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Residents raise school‑bus safety concerns as Rockville Road safety study proceeds
Summary
Staff said a VDOT safety study of Rockville Road from Ashland Road to the Hanover County line is due in late October; preliminary speed data from the sheriff and VDOT show corridor averages of 42–46 mph and an 85th percentile of 50 mph; residents told the board school buses and construction are creating local safety and routing issues.
At the transportation workshop staff said VDOT will perform a safety study on Rockville Road from Ashland Road to the Hanover County line; the study is scheduled to be completed in late October and full results will be shared with the board.
Staff reported preliminary speed data provided by the sheriff's office and VDOT: the sheriff's unit captured an average speed of 42 mph at a location near the Tuckahoe Bridge Section 2 entrance, while VDOT's corridor average was 46 mph with an 85th percentile of 50 mph. Staff noted VDOT's practice is to post a speed limit within 5 mph of the 85th percentile.
Several residents raised safety concerns during public comment. Andy Wingard said he recently moved into the Heidel Bridge Section 2 subdivision and described families driving to alternate locations for bus pickups because the current site is unsafe: “My kids are 5 and 6... We're driving down to St. Matthews Lane because of the condition,” Wingard said, urging the county to avoid a situation where many new homes send drivers onto a narrow dead‑end street.
Linda Moore, who said she helped organize a neighborhood workshop, thanked the sheriff's office for sharing speed data and urged the board to use visual mapping to help neighbors understand development stages and safety implications. Staff said some near‑term improvements (signing, striping at certain intersections) are on the list and that the county and VDOT will continue coordinating; staff emphasized bus‑stop decisions rest with the school division, not county staff or VDOT.
No formal county action was taken; staff said they will present the full VDOT safety study results when available and will ask VDOT about signage and county processes for bus‑stop requests.
