Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Fairfax County Legislative Program - Motorists stop at crosswalks
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted their Legislative Program at their meeting yesterday. As has been the case for the past several years, the program included a request that would require motorists to stop for pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks. Currently motorists are only required to yield, which means they "shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary."From the program:
Pedestrian and Transit Safety
Safe access to transit facilities can be improved through infrastructure investments and better traffic safety laws. With the opening of the Silver Line, along with significantly increased Fairfax Connector service and more concentrated growth, more residents and workers in the County are choosing to walk and use transit. Fairfax County supports revisions to Virginia’s existing pedestrian law that clarify the responsibilities of both drivers and pedestrians, in order to reduce the number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities that occur each year. In particular, support legislation that would require motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks at unsignalized intersections on roads where the speed is 35 mph or less, and at unsignalized crosswalks in front of schools. (Reinstates and updates position included in previous Programs.)
The Board doesn't think much of the idea of devolution which would require counties to build and maintain roads that are currently the responsibility of VDOT.Safe access to transit facilities can be improved through infrastructure investments and better traffic safety laws. With the opening of the Silver Line, along with significantly increased Fairfax Connector service and more concentrated growth, more residents and workers in the County are choosing to walk and use transit. Fairfax County supports revisions to Virginia’s existing pedestrian law that clarify the responsibilities of both drivers and pedestrians, in order to reduce the number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities that occur each year. In particular, support legislation that would require motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks at unsignalized intersections on roads where the speed is 35 mph or less, and at unsignalized crosswalks in front of schools. (Reinstates and updates position included in previous Programs.)
Secondary Road Devolution
Oppose any legislation that would require the transfer of secondary road construction and maintenance responsibilities to counties, especially if these efforts are not accompanied with corresponding revenue enhancements. While there are insufficient resources to adequately meet the maintenance and improvement needs of secondary roads within the Commonwealth, the solution to this problem is not to simply transfer these responsibilities to local governments that have neither the resources nor the expertise to fulfill them. Further, oppose any legislative or regulatory moratorium on the transfer of newly constructed secondary roads to VDOT for the purposes of ongoing maintenance. (Reaffirms previous position.)
Oppose any legislation that would require the transfer of secondary road construction and maintenance responsibilities to counties, especially if these efforts are not accompanied with corresponding revenue enhancements. While there are insufficient resources to adequately meet the maintenance and improvement needs of secondary roads within the Commonwealth, the solution to this problem is not to simply transfer these responsibilities to local governments that have neither the resources nor the expertise to fulfill them. Further, oppose any legislative or regulatory moratorium on the transfer of newly constructed secondary roads to VDOT for the purposes of ongoing maintenance. (Reaffirms previous position.)
Labels: legislative program
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