Wyndridge/Claiborne extension is now open

Wow, an early(about time) Christmas gift from the developer. As I suspected, the opening of Wyndridge thru to the Greenway was delayed until the Claiborne extension to Stone Hollow was completed. Now there is a four-way stop sign at Claiborne/Ridgeway/Wyndridge. Southern Walk residents can now get on/off the Greenway at Exit 6 traveling to/from the East. It took me less than 2 minutes to go from the Greenway to the Claiborne/Ridgeway intersection this evening. [^] I won't miss the Waxpool dogleg turn (at Faukner Pkwy)at all. Hopefully most of the construction/traffic from up the Ridgeway hill will now access Claiborne via Stone Hollow instead of speeding by Mill Run.

 

Not such great news to those of us who live on Stone Hollow!! But I guess we've been living in bliss these past couple of months not being a through-fare for any kind of traffic. I just hope residents and construction traffic realize that while Claiborne may now be a 45 MPH road, Stone Hollow is not. I watched people zip around that turn last night without slowing down much. I hope people recognize the stop sign at Claiborne/Stone Hollow as well -- while the rest of Claiborne past Stone Hollow is theoretically "closed", there is still a lot of traffic coming down from that way between constructions trucks and curious residents going up there to check it out.

 

I would guess that people will treat Stone Hollow that same way that they have treated Ridgeway and will be driving very fast. Some morons that live up the hill on Ridgeway treat Ridgeway like an airport runway and fly down it going 45 mph.

 

Actually, as a residential street, Ridgeway should be 25MPH. We'll get with our Sheriff's rep about this the next HOA board meeting in January.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

The Sherrif's department witnessed first-hand last night just how fast some people are driving on Ridgeway (I will explain the circumstances in the new thread I start in a minute). Two of the deputies said that they would definitely be back to help catch the idiots who think Ridgeway is Richmond International Speedway.

 

I agree that there are many people that drive too fast on Ridgeway. However, I am surprised that residential speed limits are 25 except when posted. Seems a little excessive(ly slow) to me, but so do a lot of speed limits in Virginia. 35 seems to be more reasonable for a main street through a neighborhood. At least I can stay on Claiborne now to get to Stone Hollow, and don't have to worry about it.

Pam D.

 

For a residential street, the VA speed limited should be 20 mph. I think that 25 mph is too fast and 35 mph is ridiculous. Let's be real here. The added ten seconds that it takes to reach your destination to due a low speed limit in the neighborhoods is nothing compared to saving a kid's life that may jump in the street trying to get his ball or a kid that falls off his bike.

 

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

the roads also curve a lot, hampering visibility. Trying to back out into a 25 MPH road is much better than a 35!

 

Since were now on the topic of speed limits, I agree that the limits in Broadlands should be lower. In my old neighborhood in Herndon, I joined the HOA board in a vain attempt to get traffic-calming barriers added to our main neighborhood thoughfare. It was a popular shortcut of students and parents going to/from local High School. Along the straight sections cars regularly went over 40MPH! [V]

I lived on that road and in many ways Ridgeway traffic is the same. There were many close calls where kids almost became hood ornaments. One night I was awoken by the sound of tires screeching and a loud crash. Apparently someone rounded the bend at 40MPH and slammed into my neighbors parked car.

From my work with Fairfax County transportation engineers I've learned that the wider a road is the faster people drive. That doesnt make it right but thats the fact. Ridgeway is wider than the cul-du-sac roads. I specifically chose a lot near the end of a cul-du-sac so that it would be safer for my kids to play out front. I feel sorry for the residents of Ridgeway and now Stone Hollow. You may want to back into your drive/garage to reduce you chances of getting hit backing out (though be aware of increased risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning)[xx(].

Figuring that most people exceed the posted limits by 5-10MPH, residential streets limits should be no more than 20MPH for safetys sake. Residents/construction workers typically dont slow until they are within a block of their house/site. They'll ride your bumper till then. Claiborne/Waxpool should be no more than 35 like Ashburn Parkway in Ashburn Village. Oddly, I noticed that the limit for Wyndridge is 35MPH yet once you make the turn onto 772 near Exit 6, it goes up to 45MPH. Go figure[?]

 

It would be a great place for a speedtrap because I can tell you that very few cars go 25 and when I do with someone behind me in most cases they ride me until I turn.

Ridgeway is going to be and is a dangerous street considering there is a school on it!

 

There IS a school on it!!!

 

One more comment and then I go away for fear of getting kicked out b/c my radical views :

My calculations are that the difference in driving the 3/4 mile on Ridgeway at 20 mph vice 35 mph is one minute. Assuming I leave my house only 6 times a week, that's 10 hours a year.

Just something to think about.

 

I could care less if you waste 10 hours a year going 20 instead of 35. If you kill my kid because you were going too fast on my street, then you'll waste at least that much time in jail.

 

[rant mode on]

And the one time you can't stop when a toddler goes running into the street ... regrets for the rest of your life. I'm sorry, its a residential street, not Claiborne or Waxpool, which ARE 35 to 45 MPH zones.

[rant mode off]



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

A possible solution to slow down Ridgeway would be to put some strategically located stop signs on it.
Although I doubt any are planned, it is possible to get VDOT to agree to them if the community/developer push for it.
The 2 4-way stop signs on Vestals Gap (at Chickacoan and the other street one block east of it) and the 3-way stop in front of Hillside were not on the original plans for Broadlands. They were added due to community concerns about speeding on Vestals Gap and the safety of the children attending Hillside.

If anyone is willing to put some effort into this, I would suggest starting a petition of the Southern Walk residents off Ridgeway who would like to see stop signs. Present this list to the HOA, the Developer, and the county.
Maybe you could present this list at an HOA Board meeting. As you can see, I'll suggest ANYTHING to get people to our Board meetings!!
You would also kill two birds with one stone, since the Developer is the majority of the Board.

 

I like the idea of a stop sign posted by the school. We will probably now get comments about someone complaining we have too many stop signs...wait I feel it coming....

 

SHOP SIGNS?!?!? Why would we want more of those! It would just add more traffic to our community and my goodness, can you imagine the lines if there is a major sale..... Oh, you said STOP SIGNS..... Nevermind!

 

Actually, studies have shown that stop signs actually add speed. folks subconciously (or not) try to make up for the time they 'lost" at the sign....

That's why I'm an advocate for timed stops for speeding... 10 minutes for each MPH over the limit!