River Road speed limit change to 35 mph

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With no Amazon, MoCo needs the money!

Arlington and Alexandria are also lowering speed limits, improving pedestrian safety, etc.

[Anonymous]

For the record, I live off that stretch of River Road and drive it four times a day. Nobody drove at 45mph. I would say the minimum speed was 55mph except during rush hour.

[Anonymous]

That stretch of River is a four-lane road with wide lanes and a grassy median. 45 was fine. It would have been better to signalize dangerous intersections and crossings if they are essential.

[Anonymous]

Bradley Blvd is parallel to River, and it's 35 mph also. It's not a divided road, it's 1-lane each way, and it has driveways entering directly on to it. Why does it have the same speed limit as River? River is designed for higher speeds than 35.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:River Road is a residential street. People's driveways empty out directly onto the road. Further, it's impossible for those residents exit their driveways to see speeding cars coming around the turns.

I'm fine with 35 mph and ticket cameras. Idiots won't change their ways until the fines accumulate.

I have no problem with the new speed limit either, but this part of River Road is not a residential street. It's a divided highway. The 35 MPH speed limit is an over-reaction to the tragic deaths of the Whitman student and his parents two years ago. Understandable, but really, the 45 MPH speed limit wasn't unreasonable. The real problem is the crosswalks. They should build a pedestrian bridge.

If the speed limit is only reasonable if you remove the pedestrians, then the speed limit isn't reasonable.

Not to mention that a speed limit of 45 mph means that lots of people think it's just fine to go 57 mph. With a speed limit of 35 mph, they will go 47 mph - which is what you consider appropriate.

That's not exactly how it works. Raising (or lowering) speed limits does not automatically make people increase (or decrease) their speed to a set amount above the limit. People will drive at an average speed appropriate to conditions, regardless of the posted limit.

An example: Great Falls St. in Falls Church/McLean has a posted limit of 35, and people generally drive 35-40 there because that's the speed that makes sense on that road (wide, straight, good sightlines and houses set back far away from the road). A road of similar design near my house has a posted limit of 25. People still routinely drive 35-40 there. Again: speed appropriate to conditions.

Or look at freeways: routes where the posted limit is 70, people drive around 70 because that's what's appropriate for most freeways. Where the limit is 55, people still drive around 70. Conversely, the narrow, crowded back streets where I live are all posted 25, but people tend to go 15-20 mph because the posted limit is actually higher than is comfortable for most people to drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:River Road is a residential street. People's driveways empty out directly onto the road. Further, it's impossible for those residents exit their driveways to see speeding cars coming around the turns.

I'm fine with 35 mph and ticket cameras. Idiots won't change their ways until the fines accumulate.

I have no problem with the new speed limit either, but this part of River Road is not a residential street. It's a divided highway. The 35 MPH speed limit is an over-reaction to the tragic deaths of the Whitman student and his parents two years ago. Understandable, but really, the 45 MPH speed limit wasn't unreasonable. The real problem is the crosswalks. They should build a pedestrian bridge.

If the speed limit is only reasonable if you remove the pedestrians, then the speed limit isn't reasonable.

Not to mention that a speed limit of 45 mph means that lots of people think it's just fine to go 57 mph. With a speed limit of 35 mph, they will go 47 mph - which is what you consider appropriate.

That's not exactly how it works. Raising (or lowering) speed limits does not automatically make people increase (or decrease) their speed to a set amount above the limit. People will drive at an average speed appropriate to conditions, regardless of the posted limit.

An example: Great Falls St. in Falls Church/McLean has a posted limit of 35, and people generally drive 35-40 there because that's the speed that makes sense on that road (wide, straight, good sightlines and houses set back far away from the road). A road of similar design near my house has a posted limit of 25. People still routinely drive 35-40 there. Again: speed appropriate to conditions.

Or look at freeways: routes where the posted limit is 70, people drive around 70 because that's what's appropriate for most freeways. Where the limit is 55, people still drive around 70. Conversely, the narrow, crowded back streets where I live are all posted 25, but people tend to go 15-20 mph because the posted limit is actually higher than is comfortable for most people to drive.

While the road geometry appearance matters a lot, speed limits and enforcement matter to some degree.

[Anonymous]

Good luck with that! They’d make a boatload if cash if they would install speed cameras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good luck with that! They’d make a boatload if cash if they would install speed cameras.

Hopefully they'll have them in place soon.

And 35 is generous. I think 30 is better suited, but 35 is a reasonable compromise, at least for now.

[Anonymous]

I've been having a ball lately trolling people on River Rd since the speed limit got lowered.

I get in the left lane, set my cruise to exactly 35, and watch the line behind me grow.

Or, I pace someone driving slow in the right lane (but usually still over 35, much to my chagrin) and block everyone the whole way to Burning Tree, where I turn off.

I work later, so I'm doing this about 7:30-7:45 most nights. Hopefully I've enraged a few of the a-hole leadfoot drivers here in this thread!!! Too bad, so sad!!!

The speed limit is now 35. Deal with it.

And if you're behind me, 35 is what you'll be doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been having a ball lately trolling people on River Rd since the speed limit got lowered.

I get in the left lane, set my cruise to exactly 35, and watch the line behind me grow.

Or, I pace someone driving slow in the right lane (but usually still over 35, much to my chagrin) and block everyone the whole way to Burning Tree, where I turn off.

I work later, so I'm doing this about 7:30-7:45 most nights. Hopefully I've enraged a few of the a-hole leadfoot drivers here in this thread!!! Too bad, so sad!!!

The speed limit is now 35. Deal with it.

And if you're behind me, 35 is what you'll be doing.

I like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck with that! They’d make a boatload if cash if they would install speed cameras.

Hopefully they'll have them in place soon.

And 35 is generous. I think 30 is better suited, but 35 is a reasonable compromise, at least for now.

So 35 really means 50mph....they need those speed cameras.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they need those cameras NOW. RIGHT NOW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bradley Blvd is parallel to River, and it's 35 mph also. It's not a divided road, it's 1-lane each way, and it has driveways entering directly on to it. Why does it have the same speed limit as River? River is designed for higher speeds than 35.

Because people like you, who drove 65 in the formerly 45 River Rd, necessitated it.

Because you. That's why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:River Road is a residential street. People's driveways empty out directly onto the road. Further, it's impossible for those residents exit their driveways to see speeding cars coming around the turns.

I'm fine with 35 mph and ticket cameras. Idiots won't change their ways until the fines accumulate.

I have no problem with the new speed limit either, but this part of River Road is not a residential street. It's a divided highway. The 35 MPH speed limit is an over-reaction to the tragic deaths of the Whitman student and his parents two years ago. Understandable, but really, the 45 MPH speed limit wasn't unreasonable. The real problem is the crosswalks. They should build a pedestrian bridge.

45 wasn't unreasonable. Except all the type-A jagoffs living in Bethesda and Potomac can't seem to keep their Audi or Rover under 60 on the way home. So they ruined it for you. Now everyone gets to drive slow.

Thank them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been having a ball lately trolling people on River Rd since the speed limit got lowered.

I get in the left lane, set my cruise to exactly 35, and watch the line behind me grow.

Or, I pace someone driving slow in the right lane (but usually still over 35, much to my chagrin) and block everyone the whole way to Burning Tree, where I turn off.

I work later, so I'm doing this about 7:30-7:45 most nights. Hopefully I've enraged a few of the a-hole leadfoot drivers here in this thread!!! Too bad, so sad!!!

The speed limit is now 35. Deal with it.

And if you're behind me, 35 is what you'll be doing.

STOP DOING THAT. It’s more unsafe than the people who are speeding.