THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 1, 1995 TAG: 9508300191
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: Janie Bryant
LENGTH: Long : 336 lines
While Waterview and London Boulevard residents logged the highest number of callers, they were just a drop in the bucket to citywide concerns.
We've tried to address as many of those traffic problems as possible, with the help of City Traffic Engineer Richard McDaniel. In some instances, we were unable to reach people for clarification of their INFOLINE and in others the traffic engineer needed more specific information.
If your concern is not addressed, you should call the city traffic engineer at 393-8594.
If the problem is potholes or other road conditions, call Richard Hartman, the city engineer, 393-8592.
In addition, many callers expressed concern about speeding and other traffic violations that they witness around the city.
If you have a specific area you would like to alert police to, call the Police Department's public information office at 393-8748.
If your neighborhood would like to use Speed Buddy, a radar display which displays the speed limit while registering the speed limit of motorists passing by, call Lt. Karl Morrisette at 393-5427.
The radar display can be used for enforcement, but is often used simply as an educator and a reminder to motorists traveling through neighborhoods.
But now a look at some of the issues readers called about and McDaniel's responses:
There were several calls concerning traffic problems in Port Norfolk, a historic neighborhood that gets deluged with traffic between the Midtown Tunnel and the Western Freeway.
Answer: ``Portsmouth is working hard with VDOT and Norfolk to get the Pinners Point connector built and that . . . is the region's No. 1 priority.
``VDOT is doing everything it can to speed that project . . . there's a lot of effort from council, local legislators . . . all the cities in the area to get that project up and running.
``It's really going to take that project to get that traffic out of that neighborhood. But I can assure you I've never seen as big an effort . . . as long as I've been here.
``This is what they mean when they say we should plan regionally to get things done.''
Mayor Webb called the connector the ``biggest issue'' among the city's traffic priorities.
``It's terrible, it really is,'' she said.
Five callers complained that a traffic signal was needed at Elmhurst Lane and Clifford Street.
Walter Broda, vice president of the Park Manor Civic League, said traffic has picked up and that he has ``come close to being hit at least eight times in one month.''
``They just don't stop for the stop sign from Clifford,'' he said.
Another caller suggested the city incorporate nearby roads that feed into Elmhurst into one intersection. He added that people are parking their cars in the yard and motorists can't see oncoming traffic coming off of Clifford Street.
Answer: McDaniel says Elmhurst Lane has never had markings on it from Portsmouth Boulevard down to Clifford Street. He wants to try putting double yellow lines so people cannot pass on Elmhurst.
That also would have the effect, he said, of slowing people down a bit because they feel closed in a little the way motorists feel when going into a tunnel.
He also wants to try other things such as bigger stop signs and maybe flashing lights to warn people they have to stop ahead.
``I really don't think it warrants a signal, although I don't have traffic statistics,'' he said.
McDaniel said his department will also look at nearby properties to see if there are bushes or other factors causing blind spots.
A man called to voice his opposition to any plans to close the Clifford Street bridge, calling it an important passageway for business.
Answer: ``It's been talked about, but there has been no decision to close it. It is old and engineering does have plans in the making to repair that bridge.
``There's some talk about maybe we could shut down this bridge and eliminate the traffic through the Waterview area, but it's only talk. . . Before you could do anything like that, it has to be approved by the city manager's office and City Council.''
There's also been talk about ``a temporary closure to see what would happen with traffic,'' he said.
``Then again it's only discussion,'' he said. ``There's been no decision to do that.''
One caller suggested extending Clifford Street across to Bruce Station in Western Branch or somewhere building a bridge from Portsmouth to Bruce Road in Chesapeake.
Answer: As far as McDaniel knows, there are no plans at this time to do anything like that.
Four callers suggested a traffic light at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Kent Drive.
Answer: ``We'll look to see if it warrants a traffic signal.''
