Traffic Lights?

If you head down the other side of Broadlands, you'll see that they're putting in some additional lights and poles at intersections. So the work continues throughout Broadlands.

The problem there has always been that the power circuit was not yet run to those lights. Mark said that the contractor estimates that it will happen before the summer.

Remember, those lights are being put in by the developer, the HOA has no control over it. We can push and cajole, but it all depends on the developer's schedule and willingness to get it done sooner.


Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

so, we don't have the lights when it's dark at 5 pm, but by the time it's light until 9 we should have them. OK.

 

Thanks Neil.... Mark said last year it was the contractor.... then it was the inspector..... now it is the builder...... what a shame...... this is worse the dealing with the federal government..... Like everything else, people want us to just deal with it and go on with our lives..... Hope noone gets hurt at one of these intersections..... who would be blamed then????? The clouds covered the moonlight? The polls have been there over 1 1/2 years.. who puts up a pole with no power..... the same guy that pushes the cart with his horse. Who is in charge of this? Are these house so expensive because the builder puts in all the light fixtures and sockets and then goes back and wires it???? lol give me a break another 6 months.....

 

Wendy's went up faster than these lights lol

 

I hear ya ..

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Wendy's makes money....

 

And those new streetlights will cost the HOA money ... someone's got to pay the electric bill ... so, its a tradeoff !!

On the traffic lights, it looks like Virginia Dominion (or is it Dominion Virginia) Power has installed the power box to the lights at Broadlands, have not looked at Waxpool, so its moving. Note, there is no meter installed yet, but that will happen after the controls are wired.

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

I bet money that Dunkin D's is built before those lights are working.
B

 

If you build it, the cops will come....

 

Cops need to come to Broadlands - it may help reduce the speed and actually make people follow the speed limits, instead of going 60+ on the main road in Broadlands

 

PEA - kids (heck, most adults too) speed on ALL roads in this county, not just in Broadlands. Our Sheriff department does not have the resources to patrol every where all the time.

 

Almost hit again tonight going through the Claiborne/Broadlands intersection. It's just a matter of time...

 

So what is it going to take - a fatal crash in our area for Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the HOA to take notice of the speeding violations in Broadlands? Come on - residence of Broadlands need to be more proactive in their speeding and then in turn make their teenage drivers more accountable for their reckless disregard to the posted speedlimits. Seriously - the residence of Broadlands need to set the example (as adults for their teenage drivers) that the posted speed limit is the posted speed limit - other wise there will be more accidents and we will continue these counterproductive post - that really get us no where.

 

(Rant Mode ON)

Oh good grief. As a member of the HOA Board, we talk to our liason every month, pass on to him areas of concern, he lets us know of problems in the Area.

This isn't a city, we don't have the resources in the Sheriff's department to be everywhere at once. Speeding is an issue throughout Ashburn, Broadlands and Brambleton. The main problem are our own residents, as you said.

I'll slow down to 25mph when the school lights are flashing, the soccer mom in the minivan plows right through at 45. I do 35 MPN on Broadlands Blvd, people speed right past, or flash their lights in back of me as I ease into the left turn lane (at 35 mph) on Chickacoan (sp). Then the same people try to drive into my trunk as I'm doing the speed limit. People don't even do 25mph on the residential streets around here, nor do they understand that a Stop sign means you STOP, not hit the brake, then keep on going through.

Then there's the 4 way stop ... people don't know that it means you stop and let people through IN TURN. That is, in the order they first stopped at the stop line. I've been waiting for that light at Waxpool since they opened Claiborne down to the Nature Center. The light at Broadlands ... since the opening of the Safeway center and Overland Park.

There isn't a day when I don't say to some bonehead in front of me: You #@#$@#$ if I was a cop, you'd be getting a ticket.

Yes the HOA knows what is going on, but the residents have to start taking some of the responsibility on themselves.


(Rant Mode OFF)

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Neil - so as a Board Member of the HOA - I am sure that you are aware of the Top 5 worst intersections within Loudoun County are in our immediate area as per recent news reports.

Let's come up with a proactive plan to mitigate the risk of alleged repeat offenders within the Broadlands Community. As mentioned, the police presence has dramatically increased - which is indicative of the increased population density within the 20148 zip code.

I am wondering if the HOA Board or the Neighborhood Watch Committee has kicked the following idea around with the Sheriff’s office:

Allow residence to rent/borrow a radar, volunteers will document the sustained speed of vehicles on certain roads within Broadlands and once the data has been collected, present the raw numbers to the liaison for the Sheriff's office for further action.

 

Not to add fuel to the "speeding" fire, but somebody passed me on Vestals Gap a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, I was pretty amazed too...

 

The Sheriff's Dept has done speeding studies on Claiborne in the past, and we'll ask them to do another one once the lights are in place. We've identified most of the areas in Broadlands that have had speeding issues, and have used their portable radar trailer to let drivers know what their clocked speed is.

However, I do not believe Loudoun county has a program to lend radar guns to private citizens, so while the idea may have some merit, its not feasible at this time.

The main problem in the entire Ashburn area, are the residents themselves, if you look at the offenders and where the speeding occurs, its all within the residential areas, and that the person who just sped away from you is turning into the drive just 300 feet down the road.


Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Neil – We have been residence since 2004 and one of the first people to call 911 when the fatal accident occurred on Wynridge (near the newly opened part of Claiborne Pkwy and by the way we could hear one of the kids screaming from our bedroom window after the car driven off the road, due to speeding) - I have yet to see the Sheriff's office or VDOT conduct any type of traffic study in Broadlands, as mentioned in your prior post.
I can only assume that these studies were conducted in 2003.

As you know there has been a significant increase in residence over the past 19 months and Broadlands continues to grow in population. With that said it seems logical to infer that the data collected in the past does not accurately represent the present day traffic or the projected traffic, in essence the collected data is obsolete.

If Loudoun County does not have a program for private residence to "borrow" radar equipment, why don't we ask them to create a program via our Liaison, who attends HOA meetings? In both Reston and the Town of Vienna (where we have owned homes), Fairfax County does provide this program to some HOA’s and Neighborhood Watch groups.

Since the problem has been clearly identified by multiple postings, doesn’t it seem counter productive to point out the feasibility or lack there of regarding a suggested resolution with out suggesting another feasible resolution?

Since you have made it clear to many members of this forum that you are a Board Member of the HOA and a resident since 1999, it only natural that some of us look to you as a leader to share insight and guidance on how to resolve issues.

Of the nearly 1500 posts you have either used “ranting mode” and/or counterproductive responses, it’s a shame because I bet you do have some really feasible ideas.