It's Not The Confederate Cemetery Wall!
The president of the Fredericksburg Cemetery Company isn't happy about the motorists continuing to crash into the City Cemetery wall and that people always confuse this cemetery with the Confederate Cemetery.
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Fredericksburg Cemetery Company President Jeanette Cadwallender is at a boiling point and who can blame her. Irresponsible drivers keep crashing into their precious cemetery wall on Washington Avenue across from The Free-Lance Star headquarters.
The latest incident was this past weekend when a 26-year-old Spotsylvania County man was charged with DUI after police say he crashed his vehicle through the wall.
But it isn't just the cemetery wall crashes that bother Cadwallender. She's also annoyed with the lack of historic acuteness some people in the community have when they talk about the wall because they always seem to confuse it with the Confederate Cemetery that shares the same entrance with the City Cemetery. Her own ancestors, the Rowes, are buried in the City Cemetery so she has a personal stake in protecting this property. The Fredericksburg Cemetery Company maintains the City Cemetery and has been around since 1844.
At Tuesday's City Hall meeting, Cadwallender asked City Council to take action. But first she had to clear up any misconception.
"Before I go any further I want to explain that we are not the Confederate Cemetery, nor do we receive money from the City, despite being known as the City Cemetery," she said. "These two points have lead to much confusion. The Confederate Cemetery, managed by the Ladies Memorial Association, was built adjacent to ours after the Civil War. The fact that there are citizen burials in the Confederate Cemetery and Confederate graves in the City Cemetery adds to the misunderstanding. The City Cemetery was accessed from the stone gate on Commerce—now William Street. The lowering of the road, and the erection of the stately iron gate on Washington Avenue in 1870 have both contributed to the common confusion. One accesses the City Cemetery today from a gate that reads, Confederate Cemetery. All the burials to the left are in the City Cemetery."
Cadwallender expressed her frustration long enough to go over the five-minute time limit allowed to organizations, which brought out the City Hall referee, only to be rebuffed by Mayor Tom Tomzak, who let her continue on.
"I'll be one more minute," Cadwallender retorted to the "your time is up" warning. Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley glared over at Tomzak who didn't even notice as he listened to every word of Cadwallender's speech. You know the old saying, "Don't upset someone who buys ink by the barrel." Jeanette Cadwallender is the wife of Nick Cadwallender, the associate publisher of The Free-Lance Star.
Along with the identity problem, Cadwallender said that the cost to repair the wall is paid by insurance and it has cost more than $33,960, not counting the most-recent wall bashing. The result of all of these crashes is a mosaic of different colors of brick and cement. Yes, it is one ugly section of the wall.
"Patch following patch has repaired the holes but the entire wall shifts with each 4,000-pound collision," she said. "It won’t be long before the entire wall will need to be replaced. Our organization runs on a shoestring. Thanks to contributions we are lucky to have enough money to cut the grass. Replacing the wall is out of our reach."
So, with the cost of replacing the wall not possible, Cadwallender asked City Council to find other solutions.
"Many people have contacted me with their suggestions for a solution; stop sign, 3-way stop, traffic light, rerouting traffic, bollards, guardrail and reducing the camber of Amelia Street," she said. Cadwallender said she spoke with City Manager Beverly Cameron in November 2011 and finally heard back from him Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after she delivered a hand-written letter to him on Monday. Cameron's response cited the five changes the city has made in response to the wall problem.
Those changes are:
- The installation of “T intersection 500 feet ahead signs," one on each side of the street on Amelia Street, just past Winchester Street.
- The installation of black and yellow chevrons near the gate to the Confederate Cemetery, indicating that motorists approaching on Amelia Street must turn either left or right at the intersection with Washington Avenue.
- The replacement of the lenses in the amber flashing lights above the intersection of Amelia/Washington with arrow lenses, again indicating that motorists approaching on Amelia must turn either left or right at this intersection.
- Making sure that the pavement markings on the Amelia Street approach to the intersection clearly indicate the “left or right but not straight” traffic flow at the intersection.
- Raised the height of the curb along Washington Avenue.
"He notes, and I concur, that none of these modifications has worked, hence the two accidents within five months," Cadwallender said.
The next solution that is coming out of the halls of the city government is adding a 240-foot guardrail along Washington Avenue to block the wall. Cadwallender said all this does is make more people think Amelia Street is part of a highway system, not a neighborly 25 mph road. She asked City Council to make the protection of this cemetery wall a priority.
