ELLICOTT - After raising concerns about safety and noise, the residents of Fluvanna are being rewarded with a reduction of speed in their hamlet.
During Monday's meeting, the Ellicott Town Board announced that it has received a letter from the New York State Department of Transportation acknowledging that the state has conducted a traffic engineering investigation in the hamlet of Fluvanna and has agreed that a reduction in the legal speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph on Old Fluvanna Road would help promote safety and reduce noise.
"Based on the data we have collected and our speed zone evaluation criteria, we will establish a 30 mph speed limit for the Fluvanna area," said a letter from Thomas Messana, a regional traffic engineer for the state Department of Transportation.
Article Photos
The state DOT is allowing the town of Ellicott to reduce the speed limit on Old Fluvanna Road to 30 mph.
P-J photo by Remington Whitcomb
Though the reduction in speed has been approved by the state DOT, the reduction in speed still needs to be signed-off on by the Director of the Traffic and Safety Division in Albany, as a formality. Once the state DOT receives a copy of the approved notice of order legally establishing the 30 mph speed limit in Fluvanna, the town of Ellicott may start removing 35 mph signs and erecting 30 mph signs.
In the change, the town of Ellicott assumes all responsibility in removing the old signs, erecting the new signs and paying for the labor and resources needed.
Additionally, the board has submitted a request to reduce the speed limit on the portion of Southwestern Drive from Route 394 to Baker Street from 55 mph to 40 mph, however it has not yet heard back from the state DOT.