‘We’re going to do the work’: Henrico leaders respond to community’s demands for safer streets after 11-year-old’s death
VENN
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Flowers and stuffed animals now line part of Three Chopt Road, marking a growing memorial to honor the life of 11-year-old Dania Bashier.
The Tuckahoe Middle School student was riding her bike with another child on Sunday, August 24th, when police say she was hit by a car while crossing the four-lane street.
“A driver was driving safely down a road that, he probably had traveled for quite some time, tried to avoid Dania's brother, and was unable to avoid her," said Three Chopt District Supervisor, Misty Roundtree.
(Photo: 8News)
For many residents, the growing memorial reflects their continued concerns over road safety. During Tuesday night's Henrico Board of Supervisors meeting, neighbors renewed their calls for safer infrastructure.
“Every student deserves the same chance to get to school safely without worrying about accidents,” said a Henrico student who spoke alongside her father.
“I’ve been advocating for safer streets for years with little to show for it, so I’m bringing my plea to a larger forum,” one resident said.
"I have to either cross illegally in the middle of the road, or walk half a mile to a stoplight," another added. "Neither option feels safe... and this is near an elementary and middle school.”
Henrico police say this year alone there have been eight crashes involving bicyclists and 48 pedestrian crashes across the county. Six of them were deadly.
Neighbors are calling for crosswalks, sidewalks and other safety improvements along Three Chopt Road. County leaders say they are committed to prioritizing those changes.
“We will do everything we can to make our communities safer for pedestrians and drivers,” said Fairfield District Supervisor, Roscoe D. Cooper III.
Roundtree echoed that commitment and said “We’re going to do the work, invest the money, and be thoughtful about how to make these streets safer."
While leaders have not laid out immediate changes, a $53 million project to add sidewalks and other upgrades along Three Chopt Road is already underway. It’s expected to be completed by 2027.
