No Need For Speed

In considering the proposed revision of the Rt13/Stone Rd/South Bayside Rd intersection at Cape Charles (Shore Daily News, 7/25/24), I wonder if simpler solutions may not be nearly as effective at much less cost. It seems to me that a multi-million dollar RCUT intersection at this location may not reduce the overall number of accidents, but simply spread them out over adjacent areas, as it could merely shift opportunities for drivers to make bad decisions.

Red light cameras are effective deterrents used right across the Bay. If red light running has been a contributing cause of crashes at this intersection, would it not make sense to deploy them? But I suspect speed is the underlying factor that should be addressed. I’m not saying that speeders are responsible for every crash or near-miss. It’s more that the current speed limits approaching the intersection are high enough to encourage bad driver decisions. The standard 55MPH limit on Rt13 makes drivers more inclined to blow through a late yellow, as is also the case in the eastbound lane of Stone Rd in its last mile of approach to the intersection. That in particular is a problem, as Stone Rd drivers may maintain speed approaching a late yellow, but slow down in the intersection itself, as they turn northward or cross, due to the ‘whoop-de-doo’ pavement inconsistencies. This makes them even more a target for cross-traffic than would normally be the case.

Nobody likes to ‘dumb things down’ over other peoples’ poor decision making, but I think that reducing speeds and adding signage could be effective in this instance without making major changes. To start with, the 55MPH stretch of Stone Rd is only one mile, now. Many drivers headed into Cape Charles don’t even bother to accelerate to that limit, only to have to slow again closer to town. There are other drivers though, who still have trouble decelerating in two 15MPH steps to enter the town.

Reducing the limit on the mile nearest the intersection from 55 MPH to 45MPH would match the limit on the South Bayside Rd side, slowing drivers down for the light and making them perhaps a little more likely to coast, rather than charge, toward town. Additionally, if the 40MPH limit section of Stone Rd was reduced to 35MPH, it would result in drivers reducing speeds approaching town in two 10MPH steps, which would be less awkward for them than the current 15 MPH steps.

Reducing the Rt13 speed limit from 55MPH to 50MPH from the Townfield Rd/Cherrystone Rd intersection (First Horizon Bank) to the Parson’s Circle/Bayview Circle intersection (Corner Mart SUNOCO) could yield accident reductions throughout the stretch, as the intersections with traffic lights aren’t the only risky spots. With more businesses and homes accessing in this portion, it makes sense to me. Slowing things down just slightly gives drivers more time to make better decisions. My view is that a lot of northbound Rt13 drivers are loath to brake for a yellow traffic light, as it’s the first one they’ve seen in many miles. Southbound drivers are also disinclined as they’ve just gotten up to speed after the light at the Townfield Rd/Cherrystone Rd intersection. Adding flashing yellow lights for the reduced speed would make drivers pay more attention, as would ones advising ‘red light ahead’, even though the Stone Rd/South Bayside Rd intersection’s not obscured by a curve.

I understand that the RCUT intersection design has been effective in other installations, but I think it may be overkill for our situation. I think that other, less-intensive tweaks could be applied to reduce accidents throughout the Cheriton/Cape Charles Rt13 corridor, before resorting to major surgery. It’s only a matter of time before more accidents occur in the stretch as it is and smaller improvements can be implemented more quickly, with less disruption and cost. I believe that influencing driver behavior, rather than making large structural changes, may be a more practical approach to our traffic issues.

Mark Richardson