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Spotsylvania intersection has reader concerned about turn

Why is the speed limit 45 mph on the Spotsylvania Courthouse Bypass?

Date published: 8/24/2009


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By Kelly Hannon

HEADING SOUTH on Interstate 95 late at night this week and need to cross the Occoquan River bridge?

Two of the three southbound traffic lanes will be closed on the bridge from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tonight and tomorrow night. If weather cancels work one night, the backup night is Wednesday.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is shifting traffic lanes as it prepares to add a fourth lane to the interstate over the bridge.

Please remind yourself to get into the high occupancy vehicle lanes on these nights; they will be southbound and open to all traffic.

Dear Kelly: Why was the traffic pattern at the intersection of Spotsylvania Avenue and Mine Road changed so that the right lane is "right turn only"?

Prior to this change I never had to sit through more than one traffic light cycle. Now, 99 percent of the time the right lane is empty and the left lane is backed up. People trying to exit the shopping center who want to go straight across Mine Road or turn left now can't exit because they can't get into the left lane because traffic is backed up. The same is true for people exiting on the other side of Spotsylvania Avenue from the bank and other businesses on that side. Every evening since the change I sit through at least two traffic light cycles, while the right-hand lane is completely empty. It does not appear to me that there was/is enough "right turn only" traffic to justify this change. This is the only lane of the four corners of that intersection that is restricted. What is the reason?

--James Amsbaugh, King George

VDOT begs to differ. It created a right-turn-only lane because it studied the traffic pattern at the intersection and found the right-turn-on-red traffic to Mine Road was greater than or equal to all of the traffic turning left or driving straight ahead.


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Date published: 8/24/2009


Most recent reader comments:

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I went and look at those curbs and it's true (posted by larryg , Aug. 25, 2009 7:40 am)   
but what I got out of it was something different. I was thinking what an opportunity for a bike path to connect the CH to the Battlefield park - to make a loop down Brock road - around through the park and then back along the bypass to the CH area.... even easier now that they've run a water like down Brock Road. what a shame.

making suggestions to VDOT (posted by larryg , Aug. 25, 2009 7:37 am)   
been there...done that... willing to do again... what I usually get in response in something almost like a form letter - and the bottom line is usually sorry.. we don't do that ...and they give some reason about time, money, etc. Their leadership is institutionally and instinctively wary of the public. They are not alone. Many govt organizations will not blog with the public... even though they could strictly control the form and function.... even ignore questions....not even let them get posted ....

Spotsy Bypass nonsense (posted by Seanski , Aug. 24, 2009 6:32 pm)   
Right you are, Redswin & Wasp52. 45mph on that bypass is asinine. 90% of twisty Spotsylvania backroads have a limit the same or higher than the bypass. What a joke. Local officials and DOT devise a good idea (the bypass), then botch it up with a doofus limit.

Kick out management indeed (posted by kimcmitch , Aug. 24, 2009 4:38 pm)   
You voted them in. The state representatives set the rules that VDOT has to follow. County supervisors also have their hand in the mix. Has anyone even gone into a VDOT office to talk with those "engineers"?

VDOT is a permanent TAX on our TIME! (posted by Wasp52 , Aug. 24, 2009 3:38 pm)   
Think about the amount of time you spend stopping at lights in the middle of nowhere, or any number of ways that VDOT controls traffic, but does little or nothing to improve flow. AS just one example, how much did the project at Cool Springs/Butler RD area cost, but there's no turn on red? How in modern times did that happen? Then there's this artificial speed limit dictated by a curb? Kick out the management!

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