The Courier-Record

STILL COLLIDING

Another accident Sunday; Rt. 40 roundabout still five years away

This engineers’ diagram shows perspective of VDOT’s planned $7.2 million roundabout with main entrance to Fort Pickett at bottom of drawing. Main Gate Merry Go Round

This engineers’ diagram shows perspective of VDOT’s planned $7.2 million roundabout with main entrance to Fort Pickett at bottom of drawing. Main Gate Merry Go Round

There were no reported serious injuries but another two-vehicle crash occurred east of Blackstone at the intersection of Darvills Road (Rt. 40) and Military Road near the Main Gate to Fort Pickett.

The two-vehicle crash occurred Sunday morning shortly before 12 Noon. According to State Police, a Toyota minivan and a Ford Ranger collided, and the crash remains under investigation.

State Police at presstime said they were unable to release names of drivers.

The intersection, which has seen an increased number of crashes in recent years, has been approved by VDOT for a $7.2 million roundabout.

Funding was announced three years ago, but the latest schedule — obtained this week by the Courier-Record — still indicates actual improvements are five years away:

Public hearing: March 2023

Right-of-way acquisition: October 2024 to May 2025.

Utility relocation: June 2025 to December 2025.

Project advertisement: Spring 2026.

Construction: Summer of 2026 to Summer of 2027.

Most accidents at the intersection — including a fatality five years ago — have been caused by motorists, many of them unfamiliar with the area, failing to properly stop at either of the two stop signs on Military Road.

Others have stopped and then proceeded to pull-out into the path of approaching traffic on Rt. 40 anyway.

Some residents have said the quicker, cheaper, and more effective “fix” would be stop lights with rumble warning strips.

Others have expressed concerns about local motorists’ potential unfamiliarity and inexperience with how to properly navigate roundabouts.

Still others — including VDOT personnel — have said that while stop lights tend to reduce the number of accidents, the severity of injuries increases because many of those crashes see inattentive drivers plow into the rear of stopped vehicles.

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