Issue at Rt. 1/123 ‘boils down to the unfamiliarity of drivers to a new traffic pattern’

After receiving a reader tip about a new traffic pattern on Route 1 at Route 123 in Woodbridge put in place on Dec. 20, we’re checking with the Virginia Department of Transportation and with police to get more information.

Here’s the reader’s tip:

Potomac Local: Wanted to pass along a safety issue in hope you can pursue.  They opened the new lanes on Rt 1 and it’s a crazy mess at the intersection at Rt 123.  Drivers don’t know where to stop and we’ve seen some close calls.  It’s especially bad at night since there are no light poles turned on.  It appears that it’s bad enough that a police cruiser is now posted there.  Hoping you can check with VDOT on what they plan to do to fix this ASAP before someone gets killed. 

Prince William police tell us that, in fact, they do not have a cruiser posted at the intersection. However, they were recently called to the area to help VDOT with a signal issue, according to spokesman Jonathan Perok.

Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Ellen Kamilakis says it’s going to take some time for drivers to get used to the new traffic pattern:

The issue boils down to the unfamiliarity of drivers to a new traffic pattern. The traffic pattern switch was done in accordance of the published plans. We issued a traffic alert and the project team had variable message signs placed in several approaching locations, as well as a variable message sign, ground-mounted signs, and new lane striping at the intersection to show where traffic is supposed to stop.

The project was reviewed by a “maintenance of traffic” (MOT) coordinator and external designers for additional safety suggestions, which were implemented. The project team noticed that driver inattention to the signs was continuing (although it has improved with time), so the project team set up a special police assignment for enforcement out of an abundance of caution due to the traffic volumes at that intersection.

Additional span wire signals are being installed [started Thursday] and our signal operations center continues to monitor and adjust signal timing as needed.

There haven’t been light poles at the intersection since the beginning of the project [in May 2016] (or earlier), so the visibility has not changed recently. New light poles will be installed at the intersection once the widening is complete.

It can sometimes take drivers a little while to learn a new traffic pattern, especially when the previous pattern is essentially muscle memory.