some long back ups. Also, Claiborne has been a through street for so long, that putting up a stop sign now would probably lead to more accidents due to people not stopping.
What are all of your thoughts on a 4-way stop there?
Cliff

 

I do not think a 4-way stop sign is a good idea at that intersection. There are 16 lanes coming into that intersection, including turning lanes, and to put a 4 way stop sign there will cause a lot of confusion--who stopped first out of the 16 lanes? Even if it was trimmed down to 8 lanes, it would still be a problem. Does an entire 4 lanes go at once or is it first stop first go...yadda yadda. Heck, even at 4 way stop signs with only 4 lanes some people get confused. Heck, even at stoplights people get confused....LOL .
I guess Im against it because I turn down Broadlands blvd to take my 15 mo. old daughter to daycare and my wife has been in 2 car accidents in the last 6 months (neither were her fault, other drivers ticketed, rear-ending and running red light) so I am not happy about drivers around here, nor am I comfortable with letting someone else make a decision whether or not "they can just make it" through an intersection, or "I KNOW its my turn to go". People can not make the right decisions all the time, so we need to limit the amount of people that make the decisions. I think the 2 way sign is going to have to work until the light gets put in. At those types of intersections, there needs to be some lanes that have the "right-of-way" at all times, as this will lessen the degree of judgement errors that can be made. Im not willing to sacrifice "time" for "safety", which a 4-way stop sign will inherently encompass.
I hope this makes sense, maybe I just rambled a little too much.....

DwArFlOrD

 

Cliff:

I vote NO for a 4-way stop on 16+ lanes. My guess is that it will actually create more fender-benders due to many of the items that Dwarflord just mentioned above.

Why in the world is Terrabrook resonsible for DESIGN of a COUNTY light??? do you mean $$$ for the Design? or actually performing the Design?

Michael

 

I think it's already been debated enough and the consensus is that a four way stop is the stupidest idea ever.

 

What can we do to put a stop to the four way issue? That would be a horrible solution. I agree - say no to the four way stop sign!

 

Sounds like Terrabrook screw this up in BIG way. I wonder if they feel bad when someone die in that horrible intersection. First, they mis-communicate with state! Then, they want 4-way stop? This insanity need to end NOW! What can we as community do? What does the Broadlands HOA do?

 

Sorry, Dang! Looks like there is nothing that the HOA, developer, or we can do. If all goes as outlined above, we will have to live with an insane 4-way stop until we eventually get a stop light.

 

Coming back from Safeway tonight, I saw an accident there. It could have been a fender bender or maybe worse, but it was too dark to tell. I bet we will be all six feet under by the time a light is put in.

 

I very sorry to hear this. I hope nobody was hurt. Who know any more information about this?

 

I vote for a traffic circle! Although I don't think most people would be able to comprehend and navigate such a puzzling traffic control device, they are very efficient.

I realize this is pretty impractical, but still, I like roundabouts!

=)

 

A fender bender! Oh, the humanity! How long until Broadlands/Claiborne shows up weekly on Fox's America's Most Horrific Car Accidents?

 

While a fender bender (if that is what it was) is no great human tragedy, I would not belittle any person's concern over the value of human life. Brim, maybe you just don't care about your neighbors, and that is certainly your right. However, I do, and I sincerely hope that we can have a light put in that intersection soon before more accidents occur. Realistically speaking, though, I doubt that it will occur any time soon since all that is happening between the state, the county, and the developer is finger pointing.

Cliff, is there anything else that we can do as a community?

 

I certianly do care about my neighbors, I wouldn't have made a snide remark had she said 'There was a 4 car collision with 5 ambulances and a medicopter on the scene.' But, a fender bender doesn't warrant the comment '...I guess we'll all be six feet under before...', that's just sensationalistic...but it's par for the course considering where it came from.

As for anything else you could do, drive more safely and defensively until they get a traffic light installed. You should all know government agencies tend to work slowly, especially when someone drops the ball on the initial request/paperwork. It's a minor inconvenience at best.

 

Brim:

I am glad to hear that you do care about your neighbors, and I did not mean to imply otherwise. Your reaction to the source of the comment was understandable. I try to look at the issue, rather than the person who posted it. However, it can be tough sometimes.

 

Look kids, Big Ben...Parliment!

 

Chris - come on! Looking at who posted the message is ALOT more fun! A SUV to go 1/3 a mile???? HMMMMMM, you sound more like my kinda person every day!

Honestly though, I have been to the new center often since it has opened, especially now that the ABC store is open (there is a God)and at varying times of the day to include rush-hour. I have yet to have any issues or problems navigating a left turn onto Claiborne, nor have I witnessed any other potential traffic clamaties at the intersection. I do concur that a light is needed and I hope it is sensor based and not just timed. Oh, and I would be willing to bet the fender bender was the result of stupidity rather than the lack of a signal.

 

It's always stupidity. The light is a punishement for those of us who can drive. It's way to easy to obtain a license in this state.

 

Agreed. Too many morons on the roads.

 

Finally, some common sense around here. If people are going to gripe about not having a light, at least come on out and say why you really want one...because you don't like sitting there waiting for a crack in traffic so you can make your turn...and don't use the guise of 'what about the children that are going to die!' or 'how many attrocious accidents have to happen!' Let's be honest here, it's a minor inconvenience to have to sit there and wait and a light would help that (somewhat). Actually, I'd wager that there'll be more accidents after the light gets put in, what with people running the light and/or trying to beat the yellow. At least now you know people aren't going to stop and you can plan accordingly.

 

T8erman:

Maybe you're right. Following that Darwinian logic, let's make getting into and out of the Broadlands as difficult as possible. We could litter landmines and post snipers all about. Then only the smart, careful drivers could make it in and out. Sure, there would be casualties, but they should have been better at avoiding the hazards!

All joking aside, until there is a light, I am sure that some people will visit the Broadlands to do some home hunting, wait five minutes to make a lef-hand turn, and say "Heck no!"