Virginia drivers, prepare to hit the brakes.
Leaders in Alexandria announced they will lower speed limits on several streets this fall as a way to make streets safer, and advocates say the move will save lives.
Mike Doyle, with Alexandria Families for Safe Streets, said it’s news he’s been waiting on for years.
“Speed kills, speed maimes,” he said. “So we’re very pleased.”
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On Tuesday, the Alexandria city manager gave the green light to reduce speed limits by 10 mph on several roads. Soon North Beauregard will go from 35 to 25 mph, and the speed limits in school zones will drop to 15 mph.
Parts of West Braddock Road, North Howard Street, Seminary Road and King Street will also see slower limits.
City leaders said since 2015, there have been more than 500 crashes on those stretches of road, with over 250 people injured and 20 people killed.
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Doyle was hit by a car while walking home back in December 2016, and after a long road to recovery, he said he hopes the slower speeds will save others from what he experienced.
“It affects not only the victim but the family. So my wife and the kids, everyone else. People don't understand, it goes far beyond the person who has been seriously injured or killed,” Doyle said. “In my case I was fortunate. I obviously survived. It took me three years of neurological rehab, but I’m here and telling the story.”
Now that the city is lowering speed limits, as a next step, advocates said they would like to see speed traffic cameras installed around schools.
