What does it take to slow the traffic?

The gloves are off. What's more important to the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors, noise or children’s lives?

For the past seven months, I've respectfully advocated, through emails and in-person requests at four of the last seven supervisor meetings, a reduction of the speed limit in the village of Woodville from 35 mph to 25 mph. To date, these “broken record” requests have fallen on deaf ears, and the current supervisor for that district hasn't even acknowledged an email that I sent in March.

It appears that the only thing that generates a modicum of concern is a noise complaint (at the board’s July 6 meeting) from a constituent. This noise concern initiated a debate ending in a motion to direct Peter Luke, the county attorney, to research an ill-fated noise ordinance. However, when the issue of safety for the children (three of whom, in Woodville, are my grandchildren) is brought up, I’m met with blank stares and no action.

The only cooperation and action, at this point, has been the stoppage of highspeed pursuits of speeders within the village limits by our county sheriff's office, and for that we are deeply grateful.

I've offered to paint Route 522 at both entrances of the village with stenciled roadbed signs stating “Caution — Children,” or to install signposts and signs with warnings of “Children Ahead,” or whatever it takes to insure the safety of the children in this village.

VDOT is aware of this problem and lamely states that the average speed through the village is 47 mph. Bravo Sierra, I say! It only takes a few minutes of sitting on my daughter's porch, while the speeders race through, to disprove that statistic. The 18-wheelers alone barrel through at speeds much higher than the posted 35 mph speed limit.

The county’s other villages, Washington, Sperryville and Flint Hill, have set the speed limit at 25 mph. I'm only requesting a reduction of the speed limit for five-tenths of a mile, from village sign to village sign. You'd think I was petitioning for a Hell's Angels clubhouse!

I urge the board of supervisors to take action and reduce the speed limit to 25 mph to help protect the children of Woodville. Thank you. “DEAK” DEAKINS Rock Mills