VDOT repaints lines after complaint
Dear Lane Ranger: The white line dividers on the roadway on Minnieville Road from about Prince William Parkway to Dale Boulevard are in dire need of repainting or remarking.
There are so many lines that have been “painted over” and over and over that it is extremely hard to distinguish where the white lines dividing the roadway really are and where there are no lines. It is especially bad in the early evening hours and when the roadway is wet.
Thanks.
Hector Dittamo, Lake Ridge
Dear Hector: In response to your letter, Virginia Department of Transportation officials said they had the lines repainted.
Dear Lane Ranger: The Interstate 95 northbound on-ramp from Va. 234 in Dumfries is a nightmare.
Drivers that are entering the on-ramp from the 234 northbound side (coming from U.S. 1) are supposed to yield to the traffic that is entering the ramp to their left.
Unfortunately this is not so.
Both my wife and I use this ramp extensively and have seen numerous near misses and have been involved in a number of them ourselves.
Unfortunately, we do not have a clover leaf ramp for this exit and the yield sign for the yielding lane is posted on their right which most likely they do not see it since they are looking left to see if it’s clear for them to approach. Is there any way that VDOT could make that merging area much safer?
Possibly place a second yield sign on the left side or even paint the word “yield” on the road just to let motorists know what they need to do?
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous: Let’s see if new road markings send the message.
Jerry Pauley, Northern Virginia area manager for VDOT, said the agency is going to paint a line of triangles on the lane where drivers are required to yield.
“These are a series of triangles forming a continuous line where a motorist should stop. We will continue to monitor the location and make other modifications as deemed appropriate,” Pauley wrote in an e-mail to the Lane Ranger.
SIDEWALKS ARE AN AREA NEED
Prince William County Supervisor Maureen S. Caddigan, R-Dumfries, said she’s going to be fighting to build a sidewalk on the road leading to Potomac High School. County officials will divvy up road safety money at a November board meeting where Caddigan said she will try to convince her fellow board members to pay for the sidewalk. The sidewalk is estimated to cost $800,000. Turns out, this isn’t the only place where residents want more safety features for pedestrians. Readers responded online.
Posted Sept. 25 Hmmmm, lets see? The school board has tens of millions of dollars to build a marble atrium and a private gym in the new administration building, but doesn’t spend the money for sidewalks near schools? No waltzing away from this, the board isn’t protecting our children.
Wrong Priority
Posted Sept. 24 Money shouldn’t be the problem. Prince William County residents passed an $8.4 million bond referendum in 2006. The county should also consider building a sidewalk on Prince William Parkway between Crossing Place and Summerland Drive/York Drive intersection in Woodbridge.
Anonymous
Posted Sept. 24: If the sidewalk isn’t built it will be a big shame. Prince William is the second largest county in the state and we have our kids walking in a drainage ditch just to get to school.
John
Posted Sept. 25: They should build a sidewalk on the first 200 yards of Cabin Road. There are many middle school children and high school students that, due to after school activities, walk along a very narrow, very windy, substandard road. Building 200 yards of sidewalk will save a life. Since we already had one fatal accident there, I must ask Ms. Caddigan, why did you decide to build a goofy traffic circle and not child saving sidewalk?
Robert Lang, Triangle
Dear Robert: The decision to build a traffic circle was made by VDOT, not Supervisor Caddigan.
Send signal questions or report an issue to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Smart Traffic Center: call 703-383-VDOT, write [email protected] ginia.gov or visit virginia dot.org/travel/citizen.asp
For the latest road conditions, call 511 from any telephone in Virginia.
Please send questions or comments on roads, rail and transit to: Lane Ranger, c/o Potomac News, P.O. Box 2470, Woodbridge, VA 22195; e-mail: [email protected].