Speed limit changes could be coming to portion of Richmond Highway

VDot recommends lowering speed limit on Richmond Hwy

Richmond Highway has had a long history and bad reputation when it comes to accidents and speeding. Now, state officials may be ready to act.

State officials have declared one half-mile stretch of Richmond Highway has a 75% higher crash rate than Virginia's statewide average.

So, what are they doing about it? After a one-year study, the department of transportation is proposing dropping the speed limit from 45 miles per hour down to 35.

Drivers and pedestrians that FOX 5 spoke with say while speed is a major problem on this road, they are skeptical that drivers would obey a limit of 35 miles per hour when many ignore the 45 miles per hour limit.

The seven-mile section of Richmond Highway south of the beltway in Alexandria has been infamous for years for accidents. Just last month, there were two separate fatal pedestrian deaths in one week.

VDOT says the goal here is safety and their recommendation to lower the speed limit would protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

The idea is currently only in the proposal stage, but that could change this fall when a final report by VDOT is issued. Officials tell FOX 5 that the 35 mile an hour speed limit could go into effect at the beginning of 2023.