I-95 in Virginia: busiest section in the SouthEast, but “More Problems” than money to fix them
Helping many people injured on the major North-South Interstate highway along the East Coast of the United States, Herndon lawyer Doug Landau has seen many permanent injuries and as the result of crashes on this road. Lawyer Landau has been following governmental actions to improve safety along this important corridor. I-95 is a high-volume highway for commercial traffic, commuters and interstate travelers. State officials noted the first phase of the study on how to improve Interstate 95 through Virginia pinpointed problem areas, mostly in Northern Virginia and around Fredericksburg. The “Fredericksburg Virginia choke point” on I-95 is well known to Landau, as he frequently travels to Richmond for court, Continuing Legal Education programs and races. “It can be the middle of the day or even on a weekend, and the area around Fredericksburg can be backed up when the interstate loses several lanes to cross the river. It is not as bad as the 12-lane highways around Los Angeles, but it gets bad at odd times, and Route 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) is only 1-2 lanes, so it does not provide much relief. The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Federal Government need to improve I-95, especially if materials and manpower are needed from army bases South of Spotsylvania, from Fort Lee, in an emergency like 9-11,” notes Landau, who remembers the mobilization after that infamous day in American history.
Virginia Department of transportation Deputy Secretary Nick Donahue discussed the findings with Fredericksburg residents, as reported in The Free Lance Star, noting there are “more problems on the I-95 corridor than dollars to fix them. “ He says “the 179-mile stretch of 95 to Virginia is the most heavily used corridor in the Southeast.” The study found the area outside of Richmond where I 95 and interstate 64 intersect is the worst for crashes. Lawyer Landau’s experience has been similar, as bad weather, holiday traffic volume, and large interstate trucks sharing the roadway with passenger cars, tourist and commuters make for a deadly combination. Landau notes, “the New Jersey Turnpike has separate lanes for large vehicles like trucks and busses, so that small cars can travel safely up and down the East Coast in their own high speed lanes.”
According to the article in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly, two more local meetings will be held to discuss the study before the Commonwealth Transportation Board begins to analyze the findings and find a way forward. Everyone at ABRAMS LANDAU hopes that improvements can be made to I-95 so that the Fredericksburg choke point can be ameliorated and large interstate trucks and busses can be routed through the Commonwealth with their own dedicated lanes in order to increase safety for the traveling public.
If you or someone you care about has been injured on I-95 or any of the interstate highways and local roadways along the East Coast and there are questions as to how best to proceed, please call us at (703)-796-9555 or contact us via e-mail at frontdesk@LandauLawShop.com As a member of the bar in Virginia, Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, as well as the Federal Courts covering the East Coast, Doug Landau and the injury team at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. are uniquely positioned to help wherever a crash happens on I-95 and the Eastern Seaboard.