Supervisor Alcorn assists neighborhoods with traffic safety

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors officially endorsed the installation of new speed humps along John Milton Drive and Fairway Drive during their Aug. 25 meeting.

Two humps were approved for John Milton Drive between Fox Mill Road and Viking Drive. On Fairway Drive, three speed humps will be installed between North Shore Drive and Orchard Lane.

Community members in both neighborhoods approached Supervisor Walter Alcorn with safety concerns regarding speeding. He worked directly with residents to initiate the county’s multi-step traffic-calming process through the Residential Transportation Administration Program.

The speed humps aim to reduce vehicle speeds, enhance neighborhood safety, and protect pedestrians in residential areas.

Residents in both neighborhoods voted to approve these humps, as required under the county’s program to help communities deal with traffic impacts. To win approval, more than 50% of occupied homes in the neighborhood must vote for the speed humps.

Homeowners along John Milton Drive voted 53% to 47% to approve the speed humps while Fairway Drive residents voted 78% to 21% in favor.

Speed Hump Details & Specific Locations

The speed humps will measure 12 feet wide and 3 inches high at their peak.

• John Milton Drive (2 Speed Humps):
  • One hump will be installed adjacent to the Fox Mill Shopping Center (near 2572 and 2574 John Milton Drive).
  • A second hump will be positioned opposite Fox Mill Elementary School, located between Thomas Young Lane and John Milton Court.
• Fairway Drive (3 Speed Humps):
  • Two humps will be placed across from Reston Association’s ballfields and tennis courts, and a third will be located near Waterhaven Court.
  • Emergency Vehicle Cut-outs: As specifically requested by the community, the speed humps on Fairway Drive will feature cut-outs. These allow emergency and public safety vehicles to pass through smoothly without needing to slow down.

Documented Speeding

To qualify for speed humps, roads must have a 25-mph speed limit, and a county traffic study must also find that at least 15% of drivers exceed this limit by at least 10 mph (in at least one direction of travel).

County traffic studies confirmed significant speeding on both roads. On John Milton Drive, average speeds reached 36 mph in the eastbound lane and 34 mph in the westbound lane. On Fairway Drive, the study found that 82% of drivers exceeded the 25-mph speed limit — with 3.45% of vehicles traveling in excess of 55 mph.

Why Speed Reduction Matters

Traffic safety research demonstrates that lowering vehicle speeds — even small reductions — can significantly decrease pedestrian injuries and death. For example, a Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study confirms that greater speeds result in greater risk for injuries and death for pedestrians when struck by a car:

• 20 mph impact: there’s an18% risk of severe injury or death
• 30 mph impact: 50% risk of severe injury or death
• 40 mph impact: 81% risk of severe injury or death

Lower speeds expand a driver’s field of vision, improve depth perception, and allow more time to react and brake. However, high speeds create "tunnel vision," narrowing a driver's peripheral focus and drastically increasing stopping distances.

What’s Next

With the Board of Supervisors' endorsement secured, the traffic-calming plans for John Milton and Fairway Drives will be submitted to the Virginia Department of Transportation for final administrative review. If approved by VDOT, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation will coordinate installation in the coming weeks.

How to Request Traffic Calming

Residents interested in addressing traffic issues or speeding in their own neighborhoods are encouraged to contact Supervisor Alcorn’s office by email or call 703-478-0283, TTY 711. The county offers a variety of measures to help, ranging from "Watch for Children" signs to speed humps.