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Yet Another Accident at Waxpool and Claiborne

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by longtimer, Feb 14, 2004.

  1. longtimer

    longtimer New Member

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    I am so ANGRY! There is another accident at Waxpool and Claiborne. And it seems as though there were young children involved, which is sad. Apparently we aren't going to get drivers around here to slow down and be risk averse, so we need to see if we can do something to speed along the stop sign and stoplight.

    I know there has been chatter on this board that a stop sign would be worse than the current situation, but honestly accidents at a stop sign would probably be less dangerous than the 35-50mph accidents that we are seeing now.

    Cliff, I know you have provided information in the past on how long the light would take, and also I think you said someone was looking into a stop sign (although I don't recall if there was ever any decision about whether it was moving forward). Can you please remind us of the current status? Do you know if anyone is keeping track of the number of accidents at this intersection and whether or not the frequency could help to move the project along faster? Is there anything that we can do?

    Thanks!
     
  2. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    I brought up the subject of lights at our HOA Board meeting last week.
    Chris from VanMetre (formerly with TerraBrook) said that the light at Claiborne/Waxpool has been approved, but the one for Claiborne/Broadlands Blvd is still pending. This is opposite of what I had been told a few months ago. The light at Waxpool will require some funding from the county. I asked him to let me know if any prodding is needed from the residents to move things along. He did not have tentative dates for installation.
    The plans for a 4-way stop were submitted for the Claiborne/Broadlands intersection, not the Waxpool/Claiborne intersection.
    I'm sure the Sheriff's office can provide information about the number of accidents at these intersections.
    Cliff
     
  3. Dang.Yu.Hyung

    Dang.Yu.Hyung New Member

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    This not surprising. How can the developer "develop" community with no regard for safety including safety of children? Broadlands have been talking about light for two dangerous intersection for ever but nothing done! I personally call county, and they say they hear no complaint for Claiborne/Broadlands boulevard. Just last week, they say there no plan for stop-light!!! Last year, Broadlands HOA said it coming.
     
  4. msflynn

    msflynn New Member

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    One thing you have to remember is the developer has no control over when these lights and or stop signs are put up. They are only told that they will have to fund it. VDOT is who decides when a light or stop sign is needed. I can tell you when Terrabrook was the developer, they were working very hard at getting VDOT to approve the lights and signs and it appears Van Meter is doing the same. Remember most roads in this community will be VDOT contolled so most road problems you need to take directly to them (even to county can not do much)

    Staci Kapinos
     
  5. joy

    joy New Member

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    Does anyone know what the cause was? I passed by the accident and it looked to me like someone at the stop sign on Claiborne hit someone without the stop sign on Waxpool. Which means the person at the stop sign broke the law. I am very much for a stop light, but people can run a red light as easily as a stop sign.


    --Joy
     
  6. Wick

    Wick New Member

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    How do you know that they ran the stop sign? Maybe, after stopping, they just pulled out in front of the car driving down Waxpool. It is still their fault, but don't assume that they ran the stop sign.
     
  7. cjfj

    cjfj Member

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    Since we're discussing the accidents occuring along our favorite route - Claiborne - what's with the streetlights - or lack thereof - between Vestal's Gap and Waxpool? I see a pedestrian accident in the making. I walk our dog down Vestal's Gap to Claiborne, and it's so dark early in the morning and late at night, that I can't see another pedestrian until we're fairly close. And if as a pedestrian I can't see them, you can bet drivers don't see them either - until it's too late. What do we need to do to get our streetlights back on?
     
  8. Dwarflord

    Dwarflord New Member

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    Im not sure it really matters what happened first. The end result is the person either did not stop, or did not yield .....driver coming from the stop sign is at fault. People run those freakin' stop signs all the time. My wife and I almost got broadsided there 2 years ago, when some "out of towners" looking for a home came flying down Claiborne Parkway, never stopped and came within a couple feet of hitting us at a guaranteed 50 miles per hour, if not faster. These people were flying. We pulled them over and gave them an earful. Basically told them to be careful and watch the signs, my wife was 8 months pregnant at that time......wow we were mad (and lucky).
    Stop signs are actually a simple concept, but for some reason people dont understand it.
    You see a big red sign that says stop. Not slow down, not yield, not "if you dont see anyone then go". It means to stop, look left, look right, then look left again. If EVERYONE practiced that I can guarantee a much safer intersection.

    DwArFlOrD
     
  9. Mearen

    Mearen New Member

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    What can we do to get the sherrif's department to start enforcing the traffic laws in our area?
     
  10. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    I just got off of the phone with a traffic engineer for Loudon from VDOT. He said that he was just looking up the Claiborne/Waxpool intersection before I called. He does not have the intersection on his map yet because it has not been turned over to VDOT. It is controlled by the developer at this point and he says it can take 12-18 months for a light to go in. He also said that the developer is responsible for the roadway- i.e. they are liable for accidents that occur. They can be sued big time!!! He went on to say that when a signal is warranted or justified at an intersection, the next step should be to put in a 4-way stop until the light is approved and goes up. Now he called me back and confirmed that the light has been approved, so where are our safety measures? Where is our 4-way stop? It is to our developer's advantage to get this safety precaution taken care of in order to avoid litigation. I encourage anyone who may have been involved in the accidents that have occurred at this intersection to hold the developer fully accountable- because they are! Safety first! We need to ALL be contacting the developer and complaining about the dangers of this road. Tell them you talked to VDOT- tell them your concerns!
    I will!!
     
