The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
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Monday, November 23, 2009
By KEN BRADLEY - Staff Writer
A reduction in the speed limit on two roads in the Smith Mountain Lake area will be studied by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors recently gave its endorsement of the request from VDOT to study traffic on Angle Plantation Road and Route 949.
The study will be made at the request of residents of the two roads who say there are no posted speed limits. Roads that are not posted have a legal speed limit of 55 miles per hour.
In a letter to Tony Handy, VDOT residency administrator, Jimmy Holley, a resident on Angle Plantation Road, said it has become more dangerous than ever for anyone to walk or ride a bicycle on that road because motorists drive at fast rates of speed.
Holley said there are a lot of children playing in the area, and there is a private school on the road.
More law enforcement patrol would help, Holley also said.
Two couples who live on Route 949 also sent a letter to Handy requesting a reduced speed limit on that road.
The letter, signed by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson and Mr. and Mrs. Glenn E. Prather, said the speed limit is unmarked, so it is not uncommon for motorists to drive 55-plus miles per hour.
The two couples said in the letter that Route 949 has many blind curves and varied grade levels.
Handy said VDOT will begin a traffic engineering review of the two roads to determine whether speed limit reductions are needed.
Handy said the review will include volume of traffic, average speed of vehicles on the roads and the number of accidents reported there. |
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