Arlington may lower speed limits on some roads

[PotomacCyclist]

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/07/08/board-to-consider-decreasing-speed-limits/

Speed limits could be lowered on some streets, including key streets in Rosslyn and Clarendon. While I think lowering car speeds is a nice idea, I don’t know how effective lower speed limits will be. It’s no secret that many (if not most) car drivers will simply drive as fast as they think they can get away with. I see drivers blowing past existing speed limits as is, all the time. As in 10 to 20 mph above the speed limit. Sometimes faster.

If Arlington is going to do this on the cheap (by merely installing new speed limit signs), then I don’t think this plan will do much to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers. If they want to do it properly, they will have to use traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps, speed tables, simulated bends in the road, and so on.

Enforcement would also be important, both for speed limits and for aggressive driving. I continue to see a lot of drivers who simply won’t yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, when the pedestrian arrived at the crossing well before the driver did. For a clear example of just how many drivers fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, check out these articles about the police sting at Veirs Mill Rd. in Rockville (Md.) this May. Unfortunately, the aggressive behavior among the drivers that day is not an anomaly in this region.

http://streetsblog.net/2013/05/10/maryland-cops-show-how-pedestrian-safety-enforcement-should-be-done/

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Failing-to-Yield-to-Pedestrians-in-Montgomery-Co-Could-Cost-You-206557651.html

Topic

[KLizotte]

While I was in the Amherst/Northampton, MA area last week for the holiday I did some biking around. Aside from the gorgeous scenery, wow, what a difference in car culture. Even though most roads are country lanes, they drive slower than around here (esp Loudon County), give cyclists wide berth when passing, stop at crosswalks, often give cyclists the right of way even when they don’t have to, etc. With the exception of one pick up truck, all cars that I interacted with were unfailingly courteous, careful and non-aggressive. I even got into a “you go, no you go” waving argument with a driver who had the right of way but who stopped to let me go through an intersection. I checked out some of their bike trails and more often than not cars would stop to let me cross where the trail bissected the road even though there wasn’t a crosswalk. I went to grad school in the Valley eons ago and don’t recall ever having a negative incident with a driver while biking.

I think a lot of the difference is due to the fact that it is a rural area with only one major strip mall thoroughfare so little traffic congestion, the high density of students (thus lots of cyclists), and the relaxed way of life (they don’t call it the “Happy Valley” for nothin’). I also noticed that most bikes were secured with a simple cable lock though I’ll grant you that most bikes aren’t nearly as nice as those on this group.

Lastly, I noted that the main intersections in the heart of Amherst and Northampton have changed their light signalling. These intersections are your standard four way square with lights. For pedestrians to cross, all the lights turn red at the same time, right turns on red are not allowed, and the walking man signal comes on for all sides at the same time. This means peds on all sides walk at the same time and can cross on the diagonal. It worked out very well except that the walking signal didn’t stay on long enough IMHO. You really have to hustle if you’re doing a diagonol cross.

It’s such a nice area to visit and bike that I’m planning on going back in October when the leaves have changed and it is cooler (it was ungodly hot when I was in there – quite unusual).

[dasgeh]

I agree that enforcement is important. ACPD doesn’t ticket for speeding less than 10mph over the speed limit. ArlCo has data that says average speeds on arterials are 17 mph higher than the limit. Still, lowering the limit would lower the speed of enforcement and, if behavior stays the same, the actual speeds. So it’s not everything, but it’s a step in the right direction.

[pfunkallstar]

While I’m not a fan of scofflaws, I hope that ACPD’s enforcement doesn’t reach the moronically anal levels of the Falls Church Police Department, who while often pull people over for 27 in a 25.

[txgoonie]

When I take the on-street route to work between N. Alexandria and Crystal City, it’s literally a little over 3 miles. I have never ridden to work without some negative encounter (usually more like 3) with a motor vehicle, ranging from blocked bike lanes to being sideswiped by a bus. Even with bike lanes and pretty low speed limits, I routinely get buzzed, cut off and yelled at. That’s why I usually don’t go that way

[PotomacCyclist]

I’m not so concerned about the drivers who exceed the speed limit by 2 mph. It’s the drivers who are going 10 to 20 mph above the limit, or even faster, that worry me. Or the drivers who, for some reason, think that they have a constitutional right to run down pedestrians and cyclists.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 57838 wrote:

Or the drivers who, for some reason, think that they have a constitutional right to run down pedestrians and cyclists.

for me it’s the LE and general assembly members who agree with them.

[Author]

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