  11. Dutchml

    Dutchml Member

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    I don't think he meant a developer is liable for accidents that occur by an individual's negligence of running a stop sign....only if the developer had not put in a stop sign. It's getting so boorish in that we have to rely on government agencies to protect us from ourselves and if they don't, then let's sue somebody, and only the lawyers get rich. I'd like to think that most of us are not stupid. Just slow down when approaching that intersecion when travelling on Waxpool and be alert for the possiblity that someone may run the stop sign, probably because they are on the cell phone or yelling at their kids in the back seat or are late for work because they overslept or........
     
  12. Sunny

    Sunny Chief Advisor

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    But it is not just people running stop signs that is the problem. The fact is, these are two 4 lane roads intersecting. There seems to be so much confusion for some people when there are cars at every point. We DO rely on the government to put in lights to help manage the flow of traffic. This way, we don't have to give up our right of way to the harried and rushed masses. We still drive defensively, of course, but with a light we are saved sitting at a stop sign for 10 minutes with no break in traffic. There is some very good info on http://www.vdot.state.va.us regarding the pros and cons of traffic lights, roundabouts and stop signs. You are right that people who run stop signs should be held responsible for damage done, but there is a bigger picture here. Let's try to head those lawbreakers off at the pass, so to speak!
     
  13. msflynn

    msflynn New Member

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    Did the county also tell you the reason there is not a light or anything there now is because they are responsible for a percentage (I believe 50%)of the funds to install the lights and that the reason that it can take up to 18 months is because they do not have the funds available. Here we are paying them all these taxes so that they can do something for us yet when it comes time for them to do it they are real quick to blame someone else. I agree with you something needs to be done at these major intersections, but if you really want to have a effect on how quickly something happens, we should all be calling the county and asking them when they are going to supply the money for this project to be completed. The developer had to set a side their portion of the money years ago, and now that we have VDOT approval the county is who is holding this up. In my opinion the more they hear from us the faster they will probably be to find us that money. You know the old saying the squeaky wheel gets the oil, lets hope that goes for our communitee as well

    Staci
     
  14. Pats_fan

    Pats_fan Former Resident

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    Spoken like someone who doesn't have to cross Waxpool from Claiborne every day...

     
  15. Homer Simpson

    Homer Simpson New Member

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    Actually, I deleted my post b/c I was thinking Broadlands/Claiborne not Waxpool/Claiborne. Stop signs still won't work. People are more prone to run them then lights. And I see alot of people who just can't handle the pressure of a 4 way.
     
  16. Pats_fan

    Pats_fan Former Resident

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    I agree with you that a 4-way stop sign would not make sense for the Claiborne/Broadlands intersection, because Claiborne is clearly the primary road. A light would be a much better choice there.

    I think that the Waxpool/Claiborne intersection is a different story altogether. Waxpool is currently the primary road, but when hundreds of additional homes/townhomes are built on Claiborne South, the traffic coming/going from all directions at that intersection will be about the same. To me this intersection is a lot like the intersection of Waxpool Road and Ashburn Village Blvd, for which a 4-way stop sign seems to work fine.
     
  17. Homer Simpson

    Homer Simpson New Member

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    That's a 2 lane / 4 lane intersection and it backs up big time during rush hour. I've stopped using it as shortcut into Broadlands b/c of it. Granted, if people knew how to drive it would not be a problem but it's just way too easy to get a license.
     
  18. cleansweep

    cleansweep New Member

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    The only way the state of Virginia will put up a traffic light is if their are numerous deaths at the intersection. Sorry but that is the way the government works.
     
  19. chattycat

    chattycat Member

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    I've observed a very dangerous situation that cannot be blamed on stop-sign runners. I shudder every day when yielding (carefully!) to oncoming traffic as I wait to turn left onto Claiborne from Waxpool (heading towards the Nature Center). Since there is predictably always someone also wanting to turn left from the opposite direction (coming from Truro Parish), we are both at a disadvantage to see oncoming traffic. My neck muscles are starting to ache from the cringing I experience as I hold my breath and make that turn...
     
  20. Dutchml

    Dutchml Member

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    Okay....I'm on board....I'll admit it....There are some completely stupid people out there that hold my life in their hands...After an oblivious "Molly Maid" driver ran the stop sign at 50 miles per hour on Claiborne right in front of me, I called Steve Snow about a traffic light at Claiborne and Waxpool. He indicated it's clearly a VDOT issue and politics and money are in the way of putting in a light. Traffic studies, number of fatalities, giant stop signs and warnings, financing, finger pointing, politics, etc. be damned. What's the magic number of accidents/fatalities before Richmond decides to give us back a couple of thousand dollars to make this intersection safe? The time is NOW to get a traffic light installed at this intersection. Stop signs and 4 way stops will NOT work. It's time to get a traffic light installed at this intersection now. The local VDOT number to call and pressure these guys is: 703-737-2011. Steve has also experienced first hand how dangerous this intersection is and has promised to take action regarding the who, what, how, why and when this 12 lane divided intersection will get a traffic light.
     

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