"If a barrier is the best solution, let’s explore bollards that can be just as effective in this setting and that respect the neighborhood and which meet the aesthetic requirements of this historic part of town," she said. "Would you consider a guardrail around the Hugh Mercer monument, just two blocks away? I hope not. Bollards are used effectively in other cities in pedestrian settings such as the colonial treasures in Philadelphia."
At the end of the meeting Tuesday, Councilman George Solley asked the city to come up with other alternatives than blocking the wall with a guardrail and the ramifications of each potential solution.
"I have to admit, I was a little bit surprised that the guardrail was the only recommendation," he said.
Cameron said he would have a report back to council in two to four weeks.
Wink Thompson
7:20 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Suggestion, why not install stop signs on Amelia St to slow down traffic.
Debby Girvan
8:47 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wink- a 3 way stop is the best solution. While on Council I brought up this issue on the agenda & recommended a 3-way stop sign but the city opted for the solutions mentioned above which I said at the time would not work & would only add to the sign clutter in that area. The wall has been hit multiple times but a large tree was also hit & destroyed on that block. I live 2 blocks from that intersection & drive it everyday. The most logical, least costly and most aesthetic solution to the problem is a 3 way stop. Speed is the primary reason the wall is hit. Wet pavement & drunk drivers only increase the risk. The left turn is awkward from Amelia & everyday people unfamiliar with this intersection try to stop on Amelia anyway, impeding the flow of traffic. Crossing Amelia is a hazard for pedestrians because the topography of the road makes it hard to see cars on Amelia as they approach Wash Ave - this is also a problem for cars on Washington Ave. A 3 way stop is an inexpensive, effective, common sense solution. Any barrier strong enough to stop a car or truck will be expensive, an eyesore & detract from this historic site.
Dan Telvock
8:56 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Debby Girvan for council 2012? Eh? :)
Debby Girvan
9:04 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
No thanks. Been there. Done that. ;-)
Ed
9:25 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Just curious. How many of the accidents involving the wall were alcohol related? I would seem that no amount of money spent on signs or traffic marking will overcome impaired driving. Didn't there used to be some sort of small chain fence between the sidewalk and curb at one time? Memory is fuzzy on that one. But it would seem a series of short bollards in the affected areas would be a better long term solution.
Dana Ray
11:27 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
My thoughts exactly. An impaired driver who can't avoid a wall (even with the benefit of a flashing yellow light to alert him or her to the intersection) is going to respect a regular stop sign?
Ed
9:51 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Perhaps a series of short (2' - 3') 4" or 6" metal bollards with some hedging such as nandinas planted with it to provide screening, all kept at a 2' - 3' height, would work. This would be a trade off as the hedging would block some of the view of the wall, but also provide a natural screening of the metal bollards. This height would still provide a view of most of the wall from a car or a standing person and probably stop most vehicles. Heck, the nandinas, when fully rooted, might stop cars on their own!
Jonathan T Smith
9:54 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
I love how EVEN the writer got it confuded and called it The "Confederate Cemetary" when suggesting solutions... lol
Dan Telvock
11:48 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
How did I confuse it? I didn't confuse the two.
jonathan t smith
10:53 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Sorry Dan, I thought you yourself had called it "confederate" when talking about the yellow/black chevrons. My apologies.
Jonathan T Smith
10:04 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
SNIPERS! NINJAS! AND A SHARK POOL!.... Comon guys! what is needed is a simple row of inexpensive parking blocks. Combined with increased police presence in that area may get the area known for people to pay attention (even though they should be paying attention anyways).
Debby Girvan
10:19 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Speed is the problem, even with drunk drivers who have hit the wall. A 3 way stop is the best solution. Reckless & even drunk drivers are more likely to be slowed by a stop sign reducing the chance of jumping the curb. A 100 year old tree was destroyed there so trees and shrubs are not the solution. Even if an effective artificial barricade could be found that wasn't an eyesore, who is going to pay for it?
Ed
10:59 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
The first thing that will have to happen will be the city making a decision about the request. 1 - Not our problem. Sorry. 2 - We would like to help but we do not know where the money is coming from. 3 - We will help and find the money somewhere to do so. Unfortunately when people are impaired, distracted or otherwise driving unlawfully, stop signs, blinking lights and directional arrows offer little help. And I am sure my bollard suggestion would not stop large trucks or other such vehicles. Since the historic city of Fredericksburg seems to not have a solution, maybe the NPS could be asked for suggestions.
