RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC)– Residents on 4th Avenue in Richmond’s East End are reaching out to city leaders for help after a number of crashes caused concerns about traffic safety.
On Tuesday, Aug. 23, a car reportedly veered across the lane, hit a parked car and then flipped over.
That parked car belonged to Mirage Berry, a neighbor, who was working from home when she heard the massive crash and came outside to find out what happened.
Her black car had moved back 10 feet and had serious damage. She also found a hub cap in her yard.
Glass, blood stains and debris from the crash were still in the street when 8News arrived to talk with her.
“It was shocking, but at the same time, I wasn’t surprised,” Berry said.
Neighbors were seen helping the woman still stuck in her car, in the driver seat upside down. She was injured but is expected to be okay.
Some residents told 8News that this is a normal occurrence living on 4th Avenue, as accidents happen often. Some said their cars have been hit multiple times.
“The entire driver’s side door was smashed in,” Berry said. “The entire 4th Avenue is like a thoroughfare and people just choose if they want to stop at stop signs or not.”
The street has sidewalks so neighbors and their children are often seen walking their dogs and riding bikes. There’s an elementary school nearby and kids are able to walk home from school.
While the speed limit is 25 miles per hour and the street is along a bus route, neighbors told 8News that speeding and reckless driving are still commonplace. Now those same neighbors are looking for solutions.
“There are so many accidents every year around here and they could be prevented with speed bumps,” Berry said. “More affluent parts of towns have speed bumps. They have bicycle lanes. They have all the amenities; stop signs at every single intersection. These areas just go completely ignored.”
Councilwoman Ellen Robertson represents the 6th district and residents who live in this area. She has submitted a request to the city’s traffic engineers to conduct a speed study.
“I support all efforts to make our streets safe,” Robertson said.
She has also requested additional speeding signs to be posted on each block. Robertson has even asked for a proven behavioral changing campaign involving flashing speed trailers, enforcement and street alterations.
