Move Over Law

Virginia’s Move Over law requires motorists to move to the next lane, when possible, when approaching vehicles with flashing blue, red or amber lights stopped on the side of the road.

More information about the Move Over law and other rules of the road can be found on the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website at www.virginiadot.org/travel/move_it_move_over.asp.

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VDOT Lifts Lane Closures and Adapts HOV Lanes for Memorial Day Holiday

Motorists in Virginia will find lane closures and road construction work zones temporarily suspended throughout the Memorial Day weekend to accommodate an expected surge in traffic over the holiday, the traditional start of summer travel season.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will lift lane closures from noon today, Friday, May 27, to noon Tuesday, May 31, for the majority of construction and maintenance projects.

Permanent construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place.

VDOT has adapted High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane schedules for the Memorial Day weekend to reflect historic traffic patterns, providing extra lane capacity where and when needed.

Read more about Memorial Day holiday travel from VDOT.

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Another One Year Extension for HOV Plates in Virginia

According to the Washington Post, Virginia Gov. Robert F. Mc­Don­nell has signed the now-traditional, one-year extension of the temporary law allowing solo drivers to use the lanes meant for carpoolers as long as they have the proper clean fuel license plates.

"But there is an important difference this year: Drivers who want to take advantage of this legal end-run around the carpooling requirement to drive on Interstate 66 High Occupancy Vehicle lanes need to buy their hybrids and get the clean fuel tags by June 30. After that, they can still buy hybrids, but they’ll risk getting a ticket if they drive in the I-66 HOV lanes. Police look for the proper tags, not for the type of vehicle.

"This change in the I-66 rules that grandfathers in clean fuel license plates issued before a certain date and then cuts off newcomers is similar to a provision that took effect in 2006 regarding hybrid driving on the I-95/395 HOV lanes. That was a concession to the concerns of carpoolers and the Virginia Department of Transportation that hybrids with solo drivers were on their way to clogging the HOV lanes, diminishing the incentive to carpool for a faster trip.

The rules for clean fuel tags are online on the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Web site. The annual fee for clean-fuel plates is $25.

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Governor McDonnell Announces 70 mph Speed Limits on 680 Miles of Interstate

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will post 70 mph speed limits on 680 miles of interstates no later than December 31.

While campaigning for governor, McDonnell proposed the speed limit increase to 70 mph in rural and less populated areas as a way to improve transportation in the Commonwealth. This change will result in 61 percent of Virginia's 1,119 miles of interstates being posted at 70 mph.

VDOT outlined to the Commonwealth Transportation Board at its meeting in Richmond plans to complete the speed limit increases around the state. The change to 70 mph follows the passage of House Bill 856 and Senate Bill 537 which were signed into law by the Governor in March. The bills allow VDOT's Commissioner to increase the maximum highway speed limit to 70 mph on certain highways after the completion of a traffic engineering study.

VDOT studied more than 786 miles of interstate highways for potential speed limit changes. Engineers reviewed crash patterns and history, speed data, physical conditions of the roadways and traffic patterns for candidate segments of highway. After input from Virginia State Police, segments that could safely be raised to 70 mph were identified. The speed limits on these segments will be increased to 70 mph in phases, with all changes scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010.

Speed limit increases are based on findings from engineering studies and needed safety improvements to ensure the safe travel of all motorists. After completion of the studies, engineers determined it best to maintain a speed limit of 65 mph on 189 miles of those segments reviewed. These are primarily in urban areas, areas with high crash histories, or in Virginia's Highway Safety Corridors.

Additional safety improvements for some segments are also planned for the coming months. These include the installation or upgrade of guardrail, rumble strips and additional signage.

According to a press release from the Governor's office, "Changing the speed limit to 70 mph will increase motorist safety by allowing traffic to move at a more consistent speed and reducing the conflict between faster and slower-moving traffic. The 70 mph speed limit change will also assist travelers in shortening commute times and will more efficiently move goods and services throughout Virginia."

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Ribbon-Cutting Wednesday for Pacific Boulevard Extension and Trail Parking

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be holding an event for the completion of the Pacific Boulevard extension, and new W/OD Trail parking, this Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. at the new Pacific Boulevard bridge over the W/OD Trail.

The two recently completed projects -- the extension of Pacific Boulevard from Autoworld Circle to Severn Way, and the new Washington and Old Dominion (W/OD) trail parking lot at Pacific Boulevard -- benefit Loudoun County drivers as well as trail users.

VDOT plans a ribbon-cutting and numerous local officials are scheduled to attend, including Delegates Tag Greason, Robert G. Marshall and Joe T. May; Commonwealth Transportation Board member Doug Koelemay; Loudoun County Board Chairman Scott K. York and Supervisors Lori Waters, Stevens Miller and Kelly Burk; Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Executive Director Paul Gilbert; and VDOT staff.

If you'd like to attend Wednesday's event, take Route 28, exit west onto Waxpool Road. Then turn right onto northbound Pacific Boulevard. Attendees will be directed to tent and parking.

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VDOT Video: Flashing Yellow Traffic Signal

Transportation departments across the country have recently begun installing flashing yellow signals, with nearly half of all states now having at least one. In June, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) first used a flashing yellow arrow signal when three were activated on Route 60 in James City County at the entrance to Busch Gardens.

According to VDOT, flashing yellow arrows are more effective than the more common circular green light and other signals at conveying to drivers the need to yield before turning left at permissive turns. Studies have shown that after a short learning period, flashing yellow signals are better understood, better obeyed and are safer.



What do you think Loudoun County? We up for flashing yellow traffic signals or do you think it'll just be too confusing? Comment below. And visit www.virginiadot.org for more information.

