Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn announced that residents living along Fairway Drive voted to install three new speed humps aimed at curbing speeding on this street in Reston.
“Community members approached me with concerns about speeding on Fairway Drive that were validated by a county speed study, including some drivers going more than 55 mph on this residential street,” Alcorn said. “So, I’m happy I was able to help them make their neighborhood safer through the county’s traffic-calming process.”
The new speed humps will be located between Orchard Lane and Waterhaven Court. Two will be installed across from Reston Association’s ballfields and tennis courts, and a third will be placed near Waterhaven Court. To allow emergency vehicles to pass through quickly, the humps will feature cut-outs.
Consistent with VDOT’s guidelines, a majority of residents must vote to approve the humps. They overwhelmingly voted for the humps by 78% to 21%. In April, ballots were sent to the 241 homes surrounding the proposed hump locations, and 161 ballots were cast by the June 13 deadline. (Of the ballots cast, 126 were for the humps and 35 were against.)
Excessive Speeding Documented
Fairfax County’s speed study demonstrated the need for traffic-calming measures on Fairway Drive. During the 24-hour period studied, 82% of drivers exceeded the posted 25 mph speed limit. Even more alarming, 3.45% of those vehicles were clocked traveling at speeds of over 55 mph.
Data shows that the humps are effective in slowing down drivers. Two speed humps previously installed on the eastern portion of Fairway Drive (between Beaver Circle and Shagbark Circle) successfully reduced driving speeds by 10% to 12%. Crucially, the follow-up study for that section reported zero vehicles reaching 55 mph or greater.
Speed Can Kill
Lowering speeds on residential streets can be a matter of life and death for walkers, bikers, and drivers. A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety highlights that a pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 20 mph faces an 18% risk of severe injury. That risk skyrockets to 50% at 30 mph, and a devastating 81% at 40 mph.
What Happens Next
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will formally endorse the traffic-calming plan for Fairway Drive. Following this action, the resolution will be sent to the Virginia Department of Transportation for review. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation will then coordinate with the county’s public works department to schedule the installation of the speed humps.
For more information on the county's traffic-calming program, including how to request help and qualify, contact the Hunter Mill District office by email or call 703-478-0283, TTY 711.