Is Virginia’s Rural Rustic Roads Program Being Misused?

I live in Warren County, near the historic Brownstown area. William Vincent Road, which accesses my ten-acre farm and defines our rural community’s character, is set to be paved under Virginia’s Rural Rustic Roads Program. While the program is designed to preserve rural character, the planned changes—tar-and-chip paving and a 35-mph speed limit—risk undermining both safety and the program’s original intent.

The Rural Rustic Roads Program was created to balance transportation needs with the preservation of rural aesthetics and safety. But for William Vincent Road, it’s doing the opposite. The road is narrow, winding, and dotted with blind curves. Driving at 35 mph on these roads would be inherently unsafe. Yet, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) insists on applying a one-size-fits-all statutory speed limit of 35 mph once the roads are paved.

Currently, no speed limit is posted, and few drivers travel near 35 mph due to the road’s conditions. Ironically, the proposed “improvements” will facilitate unsafe speeds. VDOT has not conducted a speed study, citing low traffic volumes as the reason. Without such a study, claims that the road will be “safe” at 35 mph appear arbitrary and unsubstantiated.

While some residents support paving, opposition to the 35-mph limit is unanimous. Community members advocate for a 20-mph limit to ensure safety and preserve rural character. However, VDOT and state delegates Delores Oates and Todd Gilbert have dismissed requests to either halt paving or set a lower speed limit, disregarding local expertise and road-specific conditions. This stance contradicts the program’s stated goals.

The 35-mph limit will also harm the neighborhood’s environment. Speed and noise are closely linked: at 35 mph, noise levels are 6-8 decibels louder than at 20 mph, doubling perceived loudness to the human ear. This increase threatens the peace and environmental quality that the Rural Rustic Roads Program aims to protect.

Transparency has been another issue. The Warren County Board of Supervisors held a poorly advertised public hearing, leaving most residents unaware of the paving plan until preliminary work began. Efforts to advocate for a safer speed limit have since been dismissed, further alienating residents and eroding trust.

The Rural Rustic Roads Program must fulfill its purpose: maintaining the safety and character of rural communities. Paving roads without proper studies and imposing an arbitrary speed limit jeopardizes both. A 20-mph limit aligns with safety, noise reduction, and the program’s mission. Anything else risks turning a program designed to protect rural areas into one that destroys them.

VDOT, state leaders, and local officials must listen to their constituents and take the necessary steps to ensure safety and preserve rural character.

Sieren Ernst 
Warren County

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