Limits on driving speed and parking in the town of Quantico are changing, as is enforcement, as the town attempts to resolve two of its longstanding dilemmas.

On Aug. 8, the Quantico Town Council approved a measure to reduce the speed limit on all roads in town except Potomac Avenue and Riverside Road from 25 mph to 15 mph. Technically, the change is effective immediately, but Mayor Kevin Brown said it would take 30 to 60 days before enforcement begins, as the town works with the Virginia Department of Transportation to ensure that the new speed limit signs are properly installed and engages in an awareness campaign to familiarize drivers with the change.

“One of the major complaints of town residents is the speed of motorists in residential neighborhoods,” Brown said, noting that the town’s roads are narrow, with parking on both sides and heavy foot traffic. These circumstances can give the impression that drivers are speeding even when they’re driving under 25 mph, resulting in high volumes of complaints, he said. The town has long fought to lower the speed limit but was told by VDOT that 25 mph is the state’s standard residential speed limit.

Brown worked with local Del. Mark Dudenhefer to come up with a bill, passed by the General Assembly early this year, that allows a town surrounded by a military installation to drop the speed limit under 25 mph.

“I think that basically just applies to Quantico,” Brown said. 

To encourage compliance with the new speed limit, the town is also having its roads officially designated residential zones, which will add an optional $200 to any speeding fines.

Brown acknowledged that some drivers may not appreciate the changes, but he said, “The goal is to get people to slow down. It’s not to give people tickets.”

Drivers can also expect to be ticketed more consistently for parking infractions, as the town has hired three new, part-time parking enforcement officers, who started work Aug. 16. The decision came after officials noticed that a drop in revenue from the parking meters was affecting the town budget, Brown said, adding that he sees paying for parking is a necessary evil.

“I’m probably the person in the whole town and on the whole base who hates the parking meters the most,” he said. But he noted that about 20 percent of the town’s budget comes from the meters and parking tickets.

Because some visitors avoid meters and tickets by parking on already-crowded neighborhood streets, the town will soon make parking on its residential roads available to residents only, Brown said. The change can be expected around the beginning of next year.

“Parking has historically been a huge problem in town,” he said, noting that residents and business owners alike have difficulty finding spots.

To simplify the situation — and end the need to carry large volumes of quarters — the town is developing a parking pass that frequent visitors will be able to purchase. Residents are required to have town stickers on their vehicles, and Brown said he hopes to have the parking pass stickers available by the time residents need to renew their stickers in October and November.

He said the town is trying to strike a balance between raising the necessary revenue and remaining an easy place to visit and do business.