Buckingham Board of Supervisor members and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representatives discussed the potential to install guardrails along a bridge at Route 602, in the area of Walton’s Fork Creek at Howardsville Road.

Speaker Jordan Miles presented the request during the meeting’s public comment period Monday, citing a petition that he and Sue Miles, his aunt started. Miles said the petition has more than 300 signatures from registered voters in the county.

“The current state of the bridge is a hazard,” Miles said. “It’s dangerous. It’s taken lives and nearly killed people that both you and I know.”

He said while there are signs that indicate the curve on the road, he said an unprotected opening to the right of the bridge remains a hazard. He said there is an estimated 15 foot-drop into the creek below.

He expressed concern about school buses that travel the route, and the death of a person in 2008. Miles said the individual, Carl Bradsher, died as a result of an accident on the route while on the way to visit Miles’ family. Other accidents have occurred on the route, Miles said. He stated accidents might be avoided with guardrails in place.

“As concerned citizens we respectfully request that the board of supervisors work with the Virginia Department of Transportation to set up a temporary or permanent safety route for motorists who cross this bridge, or place the bridge for improvement or replacement in your six-year improvement plan,” Miles said, adding that time is of the essence to potentially prevent more accidents.

Board Chairman Donnie Bryan asked VDOT Farmville Resident Engineer Scott Frederick about the possibility of installing guardrails. Bryan noted a traffic engineering study done in 2014 in which Bryan said the vertical alignment of the area was rated as good but the horizontal alignment was rated as fair.

Bryan asked if another study could be conducted as the existing study is more than five years old.

District Four Supervisor Morgan Dunnavant asked about the possibility of attaching guardrails to the bridge, which has existing timber railing. He said guardrails would be most beneficial outside the bridge as it could potentially bump vehicles back into the road if they approach too closely to the edge of the creek.

VDOT Assistant Resident Engineer Carrie Shepheard noted there is a study in progress to see if improvements on the route could be made.

“I did check with our traffic engineering department a couple months ago when Mr. Miles first approached me, and we actually have no way to attach to the existing guardrail, not even a special design,” Shepheard said. “Right now the bridge is in decent condition, so we don’t have any plans to replace it. But again we are still reviewing it to see if there are any additional measures that we can add. I have not gotten that study back yet.”

District Three Supervisor Don Matthews asked if the project could be included with rural rustic items. Shepheard said it wouldn’t classify under rural rustic funding but may potentially classify as a separate project for the secondary six-year plan. Shepheard said it wouldn’t be able to be voted on this year as there would not be enough time to prepare. She said it could be an item for next year’s vote.

Bryan expressed concern about a report of a fatality at the site.

“Safety comes first,” Bryan said.