Photography by Project151.org
Route 151 Looking Northbound
Just South of Route 6 East (Martin’s Store Substation)
It’s official. VDOT installed the new speed limits signs Thursday along Route 151 from just south of Route 6 near Martin’s Store Substation to just north of Bland Wade Road along 151. The new signs decrease the posted speed limit from 55 MPH to 45 MPH. Landmarks in the new 45 MPH speed limit area would be places such as at Ruritian Park, Ashley’s Market, Fall’s Grocery, and Afton Family Medicine, to name a few.
New 45 MPH speed limit sign headed north near Rockfish Ruritian Park.
VDOT tells Project151.org that the speed trailers checking speed along 151 will be moved into the new speed zones within the next few days.
Take a dumb driver and slow him or her down. What do you get?
A dumb driver driving slower.
The only problem is, even at 45 MPH that vehicle is a lethal weapon.
The dumb driver will crash at any speed. It is a statistical certainty.
Even worse, you’ll get slow dumb driver versus aggressive road rage driver.
Speed limits everywhere get slower and slower yet the Virginia death-toll on roads is nearing an all-time high.
Its the cell phone, text messages, pot addicts, drunks, and just fools in general. There is an entire category of drivers that is “unsafe at any speed.” And it’s not the commercial drivers.
By: James on December 7, 2007
at 7:00 pm
I don’t know if anyone has notice, but VDOT needs to put the new speed limit sign closer to route 6!!. If you are coming out of 6, you can get up to 55 MPH before you know that you are driving in a 45 MPH zone. This could be called a speed trap.
By: RF on December 10, 2007
at 9:58 am
That’s a good point RF, I am passing along your comments to VDOT in Amherst.
P-151
By: project151 on December 10, 2007
at 12:00 pm
I travel 151 multiple times per day. I strongly feel that the problem doesn’t lie with the truckers or set speed limit. From what I can gather, most of the poor drivers revolve around wintergreen. The weekend warriors from out of town (yes, I said out of town) lack the appreciation for the road and the locals who drive it on a regular basis. The locals know where to slow down due to curves, businesses and schools. Our local commuters know very well of the traffic problem and inefficient solutions. I resort to taking “back roads” to avoid as much travel on 151 that I can. I know that there are bad apples out there who are too self-centered to just take their time and think about the safest driving principles and act upon them. The lowered speed limits become more of a trouble for the locals that take their time to pull over and pick up a discarded drink can. If it were up to me I would increase enforcement and lower the speed limit strictly during ski season. I believe it would be more effective getting the message to those who need to hear it or just don’t care enough. SKI SEASON= 45MPH ZONE ENFORCEMENT. Let’s be practical and give it a try.
By: bn_bnntt on May 8, 2008
at 11:26 pm
[...] of VA Route 151 between Route 6E and Nellysford. In December of 2007 a portion of 151 north toward Greenfield was lowered from 55 MPH to 45 in response to one of the deadliest years in traffic history along the winding rural two highway in [...]
By: Speed Limit Change Takes Effect On Other Parts of Route 151 | Nelson County Life Magazine : News And Weather For Nelson County, VA & Wintergreen on November 7, 2008
at 2:56 am