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Residents, Council Discuss Traffic Calming, Blind Intersection on Taney and Heavy‑truck Routing to Post Office
Summary
Residents pressed city officials about a blind intersection at Taney and Grand Avenue, speeding on Main Street/Liberia and tractor‑trailers routing through Plantation Lane to reach a postal delivery gate.
Residents used the town hall to press the city on several traffic and safety problems across Manassas, including a blind intersection at Taney and Grand Avenue, speeding on Main Street/Liberia, and large commercial vehicles cutting through residential streets to access a postal loading gate.
Betty Robinson, who lives on Taney Road since 1981, described an unsafe condition at the Taney/Grand intersection: when cars park on Grand Avenue next to the intersection, drivers on Taney have severely restricted sight lines. “If an SUV parks on Grand Avenue, I can't see,” Robinson said, and asked what plan the city has to correct the intersection.
City staff told Robinson they would check sight distance at the intersection and would consider restricting parking on the space closest to Taney if necessary. Staff also suggested short‑term steps such as a mirror or targeted parking restrictions in the immediate spot if sight distance is adversely affected.
Separately, residents raised speeding on Liberia/Main Street and asked for speed humps; staff said a phased traffic‑calming program is in the city’s CIP and that Main Street will be a test case. Staff cautioned that some speed control devices — notably raised speed tables or humps — have limits because they can slow fire and EMS response and complicate transport; staff said they will coordinate with the fire department when planning installations.
Plantation Lane residents described repeated passes by tractor‑trailers that they said should not be using the street. Staff and the post office representative explained that many large delivery trucks must use a specific side entrance to reach the loading dock behind the post office; the post office said larger trucks cannot maneuver to the loading dock if they enter from Suddley, so drivers use the route that brings them past Plantation. Staff said they have spoken with the post office and VRE/Norfolk Southern about other crossings and will continue to press for repairs and operational changes.
On railroad crossings, residents asked the city to press VRE (Virginia Railway Express) and Norfolk Southern for repairs; council members said the city has requested repairs and will continue advocacy but that the track is not directly city property.
No council votes were taken at the town hall. Staff said they will (1) analyze sight distance at Taney/Grand and recommend targeted parking/visibility improvements, (2) move forward on CIP traffic‑calming work on Main Street as conditions and funding allow, and (3) continue to press rail and postal operators for operational fixes and track repairs.