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Don't Forget About Route 7 Delays Again Tomorrow and Friday

Again tomorrow and Friday, August 6, Loudoun County motorists can expect periodic daytime traffic stops for up to 15 minutes on the Route 7 Bypass just west of the Route 15 interchange in Leesburg, that according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

VDOT reports that all lanes of traffic in both directions will be stopped while Dominion Virginia Power crews pull wires across roadways for construction of its new power line.

Periodic stops will take place tomorrow between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and again on Friday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Dominion Virginia Power is building a 12-mile, high-voltage power line from a new substation northwest of Hamilton, near the intersection of Berlin Turnpike and Route 7, to a substation off Cochran Mill Road east of Leesburg. The work requires crews to string electric lines along about nine miles of VDOT roads, crossing them a total of 15 times. Periodic traffic stops will continue through mid-September.

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Loudoun County Roads to be Mowed and Re-Paved

Virginia Department of Transportation maintenance crews are beginning their second round of mowing grass, trimming shrubs and removing litter along roadsides in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. In addition, VDOT has also scheduled $43 million for resurfacing, patching and guardrail repairs over the next four months.

Mowing Schedule
Earlier this year, VDOT set mowing priorities and schedules for all state-maintained roads, to begin in early May and continue through the fall. This year’s schedule in northern Virginia remains similar to last summer, when mowing cycles on most routes were reduced from previous years and the length of time between mowings was extended where possible.

Roadsides off interstates, primary roads and high-volume secondary routes are scheduled to be mowed three times this year: in May, in July or August, and in September or October. Crews will also remove litter during these times, and mow up to 18 feet from the pavement’s edge or to the center of the adjacent ditch.

Right-of-way beside low-volume secondary roads is being mowed once in July and once in October, and will be cut up to nine feet from the pavement’s edge.

Along unpaved roads andlow-volume subdivision streets, crews will mow grass once, in late July, unless safety issues require more frequent attention. These routes will be mowed up to nine feet from the road’s edge.

Paving Schedule
This year, VDOT is spending $43 million to repave 373 lane miles of primary roads in northern Virginia. The expenditure also includes patching and guardrail repair. In 2011, VDOT plans to spend $110 million on repaving, guardrail upgrades, preventive maintenance and patching.

The following roads will be paved in Loudoun County:

• Route 7 West from Williams Gap Road to Clark County line
• Route 7 East from Clark County Line to Route 1330
• Route 7 West from Route 287 to Route 719
• Route 15 from Howser Road to Prince William County line
• Route 28 from Route 846 to Route 7
• Route 50 from Route 611 to beginning of dual lanes
• Route 7 Bypass from Frontage 823 to Bridge over Route 15
• Route 9 from West Va. Line to Route 671
• Route 15 from Route 658 to bridge into Maryland
• Route 50 from Route 623 to Route 611
• Route 50 East at Loudoun County Parkway
• Route 50 West from Route 621 to Broad Run bridge

VDOT press release.

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Lane Restrictions and July 4th Weekend Traffic Information

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announces the following July 4th holiday weekend schedule for the I-95/395 reversible High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in northern Virginia:

HOV restrictions will be lifted on Monday, July 5 in observance of the federal holiday.

Normal HOV-3 restrictions will be in place on Friday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 6 (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. northbound; 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. southbound).

The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be southbound:

• Noon, Friday July 2 until 2 p.m. Saturday, July 3
• 9 p.m. Sunday, July 4 until 1 a.m. Monday, July 5

The I-95/395 reversible lanes will be northbound:

• 4 p.m. Saturday, July 3 until 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 4
• 3 a.m. Monday, July 5 until 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 6

For more information on northern Virginia’s HOV rules and schedules, visit www.virginiadot.org.

July 4 Event Traffic

To accommodate travelers attending Fourth of July events in Washington, D.C., VDOT will coordinate and adjust signal timings at approximately 116 signalized intersections along major arterial roads, including routes 1, 7, 29, 50, 123, 236 and 244, in Virginia. Signals will be timed to help move traffic into the District during the day and then south and west from the city between 9:30 p.m. and midnight.

511 and E-ZPass
Since the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday, VDOT and AAA Mid-Atlantic anticipate higher traffic volumes because of the three-day weekend with Monday, July 5, as a holiday. To avoid congestion and bottlenecks on major highways throughout Virginia, VDOT encourages travelers to take advantage of its tools and resources available on www.511virginia.gov.

If you can’t go online, dial 511 from your home or mobile phone, after you pull off the road if you are driving.

Virginia is also part of the multi-state E-ZPass electronic toll-collection network. E-ZPass customers can use their transponders at toll facilities in 13 states including Virginia.

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Virginia's First 70mph Speed Limit Increase

Governor Bob McDonnell today announced the first stretch of Virginia interstate to post a 70mph speed limit under new state law that went into effect today, July 1.

Earlier today, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton unveiled the new 70mph sign along I-295 from I-95 in Prince George County south of Petersburg to just south of the Route 60/Interstate 64 interchange in Henrico County. While campaigning for governor, McDonnell proposed the speed limit increase to 70 mph in rural and less populated areas as a way to improve transportation in the commonwealth.

House Bill 856 and Senate Bill 537 passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Bob McDonnell in March, allows the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to increase the maximum highway speed limit to 70 mph on certain highways after the completion of a traffic engineering study.

Doubt we'll see any 70mph increases here in Loudoun County, even though most motorists are already going that speed! But what do you think Loudoun County commuters? Think increasing the speed limit is a good idea or are we going fast enough already? Comment below.

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