Petersburg blocks neighborhood 'drag strip' street after years of crashes and speeding

PETERSBURG, Va. — Petersburg officials have blocked off a residential street to combat a years-long problem with speeding and accidents.

City public works employees started installing a blockade Thursday at the intersection of Varina Avenue and Johnson Road, effectively cutting off a route many drivers used as a shortcut.

"It's going to be a lifesaver," said Don Reinhold, a resident who has dealt with multiple crashes on his property.

Residents say the street has become dangerous due to drivers using it to avoid a traffic light.

"It becomes a quarter-mile drag strip," said Michael Storrs, who lives in the area.

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Reinhold agreed with that assessment, saying, "This was like a quarter-mile drag strip, right. They'd come off here and it would be non-stop until they got down to Bermuda."

The problem stems from drivers trying to avoid waiting at a traffic signal, according to residents.

"People continually use Varina Avenue as a quick thoroughfare in order to avoid one light, but they chose to blow through several stop signs," Storrs said.

Residents have documented numerous crashes over the years as evidence of the dangerous conditions.

"That truck's been hit twice, the other dump truck's been hit twice, I have a goose neck trailer that's been hit three times," Reinhold said.

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A recent crash last month caused significant disruption to the neighborhood.

"Person was drunk, came down, hit that power pole, snapped it in three places," Reinhold said. "Took the power out in our neighborhood for a day and a half."

Neighbors have spent five years working to find solutions. The city installed signs and stop signs, but these measures proved ineffective.

Frustrated residents eventually took matters into their own hands.

"We actually, as a neighborhood, got together and bought engineered speed bumps, laid them down and it slowed traffic," Reinhold said.

City officials removed those speed bumps but recently decided to try blocking the street entirely.

WTVR

Less than a day after the blockade was installed, residents reported positive results.

"It is working," Reinhold said.

Storrs added, "The traffic has dropped tremendously, the speeders, none. No speeders."

The road closure may not be permanent. Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham said the city will evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.

"We'll see if everybody's on one accord with this and we'll come back and re-evaluate it in 6 months," Parham said. "If everybody's happy, we'll permanently close the road there."

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