[1-News-Head]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]

Ahead on NEWS 7 at 6...

A proposal to make Interstate 81 safer is generating debate...
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The plan would hit some drivers in the wallet... Justin McLeod has reaction from truckers and motorists.
(------------)
[anchor=Teresa]

And a Southside man wants to honor Martin Luther King in a big way...
His dream may soon become a reality.
News 7 is next. [Video-Open]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=dse]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 19:10:36]
[IN Q=You can look out]
((MAGGIE BUSH/MOTORIST: YOU CAN LOOK OUT ON THE HIGHWAY NOW AND THEY PRETTY WELL TAKE IT OVER SO WHY CAN'T THEY PAY IT.))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=they pay it]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Some motorists like the idea....but truckers say NO way.
(------------)

---

Good evening, I'm Teresa Hamilton.[Truckers-Reaction]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-06 TC-8:25]
[GRAPHIC=I-81 Safety]

Most agree improvements are needed on Interstate 81 to make it safer.
But the question is who should pay for it, taxpayers or truckers? Justin McLeod has more on a proposal that's getting both praise and criticism up and down the highway.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.; :00]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Friday; :20]
[SUPER=01-Bill Miller/Motorist; :33]
[SUPER=01-Howard Wright/Truck Driver; :47]
[SUPER=@justin1; :58]
[SUPER=01-Chris Miller/Truck Driver; 1:25 (QUICK)]
[RUNS=1:40]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7, Montgomery County]
((((NAT SOUND OF CARS DRIVING BY))
Anyone who has driven on I-81 usually has the same complaint.
There are too many vehicles and not enough lanes.
[SOT 19:08:14; 19:09:19]
[IN Q=Its congesting]
((CHARLIE SHRADER/MOTORIST: ITS CONGESTION. LOTS OF TRAFFIC.)) ((CAROLYN WAGNER/MOTORIST: THERE'S SO MANY TRUCKS NOW THAT CAUSES THE OLDER PEOPLE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.))
[Runs= 08]
[OUT Q=a lot of problems]

The solution may come from a group called Star Solutions.
Its a coalition of road construction companies which would like to widen Virginia's section of the interstate.
They propose creating separate lanes for cars and trucks.
[SOT 19:07:44]
[IN Q=That would be good]
((BILL MILLER/MOTORIST: THAT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE HAD TWO TRUCK LANES AND TWO CAR LANES.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=two car lanes]

But who should pay for these improvements?
Star Solutions would like to cover the costs by charging trucks a toll fee.
[SOT 18:57:29]
[IN Q=I dont like it]
((HOWARD WRIGHT/TRUCK DRIVER: I DON'T LIKE IT. I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL, OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE ROADS TOO.))
Although truckers are against tolls, they do support the idea of separate lanes for cars and trucks.
[Runs= 05]
[OUT Q=are on the roads]
[SOT 19:12:31]
[IN Q=Route 287 in New York]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: ROUTE 287 IN NEW YORK APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY TRUCK ONLY LANE AND TRUCK ONLY TOLL ROAD IN THE COUNTRY. THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR MEASURES IN OTHER STATES INCLUDING NEW JERSEY AND ARKANSAS BUT THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY HELPED DEFEAT THOSE MEASURES.))
[Runs= 14]
[OUT Q=defeat those measures]
((NAT SOUND OF TRUCK))
Truckers argue its unfair because they already pay about 7-thousand dollars each in road taxes every year.
And they say a toll could possibly produce more problems than solutions.
[SOT 19:00:55]
[IN Q=I'll probably end up]
((CHRIS MILLER/TRUCK DRIVER: I'LL PROBABLY END UP TAKING A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO TAKE UP THROUGH HERE.))
[Runs= 04]
[OUT Q=up through here]

Truckers and motorists are split right down the middle. (SHOT OF SPLIT ON HIGHWAY)
It will eventually be up to V-DOT to decide which path to take.

---

Justin McLeod, News 7, Montgomery County.))[MLK-Road]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=6 PM]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=02-03 TC-11:57]
[GRAPHIC=none]

A Danville man's dream to honor Martin Luther King Jr. is picking up speed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Danville/January, 2001]

Torrey Dixon wants to rename the South Main, Central Boulevard, and Piney Forest Road corridor after the slain civil rights leader.
Dixon has gathered more than a hundred signatures in favor of the proposal.
City council has now set up a commission to study the idea.
The seven member committee will make a recommendation and then council will vote on it.
A decision should come sometime next month.
(------------)

---

[S-UVA]

[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-115 (24:37)]
[GRAPHIC=ACC Logo]

The Virginia Cavaliers were going for their third straight win in the A-C-C when Florida State tipped it off at University Hall.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlottesville/RAYCOM SPORTS; :]

The 10th ranked Cavaliers started slow.
Florida State goes inside to big man Nigel Dixon he knocks down the shot the Seminoles led by 2.
Chris Williams carried the early load for the Cavs on this play he hits the jumper off the spin move and Virginia led by 2.
Elton Brown hit 3 three pointers in the first half and the Cavaliers led 45 to 39 at the half.
[SUPER=33-Virginia#10/91/Florida St./74/; :]

The Cavaliers kick it out at three point range to start the second half J.C. Mathias with the hoop and __ goes on to win it __ to ___.
(------------)

---

[S-Steelers]

[ANCHOR=Roy]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-113 (39:55)]
[GRAPHIC=Steelers/Ravens]

Baltimore will not go back to defend its Super Bowl Title. Kordell Stewart and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Ravens 27 to 10.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsburgh, PA/CBS SPORTS; :]

Leading 3 to nothing, Kordell Stewart hands off to Amos Zereoue he bulls his way up the middle scoring from the one and the Steelers led 10 to nothing in the first quarter.
The Ravens turned it over again and this time Zereoue takes the handoff and dives over the top for the score and the Steelers led 17 to nothing at the half.
A field goal made it 20 to 3 Steelers then Baltimore's Jermaine Lewis catches the punt cuts it to the outside and turns it up for the 88 yard T-D run and the Ravens trailed 20 to 10 in the third.
[SUPER=32-Pittsburgh/27/Baltimore/10/; :]

The Steelers sealed the win early in the fourth quarter when Stewart hooks up with Plaxico Burress on the 32 yard T-D pass and Pittsburgh advances with the 27 to 10 win.
(------------)