The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Commission is asking the county to adopt new ordinances to stop developers and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) from building roads and communities with inadequate emergency vehicle access.
Chairman Doug Rambo met with the supervisors' Public Safety Committee last week to detail problems with the Route 28, Church Road and Waxpool Road interchange. If there were an accident at the intersection of Waxpool and Pacific Boulevard in Ashburn, fire and rescue workers would have to travel on Waxpool Road against the oncoming traffic to get to the crash site, he said. They would have to cross over at the Broderick Drive and Waxpool juncture.
"When I pointed out our concern about access, VDOT's recommendation was to travel into the oncoming traffic," he said Friday. "I explained to them … that is unsatisfactory. It jeopardizes our folks. Can you imagine someone hitting one of our fire trucks? It would be catastrophic."
SUPERVISOR JIM CLEM (R-Leesburg) said the commission's concerns are legitimate. "We have to take a look at the process and fix the wrongs that have existed," he said. "Never should you put the fire and rescue people in that kind of danger. They are in danger and so are the people driving the vehicles in the oncoming traffic."
Susan Shaw, VDOT's Route 28 project manager, said the blame lies with the county supervisors who approved developer Lerner Enterprises' proffer, which included a plan to close a second access point, Commercial Drive, when the interchange opened to traffic. On the other hand, she said Lerner Enterprises asked for a waiver of that proffer to keep Commercial Drive open in December 2003. The proposal, however, did not meet safety standards. "We have 100,000 cars a day on Route 28."
Motorists have expressed an even greater concern about Waxpool being the only access into Ashburn in that area, she said. "I would be concerned there is only one major in and out of Ashburn. It has 50,000 cars a day."
Rambo said having only one point of access is "an occasional theme with development, either residential or commercial," he said. "If there is only one way in and one way out, there is a potential problem for us."
IN ADDITION to the safety issue, Rambo said he is worried about the time lost when someone's life is at risk. Better access is needed to prevent delays to residential and commercial properties, he said.
Two points of access are suppose to be provided, according to a county ordinance, but the zoning administrator sometimes allows exceptions. The waiver is dependent on the size of the development and interpretation of the zoning rules, he said.
Rambo provided an example involving the Village at Potomac Falls apartment complex between Broad Run Farms and Countryside, which has only one way in and one way out. "We raised the issue when it was built," he said. "If I have an accident at an intersection at any of the choke points, it becomes difficult to gain access to anything in the community that might happen."
The problem is confounded by traffic congestion, he said. "If there was a traffic back-up or an accident, for me to get into that apartment to help somebody who is having a heart attack, it would be extraordinarily difficult."
RAMBO TOLD members of the Public Safety Committee that it's time to make some changes in the Facilities Standards Manual, which provides the rules on road construction. "We need to sit down and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Clem agreed that a review of the manual is in order.
Rambo complained about Commercial Drive's closure. A temporary closing would have been acceptable, but the commission would like it reopened until the Pacific Boulevard is completed. The thoroughfare's construction could take years, he added.
"VDOT is offering an alternative, but it is not a good one," he said. The agency's proposal is for the emergency vehicles to slow down to 20 mph in a 55 mph zone, jump over a curb and onto a cul-de-sac that they will build on Commercial Drive, he said. "I'm at a loss as to why Commercial Drive cannot remain open."
Clem said developers often build temporary roads for emergency access only, and in this case, a road already exists, he said. "He's right. It could take years before this could be completed. We need some stopgap measures."
Shaw said VDOT should consider halting work on the solution in light of Rambo's position.
RAMBO GAVE VDOT credit for fixing some lane markings and sign problems after the commission complained in December 2004. But he said VDOT is closing access to old roads and when they put up signage, it contains route numbers instead of the street names. That creates problems for any fire and rescue units coming from Fairfax County and Dulles Airport to assist with major emergencies, he said.
Shaw said she was not aware of the latest grievance. "I don't know what he is talking about. I would have to know more. I know initially we had message boards that had 625, but did not have Church Road [in Sterling]. But we addressed it."
Clem said the Board of Supervisors will meet with VDOT to mitigate any problems that might exist. "We want to ensure they have good traffic flow. I know during a construction phase there are always problems. Sometimes … we have to back up and do repairs."
Rambo said public safety officials are given an opportunity to provide input on major intersections early on during the planning stages, but he would like the county "to sponsor a walk through for us, the Sheriff's Office, the state police, all public safety folks, and fix the problems before the road opens."
Shaw said the construction manager rode in a fire truck and inspected the interchange before it was opened to traffic.
Clem responded, "I don't know how far we go in a process like that, but whatever input they have should be taken into consideration."