Dear Dr. Gridlock:
Whom do you contact about installing a traffic light? I live in western Fairfax County, and the intersection of Centreville Road and Lees Corner Road is treacherous, especially in the morning and evening.
What criteria are used to warrant a traffic light?
Janet J. Simek
Fairfax
Send your request for a traffic signal to the Virginia Department of Transportation, Traffic Engineering Department, 14685 Avion Pkwy., Chantilly, Va. 20151.
Within three to six weeks of your request, traffic engineers will perform a 12-hour field study of the intersection to assess whether a signal is needed, said Ryan Hall, a VDOT spokesman. During the study, engineers evaluate the number of vehicles and pedestrians using the intersection, the physical makeup of the intersection, roadside development, delays experienced by motorists during peak hours, average vehicle speed, future road construction plans and the number and types of accidents that have occurred.
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A Sight to See
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
I was waiting behind a small compact car at a traffic light on Route 28, heading south into Manassas. Since I was in a truck, I could easily see in the back window.
This fellow had a huge meat cleaver and a big, two-pronged meat fork and he was twirling them up and down his fingers, every now and then he'd actually juggle them!
I was relieved when he stopped once traffic started moving again. As it turned out, he turned into the parking lot of a Japanese restaurant after a few blocks, so I assume he is a chef there.
Kristi Robinson
Manassas
That is a first. Better to give that fellow a wide berth.
Arundel Mills Experiences
The giant Arundel Mills mall opened Nov. 17, and Dr. Gridlock asked for your traffic experiences getting to and from there. We received many letters and a traffic advisory from the mall's general manager.
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Dear Dr. Gridlock:
I guess I was one of the fortunate visitors to the new Arundel Mills mall. I visited on both Saturday and Sunday and did not have any traffic or parking troubles at all.
Although the signs as you approach the mall on Route 100 East and Arundel Mills Boulevard indicate that there are four entrances to the mall, 90 percent of the cars lined up for the first entrance.
The "downstream" entrances were largely unused, at least when I was there. After entering the mall parking lot, I drove immediately to the opposite (back) side of the mall and found many parking spaces on both days. It seemed to me that most of the cars were driving in circles looking for parking that wasn't there--at the front of the mall.
The local, county and state police did as well as they could dealing with the tremendous volumes on the public roads. But it seemed to me that the folks directing traffic inside the mall parking area could have been much more helpful by directing traffic to the open and available parking early in the day.
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On a positive note, even with the huge crowds and delays, I saw little evidence of the usual aggressive driving and rude behavior that has become prevalent around the Beltway.
I was also pleased to see that mall management reacted to the situation and created additional parking on Sunday. I noticed several improvements inside the mall as well between Saturday and Sunday. Everyone I dealt with was pleasant and helpful--including store employees, security, mall management and other visitors.
Perhaps the holiday spirit has arrived as early as the holiday merchandise. It certainly was most enjoyable!
John Bullock
Seabrook
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
My husband went to Arundel Mills on Friday (opening day) about mid-afternoon and had no problems getting in, and only a little trouble finding a parking space!
On Saturday around 2 p.m., my husband and I could get nowhere near the mall. The ramps from Route 100 were all closed and signs notified people that the parking lots were full.
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Traffic was backed up for several miles on Route 100 East. We went instead to Marley Station mall, farther down Route 100.
On Sunday around 4 p.m., we made another attempt to get to Arundel Mills (my husband thought my daughter and I really ought to see it) and success! We got into the mall with no trouble, found a parking spot, on the far side of the mall from the entrances, and had a great time in the mall.
Early and late arrivals may be the key to this place, at least for the first few weeks.
Diana Simmons
Burtonsville
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
Arundel Mills experienced a phenomenal response to its grand opening, meeting all of our projections for visitors and sales. Our response to customer demand was swift, creating an additional 4,000 parking spaces by Nov. 19.
The traffic on Route 100 was heavy, but state and county police monitored the situation closely, rerouting the cars as necessary to ensure safety and convenience.
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As a suggestion to our visitors, we recommend that when cars exit onto Arundel Mills Boulevard from Route 100 they do not take the first entrance but continue driving to the next three entrances (there are a total of four entrances onto the Arundel Mills property).
This will not only ease the congestion but also lead visitors to ample parking farther along the circle.
We would like to thank all of those who visited Arundel Mills during our grand opening weekend and for their patience in dealing with the heavy traffic.
We fully expect this traffic to ease up as people become more familiar with the property.
Gene Condon
Vice president/general manager
Arundel Mills
Cold Weather Tips
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
Now that the weather has become colder, please mention to your readers a few matters that will make all our driving a bit safer and less aggravating.
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* Please turn on your headlights at dawn and dusk, especially if you own a larger, dark-colored vehicle that can be difficult for others to see in low light.
* Also, remember that if you turn on your windshield wipers, please turn on your headlights during rainy/snowy conditions. This really improves visibility.
* After it has snowed, please clean the top of your vehicle as well as the rear lights. Everyone is pressed for time when commuting, but a few extra minutes can make a big difference. Clearing your lights is extremely important because if you stop, and your lights are snow-covered, the driver behind you may not know that you are stopping.
* Please use your turn signals. Most of us are not mind readers. These signals are standard equipment on all vehicles and not a luxury add-on item. If you wait until you are already in the turning lane, or if you are two feet from the corner, using your turn signal doesn't make much difference. But if you could use them properly and really think of their use, commuting would be a bit less frustrating.
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* Last, but not least, please don't tailgate during poor road conditions.
Diane Small
Sterling
Many of these observations are useful year-round but especially during snowy/icy winter.
Dr. Gridlock's assistant, Lori Fischer, contributed to this column.
Dr. Gridlock appears Monday in the Metro section and Thursday in the Weeklies. You can write to Dr. Gridlock, P.O. Box 3467, Fairfax, Va. 22038, or e-mail him at drgridlock@washpost.com. The doctor's fax number is 703-352-3908. Please include your full name, town, county, and day and evening phone numbers. Because of the number of responses, Dr. Gridlock cannot take phone calls.
