Manassas approves fund transfer for radar signs

By Kipp Hanley

Published: June 24, 2008

The Manassas City Council approved the transfer of $14,500 from the miscellaneous contingency fund Monday for the installation of four radar speed signs.

The signs would be placed on the residential end of Grant Avenue and on Sudley Road between Main Street and Portner Avenue and would replace the current speed limit signs.

Last week, many residents came to citizens' time and spoke about the need for the signs after city Public Works Director Moe Wadda gave his presentation on the subject.

Wadda explained that the signs would help calm traffic and record speed data that would ultimately benefit the police department in its efforts to curb what has become a haven for speeders.

The average speed on Grant Avenue was 32 miles per hour while the speed on Sudley Road was 36 eastbound and 39 westbound, Wadda said. Both roads have a speed limit of 25 mph.

"This will not necessarily solve all of the speeding issues but it's a step in the right direction," councilman Steven Randolph said Monday.

Because of the complaints, the police department increased their presence at random times in these areas in April, said police chief John J. Skinner. Skinner, who serves on a city transportation task force, said these areas would be well served by these signs and that the police could not enforce their way out of this problem without additional help.

One of the remaining issues is the precedence the city is setting by purchasing these signs, said councilman Harry J. "Hal" Parrish II. Parrish made the motion to approve the unanimously passed resolution but expressed some reservations in doing so.

"I was initially not for this," Parrish said. "… I remained concerned how you tell citizens within the city 'no' when they ask for the same thing."

Wadda said putting these signs up in other communities in the city is a possibility. However, a traffic study and subsequent transportation committee meetings would need to occur in order for the city to spend money on additional radar signs.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.