On Saturday night, just 12 days after the first Regional Forum on Pedestrian Safety and within 200 yards of the site of that forum, the Route 1 corridor claimed its fifth victim this year.
Saturday evening, Timothy Gray, 37, of Skyview Drive, was struck at approximately 7:45 p.m. as he attempted to cross Route 1 in the Woodlawn area, according to Fairfax County Police. He was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No charges are anticipated against the driver of the 1999 Toyota Camry, Sun Bradley of Concord Street, Alexandria, police said. "Gray was not in a crosswalk, and alcohol was a factor," police news release said. Gray apparently lived in the housing complex close to the accident site.
David J. Lyons, director, Safe Crossings Campaign of Fairfax County, emphasized in a news release, "Only one-fifth of a mile north, two other people have been killed this year alone. ... Safe Crossings will not allow this latest death to become just another statistic. There has been too much blood, too many tragedies, and no real action."
During the forum, which was moderated by Lee District supervisor Dana Kauffman (D), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representative were urged to install a median strip in that section of the highway to create a "safe haven" for pedestrians attempting to cross. There are no crosswalks or traffic signals in the immediate vicinity. The speed limit is 45 mph.
VDOT HAS MAINTAINED that the road is not wide enough at that location for a median strip, according to Lyons. "Everybody knows what the problem is, and everybody knows what the situation is. It's time to focus on correcting the problem and stop worrying about who is or is not at fault," Lyons insisted.
In commenting on Saturday's accident, Kauffman said, "We need to create some defined cross areas. Different from the regular crosswalks. And we don't want to take some action that encourages people to dash across Route 1 wherever. …
"I am very sympathetic to the problem. But what we need to do is find a happy medium where public works and common sense come together."