The Citizen Finds Out

While there is an existing green space with some native plants at the Tuckahoe Area Library, the county has environmentally friendly beautification plans for the fall, according to Henrico County Public Library Director Barbara Weedman.

“The county will be updating and enhancing the landscaping at Tuckahoe Area Library to incorporate more native plants, reduce invasive species and further beautify the grounds with flowers and trees,” Weedman wrote in an email to The Citizen.

There is no precise timeline yet for the plans.

Similar efforts have already been completed at other libraries in Henrico. At several locations, there are native plantings and/or landscaping that require low water use – including Fairfield, Varina, Libbie Mill and most recently, Sandston, Weedman wrote.

Varina Area Library has a paved nature walk behind it, Libbie Mill Library is near Jordan's Branch Creek Trail and Twin Hickory Area Library has the Twin Hickory Park right next door. There is a flowering garden area at Gayton Branch Library that you may see when driving on Gayton Road, Weedman wrote.

Why did the county decide to reduce the speed limit on most of the roads in the west end? I have heard it was because of the accidents but I do not believe that answer, and feel like someone complained.

You may have observed that in the past two years, the Department of Public Works has reduced the speed limits on more than 100 roads in Henrico County.

According to Public Works Director Terrell Hughes, the reductions were implemented for safety reasons. There was an uptick in fatal crashes following the pandemic, so the department decided to lower several speed limits in mainly residential areas of the county. Another reason was to make unsignalized pedestrian crossings safer, Hughes said.

When deciding which speed limits would be lowered, Hughes said the department identified some itself while community members requested that others be changed. Following the reductions, the department received mixed feedback. Some community members were thankful for the increased safety, but others were not as happy about the slower commute, Hughes said.

There are no current plans for more speed limit reductions in the county. Here is a list of every road in Henrico that had a speed limit reduction since the summer of 2021:

55 mph to 45 mph:
• South Laburnum Avenue
• Osborne Turnpike

45 mph to 35 mph:
• Dumbarton Road (east of Lakeside)
• Woodman Road
• Virginia Center Parkway
• N. Gayton Road (south of Broad Street)
• Pump Road (north/west of John Rolfe Parkway)
• Gayton Road (Quioccasin Road to Lauderdale Drive)
• Lauderdale Drive
• Charles City Rd (east of Elko)
• Doran Road
• Dry Bridge Road
• Gay Avenue
• Masonic Lane
• Miller Road (north of Darbytown)
• Strath Road (Darbytown to New Market Road)
• Turner Road
• Warriner Road
• E. Laburnum Avenue (between the Richmond City Line and Mechanicsville Turnpike)
• Francistown Road (between Springfield Road and Hungary Road)
• Greenwood Road (between Mountain Road and Woodman Road)
• Michaels Road (between North Parham Road and Alvarado Road) and Michaels Road (between Alvarado Road and Three Chopt Road)
• Miller Road (between Darbytown Road and Willson Road)
• Shady Grove Road (between Twin Hickory Road and Nuckols Road)
• Strath Road (between New Market Road and Darbytown Road)

40 mph to 35 mph:
• Wistar Road
• Mountain Road (east of Woodman Road)
• Cox Road (north of Church Road)
• Villa Park Drive
• Wilkinson Road (Brook Road to North Wilkinson Road)
• Dominion Boulevard
• Kain Road (west of North Gayton Road)
• Twin Hickory Road (west of Nuckols Road)
• Forest Avenue (north of Three Chopt Road)
• Skipwith Road
• Audubon Drive (west of South Laburnum Ave)
• Cedar Fork Road (north of East Cedar Fork)

40 mph to 25 mph:
• Kain Road (between North Gayton Road and Pouncey Tract Road)

35 mph to 25 mph:
• Byrd Avenue
• Capital One Way
• Janway Road
• Landmark Road
• Lourdes Road
• Maywill Street
• North Park Drive
• Oak View Avenue
• Par Street
• Racrete Road
• Sanford Drive
• Thalbro Street
• West Clay Street
• Westwood Trail
• Athens Avenue
• Cool Lane
• Harvie Road (between Creighton Road and Harvie Road)
• Rescue Avenue
• Scott Road
• Telegraph Road
• West Seminary Avenue
• Cedar Fork Road (between Nine Mile and East Cedar Fork Road)
• Oakleys Lane (between Nine Mile Road and Oakleys Lane)
• Cox Road (between Ridgefield Road and Church Road)
• Church Road (west of Wilde Lake Drive)
• Sadler Place
• Ridgefield Parkway (west of Lauderdale Drive)
• Newbridge Road
• Old Hanover Road
• Old Memorial Drive
• Old Williamsburg Road
• Anoka Road
• Bronwood Road
• Byron Street
• Cambridge Drive
• Carlisle Avenue
• Carlton Road
• Causeway Drive
• Colwyck Drive
• Courtney Road
• Eanes Lane (north of Williamsburg Road)
• Early Street
• Fargo Drive
• Farmington Drive
• Francis Road (between Mountain and Greenwood)
• Glen Eagles, north of Ridgefield
• Grey Oaks Park Drive
• Herman Street
• Impala Road
• Lydell Road
• Neale Street
• North Run Road
• Penick Road
• Poplar Forest Drive
• S. Gaskins Road
• Springdale Road
• Starling Drive (north of Quioccasin Road)

30 mph to 25 mph:
• Innslake Drive
• Watts Lane
• Westham Parkway
• Wistar Street
• West Washington Street
• Eunice Drive
• Lakewood Road
• Lambeth Road
• Michaels Road (between North Parham Road and Alvarado Road) and Michaels Road (between Alvarado Road and Three Chopt Road).

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