Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1990 TAG: 9007250368
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B/1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MONICA DAVEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD LENGTH: Medium
Payne said July 13 that he doesn't object to the parkway going from Vinton to the proposed living-history state park, but doesn't want it through his district in Bedford and Franklin counties.
Following a similar action by Franklin supervisors last week, Bedford's Board voted 6-1 to endorse Payne's suggestions despite a last-minute appeal from Explore officials.
J. Everette "Ebo" Fauber III, appointed this year to the state board that governs Explore, asked the supervisors to hold off on their decision.
Fauber, also a former Bedford County supervisor, told the board that Payne had never discussed his feelings about the proposed river parkway - from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Hardy Ford - with Explore officials before he came out against it.
"No members of his staff had called to let us know what he was thinking," Fauber said. Since then, Fauber said Payne has agreed to come back to talk with Explore's consultants on Aug. 5 or 6.
"He's coming down to find out more about it and possibly rethink it," Fauber said.
Richard Burrow, project engineer for Explore, also asked the board to rephrase its motion in support of Payne.
He asked the supervisors to consider using the less-final words of Franklin County's resolution - which advocates ending the parkway at Explore "at least until existing road systems are upgraded to support a connection with Smith Mountain Lake."
Forest District Supervisor T.D. Thornton suggested amending the resolution or tabling it altogether.
"I think we may be jumping the gun prematurely if we firmly follow this motion," Thornton said. "I would like to keep the door open."
But he was outvoted.
Supervisor Wesley Gordon, whose district includes the Hardy area, said he could not see the benefit of the parkway for Bedford County citizens, given the price tag of more than $100 million.
"That money could be better utilized to upgrade the roads in Bedford and Franklin counties," said Supervisor James Teass.
Hardy-area residents oppose the road, and it could also clog the county's secondary road system, supervisors said.
The Explore project itself won't help Bedford either, said Teass.
"The fire protection, the rescue . . . who's gonna pay for that?" he asked. "It has not benefited anyone except Mr. Bern Ewert."
Ewert is director of the Explore project.
Payne's opinion on the parkway is considered by some to be key, because federal agencies traditionally are sensitive to the wishes of congressmen, especially when it comes to local projects.
However, the river parkway would begin in Rep. Jim Olin's district in Vinton, so it involves two House members. Olin said last month that he would push next year to obtain federal funding to buy the land necessary for the whole road and build at least the 2-mile link from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the proposed Explore living-history state park.
Staff writer Dwayne Yancey contributed some information for this story.
by CNB