RADFORD, Va. – Alternate routes outside of the interstate are popular options for people going from one town to another, but it can also bring more chances for accidents and higher risks for those living there.
Off Radford Road in Montgomery County, homeowner Phillip Shuford has lived there for a year.
He said just getting out of his driveway every day is a challenge.
“We love the country setting, but the road is a real issue,” Shuford said.
Shuford said he knew it was a busy road ahead of time, but he didn’t imagine how dangerous it was.
“We’ve seen them go by here at least 70 to 80 miles an hour all the time,” he said. “I think we’ve seen three fatalities, and I know a couple of them at least was people trying to get out on the road. A friend of my wife’s got killed trying to pull out.”
He said at times he has almost been run off the road by people speeding.
The Virginia Department of Transportation, which maintains this road, provided information about Radford Road.
Their spokesperson said there are no plans for speed limit changes at the time and accidents involving vehicles are below state average, but accidents involving less than $1,500 are not reported to VDOT.
There have been four fatalities from 2015 through 2024 and around 8,700 travelers every day.
Shuford said he hopes there is some type of solution to make this road safer for everybody that lives here and travels on it.