River Road speed limit change to 35 mph

[Anonymous]

PSA--- The State Highway Administration (SHA) has just reduced the speed limit on River Road to 35 MPH from the Beltway to the DC line (previously, the speed limit was 45 MPH for a 2.5+ mile strip of River Road from the Beltway to near Springfield Drive). More needs to be done to improve safety near the back entrance to Whitman HS, and we’re currently awaiting the scheduling of yet another community meeting with SHA to discuss alternatives for the intersection with Braeburn Parkway and crosswalk about 500 feet east of the intersection.

Please note that this change was made to improve safety on River Road, especially at the back entrance to the Whitman campus. The community remains engaged with the State Highway Administration, advocating for additional improvements to the intersection with Braeburn Parkway and the pedestrian crossing approximated 500 feet east of the intersection.

Also note that the new speed limit has been posted, but there is no signage calling people’s attention to the change (not even flags on the new speed limit signs). Tickets are already being issued.

[Anonymous]

I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

[Anonymous]

Finally!

I hope they install speedcams.

[Anonymous]

How can anyone speed on River Rd.? It is constantly under construction! Avoid, avoid, avoid.

[Anonymous]

OP, VA resident here but part of a community interested in lowering the speed limit on a major arterial that is owned by VDOT (as opposed to the responsibility of the locality). Can you share anything about how you went about getting this change implemented?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, VA resident here but part of a community interested in lowering the speed limit on a major arterial that is owned by VDOT (as opposed to the responsibility of the locality). Can you share anything about how you went about getting this change implemented?

While I wasn't part of getting this change implemented, I believe it was a combination of too many deadly accidents because of speed and the community uproar at local government forums. See this link:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/traffic/state-lowers-speed-limit-on-river-road-in-bethesda/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

[Anonymous]

So happy to hear this. I also would welcome the speed cameras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

+1

There's a lot of jackasses taking their sports cars on River Road late at night and early mornings on the weekend. My retired FIL blasts his Porsche on that stretch of road. The change is direly needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Step 1: lower the speed limit
Step 2: enforce the speed limit

They've done step 1. Now we just need to make sure that they do step 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Step 1: lower the speed limit
Step 2: enforce the speed limit

They've done step 1. Now we just need to make sure that they do step 2.

They've done step 2 as OP mentioned about tickets are being issued. But enforcing doesn't necessarily deter speeders unless there is a copy visibly there all the time, hence cameras would be the ideal option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

+1

There's a lot of jackasses taking their sports cars on River Road late at night and early mornings on the weekend. My retired FIL blasts his Porsche on that stretch of road. The change is direly needed.

I'd be ok with cameras, but the speed limit really should be 45 given the road. The accidents have been when people have been grossly speeding, in one case over 100 mph. This change won't stop that; it just gives cops an excuse to ticket people who are driving in a perfectly safe manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

+1

There's a lot of jackasses taking their sports cars on River Road late at night and early mornings on the weekend. My retired FIL blasts his Porsche on that stretch of road. The change is direly needed.

I'd be ok with cameras, but the speed limit really should be 45 given the road. The accidents have been when people have been grossly speeding, in one case over 100 mph. This change won't stop that; it just gives cops an excuse to ticket people who are driving in a perfectly safe manner.

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

+1

There's a lot of jackasses taking their sports cars on River Road late at night and early mornings on the weekend. My retired FIL blasts his Porsche on that stretch of road. The change is direly needed.

I'd be ok with cameras, but the speed limit really should be 45 given the road. The accidents have been when people have been grossly speeding, in one case over 100 mph. This change won't stop that; it just gives cops an excuse to ticket people who are driving in a perfectly safe manner.

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.

It is not a residential street and no driveways directly abut River Road. There are service roads off River Road that, in at least one are, have a couple of houses on it that is unfortunately also just called River Road. But that already has 25 mph limit and is totally different than the main river road we are all talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't go anywhere near River Road usually so I have no idea where the change is taking place. but here are just my impression of limits and driver behaviour. The only deterrence of reckless speeding is the actual precense of enforcement mechanisms rather than speed limit signage. Tickets are being issues doesn't mean people are slowing down. IMO, the best deterrence is just placing a blatant camera on that stretch near the school.

Now that the speed is lowered to 35, they are able to set cameras. I bet cameras are coming!

+1

There's a lot of jackasses taking their sports cars on River Road late at night and early mornings on the weekend. My retired FIL blasts his Porsche on that stretch of road. The change is direly needed.

I'd be ok with cameras, but the speed limit really should be 45 given the road. The accidents have been when people have been grossly speeding, in one case over 100 mph. This change won't stop that; it just gives cops an excuse to ticket people who are driving in a perfectly safe manner.

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.

It is not a residential street and no driveways directly abut River Road. There are service roads off River Road that, in at least one are, have a couple of houses on it that is unfortunately also just called River Road. But that already has 25 mph limit and is totally different than the main river road we are all talking about.

what are you talking about?
There are plenty of driveways that directly abut River Road in the mile or so before the DC line.

Please think before you post.