SPRINGFIELD, Va. — Fairfax County officials and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will meet Wednesday night to discuss possible changes to an intersection with a troubling history of crashes.
According to VDOT, 21 of 29 crashes reported at the intersection of Bauer Drive and Rolling Road in Springfield have stemmed from drivers making left-hand turns from Bauer onto Rolling.
Pat Herrity, a member of Springfield's board of supervisors, said their office receives many calls about concerns over the busy intersection. The intersection's heavy traffic is impacted by nearby facilities including a police station, post office, government center, shopping plaza and high school.
"Twenty nine accidents in five years is an awful lot," Herrity said. "We need to do something to improve the safety."
VDOT is proposing a solution: banning left turns from Bauer Drive onto northbound Rolling Road. However, Herrity worries this might create unintended consequences.
“Where are people going to go? I think it’ll be dangerous if people try to cut through the post office or the government center parking lot. It doesn’t give people a lot of good options,” he explained.
Herrity confirmed the intersection qualifies for a traffic light, but funding and scheduling challenges have delayed its installation. The light, expected to cost over $1 million, is on the waiting list with no set timeline.
Wednesday's meeting, held at 7 p.m. at the West Springfield Governmental Center, will provide residents an opportunity to review VDOT’s proposal, share their feedback and contribute to a safer community. The goal is to identify a temporary solution while plans for a traffic light move forward. Officials hope to have a strategy in place by spring.