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National Motorists Association’s Sentinel Award Presented to Virginia Advocate
Waunakee, WI (MMD Newswire) February 18, 2014 – -The National Motorists Association (NMA) has awarded J.J. “Joe” Bahen, Jr. its coveted Sentinel Award for his stellar work in advocating for improved traffic intersection design nationally, and particularly in his home state of Virginia. The award was established to recognize individuals or groups that have made significant contributions in support of motorists’ causes, often utilizing vital resources of their own.
Mr. Bahen-shown in foreground of photo conducting speed study with Jim Walker (holding laser gun) and New Jersey Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon-has campaigned tirelessly to reform substandard traffic signal design and timing at intersections equipped with red-light cameras, utilizing his experience as a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the ITE Traffic Engineering Council. Joe Bahen has a 40-year standing as a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, commencing shortly after receiving a masters degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech.
Now retired, Joe Bahen hasn’t reduced his activity on highway transportation issues or lessened his personal commitment toward improving traffic engineering standards for drivers everywhere. Some of his work over the past 13 years on behalf of motorists:
- Initiated legislation that resulted in an increase in the statutory maximum speed limit on Virginia interstate highways to 70 mph, and on certain 4-lane highways to 60 mph
- Appeared as an expert witness in several cases including one in which the Court of Appeals of Virginia enforced the Code requirement that non-statutory speed limits must be based on engineering studies
- Worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Highway Safety Office, the Virginia State Police, and other safety stakeholders on Virginia’s 2012 – 2016 Strategic Highway Safety Plan
- Continues his work with the ITE on its Recommended Practice for the timing of traffic signal yellow light change intervals.
- Investigates potentially deficient traffic yellow light change intervals at intersections throughout Virginia and elsewhere by conducting traffic studies, examining public records, and demanding the reform of engineering practices that don’t meet statutory requirements.
Jim Walker, executive director of the NMA Foundation, is a frequent collaborator with Bahen on field studies of traffic flow and signal timing. Walker observed, “One of Joe’s secrets to success is his unfailingly polite and professional approach to officials, coupled with a fierce determination to succeed. He simply does not accept wrong answers from officials, but keeps coming back with more data and more proper engineering arguments to support his position until the issue is fixed.”
Joe Bahen is on a mission, one dedicated toward ensuring that drivers in Virginia and other states are protected with traffic engineering practices that are fair and safety-based rather than contributory revenue generators. For his prolific advocacy work on behalf of motorists, the National Motorists Association is pleased to recognize Joe Bahen as a worthy recipient of the Sentinel Award.
Contacts: Gary Biller, President National Motorists Association Email: nma@motorists.org Telephone: 608-849-6000
Website: www.motorists.org
About the National Motorists Association:
Founded in 1982, the National Motorists Association is a North American grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to the protection of motorists’ rights and freedoms. The NMA was instrumental in repealing the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Limit. Since then, the organization has fought for reasonable speed limits, an end to speed traps, fairer traffic courts, and against using traffic tickets to generate revenue rather than improve safety.
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Source: http://mmdnewswire.com/national-motorists-association-virginia2-130443.html
