Rumble strips at Nelson County intersection subject of concern

At the December 10 meeting of the Nelson County Board of Supervisors, a Lovingston resident appeared before the elected officials to ask for help in dealing with an outcome of recent work by the Virginia Department of Transportation near the intersection of U.S. 29, Callohill Drive, and Front Street.

“We live right behind the Front Street garage and on November, I think it was the 18th, on a Monday in the evening, VDOT installed rumble strips,” said Bren Seed. “And we woke up probably 4 in the morning hearing them.”

Seed said the solution to the problem should be lowering the speed on U.S. 29 rather than install a device which kept her and several neighbors for weeks because of the low-frequency rumble.

“They did come take them out, and that was exciting,” Seed said. “The next day they came and put modified ones down so we can sleep now, which is great, but we still hear them all through town and in our yard, and I don’t see them slowing traffic down at all.”

Seed’s comments came immediately before a regularly scheduled presentation from VDOT engineer Robert Brown who said the first set of rumble strips had been installed incorrectly by a contractor. He said the previous ones had lost their effectiveness. He said he could investigate other solutions, but these are intended to address safety concerns with the highway.

“They are part of the safety improvements that we want on Route 29,” Brown said. “As you all know, we had a tremendous meeting with the public about safety on the Route 29 corridor. And these are a safety feature.”

Brown said he respected how the sounds would be terrible to someone who lived nearby but VDOT needs to see how they perform. The speed limit on U.S. 29 through Lovingston is at 45 miles per hour and the rumble strips are intended to remind people they are traveling too fast.

“We all know how traffic drives through that intersection,” Brown said. “Just because it says it’s 45 miles per hour doesn’t mean that people aren’t running 60.”

Brown said an additional traffic study is still in the works about extending the 45 miles per hour zone.

East District Supervisor Jesse Rutherford said that safety of that intersection is a priority.

“We all know someone who has unfortunately died in that intersection,” Rutherford said. “And I can name multiple individuals in my life who have died in that intersection.”

Rutherford said the county will continue to work on getting more traffic enforcement from the Virginia State Police or the Sheriff’s Department. He said the Board would like to work toward less intrusive options that affect the quality of life of people who live in Lovingston.

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