Signs limiting traffic access at Church Road and Holly Avenue will force drivers wanting to cut through Sterling Park to find another route.
"The traffic is backing up to the intersection of Potomac [View Road] and West Church," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (R-At large), adding that traffic will respond to the new signs by moving one street over. "It’s not a good situation. The road network is not designed for the traffic it’s handling."
The Board of Supervisors agreed Monday to ask the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for signs restricting use of the Church Road and Holly Avenue intersection during peak traffic hours, a request aimed to provide traffic relief there and to help reduce traffic on Holly Avenue. The signs will prohibit northbound Holly Avenue traffic from turning left onto westbound Church Road during the morning peak period. Traffic heading eastbound on Church Road will be restricted from turning right onto southbound Holly Avenue in the evening peak. The limits are proposed for the southwest side of the three-way intersection and preclude buses and emergency vehicles.
Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) said the signs are an interim measure until a traffic signal can be installed. VDOT indicated it supports a traffic signal for the intersection but will not begin the project until full funding is available. A staff member told the board that VDOT has funds available in its discretionary fund.
"We need to take a look at the whole area because we do have a problem on Sterling Boulevard and Holly," York said. "We need to comprehensively look at Sterling Park’s transportation network."
The traffic signal will take 18 months to two years to design and construct.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board:
* Received a briefing on the county’s emergency services operations. In an emergency situation, county and public safety officials will set up an emergency operations center, implement an emergency plan and, if needed, procure resources from regional neighbors, said Robert Griffin, department chief. Also if needed, the county will declare a state of emergency to give the county access to outside funding resources.
For larger emergency situations and disasters, the county will contact the governor’s office for a federal level declaration that will give the county access to federal reimbursements and other funding sources.
"Transportation and natural disasters are more likely in Loudoun County than a terrorist threat. We need to plan that way," Griffin said.
Sheriff Stephen Simpson said the Sheriff’s Office has tried to increase involvement in the Neighborhood Watch program, which encourages residents to look for suspicious activities and people in their communities. "We can’t be everywhere at the same time," he said.
The county now has 25 active Neighborhood Watch programs in place.
District health director David Goodfriend said before Sept. 11, the Department of Health had several plans in place and will follow the same principles for a biological or chemical attack as for an outbreak of disease or illness. Starting on Sept. 12, emergency room providers began providing the health department with a list of patient symptoms that in turn is shared across counties to identify any patterns that are developing.
As for emergencies in the public schools, an emergency operations plan has been in place since 1993 following a chemical spill at a middle school site when school officials worked with public safety and health officials to develop the plan. The emergency plan is refined as new incidents and security threats arise.
Most recently, a shelter in place policy was added to the plan for emergencies expected to be measured in hours, not in days. The policy, which would be enacted on advice from public health or safety officials, will require a lock down of schools and the turning off of air intake systems in response to an external threat in the outside air.
"We see our role in the schools is to provide the safest environment we can for kids," said Superintendent of Schools Edgar Hatrick. "We try to eliminate that vulnerability by planning ahead, working with other agencies and practicing."
* Approved extending the military leave policy from six months to one year to provide a pay supplement when military pay is less than county pay and other leave and vacation time has been used. Currently, seven county employees have been recalled for active military service for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
* Agreed to provide $10,000 to support the Dulles Airport Marketing Campaign to market the National Capital region to decision makers and financial executives for the airline industry, as requested by the Washington Airports Task Force.
IN BOARD comments, Charles Harris (D-Broad Run) said he met with Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) members to determine why customers wanting to buy in the county are mistrusting home builders and developers. He said there a is lack of "reasonable standards concerning adjacent development and the amenities within the development. We need to address this. [We] need to establish legislative minimum standards."