Council hears multi‑year 'Safer Streets' strategy: immediate spot fixes, later corridor redesigns and lowered speed limits

The city’s transportation team presented a multi‑year safer‑streets strategy to reduce fatalities and serious injuries that begins with low‑cost, rapid 'spot' interventions this year and scales to larger corridor redesigns and regulatory changes in later phases.

Ben Chambers (Speaker 13) said Phase 1 (year 1) focuses on targeted intersection upgrades and testing: enhanced sidewalks, rapid‑flashing beacons, pedestrian‑activated 'no‑turn on red' signs, flex‑post bump‑outs, mini‑roundabouts and temporary traffic‑calming trials on neighborhood streets. Staff have compiled an initial list of roughly 90 candidate locations (including Preston & Cattle, Cherry & Fifth, and portions of Monticello and Carlton Road) and will prioritize them with the bike‑and‑pedestrian advisory committee and fire/public‑safety partners.

Phase 2 moves successful tests to permanent installations and takes on larger corridor projects (examples include a West Main restriping to provide protected bike lanes and a 5th Street road‑diet project) while Phase 3 integrates lessons into updated standards and a citywide transportation plan that will align design manuals, speed‑limit policy and funding priorities. Chambers said speed limits across much of the city exceed the design speeds in the city’s 'Streets That Work' guidance; staff proposed a staged approach to lowering speed limits on yield and local streets first and addressing larger framework streets (arterials) later.

Public engagement and coordination with VDOT and public‑safety departments are integral, Chambers said. He previewed an open house tied to the federally funded Move Safely Blue Ridge demonstration project (Feb. 25 at Burnley Moran Elementary) and a March outreach for the 5th Street design work. Councilors asked about funding, repaving timing, and balancing traffic calming with emergency‑vehicle operations; staff said cushions and speed tables will be designed with cutouts or alternative forms to accommodate large vehicles.

What’s next: staff will return with prioritized location lists, cost estimates and an outreach schedule; the council will consider funding options in upcoming budget discussions.