Nelson, Greene Supervisors briefed on Move Safely Blue Ridge initiative

Local elected officials around the Charlottesville region are in the process of endorsing work that the Thomas Jefferson Planning District is currently doing to help draw down more federal money for transportation safety projects. 

The TJPDC secured a $857,600 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to create what’s known as a “comprehensive safety action” plan for its six member localities. This is a prerequisite for receiving funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and specifically a program called Safe Streets For All.  One person working on the project appeared before the Nelson County Board of Supervisors on February 13, 2024. 

“By developing this comprehensive safety action plan, we are going to render Nelson County and the region more broadly eligible for funding for implementations through SS4A, so this opens up a new pot of money potentially for projects in the future,” said Curtis Scarpignato, a planner with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. 

Scarpignato said the TJPDC will work closely with Nelson County staff to develop a local plan listing projects that could help reduce crashes. The TJPDC will also help with grant compliance. For it all to work, the TJPDC needs resolutions of support from all of the member localities. 

“From 2018 to 2022, there were 173 such serious injuries or fatalities on the roads in Nelson County,” Scarpignato said. “And the commitment must include a goal and timeline for eliminating those roadway fatalities and serious injuries which may be accomplished through an ambitious percentage reduction goal.”

Supervisor Jesse Rutherford noted the 32 fatalities listed in the slide presentation for that five-year period.

“I’d be interested to see where those fatalities were located in our community,” Rutherford said.

That information can be found on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s safety dashboard. You can get information on any locality on the interactive website. Take a look!

Supervisors endorsed the resolution to set the goal of reducing those fatalities in half by 2045. 

A few hours later, Scarpignato and other TJPDC staff traveled the 54 miles from Lovingston to Stanardsville to make a presentation to the Greene County Board of Supervisors and to secure their support. 

“So between 2018 and 2022, there were 125 deaths and serious injuries on the roads in Greene County,” Scarpignato said. 

That breaks down as 10 fatalities and 115 serious injuries.

Supervisor Davis Lamb wanted a further breakdown. 

“Are those fatalities that you have,” Lamb said. “Are some of those pedestrians? I know next to the corner store at Route 607 they’ve had some fatalities but they were pedestrians crossing the road.” 

A check of VDOT’s crash database shows two pedestrian fatalities in Greene in 2018 including one on U.S. 29 just south of Route 607 . There was another one at Route 607 in 2019, but there were no pedestrian deaths in the next three years. There was one pedestrian fatality on U.S. 33 business in Stanardsville in 2023.

Another member of the Board was skeptical that the reduction goal as stated was realistic. 

“I mean, you say you’re going to decrease the death rate by 2045 by 50 percent,” said Francis McGuigan. “So you’re going to reduce that number to one fatality and 12 serious injuries even though we’re looking at a population growth of at least 35 to 40 percent.”

McGuigan suggested it would be more honest to state the reduction target as part of a per capita basis. 

“I don’t think there’s anyway no matter what you did unless you turned off every vehicle there was that you would actually get anywhere near what you’re talking about,” McGuigan said. 

Scarpignato said the county could use different metrics if they wanted, but the choice was made to replicate what the Virginia Department of Transportation is using. 

“The way I would think of this goal is more about committing to the action of trying to resolve the roadway safety issues on the roadways,” Scarpignato said. “It’s not going to be about the exact number we pick.” 

Supervisor Lamb expressed a concern about bike lanes being close to the roadway. He would like more protection. 

“These bicycle paths they have right on the edge of the road and they have a line and they have a rider painted on there and all,” Lamb said. “I’d rather have just a small strip of grass and then a walkway with a bicycle path because I know it may cost extra but people are a whole  lot safer.”

Scarpignato said the comprehensive safety plan action would address safety for all users of roadways. Lamb had one more comment. 

“Everybody talks about walkability and something like that and walk to the store,” Lamb said. “You might do that in Los Angeles but you can’t do it here!”

Supervisors endorsed the resolution. Scarpignato said the Board should expect a report with recommendations in about a year and a half. 

Fluvanna Supervisors had the same presentation on February 7. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors will learn more this evening. Will their comments be enshrined in an edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement? Stay tuned. 

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