| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Sandy Myers (540) 332-9201 Sandy.Myers@vdot.virginia.gov Cellular: (540) 292-2500 |
STA-050 March 12, 2008 |
TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING PROJECT GETS THE GREEN LIGHT IN THE WINCHESTER-FREDERICK COUNTY AREA
STAUNTON – Traffic signal timing for 21 signals on four major highways in the Winchester and Frederick County area will be coordinated with a new project from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Beginning on March 13, work on the signals will be done at the following locations:
Route 7 – Signals at both Interstate 81 ramps, Getty Lane, Regency Lakes Drive, Millbrook Road, Greenwood Road and Woods Mill Road.
Route 11 south at Route 37 – Signals at Shawnee Drive, Apple Valley Road, Hood Way and Commonwealth Court.
Route 50 west of Winchester – Signals at both Route 37 ramps, Ward, and Round Hill.
Route 50/522/17 – Signals at Frontage Road, both I-81 ramps. On Route 50 at Tulane Drive, Prince Frederick Drive. On Route 522 at Delco Plaza and Costello Drive.
Contractors will be working on the signals for the remainder of March. Adjustments in signal timing will be made in March and April. Consultants and VDOT representatives will be on site to perform the timing adjustments and monitoring of the signals.
Motorists should use caution in these areas as drivers become acquainted with the new signal timing. Motorists on side streets may experience slightly longer waiting times.
The signal work will cost approximately $120,000 for all four highway corridors. The work is part of a priority list for signal optimization that was established by VDOT. Optimizing signal timing can potentially improve traffic flow, cause fewer emissions and contribute to fuel savings to the motorist. These benefits will be the result of fewer traffic stops while traveling through the coordinated corridors.
It is anticipated that motorists will experience at 5 to 15 percent improvement in travel time, yielding a 5 to 15 reduction in emissions and fuel consumption and up to a 30 percent reduction in vehicle stops along the coordinated corridor.
Highway safety is everyone’s responsibility. Virginia’s highway safety partnership — the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and Virginia State Police — challenges you to help prevent highway fatalities. Buckle up. Avoid distractions. Share the road. Drive drug- and alcohol-free. Obey speed limits. For more information on the Highway Safety Challenge and things you can do to avoid becoming Virginia’s next traffic fatality, visit www.safeVAhighways.org.
(END)
