BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Bradford County Commission Chairman Danny Riddick says residents in his district want the speed limit lowered on County Road 18, but not everyone agrees.
In January, Riddick asked commissioners to support his request for the sheriff and county manager to explore lowering the speed limit on C.R. 18 from U.S. 301 to Edith Ellen Estates from 45 mph to 35 mph.
Now that there are sidewalks along the highway, Riddick said residents have asked him about lowering the speed limit for public safety. He said that would be consistent with other highway residential areas with sidewalks. In Speedville, he said, the speed limit is 35 mph.
By the Feb. 4 meeting, the request was receiving pushback from the public and other commissioners. Charles Baker of Hampton spoke, opposing the change and saying the speed limit was 45 mph when the county sought funding to construct sidewalks. If it’s unsafe now, it was unsafe then, he said.
Riddick said his interest was based on emails and phone calls from residents.
“There has been quite a few more homes built, and so that’s why,” he said. “I’m not saying we are, we ain’t, but I just asked the sheriff and Mr. Kornegay please look into it and give us some advice.”
Baker said more rural roads have even higher speed limits and no one is getting killed on sidewalks.
“All I’m doing is just what the constituents asked me to do,” Riddick said. “We’ll do the study, and then however it comes out. Believe me, I’m not looking for a battle with anybody.”
Later in the meeting, others weren’t comfortable with commission involvement. Commissioner Diane Andrews suggested traffic enforcement over speed limit changes, saying the commission is not the agency to be making those decisions. Commissioner Chris Dougherty said he agreed.
“I think this is a law enforcement issue,” he said. “We need to get the sheriff involved, the patrols involved.”
Dougherty said there needs to be a deterrent if people are speeding.
Traffic at RaceTrac
Jim DeValerio also had comments about issues at County Road 227 since the RaceTrac travel center opened. He said watching the project develop, he had hoped the intersection would be widened. As it stands, if people trying to turn from 227 on to 301 don’t leave room for people turning off of 301 and into the RaceTrac, then traffic backs up onto 301.
“If it’s not in your plans, I would ask that it get on your radar, because I think we’re growing, and you’re going to want the extra space. I don’t know how you widen it, or put a turn lane in, or how you handle that, but I think it would help down the road,” DeValerio said.
Bradford Public Works Director Jason Dodds said there are plans to improve the intersection, including widening 227 by 5 feet on each side. That cannot be done until a new cross drain in installed under 227. Stalling things was the developer’s change of contractors, but on Feb. 18 Dodds said that work should begin next week. Traffic could be interrupted, but work shouldn’t require more than three days to complete.
Also complicating matters was the timing of the traffic signal. The signal was relying on overhead detection since resurfacing work on 301 also milled the traffic loops beneath the highway’s surface. The loops will be restored as work continues, Dodds said. In the meantime, adjustments were made with the goal of alleviating congestion.
