When in Manassas, watch your speed

Lori Stillman
Published: April 20, 2008

For the nearly eight years I have resided in Manassas, I have endured the disregard of motorists who ignore the posted speed limit of 25 mph and treat residential streets as if they are motor speedways.
It doesn’t matter if the offending vehicle is a mass-transit or city school bus, a cab, service or passenger vehicle, ignoring the speed limit and flying at speeds of 30 to 40 mph appears to be an entitlement expected by most motorists. 

Traffic violations on my street peak during morning and evening rush hours, when the risk for hitting a pedestrian or child is greatest. Traffic statistics show that a vehicle moving at 25 mph can safely stop within 100 feet, while a vehicle moving at 40 mph will still be going 36 mph when they hit someone suddenly appearing in the street 100 feet ahead of them.  Are the seconds you save by racing between stop signs or lights really worth the risk of fatally injuring a pedestrian or child at play? That posted 25 mph limit is not a suggestion, it is the law!

It is time for the police department to enforce the posted speed limits around our community and make our streets safe for the pedestrians, runners and children at play. Speed limits and posted prohibitions for large trucks on city streets exist for safety reasons and must be enforced. Passive traffic calming efforts are failing; we need law enforcement to start writing tickets and slow down our streets!

I encourage all residents who live on streets where the city fails to enforce the posted limits and truck prohibitions to speak up.  Please join in the effort to make Manassas streets safe for pedestrians and motorists. Write or voice your concerns to city officials or use the form on the city Web site to report traffic violations in your neighborhood to the police department.

And, please, if you are driving above the posted limit on my street or elsewhere, slow down! 

LORI STILLMAN

Manassas