One caller wanted a shorter traffic light wait during off hours at the offramp of the I-264 on Victory Boulevard and another caller asked for the synchronizing of lights all along Victory Boulevard from Cradock to the interstate.
Answer: Good news on both wishes: Both lights will be changed with new sophisticated traffic signals the city is about to install.
That's all part of new equipment that may please, but not entirely satisfy, one man who called to wish for synchronized traffic lights throughout the city.
Answer: ``We've just received a $1.5 million (federal) grant to upgrade 24 this guy wants. It's nice if you have the money to do it.''
McDaniel said this grant will take care of traffic signals on Effingham Street from the Naval Hospital on down to George Washington all the way to Victory Boulevard and down Victory to Portsmouth Boulevard.
Two callers were concerned about the need for a traffic signal at Cedar Lane at or near the turn to Hatton Point Road. William E. Moore, one of the callers, said that ``Hatton Point Road is the only arterial road that a number of subdivisions have to Cedar Lane,'' including 110 condos at the end of the long road. He asked for he residents trying to get on and off of Cedar Lane.
Answer: McDaniel agrees the area is very close to warranting a traffic signal. Hopefully the improvement will be made by the Virginia Department of Transportation when the Cedar Lane project gets under way, however.
``If it gets to the point it's really bad, the city will move forward and install the traffic signal,'' he said, but ``it would be a whole lot better if they do it, because then we only have to pay two percent of the cost.
Further down on Cedar Lane, a woman called to say that the speed limit needed to be lowered, trucks needed to be kept off the road and school buses needed to be slowed down.
Answer: McDaniel said that his department is getting ready to do some counts to see how many trucks are using the road.
School bus complaints or comments should be made to school officials by calling the school transportation department at 393-8269.
A woman called and suggested that the four-way stop signs at City Park Avenue and Cherokee Road be replaced with a traffic signal.
Answer: ``We find that's working well there. . . At this point, I don't feel a traffic signal is warranted there.''
The same caller was concerned about a curve at Yorkshire and Hodges Ferry Road that blocks vision for motorists trying to turn left onto Hodges Ferry Road.
Answer: There are no plans to take out the curve, but there are changes in the air for that road, including a four-way stop sign at Snead Fairway where a telephone pole blocks vision.
``People really need to slow down there,'' McDaniel said.
Further down Hodges Ferry Road, callers wanted the four-way stop signs at Cherokee and Hodges Ferry Road replaced with a traffic signal.
Another reader asked that the waiting time for traffic at Hodges Ferry Road and Portsmouth Boulevard be increased, so motorists have to sit there longer.
Answer: ``. . . I feel like (the four-way stop) is beginning to be there long enough people are getting used to it. Add to that, what's happening in that area is a lot like what's happening in Waterview. A lot of the traffic drops off the interstate onto Greenwood Drive. We're getting ready to do a couple more things sometime around the first week in September.''
Besides the new four-way stop at Hodges Ferry and Snead Fairway, a new traffic signal will be going up at Greenwood Drive and Garwood Avenue (at the Red Barn store).
The traffic signal will encourage motorists stopped for the red light to take a right at Garwood to Elmhurst Lane, the four-lane road that was built for the heavy traffic now beating up nearby narrow roads.
Another factor which could offer hope to residents - Mayor Webb continues to ask the state transportation department for an off-ramp from I-264 to Elmhurst Lane.
``It's not an easy thing, but she is pushing for that,'' McDaniel said.
The latter question about timing on the traffic signal at Portsmouth Boulevard was inadvertently left out of those submitted to McDaniel.
File these under ``Careful What You Wish For.'' The problem with all those stop signs and turn restrictions that convince people to find a new route is that residents of the neighborhood have to use them too.
One caller asked that the city remove the No Left Turn (from 4 to 6 p.m.) sign at Hodges Ferry and Cherokee roads, ``because it is not being enforced and the people who are being penalized are the people who live right here in this area.''
Another caller said that a stop sign - or at least permitting left turns - was needed at Portsmouth Boulevard at intersections of Melvin Drive and Mayflower Road.
