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Speed a concern at fatal crash site
Resident asks Culpeper board to seek lower speed limit on road where teen was killed
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
Date published: 9/4/2008
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
Culpeper County resident Joanne Russell pleaded with supervisors this week to lower the speed limit on a stretch of road where a Fredericksburg Christian Academy student was recently killed.
At a board meeting Tuesday, Russell called the four-mile stretch off State Route 3 near her home "the most dangerous highway in Culpeper County." It is the lone remaining two-lane section of Route 3 between Lignum and Stevensburg.
She reminded the board that there have been six traffic fatalities in the area in the past several years.
The most recent occurred Friday night when a 17-year-old Fredericksburg Christian Academy senior, Kelsey Jean-Marie Orndorff of Culpeper, was killed and a local doctor was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash.
On Monday, Kenneth Winthrow said a lot of accidents happen along the curve in front of his home near Clay Hill Road, despite frequent speed checks by state troopers. Many drivers exceed the 55-mph speed limit there, he said.
"It's a bad stretch of highway," Winthrow said. "This is a real speed zone through here."
The Commonwealth Transportation Board has discussed removing funds from planned improvements along this stretch and shifting them to an interchange project at the junction of U.S. 29 and State Route 666 near Eastern View High School.
The board took no action on Russell's request.
The Virginia Department of Transportation must do a traffic study before a road's speed limit can be changed. The traffic study examines the number and type of vehicle crashes, along with other factors.
A request for a traffic study must come from a county's Board of Supervisors.
--Staff writers Corey Byers and Kelly Hannon contributed to this report.
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com
Date published: 9/4/2008
Most recent reader comments:
accidents only happen
(posted by
jaeshuan
, Sep. 4, 2008 5:36 pm)
when someone isnt paying attention.. thats regardless of speed. Roads posted at 55 can be safely driven at 80mph.. thats from engineering specs when the roads are designed.
actually, VDOT needs to erect some safe speed signs there until they widen that section to 4 lanes. 55-60 is not a safe speed on that corner and many driver's aren't responsible enough to pay attention to the road and slow down a tad as they go around it. SVchik, they only lowered the speed in 2 spots on Rt. 20 and Orange has increased their presence on 20 to slow the speeds down. They have dedicated 2 officers for the day and 2 for the night to travel Rt. 20 doing speed checks only.
peachesmom, I do not know where you
(posted by
JDRsr
, Sep. 4, 2008 3:52 pm)
are a "medic", but, your anecdotal observations run in direct opposition to years of statistics regarding young drivers and the number of accidents per mile driven. That is why VA has continued to TIGHTEN the restrictions for young drivers. Any senseless death is tragic, but, to blame the road is silly. Thousands of cars traverse that stretch of Rt. 3 annually without incident. Post a lower speed limit, more warning signs and up the presence of law enforcement.
Speed a factor?
(posted by
peachesmom
, Sep. 4, 2008 1:23 pm)
There is no evidence that speed was factor in this young girls death. This was a good kid that lost her life on a bad stretch of roadway that has been a problem area for many years. Some seem to think you need to teach kids to slow down I agree but I see more adults speeding then I do teens and as a medic I see more crashes involving adults due to speed,alcohol etc.. then I do teens so we can't just say teens are bad drivers they are inexperienced drivers but adults are bad drivers. Fix the road
Responsibility lies with the driver
(posted by
travelin_bone
, Sep. 4, 2008 11:23 am)
A driver can ignore a 35 mph sign just as easily as he does a 55 mph speed limit sign.
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