Why there is ‘no turn on red’ at Potomac Hospital

Dear Lane Ranger,

Why is there a “no turn on red” sign at Neabsco Road and Opitz Boulevard at the entrance to Potomac Hospital? This serves to back up traffic turning right from Neabsco Road on to Opitz Boulevard. I can think of a number of other places where a “no turn on red” would be more beneficial. Sincerely,

Don Dorton

Woodbridge

Don,

The “no right turn on red” sign was installed because the sight distance at the intersection is compromised from where the right-turning vehicles must stop, stated Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer McCord. Sight distance, in this case, refers to how far right-turning drivers can see.

“Our traffic engineers are currently looking at whether the site distance here can be increased, and they are also considering if it will help to add additional green time for the vehicles turning right here,” stated McCord.

Dear Lane Ranger,

Will the right turn lane on southbound U.S. 1 at Va. 234 going to be extended so it begins at Wayside Drive? I think with all of the congestion this would free up some of the traffic at the intersection at Wayside Drive and U.S. 1.

Rich Inlow

Dumfries

Rich,

The commuter lot expansion will not include a turn lane to Wayside Drive. Doing so would require widening U.S. 1 and replacing a major box culvert that is under the roadway, said Prince William County Department of Transportation spokesman Kattab Shammout.

However, a second entrance to the commuter lot is being constructed as part of the expansion project. The new entrance will be located 600 feet north of the U.S. 1 / Va. 234 intersection, on the southbound side of U.S. 1, said Shammout.

The existing right turn lane at that location is being extending from 200 to 400 feet, he added.

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