Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 17, 1993 TAG: 9306170235
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Coming soon, traffic will be restricted nights and weekends at one of Roanoke's busiest interchanges - Elm Avenue over Interstate 581.
A recent inspection revealed the need for repairs to the deck of the Elm Avenue bridge near Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley.
The contractor will begin work on the repairs by mid-July and will have 45 days to complete them.
To help prevent major traffic disruption, state and city officials will regulate the times the contractor can work. But they said traffic still could be congested at times.
The contractor will not be allowed to impede normal traffic flow between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
On weekdays, the traffic count on the Elm Avenue bridge is 30,000. About 80 percent of the weekday traffic occurs between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
On Saturdays, the traffic count on Elm is 20,000, and on Sundays, 15,000.
City Traffic Engineer Bob Bengtson said repair work will be permitted from 7 p.m. Fridays to 7 a.m. Mondays. But one lane must be kept open in each direction on Elm Avenue while the contractor is working.
Weekend repairs also will be prohibited when heavy traffic is expected at the Elm/I-581 interchange for three events: the Commonwealth Games, July 16-18; the Beach Party, Aug. 27-28; and Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5.
During the weekends when the contractor is working, turns from I-581 onto Elm Avenue will be prohibited in an effort to keep traffic moving on Elm.
Signs will advise northbound motorists on the Roy Webber Highway to use the Orange Avenue exit, while southbound I-581 traffic will be directed to the Williamson Road exit. Signs also will be posted downtown to alert motorists to the restrictions.
To get traffic moving again as quickly as possible, Bengtson said, the contractor will use fast-drying concrete.
by CNB