S NEAK A PEEK at VDOT's
QEach time I travel across the Falmouth Bridge, I wonder what happened to the lights? It is a a dark and unsafe-looking place now that there is no lighting. Can someone explain why the lights are gone?
--Eileen Greene,
Fredericksburg
AThe Virginia Department of Transportation was doing a routine bridge inspection of Falmouth Bridge when it found the light poles had corroded. "It was deemed unsafe so we recommended the lights be removed," said VDOT spokeswoman Tina Bundy. It's up to the city of Fredericksburg to replace the lights and poles, Bundy said.
The city wants to put the lights back on the bridge, said Dave King, assistant director of public works. But there is no timeframe for doing so right now. Complicating the installation is the antiquated electrical wiring running along the bridge. That will have to be updated, too, King said, which will involve working with Dominion Virginia Power.
Stafford County and VDOT will also be involved in the process. The concrete pedestals that held the light poles in place will need to be repaired and reviewed by a bridge engineer.
"It's not as simple as on the street where you put a pole in the ground and put a light on it," King said.
QI would like to know why the light at the intersection of
Courthouse Road and Woodland Drive takes so long to change when you're turning from Woodland onto Courthouse Road on the weekends. I have sat at this light for several minutes with no traffic in sight. I know the lights are timed for the traffic on Courthouse Road during the week but sometimes there's no traffic and you still have to sit there for four or five minutes. I also would like to know when VDOT or Spotsylvania County will install street signs at the same intersection for Woodland Drive.
--Anthony Clarke Jr.,
Spotsylvania
AFirst, the signs. For residential streets such as Woodland Drive, the signs are the responsibility of the county or homeowner's association, not VDOT. In this case, Spotsylvania County is the responsible party. County transportation engineer Daniel Cole said he'll alert the sign crew.
When I first mentioned this intersection to VDOT traffic engineer Matt Melkerson, he thought he'd be fielding a question about the rush-hour backup at this light along westbound Courthouse Road. And that's part of the problem at this location. There is a lot of traffic along Courthouse Road, on weekdays and the weekend, and it will only increase given the intersection's proximity to Southpoint Parkway and the Southpoint II shopping center.
There is a chance the cycle could be shortened. This signal's timing is coordinated with seven other traffic lights from the intersection of U.S. 1 and Courthouse Road to Courthouse Road and Millgarden Drive, Melkerson said. Woodland Drive gets a green light every 140 seconds.
"It might be a little high, but it's not outrageous by any stretch of the imagination," Melkerson said.
By comparison, the timing for State Route 3 lights on weekends is 190 seconds. Still, he said he understands it can be frustrating when a motorist is attempting to turn and there's no traffic.
There's a chance the cycle could be reduced to 110 to 120 seconds. VDOT has set aside some money to examine signal timings along Courthouse Road in six to eight months, Melkerson said.
KELLY HANNON is The Free Lance-Star's transportation reporter. If you have transportation-related questions, write to Getting There, c/o The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401; or browse fredericksburg.com and fill out the Getting There form.