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Category: Readers' Opinions

■ 08 February 2012 | 5:00 AM

More, not less police

Re 'Emporia on Shore Drive,' letters, Jan. 31: I drive Shore Drive in the 35 mph zone on an almost daily basis, and I have never seen an 'armada' of five police cars waiting for speeders, as described by the writer.

What I have seen constantly are tailgaters at 35 to 40 mph. The tailgaters are trying to bully the law-abiding drivers. They obviously have no concern about a speed trap. I would welcome an increased police presence on Shore Drive so drivers can feel safe driving on the road.

Ericka Miller

Virginia Beach

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I also agree

Submitted by Edward Miller, Norfolk, VA on Wed, 02/08/2012 at 9:23 am.

Ocean View and Shore Drive is in need of better police Patrol with Radar. It seems everybody these day are in a RUSH to go somewhere. The speed limit is still 35 mph.

The reason for the problem

Submitted by William Tabor, Chesapeake, VA on Wed, 02/08/2012 at 8:42 am.

is, quite simply, a 35mph limit on a 45mph highway.

According to state guidelines, the stretch of Shore Drive West of the Lessner Bridge should be 45mph. The City's traffic engineers studied the location for special circumstances and agreed the limit should be 45mph. The police have kept records and found no significant difference in safety due to lowering the limit to 35mph. By all rational standards, the limit should be 45mph, the only reason the limit is 35mph West of the Lessner Bridge is because connected NIMBYists want it that way.

Traffic engineers set speed limits for good reasons. The number of drivers using the highway is constant regardless of the limit. So, at the lower speed limit, each of those cars will be on that stretch LONGER. Congestion is not a factor of how many cars use the road as it is how many cars are on the road at a given time. With each car there longer, there will be more congestion.

Leave setting of speed limits to the professionals, and not civic leagues, if you want the roads to work at their highest efficiency.