RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A new survey is giving Richmonders a chance to provide feedback about an intersection that is known for being dangerous.
After hearing from residents though the survey, Richmond officials are hoping to improve safety, accessibility and speed management at the intersection of Laburnum Avenue and Hermitage Road in the city’s Northside.
Brooke Ullman, who lives nearby, told 8News that, since the A.P. Hill statue that once stood in the middle of the intersection came down, residents haven’t seen the positive traffic impact many expected.
“We’re happy that [the statue is] gone. However, it hasn’t changed any of the problems that have always been there with traffic flow,” Ullman said.
The City said in the survey that since the statue was removed, crashes are down in that intersection by 89%.
Chris Mason lives nearby and took the survey. He said he wants to see speed tables added because of how often he runs and bikes through the intersection.
“People just go so fast. So, I think just trying to put in some preventative measures to help, you know, not just traffic but pedestrians would be great,” Mason said.
Mason and Ullman both said that drivers being given some sense of direction in the open intersection would be welcomed too.
“[What] I would like to see them do is to give it a little bit more of a polished informality right now, because of the way that it doesn’t seem like it’s finished, it’s got a big open square in the center with no directional lines,” Ullman said.
The city says it plans to eventually have a public information meeting to address the feedback from the survey. In the meantime, Ullman said possibly bringing back the roundabout that was here before the statue’s removal could be the best solution.
“If you know how to use them, you can keep traffic moving and moving quickly. That intersection was always based that way. I think folks will figure it out. I’m excited that they are addressing it,” Ullman said.
The survey can be found here.
