Middleburg Eyes Lower Speed Limits on Downtown Streets | News

Starting July 1, Virginia’s small towns will have the authority to lower speed limits on their streets to as low as 15 miles per hour. Middleburg is gearing up to be among the first in line to make the change.

On June 27, the Town Council reviewed a proposal by Police Chief Shaun Jones to lower the speed limit on Washington Street, the town’s main throughfare, from 25 mph to 20 mph. He also proposed reducing the speed limits on portions of Madison, Marshall and Federal streets to 15 mph. 

Jones said the streets were selected because of their level of pedestrian activity. “Our whole goal is to keep people safe,” he said.

Council members were generally supportive of the initiative. Several suggested expanding the slower speed zones beyond Jones’ recommendations—perhaps even townwide. Some questioned whether 15 mph would be too slow to be practical.

Overall, they welcomed the new authority to exercise control over their streets. Previously, only large towns that paid for road maintenance were permitted to enact lower speed limits. Small towns had to petition the Virginia Department of Transportation. 

Mayor Bridge Littleton said the town has been “shouting at the wind” for years to get the Virginia Department of Transportation to lower the speed limit on Washington Street. He credited E. Scott Kasprowicz, a Middleburg-area resident serving on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, with helping to push the change through. 

The new law allows towns to reduce the speed limits on streets currently set at 25 mph by adopting an ordinance. The towns would be responsible for paying for the new signs required to implement the changes.

Last year, the Leesburg Town Council approved 20 mph limits for several streets in the historic district. That program required the installation of 82 new signs, with an estimated cost of $10,000 at the time of approval.

Town Manager Danny Davis said the staff would finalize the recommendations and prepare an ordinance for the council’s consideration in July.