``Why penalize taxpayers of Mayflower Park because of a few traffic violators in Cavalier Manor and Chesapeake,'' he said.
Never mind the fact that if this man is turning left, he's headed for Chesapeake roads.
Answer: McDaniel said neither of the two intersections meet the criteria for a traffic signal.
``If they want to go to Chesapeake Square, the safest way is to come down Mayflower and. . . take a left on Logan Drive (to Hodges Ferry Road). To me that's not an unreasonable request.''
And on the No Left Turn restriction from 4 to 6, McDaniel's answer - ``We feel those (restrictions) are warranted.''
Two women called to ask the city to reconsider new business development on High Street in Churchland because of the increased traffic problems it would bring. They mentioned the prospect of dumping 18-wheeler trucks and more than 13,000 new cars on the busy stretch near Tyre Neck Road and High.
Answer: McDaniel agrees that more than 13,000 cars will come and go on that stretch a day.
``But here's what really happens,'' he said. ``It's not 13,000 more going from and to the shopping center. A lot of it is already the existing traffic stream on High Street. You're pulling the people going by there already in and out of the shopping center.''
McDaniel also said the road system would be designed so that cars and trucks could get in and out effectively.
``To me it's designed adequately and will function safely.''
One man called to say that traffic signals take too long to change at night, when no other cars are around. He suggested they should all be flashing lights, especially the one at Airline Boulevard and McLean Street.
Answer: ``He's right.''
McDaniel said the problem at Alexander's Corner occurred when a power outage knocked out the traffic signals in that area.
The city had to replace the signals with old equipment. In about three months, the city should be able to go back into the intersection and redo those signals, he said.
A woman called to say that stop signs have been missing from the Main Post Office on Broad Street for six months.
Answer: The only stop signs the city traffic engineer knows about in that area were those the post office put up in the parking lot.
The city has no authority to put up signs in a private parking lot and questions or suggestions should be directed to the post office, he said.
A woman called to say that the yield signs at Afton and Prospect parkways in Cradock should be replaced with a stop sign, because no one yields.
Answer: ``I think the yield signs are effective and that's all we need. We would be just stopping traffic unnecessarily and I have no records to indicate that the yield signs are not working.''
One caller called Elmhurst Lane from Cherokee Road to Portsmouth Boulevard a speed trap and suggested changing the speed limit from 25 to 30 mph.
Answer:``. . . He's just gone through a school zone. We feel like the current posted speed limit is adequate. There is just a short distance between Cherokee and Portsmouth Boulevard.''
A woman called to say that the huge shopping complex at George Washington Highway has no traffic lights at any of the entrances or exits. She was especially concerned about countless accidents she had seen at George Washington and Woodland Street.
Answer: ``We will certainly look at that and do the necessary traffic counts. I can visualize where that's at. . . and you've got to cross several lanes to go left.''
A woman called to say that the circle on Hartford Street in the Glensheallah area needed yield information, because motorists could not tell who had the right of way.
Answer: ``I had asked my people to install some yield signs there. . . I'm 99.9 percent sure that's already been done.''
A woman called to say she wished the four-lane portion of West Norfolk Road was 40 mph - not 35.
Answer: ``I feel like 35 miles per hour is the safe speed for that location.''
A woman called to say she wished someone would check into the problem of motorists cutting through Kenny Lane onto Magnolia Drive, making the residential area a raceway.
Answer: ``That's one we'll have to investigate.''
Two callers expressed concern over the intersection of London Boulevard and Peninsula Avenue, where they felt a traffic signal was needed.
Answer: ``There will be a traffic signal when the new Norcom High School is built - it's part of the plan for the high school.''
A man called to say that he would like to see left turns prohibited from Loudoun Avenue onto High Street at any time, as it was a dangerous intersection.
Answer: ``We'll take a look.''
