Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 5, 1991 TAG: 9104050418
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The New River Group of the Sierra Club passed a resolution recently calling on the Virginia Department of Transportation to drop the project.
"Mainly, we see it as a completely unnecessary project," said Mary Rhoades, chairwoman of the local chapter.
The group sent copies of the resolution, along with references from government reports, to local, state and federal officials.
The proposed link would run east from southern Blacksburg, across Ellett Valley and connect to I-81 near Virginia 641.
It would "cut a large swath through a significant amount of rural and rugged land," and soil erosion from construction would damage nearly a dozen streams, the resolution says.
Further, the six minutes in travel time between the localities that it is thought the project could save is not worth the estimated $117 million, the Sierra Club says.
Supporters of the proposed 5.7-mile link are seeking federal money to make it a research project on "smart road" technology.
Dan Brugh, the highway department's resident engineer, said that his office is preparing an environmental impact statement for federal review, and that the department will hold a public hearing this summer.
"Basically it's a `build or no-build' kind of thing," he said.
The state Transportation Board has approved a bypass for U.S. 460 between Blacksburg and Christiansburg, just east of 460 behind the Market Place, to ease traffic along the busy commercial strip.
Brugh said that the state is beginning the design for the 3.2-mile, six-lane bypass. Its estimated cost is $106 million.
by CNB