Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 26, 1991                   TAG: 9103260589
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

OLD MOUNTAIN ROAD BRIDGE TO HAVE ONE-WAY TRAFFIC

Temporary signals will be installed to direct motorists across the bridge, allowing only one direction of travel at a time.

City officials have encouraged motorists to avoid the area if possible because they said closing one lane will affect traffic near the Ole Monterey golf course.

A detour will not be established, but signs and barricades will be used to route traffic.

The city is paying an additional $28,000 to Lanford Brothers, a Roanoke contractor, to keep one lane of the bridge open.

The bridge may have to be closed four to six times while the concrete is being repaired, but this will be scheduled during non-peak traffic periods, officials said.

The bridge needs to be repaired immediately because an inspection showed that the concrete has deteriorated seriously, officials said.

A 5-ton weight limit was imposed on the structure as a precautionary measure earlier this year. The limit bans large trucks as well as school buses.

School bus schedules for more than 300 children have been changed because 10 buses have been rerouted.

Chauncey Logan, transportation director for city schools, said earlier the buses are being rerouted by way of Hollins and Plantation Roads and Shadwell Drive. They are running about 15 minutes earlier in the morning so they can reach the schools on time.