Debby Girvan
11:38 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Bollards cost almost a thousand dollars each - plus the cost of installation. With the number needed to be effective, the cost could easily reach 10's of thousands of dollars. With the topography of the road & the speed on the turn, bollards alone will not stop a car if it's traveling fast enough to topple a brick wall. It costs virtually nothing to replace yellow lights with red. Stop signs- again minimal cost. Begin with the 3 way stop & start a fundraiser for the bollards if necessary.
Ed
4:27 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Am not averse to the stop signs, just a little curious as to how the traffic on Amelia would react during higher traffic times if every car had to stop and then go. Maybe the signs could be a start. My suggestion was just a suggestion and not a solution.
But I would like for it to be considered. The Public Works guys are pretty resourceful. I'd bet they could come up with several sections of 6" steel pipe (city surplus maybe or buy from local scrap yard @ 35 cents a lb.) cut to allow about 4' to be sunk into the ground about 5 or 6 feet apart, in the grass strip between the sidewalk and curb, leaving about 2 - 1/2 feet above ground. Plant nandina (or something else) in between the posts and let grow, keeping it trimmed at the post height. Let the post rust and it would blend with the nandinas, which would also add year-round color and not be offensive. I am assuming that this would not be overtime work so the cost of materials and plantings to do this should be considerably less that 10's of thousands of dollars. Also, as a possible future thought, if the FLS were to move, maybe part of the property could be used to re-align the road and create a broader barrier between the street and cemetery. The sight line down Amelia from either lane of Washington Avenue is horrible at that intersection now. Maybe the FLS would help with this. Jeanette???? BTW - a guardrail seemed to be the chosen solution to the car/wall issue at Sophia and Pitt Streets. Ugly? YES!
Hamilton
2:57 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
I like 'rumble strips' to slow traffic down (even drunks). The City could use some of those cobblestones they have stored away and create a series of or a section of roadway with cobblestones. Next time you are in Alexandria, drive on the cobblestone lower blocks of Prince Street and see what does to your speed - and if driving fast, your front end alignment. there are many other options but most probably not feasable (round-a-bout) or not asthetically pleasing (guard rails).
chris
9:10 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Delta Scientific Corp. a local company that can supply Bollards. look us up at
deltascientific.com
C.King
TPKeller
9:35 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
If a driver is so drunk that they can't make a simple turn and keep their car straight for a couple hundred yards, why would anyone think a stop sign would make them drive any better? The prospect reminds me of gun-control laws, which have no affect on criminals, but only the people who obey laws! Not a solution to crime.
Additional stop signs would inconvenience every driver through the intersection, EXCEPT the drunk who doesn't even see it to begin with.
I don't have an affordable solution, but more stop signs is certainly not it.
Debby Girvan
10:02 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
The left turn from Amelia to Washington is extremely awkward to say the least - even traveling below the posted speed. I see people cut that corner so sharply as they turn onto Wash Ave that I worry about losing the front end of my car every time I'm waiting at the existing stop sign. I don't like 3 way stop signs either - they are a nuisance & inconvenient but in this situation where speed, not drunk driving is the primary problem (some of the previous accidents were not caused by drunk drivers) - unless someone comes up with something better I see a 3 way stop as the most feasible option.
TPKeller
10:37 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
I would be very interested in knowing what the exact percentage of the damaging accidents were deemed to be alcohol related. Does anyone know that information with enough certainty to cite solid numbers?
Dan Telvock
9:42 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
it is a majority, Keller
JJ
8:27 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
If the picture indicates the only damage, I'll do it for 25k.
jonathan t smith
10:55 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
I think that Ed nailed it. But the problem arises when the discussion to spend ANY money starts within the city. People get greedy, and suddenly Ed's simple effective idea becomes "inadaquate" and people who own the guard rail company start lobbying agianst the Bollock company for a City Bid. Sorry I'm not trying to sound cynical just realistic.
Brad Ellis
10:44 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
I'd prefer to look into the three way stop option.
I've often wondered why we have a flashing yellow coming off of Amelia.
Speed is an issue here and going from a dead stop onto Washington will certainly mitigate this aspect. It's also the least costly and the easiest and quickest option to employ. While various types of barriers may be an option, I just don't think we should enable speed to be a factor at this intersection.