The town of Orange is finding new ways to keep their roads safe.

No matter where you live, there’s probably a stretch of road somewhere nearby that is notorious for being a dangerous spot that attracts unsafe driving — particularly speeding —  and even perhaps auto accidents. In Orange County one of those places is Rapidan Road (which becomes East Main Street) as it heads in and out of the Town of Orange. The speeding and the potential for accidents on Rapidan Road is so alarming that the Police Chief is recommending that the Orange Town Council pass an “enhanced penalty speed zone” ordinance which would, if passed, mean an extra $200 fine for speeding in that road’s 25 mph zone. The hope is that drivers will think twice about disregarding the posted speed limit if they see a sign warning them of such a hefty speeding ticket if they are caught!

Most of us think of speeding as being a problem mainly of highway driving, but driving too fast on a more residential or local road has the potential for being deadly, especially in places where you might find pedestrians and bike riders and dog-walkers around. And right now, with so many kids home from school, playing and running around outside, drivers need to be more careful and watchful than ever. 

With more pedestrian traffic around the roadways, crosswalks are also increasingly dangerous, particularly when a speeding vehicle approaches. Pedestrians also need to be vigilant, especially in areas where drivers are known to speed.

The safety and well-being of our friends and neighbors is of utmost priority to all of us here at Burnett & Williams, and we are pleased to see the Town of Orange stepping up and getting creative in an effort to find ways to make their roadways safer for everyone!