Fairfax County staff propose two speed humps for Providence Street; residents press for stop sign, sidewalks and enforcement
Loading...
Summary
Fairfax County Department of Transportation presented a community-initiated traffic-calming plan for Providence Street that would add two speed humps and proceed to a ballot of 55 occupied properties; residents pressed staff to pursue a 3-way stop with VDOT, pursue sidewalks and increase enforcement.
Fairfax County Department of Transportation staff outlined a traffic-calming plan for Providence Street and said the proposal would move to a community ballot if the task force elects to proceed.
"So we're here today, to explain the traffic calming process, provide an opportunity for community feedback, and answer any questions anyone might have," said Nicole Michakwe, a FCDOT presenter, as she described the five-step, community-initiated process and eligibility rules.
The presentation said site visits and a traffic study found Providence Street recorded about 2,400 vehicles over the measurement period. FCDOT reported 80th-percentile speeds of roughly 34 mph northbound and 35 mph southbound and told residents the southbound direction met the program's speed criterion. Based on field constraints and device-spacing rules, staff proposed installing two speed humps (each 12 feet long and about 3 inches high) marked with chevrons and advisory 15 mph signage.
The next step would be a ballot phase. Nicole said there are 55 occupied properties in the ballot area and that ballots will be distributed to either occupants or property owners depending on the task force's choice; the ballot period will run for at least three weeks and will be administered through the Providence District Supervisor's Office. FCDOT staff explained that the plan requires a majority of occupied properties to vote in favor to proceed to installation and that, after endorsement by the Board of Supervisors, a resolution would be submitted to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for final acceptance before FCDOT coordinates installation with the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services.
Residents pressed for alternatives and additional safety measures. Multiple participants asked why a 3-way stop could not be installed at the Oak–Providence intersection; staff and the supervisor's office said VDOT evaluates stop-sign warrants (often requiring crash history and other data) and that stop-sign changes must go through VDOT's separate review. Grace Vaughn, reading a task-force update, said "Emily did share that they've requested a 3 way stop and that VDOT indicated they need 10 documented accidents at the intersection in a 12 month span, and there's only been 1 reported accident."
Several residents disputed that reported crash totals reflected neighborhood experience. "I regularly nearly get hit there driving up the road," said Eileen, describing repeated near-miss incidents at the Oak–Providence corner. Tyler, another resident, said he "regularly see[s] cars drive towards the end of Providence ... race their car and see how fast they can drive," and described prior unsuccessful requests for extended police enforcement.
On sidewalks, residents said years of requests for curb-and-gutter and sidewalks — particularly to connect Oak Street to Providence — have gone unanswered because of limited funding and right-of-way constraints. Molly said she has submitted sidewalk requests for about 15 years with little progress; Emily (a task-force member) said the county has told the neighborhood it is "in the queue" but that there is currently no funding to build the improvements.
Staff outlined follow-up steps: the task force can notify the Providence District Supervisor's Office and FCDOT if it chooses to move forward with the presented plan; FCDOT offers an optional 30-minute meeting on balloting details; and residents can ask the supervisor's office to submit a VDOT request or file one directly at VDOT's website. Morgan from the Providence District Supervisor's Office said she is drafting an email to VDOT and will share updates with the group.
For follow-up, staff provided contact information: DOTinfo@fairfaxcounty.gov or (703) 877-5600 for FCDOT, and providence@ffxcounty.gov or (703) 560-6946 for the Providence District Supervisor's Office. The meeting concluded with staff thanking attendees and leaving the record open for any additional questions.
Next procedural steps: if the task force endorses the draft plan and a majority of occupied-property ballots favor it, FCDOT will seek Board of Supervisors endorsement and submit a resolution to VDOT; only after VDOT acceptance would the county schedule installation.
