The city of Virginia Beach has unanimously voted to lower the speed limit on a four-mile stretch of Shore Drive, a road that has been the cite of a number of pedestrian accidents, injuries, and deaths in recent weeks, months, and years.
On June 15, part of Shore Drive’s speed limit was dropped from 45 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour after Virginia Beach after Vice Mayor Jones and Councilman Wood reviewed and discussed the proposal. The speed change will affect the stretch of road between Pleasure House and North Great Neck roads.
The change in speed takes place in the wake of a number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities along Shore Drive, including the recent deaths of Whitney Hulce and Dobbie Jones, two young women who attempted to cross the street 50 feet apart in a dark area without a crosswalk after a night at local bars. In the last eight years, ten others have died on foot in the same area.
Many believe that the dark streets, the lack of good crossing areas, and the speed of the cars certainly contributed to the large number of pedestrian deaths in Virginia Beach. The speed limit was changed after a public outpouring of support for the lowered limit, with many city councilmen receiving large numbers of phone calls and emails about the dangerous street.
In addition to the new speed limit postings, a fundraiser was held for the victims of Shore Drive pedestrian accidents at CP Shuckers and Bayside Bar and Grill in order to raise money to provide more crosswalks and better lighting to the area along Shore Drive.