PETERSBURG, Va. β After more than 20 years of dealing with dangerous speeding on her street, Veronica Smith finally got the help she needed when Petersburg installed rumble strips on Valor Drive.
Smith has watched her neighborhood transform from a quiet residential area into what she describes as a "drag strip." The longtime Petersburg resident has had her mailbox destroyed three times due to reckless drivers.
"When I purchased this home, I had no idea the main stretch would turn into a drag strip. I did not," Smith said.
The speeding problem became so severe that Smith's neighbor cut down her hedge to improve visibility when backing out of driveways. Another neighbor created a semi-circle driveway to avoid having to back into traffic.
Melani Jones, who moved to the area with her family just last year, immediately noticed the traffic issues.
"It is very busy. You see cars all the time, back and forth. Up and down," Jones said.
After years of Smith asking city officials for help, Petersburg finally installed two sets of rumble strips near both ends of Valor Drive.
"When I saw the guys outside working, I literally took a picture and sent it to the group chat," Smith said. "I was like, finally. Finally."
The impact, she said, was immediate.
Within just over a week of installation, residents noticed significant changes in driver behavior. Cars, pickup trucks and even tractor-trailers are slowing down as they drive over the new strips.
"It's been a week, a little bit over a week and I'm telling you, I see the difference," Smith said.
Jones, who frequently walks her dog Winter in the area, has observed the behavioral change firsthand.
"They have really slowed down the traffic," Jones said. "You actually see people having to be conscious, slowing down, making an effort not to be speeding up and down this road."
The success on Valor Drive reflects a citywide challenge Petersburg is addressing through multiple approaches.
"Speed is very concerning, I say a challenge in our community," said Kenneth Miller, Petersburg's deputy city manager.
Miller emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot solve the speeding problem.
"The police can't do it all so the rumble strips are one tool if you will, to help us slow people down in our city," Miller said.
The effectiveness of the rumble strips has generated demand across Petersburg. The city has installed additional sets near Pleasant Lane Elementary School and in front of crosswalks near the courthouse, where a recent near-miss highlighted the urgent need for traffic calming measures.
"We had a young lady leaving the court, and a motorist almost turned into her and could have injured her very seriously. That was an eye opener," Miller said.
The demand has exceeded supply, with Miller receiving daily requests for rumble strip installations.
"We're getting requests for them. I get them almost daily, so we've run out of the rumble strips. We've got more on order," Miller said.
At a recent community meeting, residents from three different streets requested rumble strip installations to address speeding in their neighborhoods. The city has placed another order for more strips, which will be installed as soon as they arrive.
For neighbors like Jones, the small intervention has made a major difference in their daily lives and safety.
"It does make a major difference so I'm glad the city put them down. It was needed," Jones said.
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