Slowing down speedsters

By The Daily Progress

Published: July 16, 2008

Albemarle County police are enforcing the new speed limit on U.S. 29 just north of Charlottesville.

Good for them.

Now, two agencies have acted quickly to comply with community wishes regarding safety on that stretch of road.

It is where high school student Sydney Aichs was killed in a collision when, police say, a truck driver ran a red light as she was turning onto the highway.

The traffic light sits in a blind hollow. The Virginia Department of Transpor-tation says that the location does not meet its sight distance standards.

Reducing the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph was one of the recommendations made after Ms. Aichs’ death. However, originally, VDOT said it could not make that change until the end of the summer, due to paperwork requirements.

At a public hearing, area residents demanded better.

They got it. New speed limit signs went up within days. Rumble strips also were added.

But signs don’t guarantee compliance. Drivers may choose to ignore the signs — as they may choose to ignore the stoplight, or the flashing yellow lights in advance of the intersection telling drivers to slow down to 35 mph.

But at least if drivers are traveling at 45 mph instead of 55, it is easier to see those warning lights, easier to make the decision to reduce speed still further.

Police presence any time a speed limit is lowered is always a good idea. Just seeing a cop car can reinforce the requirement to slow down.

It’s particularly important here, both for reasons of physical safety and emotional involvement. At its most practical level, the lowered speed limit could save lives; beyond that, it is very personal to friends and neighbors of Aichs.

And by the way, the effort seems to be succeeding. A recent jaunt up U.S. 29 to Proffit Road showed traffic moving sedately at just under 45 mph, with impatient would-be speedsters boxed in on all lanes.

Now, if only we could do something about the tailgating.

Response to a need

Progress on another local need also is being made.

Region Ten Community Services Board has added Step Up to its programs, an effort to help chronically homeless people in Charlottesville, including some of those who were left without options when the privately run Hope Center was forced to close.

Step Up is primarily funded by a housing grant from the city, the same entity that shut down the Hope Center over zoning and safety regulations.

Step Up seeks to help 10 to 15 long-term homeless people and help them become productive members of society. However, residents are not required to transition out of the program; they will be assisted as long as funding continues to support them.

Chronically homeless are often “the poorest of the poor,” frequently those with mental illness or substance abuse problems that need long-term help.

Step Up is addressing a very real problem in our community. Kudos to those involved.