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Health & Fitness

Ashburn District News Flash

Asburn District April News Flash regarding W&OD Trail crossing on Belmont Ridge Road.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am happy to announce that after a year of working collaboratively with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO), VDOT and the Northern Virginia Parks Authority (NVRPA),  the next step in a series of efforts to improve safety at the W&OD and Belmont Ridge Road crossing will be enacted on Monday, 8 April.            

Since I took office, I have heard from many constituents - cyclists, motorists and pedestrians - that this is one of the most confusing and perceived "unsafe" intersections in the Ashburn area. I spearheaded an initiative last spring with the above mentioned stakeholders to address these concerns and increase public safety.

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I partnered with COG, VDOT, LCSO, and NVRPA in the fall to hold a "Street Smart Safety" event at the crossing to begin the public awareness campaign. The installation of Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFB) is the next step in this initiative. These safety devices have already been installed and will be activated this coming Monday, 8 April. A description of their purpose and functionality is provided at the end of this message.
               
I have also been working with Delegate Tag Greason and Senator Barbara Favola to enact legislation in Richmond to clarify the rights and responsibilities of all users of the shared use path (W&OD) and highway (Belmont Ridge Road) so that all parties are clear on what they need to do when approaching and crossing the intersection. Clarifying the language in the code will reduce confusion, increase safety and allow the LCSO to enforce the code more effectively. This legislation passed in the General Assembly this winter, was approved on 21 March, 2013 (Chapter 681 - see link below) and a local ordinance will be enacted on 1 July, 2013.

               
Sheriff Chapman is excited about this initiative as well, saying "I support any and all measures that increase safety for the citizens of Loudoun County. I am looking forward to educating my team on these new measures and have enjoyed partnering with Supervisor Buona on this important public safety initiative."

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Please share this information with your friends and neighbors so as many people as possible are aware of the coming changes.

               
Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFB) help increase driver awareness at unsignalized intersections and mid-block pedestrian crossings. They are traffic safety warning devices that use LED lights similar to emergency flashers on police vehicles. The units are solar powered so they will not be subject to power interruption during power outages. Two RRFBs are installed, one on each side of Belmont Ridge Road at its intersection with W&OD trail. Bicyclists and pedestrians along the W&OD trail will manually activate the RRFBs by a push button. Trail users are expected to wait until drivers yield before entering the crosswalk. The LED lights are timed to allow time for the vehicles to yield while continuing to flash as the pedestrians cross the roadway.

Link to state code: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?131+ful+CHAP0681

Warmest regards,   

Ralph

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