A caller complained that coming up on London Boulevard from High Street toward the Midtown Tunnel, cars come up on the right and do not slow down, yield or stop ``although there is a double stop across the way.''
Answer: ``Probably what we need to do is re-stripe the intersection. Probably the markers have worn off and people drift over. We'll take a look at that through restriping.''
A caller complained that driving down London Boulevard right before going right into the Midtown Tunnel there is no yield sign at the right and people are not yielding.
Answer: ``That roadway is maintained by the VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation). The city will contact VDOT and ask them to take a look at that.''
A woman called to say her pet peeve was school buses near Merrifields Boulevard driving too fast in an area where children are walking home from school. She believes the buses should use a different route.
Answer: Call the school's transportation department at 393-8269.?
A man called to say that a stop sign was needed at Williamson Road and Montgomery Street in Merrimac Point.
Answer: ``We will look at that.''
A woman called to say that there are no posted speed limit signs on Michael Lane, a short block in front of an elementary school. She added that people are speeding down the street ``day and night. . . like it's a regular highway.''
Answer: ``We can put speed signs there. The law says 25 mph.''
A man called to say that the traffic lights on Court Street at High and County streets are flashing lights after-hours and on weekends, and wondered why the traffic signal at Court and London Boulevard could not be set up the same way.
Answer: ``We'll check that. What we try to do in the Downtown area is put everything on flash during the off hours.''
Two callers expressed concern over traffic and speeders on Court Street from Crawford Parkway to London Boulevard. Suggestions ranged from a four-way stop sign at North and Court streets to a median on Court Street such as the one on Washington Street in Olde Towne. Also, one caller felt help was needed for North Street, near Green Street.
Answer: Mayor Webb said that there is a two-way stop at North and Court streets now. The median, she agreed, ``would help.''
But there is no plan at this time to do so.
McDaniel has not addressed those questions yet.
A woman called to say that the traffic light on Court Street coming off the interstate should be changed so that it doesn't take so long on Sunday mornings.
Answer: ``We can't change it by day, but we can certainly take a look at it to see if the times are extremely long. If we can help her shortening the times we will.''
A woman called to complain that the left turn on the traffic signal at Portsmouth and Victory Boulevards, heading for Chesapeake, takes too long.
Answer: McDaniel said he would check the timing of the signal and that if it werte off, it could be fixed.
A woman called to say that there were no new lanes painted at the new Rodman Avenue connection to High Street - only a left turn and a right turn, but no direction for going straight ahead.
``I've nearly been hit several times at that intersection,'' she said.
Answer: ``That's all painted.''
McDaniel added that maybe she meant the Rodman Avenue and Western Branch Boulevard intersection a block away, which another caller suggested needed markings.
McDaniel said that intersection was scheduled to be painted the week of Aug. 20.
``We had some problems. . . had to get the islands out (there).''
A woman called to say that a bush near a stop sign at Idlewood Avenue and North Street made it difficult to see oncoming traffic.
``And they come right by it like 50 mph,'' she said.
She hoped the city would cut down the bush and put another stop sign or speed bump there.
Answer: ``We'll check that to make sure the sight line is cleared for them.''
A man called to say that people were parking too close to the curb of a new development at South Street and Columbia Court, making it necessary for motorists to pull out into the intersection before they could see to make the turn.
Answer: ``We'll mark (the curb).''
A woman called hoping for a traffic signal at Twin Pines Road and Gateway Drive.
``I've seen numerous accidents. . . or near misses,'' she said.
Answer: A new roadway project includes a traffic signal in that area, McDaniel said.
A woman wanted shorter waits at the traffic light at Towne Point and Poplar Hill roads.
Answer: McDaniel believes that intersection belongs to Chesapeake.
A caller wanted a traffic light installed on Towne Point Road near the Peachtree area.
Answer: McDaniel needs for the resident to call and give more information about the specific intersection. MEMO: Main article also on page 8.
KEYWORDS: TRAFFIC by CNB