Virginia Beach breaks the law

Shore Drive 35 MPH speed change violated state code

It appears media sentiment and a few words from political insiders takes precedence over Commonwealth law and common sense. Such is the case when Virginia Beach City Council lowered the speed limit on Shore Drive from 45 to 35 miles per hour.

Follow up:

Commonwealth code (§ 46.2-878) clearly states that prior to reducing an established speed limit, an engineering investigation is required. That was not the case. Instead the city attorney shopped around for something that would fit. He then sited another subsection (§ 46.2-875), which states the maximum speed on highways in any city or town is 35 miles per hour. Unfortunately for the city attorney, that subsection exempts limited access highways with divided roadways of which defines Shore Drive.

Using the proper code would also provided the option for setting up daytime and nighttime speed limits. But for the case of expediency and to overt an engineering investigation, proper Commonwealth code adherence was compromised.

The untimely end of an inebriated twenty-five year-old pedestrian precipitated all this political hoopla. The young second-grade Norfolk teacher was barhopping across Shore Drive with a companion while texting.

The 35 miles per hour imposition has increased congestion, as well as tempers and been a cash cow for local law enforcement. Traffic flow has also been seriously disrupted in that traffic signals are calibrated for 45 miles per hour traffic flow rather than the lower speed. Business owners claim daytime business has fallen off.

The Virginia Beach City Council claims that the speed burden is only a trial basis and will be re-visited in November. Shore Drive residents and business owners claim that City Council is waiting for the November election cycle and that the initiative came about to placate bicyclists and accident victim families for the re-election cycle.

City Council action flies in the face of city hired traffic experts. We should expect more than unsubstantiated knee-jerk reactions and adherence to Commonwealth code. City Council should step-up, admit their mistake, rescind the speed reduction, and call for an engineering investigation by their hired experts.