HAMPTON, Va. — A new effort is underway in the city of Hampton, aimed at improving traffic safety. The city is asking residents to take an online survey about traffic in the city.
The survey asks a variety of questions, including how often you drive and how you get around.
It is meant to help improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians, which will be paid for by a grant the city received from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Watch: Motorcyclist dies in Hampton crash after fleeing state trooper at 100 mph: VSP
According to a 2024 update to the Hampton Roads Regional Safety Study released by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, the city had the second-highest number of injuries from crashes of all cities in the region between 2017 and 2021.
Poquoson was number one.
The study also says the intersection of Mercury Boulevard and Power Plant Parkway/Todds Lane in Hampton had the highest rate of crashes, averaging 53 per year between 2017 and 2021, out of 1,013 intersections analyzed.
Watch: Hampton police investigate deadly hit-and-run crash on W. Mercury Boulevard
Drivers News 3 talked with didn’t have any specific ideas on how to improve traffic safety, but said they are glad to know the city is taking action.
"As always, we want to get as much input as we can from residents," said Hampton Public Information Officer Mike Holtzclaw. "We want the people who live in Hampton, who drive in Hampton, who work in Hampton, to have a say. We always will get good feedback. As much as our experts and our engineers know, there's always going to be some detail that somebody suggests that will end up getting implemented."
As of Tuesday, many people chimed in on social media, with several comments on the city's Facebook post about the survey offering suggestions for Mercury Boulevard.
News 3 talked with Matthew Hood, the manager of a business on Mercury Boulevard, who believes more of an effort to slow down traffic would be a good idea.
“I think in the times of the afternoon, around 2:30 to 4 p.m., more of a police presence, even if it was a car with a mannequin in it, would help slow the people down. Because usually in the afternoon is when it breaks loose, around 2:30 to 4, when the shipyard’s letting out. I think that would help combat and slow it down a little bit," Hood said.
The results from the survey will be used as part of a traffic safety plan the city is currently developing.
