Lane Ranger: Reader agrees about Mine Road

Dear Lane Ranger: I read your response to the letter about this very dangerous intersection (Mine and Van Buren roads, Lane Ranger, March 17).

Is there a process to appeal a VDOT decision of this nature? As a Forest Park High School parent and a frequent traveler of this route to avoid the traffic congestion on U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 to get to our home in Triangle, we know first hand the danger of this intersection.

Yes, if cars traveling on Mine Road were going at a safe and responsible speed as they approach the underpass before the intersection with Van Buren Road, there would be few issues.

However, more often than not, cars that are continuing straight on Mine Road are not traveling at a safe speed. More than once I’ve had a close call with a speeder on Mine Road going well past the posted speed limit, with accompanying rude gestures directed at my car for trying to make a left turn.

One gets the sense that residents of Mine Road resent the added traffic on their road due to increased traffic everywhere.

On top of that there is a new housing development going in right at that intersection that will eventually increase the traffic load at that intersection even more. Also, school buses do use that route to get to Forest Park from the Triangle area.

What possible harm would it do to put three-way stop signage at that intersection?

It can’t be expense — VDOT is going to change the signage anyway to put up “warning” signs.

I think VDOT needs to take another look at this issue — any intersection that warrants cautionary signage would be even better served with an actual stop sign.
Claudia Stein, Triangle

Dear Claudia: After talking with Jerry Pauley, a Virginia Department of Transportation engineer, it’s clear why a three-way stop isn’t feasible.

They don’t want to create one problem by solving another.

Yes, new stop signs would make a journey through the intersection safe and predictable for all traffic.

But Pauley pointed out that chances of a rear end collision would be greatly increased at Mine Road as vehicles approach the intersection around that blind corner.

Imagine three cars stopped at the intersection. Another one comes around the corner from under the overpass and there’s a big chance they won’t anticipate those other stopped cars.

You’re right, however, in noticing the increased use of this cut-through road and a future increase in traffic as more homes are built nearby.

When developers add those houses, they are usually required to study the local traffic and if the additional traffic impacts intersections negatively, developers should be held accountable for any improvements that could be made.

How would you feel about a roundabout at Mine and Van Buren? These traffic circles force everyone to slow down significantly, but wouldn’t cause a complete stop.

Until something else can be done, everyone should use more care at this intersection.

Ask police to patrol Mine Road for speeders.

As for rude hand gestures, these are signs that drivers have forgotten how to wave and smile, which are indications that you’re thankful to traverse these busy roads unscathed.

A SIGHT FOR SORE RIMS
It’s alignment season, as indicated by the proliferation of potholes around town. And VDOT’s “pothole killer” is patrolling area roads to do some quick fixes.

It’s a roving repair kit that fixes holes with no crews to get out and tamp the asphalt and gravel down — cars rolling over the patch do that.

The “pothole killer” truck, which originates from Patch Management Inc. in Morrisville, Pa., fills a pothole in a minute or less.

Be courteous to these “pothole killer” drivers — they might just save your rims.

Send signal questions or report an issue to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Smart Traffic Center: call 703-383-VDOT, write NOVAinfo@ VDOT.virginia.gov or visit virginiadot.org/travel/citizen.asp

For the latest road conditions, call 511 from any telephone in Virginia.